Buckeye Commentary in the Press Box?
May 01 2008 08:40 PM -- Filed in: News
Update: Head over to Eleven Warriors for some
great video of this burgeoning debate. The
revolution will be televised, apparently. With
Bob Costas.
Whatever the reason, a majority of Americans love sports. Whether it is football, basketball, or baseball, most people like sports so much the Sports section is the first one they reach for each morning. For some, it is the only one.
The result is a natural, symbiotic relationship: sports and journalism. Professional teams and athletes play for our enjoyment and sports journalists get to cover the comings and goings (for the most part). Sure, the readers pay for newspapers and magazines to read all the news and analysis by the media, but this coverage has a very nice benefit for the teams: diehard fans.
The constant media attention and promotion allows sports/organizations to constantly remain at the front of the public’s collective mind. As a result, everybody wins. The attention creates an ardent devotion to the teams and sports, which allows the teams to sell millions of dollars worth of tickets, merchandise, and television rights. That money pays the players’ salaries and makes owners very wealthy.
What is not to love? The answer: this blog and thousands like it. Last week, the New York Times detailed the struggle that is brewing between (mostly professional) teams and alternative media, a.k.a. blogs. (Yeah, I know I am a little late to this party.
Would Buckeye Commentary like to be credentialed for Ohio State sporting events? Absolutely. Getting credentialed would be a major coup. The O-Zone and Bucknuts are both credentialed (I think) and I would guess that they worked very hard to get there. I have heard plenty of stories about Ohio State’s opinion of the electronic media. So, I can imagine they think even worse of blogs such as Buckeye Commentary.
In fact, after reading the Times article I emailed Steve Snapp, Associate Athletic Director, for comment and he forwarded my message onto Dan Wallenberg. I never heard back. Thanks, Dan.
I tend to think that serious bloggers are pioneers in online media (all industries). Once leagues and franchises fully grasp this fact, we will all make some progress toward a better future of coverage and access. Until then, articles like the one in the Times illustrate the blurred line between newspapers, magazines, and new media.
I am not here to pontificate on the virtues of the blogger community or claim that every blog (least of all this one) should be given access to cover games, practices, and assorted events. But I do think the average fan receives more than half of his focused sports news from blogs. That has to be worth something.
I leave you with a few criteria that universities, franchises, or leagues can consider in order to determine which online authors should receive access:
(1) Is the site dedicated to one university, franchise, or focused sport and covers the respective entity regularly, up to five days a week;
(2) If the site’s page views and unique visitors are significant - namely, anything in the thousands;
(3) Does the site belong to a more traditional news media organization outlet (i.e. newspaper, magazine or television).
So, what do you think? Where should the line be drawn? Should Buckeye Commentary be given a seat in the press box?
Whatever the reason, a majority of Americans love sports. Whether it is football, basketball, or baseball, most people like sports so much the Sports section is the first one they reach for each morning. For some, it is the only one.
The result is a natural, symbiotic relationship: sports and journalism. Professional teams and athletes play for our enjoyment and sports journalists get to cover the comings and goings (for the most part). Sure, the readers pay for newspapers and magazines to read all the news and analysis by the media, but this coverage has a very nice benefit for the teams: diehard fans.
The constant media attention and promotion allows sports/organizations to constantly remain at the front of the public’s collective mind. As a result, everybody wins. The attention creates an ardent devotion to the teams and sports, which allows the teams to sell millions of dollars worth of tickets, merchandise, and television rights. That money pays the players’ salaries and makes owners very wealthy.
What is not to love? The answer: this blog and thousands like it. Last week, the New York Times detailed the struggle that is brewing between (mostly professional) teams and alternative media, a.k.a. blogs. (Yeah, I know I am a little late to this party.
Would Buckeye Commentary like to be credentialed for Ohio State sporting events? Absolutely. Getting credentialed would be a major coup. The O-Zone and Bucknuts are both credentialed (I think) and I would guess that they worked very hard to get there. I have heard plenty of stories about Ohio State’s opinion of the electronic media. So, I can imagine they think even worse of blogs such as Buckeye Commentary.
In fact, after reading the Times article I emailed Steve Snapp, Associate Athletic Director, for comment and he forwarded my message onto Dan Wallenberg. I never heard back. Thanks, Dan.
I tend to think that serious bloggers are pioneers in online media (all industries). Once leagues and franchises fully grasp this fact, we will all make some progress toward a better future of coverage and access. Until then, articles like the one in the Times illustrate the blurred line between newspapers, magazines, and new media.
I am not here to pontificate on the virtues of the blogger community or claim that every blog (least of all this one) should be given access to cover games, practices, and assorted events. But I do think the average fan receives more than half of his focused sports news from blogs. That has to be worth something.
I leave you with a few criteria that universities, franchises, or leagues can consider in order to determine which online authors should receive access:
(1) Is the site dedicated to one university, franchise, or focused sport and covers the respective entity regularly, up to five days a week;
(2) If the site’s page views and unique visitors are significant - namely, anything in the thousands;
(3) Does the site belong to a more traditional news media organization outlet (i.e. newspaper, magazine or television).
So, what do you think? Where should the line be drawn? Should Buckeye Commentary be given a seat in the press box?
