ND's Talking Heads ... The good, bad & ugly

[dublinirish]

They just got $20M in funding a few months ago. No way they are profitable.

CEO said they'd be profitable in one year lol. Would love to know their pay structure and what their writers get paid.

 

[ickythump1225]

Public Service Announcement (not a criticism):

It's just regardless

 

[ozzman]

I'm actually considering this which goes against all things Crusader.

Fegan does a great job covering the Sox. I haven't regretted my subscription, and this makes it better.

 

[IrishLax]

Is that an educated assumption based on the talent they've hired combined with their relatively low subscription price, or is that info out there somewhere?

Well, I heard it from a writer, but I think the same info is probably what comes up when you do a Google search. They've basically got a ton of VC capital behind them with a business plan that looks like:

Step 1 -- Pay a lot for great talent, get the great talent to produce great content.
Step 2 -- Grow subscriber base because of great talent.
Step 3 -- Eventually monthly revenue exceeds operating costs because the subscriber base is big enough.

And, allegedly, right now they are nowhere close to profitable. So either they're gonna hit that magic number they need to hit and everything works, or they're only going to last as long as the VC capital props them up.

 

[stlnd01]

Well, I heard it from a writer, but I think the same info is probably what comes up when you do a Google search. They've basically got a ton of VC capital behind them with a business plan that looks like:

Step 1 -- Pay a lot for great talent, get the great talent to produce great content.
Step 2 -- Grow subscriber base because of great talent.
Step 3 -- Eventually monthly revenue exceeds operating costs because the subscriber base is big enough.

And, allegedly, right now they are nowhere close to profitable. So either they're gonna hit that magic number they need to hit and everything works, or they're only going to last as long as the VC capital props them up.

Given the hiring they've been doing there's no way they're profitable right now. That's OK. Very few media outlets are. If they're able to grow subscribers to a point where they break even, great. If not, TBH, most of the people going to work for The Athletic know the score and figure it's worth a shot. Better than sitting around at a mid-sized newspaper and watching it die.

 

[stlnd01]

CEO said they'd be profitable in one year lol. Would love to know their pay structure and what their writers get paid.

I'd have to think most of them make comparable pay to what they were making in their previous jobs - many of which were at legit newspapers and websites - so, say, anywhere from $40K for the young'uns to $80 to $100K for the veterans covering big teams/markets. Given the caliber and volume of journalist they're hiring, The Athletic would appear to have a large payroll.

 

[loomis41973]

Adverts will be coming soon.

 

[stlnd01]

Adverts will be coming soon.

I doubt it. There's no money in digital advertising, and it'll hurt their brand. They'd be smarter to raise the subscription price.

 

[FDNYIrish1]

Actually just got the Athletic this week. I'm pumped about this. Cost me 29 bucks for the year, figured it was worth a shot. I have nothing to compare it to as I've never paid for a sports site, but they are certainly making a social media push to garner attention. ND coverage is a bonus for me.

 

[IrishLax]

I doubt it. There's no money in digital advertising, and it'll hurt their brand. They'd be smarter to raise the subscription price.

Considering their entire business is being marketed on *not* having advertisements and auto-play videos and pop-ups it'd be quite an odd pivot to embrace ads. Hell, their tagline is -- "No ads, no pop-ups. Just stories with substance from all-star writers."

 

[dublinirish]

Considering their entire business is being marketed on *not* having advertisements and auto-play videos and pop-ups it'd be quite an odd pivot to embrace ads. Hell, their tagline is -- "No ads, no pop-ups. Just stories with substance from all-star writers."

cant wait for them to pivot to video

 

[IrishLion]

How do their subscriptions work? Auto-renewal at full-price after a year?

I'd be curious to see what kind of bump in sub money they see simply from people that forget to cancel before they're charged for renewal.

 

[koonja]

Does anyone subscribe to the Athletic? I've ignored it but with Sampson moving there, I'm considering it.

Is it worth it? How much time do you spend on it per day?

 

[FDNYIrish1]

How do their subscriptions work? Auto-renewal at full-price after a year?

I'd be curious to see what kind of bump in sub money they see simply from people that forget to cancel before they're charged for renewal.

I paid 2.99 a month but got yearly. It bumps up to 58 on auto renewal next July. Just today I read 2 awesome ND articles on Lea and BK. I like it so far. There’s 50% off deals all over right now.

 

[FDNYIrish1]

Does anyone subscribe to the Athletic? I've ignored it but with Sampson moving there, I'm considering it.

Is it worth it? How much time do you spend on it per day?

Just got it Koon. I’m enjoying it so far. I use the app on my phone. Sampson just posted a good article on BK. You also get to choose your teams when you subscribe.

 

[koonja]

I paid 2.99 a month but got yearly. It bumps up to 58 on auto renewal next July. Just today I read 2 awesome ND articles on Lea and BK. I like it so far. There’s 50% off deals all over right now.

Is there an option to just pay monthly next year, rather than a one-time fee of $58? I can sneak $10 a month past my wife for football stuff, I can't sneak a $58.

 

[IrishLion]

I put the financial and marriage stuff in the "Wives" thread

 

[stlnd01]

Does anyone subscribe to the Athletic? I've ignored it but with Sampson moving there, I'm considering it.

Is it worth it? How much time do you spend on it per day?

I think I paid $30 on a 50% off deal a couple of months ago. I like it a lot. I think their quality, as compared to what's available from other free outlets, varies some based on who they've got on a particular beat. Also what you see on their site is based largely on what teams you follow and, I suspect, other stories you've read. So take that for what it's worth. But I'm a happy customer.

I very much like their college football stuff. I found their Celtics coverage during the playoffs to be really smart. Not blown away by their Red Sox coverage, but other outlets here in Boston work hard to own that beat. Solid World Cup stuff. Apparently they have some really good hockey writers (they hired away the Globe's longtime Bruins writer). And a strong narrative/longform offering. Had this amazing long profile of former ND hoopster Jack Cooley awhile back, written by ND alum and former SIer George Dohrmann. Hiring Sampson, and his first two stories this week, are icing on the cake.

Overall, while there are better outlets on individual teams, The Athletic is better than any other general-interest sports website in the business right now, IMO, aside from maybe ESPN Insider (I don't know, quit them a couple years back).

 

[snoopdog]

irregardless of what everyone else paid....I paid $99 two months ago to subscribe and was actually ok with it, until I click on this thread.

 

[IrishLion]

irregardless of what everyone else paid....I paid $99 two months ago to subscribe and was actually ok with it, until I click on this thread.

Bruh... it’s basically impossible to subscribe and pay full price right now lol. Nearly every link they put out when they ask people to sign up is a 40% discount link.

 

[FightingIrishLover7]

irregardless of what everyone else paid....I paid $99 two months ago to subscribe and was actually ok with it, until I click on this thread.

Did you intentionally use irregardless? You must be looking for a fight.

 

[snoopdog]

It was a bad joke

 

[BobbyMac]

Freebie from 247:

https://247sports.com/college/notre...ve-from-the-2019-class-119870241/#119870241_1

Offensive tackles attempting to slow him down this fall better come correct,

 

[BobbyMac]

IndyStar's Laken Litman leaving Gannett for SI football coverage.

Fort Wayne News-Sentinal recently shut down all operations except political editorials. In doing so, Tom Davis lost his job. I thought Davis did a fine job covering the Irish.

Hopefully Gannett gives him an interview.

 

[Irish#1]

IndyStar's Laken Litman leaving Gannett for SI football coverage.

Fort Wayne News-Sentinal recently shut down all operations except political editorials. In doing so, Tom Davis lost his job. I thought Davis did a fine job covering the Irish.

Hopefully Gannett gives him an interview.

Sorry to hear she is leaving. She did a great job IMO.

 

[connor_in]

They ever set a new ND Football radio team?

 

[MNIrishman]

They ever set a new ND Football radio team?

Yeah, Doug Flutie with Desmond Howard.

 

[dang227]

ND's Talking Heads ... The good, bad & ugly

New radio team announced as Ryan Harris, Jack Nolan and Paul Burrmeister


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[pumpdog20]

I'm good with this.

 

[BobbyMac]

Wow. Burmeister and Ryan Harris along with Nolan for the radio is skrong.

If Tirico isn't in it for the long haul, I'd be fine with Burmeister and it goes without saying that Harris would be a welcomed addition over the angry midget.

I thought Burmeister did a good job calling the Miami U game last year and he's also handled the B-G game for a while.

Wonder how the 'want the next crew to be local' is working out? Pinkett lives in Valpo and didn't make the cut.