\GoBillsInDallas/ Posted March 3, 2020 Posted March 3, 2020 (edited) https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2020/03/03/the-athletic-sports-media-future/ Edited March 3, 2020 by \GoBillsInDallas/
jletha Posted March 3, 2020 Posted March 3, 2020 Im a paid subscriber and I hope it lasts. I dont read it every day in the off season but during the season it has the best content for Bills stuff and thats true of every city. 8
Mike in Horseheads Posted March 3, 2020 Posted March 3, 2020 10 minutes ago, jletha said: Im a paid subscriber and I hope it lasts. I dont read it every day in the off season but during the season it has the best content for Bills stuff and thats true of every city. Joined about a month ago, hope I get my years worth. Good stories on the Sabres, Nets and now Orioles with some Bills stuff
Hapless Bills Fan Posted March 3, 2020 Posted March 3, 2020 45 minutes ago, \GoBillsInDallas/ said: https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2020/03/03/the-athletic-sports-media-future/ Good story, thanks! "With its growing subscriber base, the Athletic has already been more successful than early skeptics predicted, taking advantage of a fractured media environment and effectively serving the passions of local sports fans. But it has also spent millions on salaries. Eric Jackson, founder of EMJ Capital, a tech and media venture capital fund, worried about the company’s cash flow and valuation. “Usually people disclose revenues when it’s good news,” he said. “Another thing is: Why did they need to raise more capital? Because they’ve spent the rest of it and they need to keep paying people? At a $500 million valuation, they’re hoping this is going to be like a unicorn and then some. But it’s a media business, and I don’t see that.” " and Last year, the Athletic expanded overseas, hiring a team of soccer writers to cover the English Premier League. It has more than 100 podcasts and plans to add more. And it’s landing bigger stories every year: Rosenthal, along with Evan Drellich, broke the Houston Astros sign-stealing story. The scoop netted several thousand new subscriptions, Hansmann, the Athletic’s co-founder, said in an interview. “Our fundamental perspective is whenever there are layoffs somewhere else that it’s depressing,” Hansmann said. “But our business perspective is that interest in sports remains at close to an all-time high. So even as you have everything falling apart, the decline in the industry isn’t about the demand for content.” Hansmann said he appreciated what the Athletic means to the industry right now. “I think as far as the pressure of that, we don’t think about how things might go wrong,” he said. “Obviously, we’ve built a large company and raised outside funding, plenty of it. We’re stretched as founders, sure, but we feel like we control our destiny.”
Saxum Posted March 3, 2020 Posted March 3, 2020 Surprised Washington Post did not make it a pay article but I have noticed many websites news is free but sports is not. I guess this is why The Atlantic's model is working. Quote The Athletic has raised $140 million, is approaching 1 million subscribers and is valued at about $500 million, according to the company. But it’s not yet profitable. It hasn’t released any revenue figures. And it has continued to raise money, including a recent buy-in from actor Matthew McConaughey. In other words, it could represent the idyllic future of sports journalism, a venture capital-backed mirage or something in between. This sounds very much like Amazon model who was unprofitable for a very long time.
blacklabel Posted March 3, 2020 Posted March 3, 2020 Hmm... they started out at $8 a month for a subscription and I don't think that lasted very long before they bumped it up to $11. The content is pretty good. Sometimes there's some filler, but guys like Joe B and Fairburn are on there, and Timmy Graham who I think is a solid writer that likes to troll sometimes. I dunno if I'd pay more than $11 a month though, so if they're looking for more revenue, hopefully it doesn't come in the form of charging subscribers more.
Buffalo Junction Posted March 3, 2020 Posted March 3, 2020 6 minutes ago, Limeaid said: Surprised Washington Post did not make it a pay article but I have noticed many websites news is free but sports is not. I guess this is why The Atlantic's model is working. This sounds very much like Amazon model who was unprofitable for a very long time. Maybe Bezos wants to own the athletic as well as the Washington post.
plenzmd1 Posted March 3, 2020 Posted March 3, 2020 I think it is so funny to see the thread a few inches down on Sullivan writing for the Niagara Gazette and now having some freelance gigs at channel 4, and Bucky being completely out of this biz...all the while the Athletic is thriving and some many young guys are now prominent writers like JoeB and Fairburn. And Sullivan and Gleason blame it all their editors!!!!
jletha Posted March 3, 2020 Posted March 3, 2020 34 minutes ago, blacklabel said: Hmm... they started out at $8 a month for a subscription and I don't think that lasted very long before they bumped it up to $11. The content is pretty good. Sometimes there's some filler, but guys like Joe B and Fairburn are on there, and Timmy Graham who I think is a solid writer that likes to troll sometimes. I dunno if I'd pay more than $11 a month though, so if they're looking for more revenue, hopefully it doesn't come in the form of charging subscribers more. Well their annual subscription is $60, which is substantially lower than $11/month. I split it with my brother and a buddy so its $20 for the year and we get everything we want. 1
BubbaT Posted March 3, 2020 Posted March 3, 2020 I'm a definite fan of the Athletic and not just for Bills and Sabres coverage (which I think is very good). There are lots of great articles on all kinds of things in there and i get my moneys worth from it.
Over 29 years of fanhood Posted March 3, 2020 Posted March 3, 2020 (edited) The Internet was bound to disrupt journalism particularly sports journalism which for example TBD crowd sources with free contributors. hobbyists will do for it for free and have access to most all the same video clips, tweets and stats. to get paid, one needs to do a much better job (be it entertaining, analytical or other) than the hacks of yore! Edited March 3, 2020 by Over 29 years of fanhood 1
GunnerBill Posted March 3, 2020 Posted March 3, 2020 (edited) I signed up in October when they started hoovering up a lot of the good soccer writers over here. As a former sports journalist myself I have to say it is a breath of fresh air. It is "proper" journalism. It isn't sensationalised garbage regurgitated for clicks. It isn't columnists trying to create personas. It is just quality content day after day. It cover my two biggest passions - soccer and the NFL - extremely well and I for one have basically given up reading the trash that sports pages of the mainstream newspapers churn out. I just read The Athletic articles on my morning commute. Edited March 3, 2020 by GunnerBill 3
Buffalo_Gal Posted March 3, 2020 Posted March 3, 2020 Been on it since the beginning. I don't read daily, but it is still worth the $$ to me. 1
Over 29 years of fanhood Posted March 3, 2020 Posted March 3, 2020 (edited) 26 minutes ago, plenzmd1 said: I think it is so funny to see the thread a few inches down on Sullivan writing for the Niagara Gazette and now having some freelance gigs at channel 4, and Bucky being completely out of this biz...all the while the Athletic is thriving and some many young guys are now prominent writers like JoeB and Fairburn. And Sullivan and Gleason blame it all their editors!!!! Plenty of blame to go around when disruptive change happens and shakes things up. I think one particular additional point is opinion pieces are passé. I think the average sports news consumer is more educated than ever and is looking for knowledge and analysis more than more opinions. the internet has given a voice to billions of opinions from the most draconian to the most positive. The entertainment value has been replaced with free content alll over the place. Edited March 3, 2020 by Over 29 years of fanhood
klos63 Posted March 3, 2020 Posted March 3, 2020 The Athletic is a very good source for informative articles on the Bills and Sabres. If you are curious about league business , other leagues, other teams, it's a great source. If you're just looking to kill some time and read about sports, it's great. Always something of interest for a sports fan. Worth the $60/year. 1
Whkfc Posted March 3, 2020 Posted March 3, 2020 1 hour ago, Limeaid said: Surprised Washington Post did not make it a pay article but I have noticed many websites news is free but sports is not. I guess this is why The Atlantic's model is working. This sounds very much like Amazon model who was unprofitable for a very long time. I hit a paywall couldn't read the wp article
BillsFan4 Posted March 3, 2020 Posted March 3, 2020 I have a discount for 40% off a 1 year athletic subscription. If anyone wants it let me know.
IDBillzFan Posted March 3, 2020 Posted March 3, 2020 1 hour ago, plenzmd1 said: And Sullivan and Gleason blame it all their editors!!!! Internet killed the sportswriter star. Anyone with a keyboard and dial-up can be a sportswriter now. Tough to compete with that. 3
NewEra Posted March 3, 2020 Posted March 3, 2020 I subbed about a year ago because I had a good deal, around $25 for the year. Best $25 I spent last year. I’ll be a sub if they continue with similar content. I love it
Rubes Posted March 3, 2020 Posted March 3, 2020 It's pretty fascinating that I haven't heard much negative about The Athletic since it started. I'm not a subscriber so I don't know, but I find that interesting.
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