Score another one for ESPN (at least, affiliated) and one less for newspapers ..

Re: Score another one for ESPN (at least, affiliated) and one less for newspaper

Pencil Dick, did your source mention any timeframe on when The Times will try to hire someone?

 

Finebaum reported this afternoon that the Alabama site has snagged Anniston's Creg Stephenson. Seems like somebody's putting effort into snaring some decent talent.

 

Sweet. I've been fortunate enough to know Creg for a few years. He's good, good people.

 

A source tells me ESPN is essentially franchising these out. A group of investors got together to launch the Auburn and Bama sites and are probably going to start at least a couple more.

 

I'll go one further. The numbers, I was told ... Marshall's current pay: $60K. Marshall's new pay: four years/$350K.

rb

 

If this is indeed the case, that is a strong move -- and one that might cost them a wee bit less coin than the $$$ I quoted about Marshall.

rb

 

That would make sense, because nobody on earth is as tight with Nick Saban as Marshall is with Tommy Tuberville. Still, I wonder if this was the source of the rumblings about Cecil Hurt a few weeks back.

 

From what I understand, said rumblings were Rivals.com. But there could have been *more* rumblings in regards to this latest start-up.

rb

 

Re: Score another one for ESPN (at least, affiliated) and one less for newspaper

Only a matter of time before someone at the ball was going to cut in on the dot com dance between Rivals and Scout. Will be interesting to see if they do things differently or follow the successful biz model they'll be competing with. From what I understand, these sites aren't really extensions of ESPN, they've merely got some kind of content-trading deal in place. Enough to use the logo and whatever credibility goes with it, I guess.

 

I hoping, but not holding my breath, that these sites operate like real news sources and not a place for homers to bitch about the "mainstream media." Inside Lacrosse is an ESPN affiliate site that caters to a niche and does a good job. It would be cool if these sites do the same thing.