Winding down...

[Googlaw]

Wow ... we got eight pages for 10 schools. Haven't sold an ad in the two years I've been here, but I hear that there might be a little interest this year.

 

[doubledown68]

We're down 24 from 28, for 30 high schools. In years past, we were doing caps for every team in some conferences where we only had a local team or two. So we cut those non-area school caps, and condensed the area schools. We have four city schools that get a story. There's a feature on every conference, plus caps. And, of course, the cover story. Goes to bed tomorrow, out for consumption on Friday. Yee-hah!

 

[Colton]

The only way we sell papers in our market is to whip the larger papers in terms of prep coverage.

It's not just our bread and butter... in terms of sports, it's our life blood.

 

[Walter Burns]

11 schools, 56 pages...only about 20 percent ads, but God help the guy who makes it any thinner. Football fans here are rabid, and mean as hell to boot.
But I'm hourly now...my last day as a salaried employee, I spent 14 hours in the office laying out the section.
I went to Damon's yesterday for a thick prime rib and a beer to celebrate. I think I earned it.

 

[Colton]

Walter: well done, sir.

 

[Walter Burns]

Walter: well done, sir.

You only say that because you haven't seen the tab yet.

 

[DGRollins]

Typical size of preps football preview in a typical Canadian paper?

Quarter page. Maybe. Likely as an advance the day of the first scheduled games.

As someone said, it depends on where you are.




(But, seriously, you ever think 40-50 pages on high school football might be a bit much? Just sayin’).

 

[Calvin Hobbes]

Again, it all depends on your location.

Our magazine-sized preview publishes today. It's 64 pages, with full color throughout. We preview 35 high school teams with 12-14 inch stories and charts on each one. There are two anchor stories, two columns and '06 standings and stats. We switched to this format last year (same number of pages), and the feedback was outstanding. This year, we added seven college previews (two I-A programs, a I-AA and four D-III teams) and previews of two regional NFL teams. We think the readers will like it. They can't get enough football.

We also have three other football-related sections to come in the next 10 days, not to mention a football-intensive Web presence that is about to enter its second season.

Football-centric? Absolutely. Unless you live and work where football is king, it might seem a bit much. But trust me -- our readers demand it and we're supplying it.

 

[friend of a friend]

11 schools, 56 pages...only about 20 percent ads, but God help the guy who makes it any thinner. Football fans here are rabid, and mean as hell to boot.
But I'm hourly now...my last day as a salaried employee, I spent 14 hours in the office laying out the section.
I went to Damon's yesterday for a thick prime rib and a beer to celebrate. I think I earned it.

56 pages on 11 schools?

Holy crap.

 

[BertoltBrecht]

For once in my life I win...

128 pages for 10 schools and a JUCO

 

[Tom Petty]

For once in my life I win...

128 pages for 10 schools and a JUCO

yes, you win the overkill award.

 

[BertoltBrecht]

yes, you win the overkill award.

So three stories about the offensive line are too many?

 

[Tom Petty]

yes, you win the overkill award.

So three stories about the offensive line are too many?

clutch retort, very clutch.

 

[Angola!]

I think my eyes are about to start bleeding from proofing the tab. I just wish it was over.

And BB, how in the hell do you fill 128 pages?

 

[friend of a friend]

128 page special section for a 5,500 circ paper?

I don't know what to say.

 

[Bob Slydell]

Unfortunately, Bertolt is the only one reading the entire 128 pages. Jesus on the Throne that's a lot of stuff.

We had four pages broadsheet for five schools. My last paper had a 64-page tab for 21 high schools. It's much nicer now.

 

[BertoltBrecht]

And BB, how in the hell do you fill 128 pages?

It's not really fair, we use ungodly 10-point font on the pages.
The main 4A school in the area gets about six stories on it. (I did those).
Then there's a big records section by a local guy who has done them since the 70s. That takes up probably 25 pages.
Each school has an overview and a feature. (I did five.)
The JuCO has about five stories. Ads take up a lot of space. There's a lot and it's impressive that they sell them, but I don't think they cost a lot. For example, you can buy an ad in the main news hole at our paper for $200.

 

[Angola!]

10-point font? Why don't they shrink the font size and do less pages?
Is the agate run in 10-point font also?

 

[BertoltBrecht]

No, the agate is in a nice 8 or possibly 7.5.
I'm not sure why it's done the way it's done. I suggested a font change, but no dice.
A while ago — before I got there — the font was around 9.5 in the paper, but the old editor decided it was too small for the old farts in our neighborhood. It's now 10.25.
We also have 30-point jumpheds. JUST IN CASE YOU CAN'T FIND THE REST OF THE STORY.

 

[Angola!]

Holy ****. 30-point jump heads? And agate at 8?
I bitched about having 7-point agate at my old paper.