Comments on: The Sweeper: Is Paid Content the Future of American Soccer Journalism? http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/12/08/the-sweeper-is-paid-content-the-future-of-american-soccer-journalism/ A soccer blog featuring essays, news and photography exploring soccer around the world Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:59:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: The Illustrated Possibilities for Good American Soccer Writing in the Internet Age | Pitch Invasion http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/12/08/the-sweeper-is-paid-content-the-future-of-american-soccer-journalism/comment-page-1/#comment-20116 The Illustrated Possibilities for Good American Soccer Writing in the Internet Age | Pitch Invasion Sat, 23 Jan 2010 18:32:16 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/?p=5200#comment-20116 [...] dream of magazine publishers to resurrect their format and business model in the digital era. Our discussion of the possibilities for paid content recently came from a proposal by American Soccer News that this model could work in a niche are like [...] [...] dream of magazine publishers to resurrect their format and business model in the digital era. Our discussion of the possibilities for paid content recently came from a proposal by American Soccer News that this model could work in a niche are like [...]

]]> By: Patrick http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/12/08/the-sweeper-is-paid-content-the-future-of-american-soccer-journalism/comment-page-1/#comment-17364 Patrick Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:41:48 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/?p=5200#comment-17364 The Crew finally have there own beat reporter Shawn Mitchell(columbus Distpatch), who blogs and has a website Crewextra that is tied in with 10TV ONN(ohio news network) and some of the free papers. I know that he first had his blog and before they had the full blown website and he was getting alot of hits for his blog and the rumour is that it was one of the highest for the newspaper, and people were pretty shocked by it, this is an OSU town, go to there website and it OSU sports and Other sports. I do think that the paper does own a small part of the crew. The Crew finally have there own beat reporter Shawn Mitchell(columbus Distpatch), who blogs and has a website Crewextra that is tied in with 10TV ONN(ohio news network) and some of the free papers.
I know that he first had his blog and before they had the full blown website and he was getting alot of hits for his blog and the rumour is that it was one of the highest for the newspaper, and people were pretty shocked by it, this is an OSU town, go to there website and it OSU sports and Other sports. I do think that the paper does own a small part of the crew.

]]> By: The Gaffer http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/12/08/the-sweeper-is-paid-content-the-future-of-american-soccer-journalism/comment-page-1/#comment-17356 The Gaffer Wed, 09 Dec 2009 12:05:14 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/?p=5200#comment-17356 A Ruiz, from personal experience, I can guarantee you that Ives makes most of his living off the freelance gigs instead of ad revenue from the traffic. Ad CPM rates are pretty low these days unfortunately and even with all of the traffic he gets, it probably doesn't add up to as much as you would think. Cheers, The Gaffer A Ruiz, from personal experience, I can guarantee you that Ives makes most of his living off the freelance gigs instead of ad revenue from the traffic. Ad CPM rates are pretty low these days unfortunately and even with all of the traffic he gets, it probably doesn’t add up to as much as you would think.

Cheers,
The Gaffer

]]> By: A ruiz http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/12/08/the-sweeper-is-paid-content-the-future-of-american-soccer-journalism/comment-page-1/#comment-17352 A ruiz Wed, 09 Dec 2009 07:18:13 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/?p=5200#comment-17352 How does ives do it? Hes still freelances but with all those ads and traffic he must be doing alright. How does ives do it? Hes still freelances but with all those ads and traffic he must be doing alright.

]]> By: Jason Davis http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/12/08/the-sweeper-is-paid-content-the-future-of-american-soccer-journalism/comment-page-1/#comment-17336 Jason Davis Tue, 08 Dec 2009 19:46:00 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/?p=5200#comment-17336 @cowtown- Buzz is unique, and does a great job with the 3rd Degree; the problem is, that despite the high-end look of his site and the amount of team-focused content he produces, he still doesn't pull down much (I don't believe). Fortunately for FCD fans, Buzz's "day job" allows him the access and freedom to gather and report; but what if there is no "Buzz" in other cities (which there does not appear to be)? What if Buzz changes jobs and can't devote the time to go out to training, talk to players, dig for scoops, etc.? The issue will continue to be a problem because rarely does someone of Buzz's abilities and access come along to do the job from an amateur footing. Part of the problem I see with the free content as provided by volunteer "journalists" is that there is no real standard; for every Buzz, a trained journalist covering a team in his spare time and doing it well, there are fifty less-than-qualified bloggers/citizen reporters spitting out information lacking in professionalism. Maybe that won't be a problem in fifty years when Americans have simply accepted the lower quality of writing and reporting because all of the journalists have disappeared, but it's a major problem, at least for me, right now. @cowtown-

Buzz is unique, and does a great job with the 3rd Degree; the problem is, that despite the high-end look of his site and the amount of team-focused content he produces, he still doesn’t pull down much (I don’t believe). Fortunately for FCD fans, Buzz’s “day job” allows him the access and freedom to gather and report; but what if there is no “Buzz” in other cities (which there does not appear to be)? What if Buzz changes jobs and can’t devote the time to go out to training, talk to players, dig for scoops, etc.?

The issue will continue to be a problem because rarely does someone of Buzz’s abilities and access come along to do the job from an amateur footing. Part of the problem I see with the free content as provided by volunteer “journalists” is that there is no real standard; for every Buzz, a trained journalist covering a team in his spare time and doing it well, there are fifty less-than-qualified bloggers/citizen reporters spitting out information lacking in professionalism. Maybe that won’t be a problem in fifty years when Americans have simply accepted the lower quality of writing and reporting because all of the journalists have disappeared, but it’s a major problem, at least for me, right now.

]]> By: Flynn http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/12/08/the-sweeper-is-paid-content-the-future-of-american-soccer-journalism/comment-page-1/#comment-17335 Flynn Tue, 08 Dec 2009 18:46:17 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/?p=5200#comment-17335 One of the current models you can examine is the financial information sector. Plenty of free financial data exists on Yahoo Finance, StockCharts.com, and the business pages of most major newspapers. However, a core set of retail investors ("average Joes") pay the $115/year subscription fee to access sites like Morningstar that provide more in-depth analysis and a higher level of business/financial coverage. So, as would be expected, there is a large market for free "undigested" data. But there is also a smaller, yet sustainable, market of customers who are willing to pay $10/month for a higher level of analysis. Of course, people are generally more willing to pay when they believe the service will bolster their savings. To what extent the financial model translates to MLS remains to be seen. One of the current models you can examine is the financial information sector. Plenty of free financial data exists on Yahoo Finance, StockCharts.com, and the business pages of most major newspapers. However, a core set of retail investors (“average Joes”) pay the $115/year subscription fee to access sites like Morningstar that provide more in-depth analysis and a higher level of business/financial coverage.

So, as would be expected, there is a large market for free “undigested” data. But there is also a smaller, yet sustainable, market of customers who are willing to pay $10/month for a higher level of analysis.

Of course, people are generally more willing to pay when they believe the service will bolster their savings. To what extent the financial model translates to MLS remains to be seen.

]]> By: cowtown http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/12/08/the-sweeper-is-paid-content-the-future-of-american-soccer-journalism/comment-page-1/#comment-17327 cowtown Tue, 08 Dec 2009 16:50:13 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/?p=5200#comment-17327 I'm wondering if FC Dallas's situation is unique, and if it's able to be duplicated. Buzz Carrick's 3rddegree.net is a model of high-end amateur web presence, with free, insightful reporting. I can honestly say I don't miss beat reporters. Surely other, better-supported teams should be able to find people able to come close without raising the specter of a paywall. I’m wondering if FC Dallas’s situation is unique, and if it’s able to be duplicated. Buzz Carrick’s 3rddegree.net is a model of high-end amateur web presence, with free, insightful reporting. I can honestly say I don’t miss beat reporters. Surely other, better-supported teams should be able to find people able to come close without raising the specter of a paywall.

]]> By: Elliott http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/12/08/the-sweeper-is-paid-content-the-future-of-american-soccer-journalism/comment-page-1/#comment-17326 Elliott Tue, 08 Dec 2009 16:00:28 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/?p=5200#comment-17326 The paid content model is a viable alternative, but as the next generation (even more wired than this) grows up with Google and does not remember reading the NYTimes Sunday edition from paper cover to cover, the fallout from search engine companies may be the crowning blow for some creaky old newspapers. Right now the papers alleged that search engines steal their content, yet they don't complain about no longer paying newspaper boys or publishers. The paid content model is a viable alternative, but as the next generation (even more wired than this) grows up with Google and does not remember reading the NYTimes Sunday edition from paper cover to cover, the fallout from search engine companies may be the crowning blow for some creaky old newspapers. Right now the papers alleged that search engines steal their content, yet they don’t complain about no longer paying newspaper boys or publishers.

]]> By: The Gaffer http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/12/08/the-sweeper-is-paid-content-the-future-of-american-soccer-journalism/comment-page-1/#comment-17325 The Gaffer Tue, 08 Dec 2009 15:54:42 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/?p=5200#comment-17325 There was an excellent presentation yesterday by Jeff Jarvis at the Search Engine Strategies Conference in Chicago where he discussed Murdoch's pay wall idea and, through research, shows that pay walls punish your most loyal customers -- which has the opposite effect of what Murdoch wants to do. Here's the notes from the speech as well as some great screenshots of his presentation: http://www.bruceclay.com/blog/2009/12/ses-chicago-2009-opening-keynote/ Paid content for soccer fans is a no-go. There's so much quality free content out there that to go down the paid route is a suicide mission. Cheers, The Gaffer There was an excellent presentation yesterday by Jeff Jarvis at the Search Engine Strategies Conference in Chicago where he discussed Murdoch’s pay wall idea and, through research, shows that pay walls punish your most loyal customers — which has the opposite effect of what Murdoch wants to do.

Here’s the notes from the speech as well as some great screenshots of his presentation: http://www.bruceclay.com/blog/2009/12/ses-chicago-2009-opening-keynote/

Paid content for soccer fans is a no-go. There’s so much quality free content out there that to go down the paid route is a suicide mission.

Cheers,
The Gaffer

]]> By: Bobby http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/12/08/the-sweeper-is-paid-content-the-future-of-american-soccer-journalism/comment-page-1/#comment-17324 Bobby Tue, 08 Dec 2009 15:29:02 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/?p=5200#comment-17324 I find the newspaper thing kind of interesting. Charlotte has a USL-2, and a W-League team (and a host of college teams, being in North Carolina where college sports are bigger than pro sports). The Eagles, at the moment, play in a 1,100-seat High School stadium in South Charlotte. The local paper, the Observer, staffs not one, but two soccer reporters. It's always been weird to me that some bigger cities don't have one. I find the newspaper thing kind of interesting. Charlotte has a USL-2, and a W-League team (and a host of college teams, being in North Carolina where college sports are bigger than pro sports). The Eagles, at the moment, play in a 1,100-seat High School stadium in South Charlotte.

The local paper, the Observer, staffs not one, but two soccer reporters. It’s always been weird to me that some bigger cities don’t have one.

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