Local sports coverage is popular with most viewers. The challenge of good camera work and capturing all the action keeps everyone alert. Aspiring sports broadcasters can usually be recruited to provide commentary at low or no cost. Graphics, instant replays, good sound (like hearing a ball go through a hoop), and other technical enhancements, are endless in sports production. This makes it a constant creative and technical challenge for staff.
The drawback to sports coverage is that it is very dated and can only be aired for a very short time. For the investment of time and resources, airplay is severely limited. This also holds true for sports shows. Even a weekly sports show gets dated quickly, due to league and playoff standings changing every day.