I read a few pieces this week that I thought were really good. I might take the plunge for a year at least – these are all solid writers who deserve a platform. Even if it fails it gives these guys a chance to figure out the next time for themselves and creates more quality content for the time being in a sea of hottakes.This has gone live and it is free to use until the 30th.
I have to think he is the guy. That gives them quality writers in each of the 4 sports if that is the case.If Joey Mac is the hockey guy, I'm buying a yearly pass.
As @thehitcat pointed out, it would be great for this venture to succeed.
That's pretty much where I'm at, I'd love to have full time Joey Mac back in action. The interesting thing to me is the increased access to the writers for subscribers. So it could have a functioning comments section where the writers actually respond, more intimate Q+A type chats, and even in person events the writers hold. Combine that with the fact that they're actual people I'd like to meet makes it very intriguing. Additionally - I want this to succeed to see if it'll become a viable model going forward, especially for this type of coverage.If Joey Mac is the hockey guy, I'm buying a yearly pass.
As @thehitcat pointed out, it would be great for this venture to succeed.
Of course - it's not what he initially said that bothers me. It's the comeback asking for their money and pretending it never happened that rubs me the wrong way.Well, Patriots fans are absurd.
Yeah, perhaps some explanation would have been nice.Of course - it's not what he initially said that bothers me. It's the comeback asking for their money and pretending it never happened that rubs me the wrong way.
Is it a Boston-based writer or are they bringing in somebody from the outside? Is it somebody out of work or currently with another outlet?I think some you waiting to see who the hockey writer is will be subscribing.
That was my thinking. He's always been great discussing hockey any time he's filled in on radio.McAdam knows hockey and seems to be passionate about the game, that could be a really good thing.
Good news for you, their daily notes today said they iOS and Android apps to be approved in the next couple days.Signed up for 3 years and thrilled with the Pats coverage already, and they use VIMEO ... thank god! Hoping they get enough subscribers to get an app on the iPad/iphone where you could download new articles/video for long plane flights.
I think I read a goal would be something like 15,000 subscribers. I know the Pittsburgh model it's based on now has 20,000 subscribers.I'd be curious if anyone has guesses about this-- what's the number of subscribers for a site like this to work and be sustainable long term? Between 4-5 full time salaries and web hosting costs, not to mention travel, etc, I'd imagine their monthly burn rate must be pretty high, and while 2000 subscribers is undoubtedly a great start, it doesn't seem like it's even in the ballpark of supporting that.
That doesn't seem like a lot to sustain something like this. If you figure 15k subscribers and an average subscription price of $50/yr (averaging 50% at the monthly rate and 50% at the annual rate), that's $712k per year.I think I read a goal would be something like 15,000 subscribers. I know the Pittsburgh model it's based on now has 20,000 subscribers.
He better as the full-rate 1-year subscription is $34.99.He's probably getting a significant amount from sponsors too.
Wow I was way off then. 40,000 subscribers seems pretty impressive.I'd forgotten about ad revenue - but I wonder how much that would be in a scenario where the ads are getting ~15k unique viewers.
The Pittsburgh one has 40,000 subscribers. I'd have to think they are shooting for at least that.
Not that I have any info, but I would imagine "significant" is not the right word to describe what they'll make from advertising. Internet ad revenue is a disaster at the moment unless you have enormous scale. Also not sure if they have a sales team. Absent that I would think ad sales will be done largely programmatically, which is far from lucrative.He's probably getting a significant amount from sponsors too.
We don't know how much he's paying the writers. It could be a sliding scale based on subscriptions. And this won't necessarily be their only paychecks. They can still do radio and TV (and probably will, to get the word out as well) and do other writing gigs.That doesn't seem like a lot to sustain something like this. If you figure 15k subscribers and an average subscription price of $50/yr (averaging 50% at the monthly rate and 50% at the annual rate), that's $712k per year.
Given the number of writers plus support staff plus travel expenses, that doesn't seem like it would work out very well.
Oomph, that seems like an aggressive target for this year.I thought I read somewhere that the Pittsburgh model has 11 staff writers. BSJ is about half that at the moment (including the Bruins beat guy). G. Bedard said this morning that the 2017 goal is 20k subscriptions.