David DaCosta
Verified
(He/Him)
As seen in:
Sporting News,
Medium,
Sportskeeda,
Yahoo Sports,
Yahoo Sports Canada,
Spreaker,
WCAU-TV (Philadelphia, PA),
Sporting News Canada,
NewsBreak,
The Body Lock
Covers:
Sports: MMA, Boxing, Football, Soccer, and Baseball
Entertainment, Gaming, Movies and TV
Investigative reporting, crime, and accountability -
Most importantly: The City of Philadelphia
Doesn't Cover:
Business, Lifestyle, Fashion, Basketball -
Least of all: Politics
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
Writer at The Body Lock.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
No
How is social media changing news?
Social media speeds up news, expands reach, and shifts sourcing. It drives engagement but also spreads misinformation, forcing journalists to balance speed, accuracy, and audience-driven storytelling.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Peter Parker (technically a photographer, but still)
What does it mean to be a journalist?
To be a storyteller of the modern age.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
B2A, courtesy of Chauncey Gardner-Johnson after the last Eagles Superbowl win.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Email dacostahadd@gmail.com
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Microsoft Office, Adobe Photoshop/Premiere, Dalet, Canva
What's your favorite social network?
Instagram
Who do you wish followed you?
Stephen A. Smith
Why did you become a journalist?
I've always liked writing more than anything in school and wanted to find a way to make a job out of my two passions; storytelling and sports
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
No
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
A Fighting Chance: Maleek Jackson and the Power of Boxing
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Always shoot for an opportunity, regardless of your qualifications, and know who to learn from.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Anytime.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
Legendary baseball writer, Claire Smith, once asked that I create a boxing piece for her "Playing fields, not killing fields" initiative.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
To cover business for a Philadelphia magazine. (Nothing against it, just very far from my beat, and never expressed interest in it)
What's your favorite drink?
Orange juice
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Gym/Practicing some form of martial art,
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
Crossing Broad
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That everyone involved in MMA is violent. It has some of the friendliest and kindest people in the world who I'm proud to call my friends.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.