About the publication
What is Up in The Rafters?
If you've stumbled across Up in The Rafters and wondered what exactly this place is, I'm happy to explain. I'm Matt, one of the writers and the person who, alongside my dad Steve, helped build this thing from the ground up. This page is my attempt to answer the question directly.
Up in The Rafters is an independent sports publication. We cover the NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, golf, the Olympics, college sports, and more. But the way we cover it is what I think sets us apart from everywhere else you might be reading sports content right now.
By Matthew Finlayson
Where the name comes from
The phrase "up in the rafters" has always meant something specific to me. It's the nosebleed seats. It's the fan who drives four hours to watch their team lose in person because they love it too much to stay home. It's the people who have opinions at halftime that nobody in the press box bothers to ask about, even though they've watched every single game for fifteen years.
That's who I built this for. Not the casual observer who checks the score in the morning. The person who actually cares.
The name is also a nod to something that happens in arenas and stadiums across every sport: championship banners get hung in the rafters. Legacy lives up there. History lives up there. That's the kind of sports writing I want this site to produce.
What we actually do
Up in The Rafters publishes clear, well-researched sports content with a mix of historical perspective, data-backed analysis, and real opinions. We're not afraid to take a side.
My first sports memories are Kobe dropping 81, LaDainian Tomlinson making defenders look silly, and Derek Jeter somehow always coming through in October. I grew up with ESPN alerts and fantasy leagues, and I think that context matters when you're writing about sports in 2026. Fresh eyes catch things that experience might overlook. I believe that, and it shapes everything we publish.
We write explainers for fans who want to understand a sport better. We write history pieces for the people who want to know how we got here. We write sharp takes for the readers who want someone to actually say something, not just describe what happened.
Who writes here
Right now, the main voices on the site are me (Matt) and my dad, Steve Finlayson. We come at sports from different angles, which I think makes the writing better. Steve brings the historical perspective. I bring what's happening right now. That tension is intentional.
We are not a giant media company. We don't have a team of 200 journalists filing wire copy. What we do have is genuine care about getting things right and saying something worth reading. Every piece on this site went through someone who actually cares about the subject.
Why independent sports media matters
The sports media landscape has changed dramatically. Big outlets have consolidated, layoffs have hollowed out beat coverage, and a lot of what passes for sports content is just repackaged press releases or engagement-farming hot takes with no substance behind them.
Independent publications exist because there's a real audience for sports writing that actually tries. The rise of independent sports media has been driven by readers who want more than score updates and generic analysis. That's the gap we're filling.
We are also unsponsored in the sense that we are not here to push products or frame coverage around what an advertiser wants. Our opinions are our own. That's a feature, not a bug.
What makes Up in The Rafters different
I'll be direct about this because I think it matters.
A lot of sports content online is written by people who are writing about sports, not for sports fans. There's a difference. When I write about how the NHL Draft Lottery works or how NFL refs actually get paid, I'm writing it the way I'd want to read it. I want the explanation to be good enough that someone who doesn't know the subject comes away actually understanding it, not just feeling like they sort of skimmed a Wikipedia article.
We also don't shy away from having a point of view. Our NBA coverage doesn't just summarize games. Our MLB content isn't afraid to call something out. That's by design.
How to follow along
The best way to stay connected with Up in The Rafters is through the newsletter. Over 10,000 readers get our latest pieces delivered straight to their inbox, and you can subscribe here for free. No spam, no noise. Just the content.
You can also follow us on social. We're on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube under the Up in The Rafters name.
If you've got a topic you think we should cover, or you just want to tell me I'm wrong about something, I'm reachable. That's kind of the whole point. This is a conversation, not a broadcast.
Thanks for reading. Now go check out the rest of the site.
-- Matt
Up in The Rafters