Tidesports.com (Tuscaloosa News) now charging for content

I know...

 

People will bitch about it.
Then, those same people will fork over the $60.
Then, those same people will bitch about it some more until it comes time to re-up, at which time they'll again for over the $60.
Then, they'll continue bitching.

Rinse, repeat.

 

That was an EPIC beatdown.

rb

 

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is launching something tonight at midnight.
The "gift with purchase" made me chuckle.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09243/994501-455.stm

PG+ will not replace post-gazette.com, which will continue to offer the same breaking news, features and multimedia content as always. Rather, it will allow subscribers access to a new stream of exclusive blogs, videos, live chats and behind-the-scenes insights into the news of the day.

The annual membership fee will be $36. Monthly memberships will be $3.99. For a limited time, members who sign up for an annual membership will receive a free copy of "Super Six," a book by the Post-Gazette chronicling the Steelers' most recent Super Bowl victory, a $14.95 value.

 

Knoxville did this for a while with GoVolsXtra. The fact that it is no longer a pay site ... well draw your own conclusions.

Right now, Tidesports.com would be up against:

• BamaMag.com (Scout)
• BamaOnLine (Rivals)
• TiderInsider (indy, but very well established)
• Crmson Confidential (ESPN)
• Crimson Tradition (athletic department via CBS College Sports)

And somewhere, spnited just passed a kidney stone and doesn't know why.

 

How much do all those other sites charge? I remember hearing Tider Insider was around $40 a year, but I could be completely wrong on that.

 

Hell if I know. I don't pay for Internet sites. ;D

TI is $48 per year, per someone at work who signed up the other week. No clue on the others.

 

Riiiiiight.

 

Fanboi Web subscriptions are for people who don't have to sweat paying for scalped tickets or gas to the stadium.

 

Yup. They can bitch all they want, but, as I've seen at our shop, they'll still pay for it.

 

Wouldn't it work better if they put breaking news behind a pay wall? People will not be able to help themselves, right?

 

What breaking news? Saban admits he uses a depth chart? Sorry, but can't see the fanboi sites "breaking" a lot of meaningful news other than a third-string tailback has a hangnail.
An on-line site ain't gonna crack breaking news like the Freep did with DickRod.