Islanders pull plug on NYI Point Blank
by James Mirtle on Jul 30, 2009 12:44 AM CDT
in New media
33 comments
Islanders Point Blank is no longer the "team-sponsored blog." As a result, Point Blank may not be around much longer.
Like just about everything in sports, it’s only business. Nothing personal, and it’s certainly not about anything I’ve written that the franchise may not have loved.
Ten months ago, the Islanders "longtime media relations VP" Chris Botta started a new blog called Islanders Point Blank, a site bankrolled by the team and which quickly grew an enormous following.
At 7:17 p.m. on Wednesday night, Botta broke the bad news above. Six hours later, there are 318 comments, with No. 318 expressing what most have expressed in one word: "Heartbreaking."
Based on his audience size — which he pegs at about 400,000 unique visitors a month — Botta is one of the most read hockey bloggers out there and likely the most read one not affiliated with a major media outlet. Despite the popularity of his site, however, Botta's come to the conclusion (the right one, in my opinion) that it would be very difficult attempting to make it on his own as a blogger:
In response to the many readers suggesting they would pay for a subscription, your kindness is incredible. Thanks also to those readers and friends asking about potential sponsorships. It simply is not a wise business model – not with a family, not at my age, in my opinion not in this age. Even with the popularity of the site, the numbers do not add up to a full-time living, do not add up to being able to do this blog the right way - writing and thinking about it every waking hour. These concerns have been confirmed by many people I consider experts in blogging and the business of New Media.
The sad reality is that monetizing something like Point Blank would likely be a long process, one that would take a lot of faith and hard work to pursue. Botta calls the site "an idea that was ahead of its time," and I think he's right on that front as teams likely will begin to see the value in ideas like his more and more in the future.
Right now, the fans are mobilizing, saying they'll fight to protect the site, so maybe there's hope on that front. A major media organization in the area would do well to hire Botta and use his connections and insight to produce web, print and broadcast material that would obviously have a large audience.
Here's hoping that's what happens. His was a good voice to have in the blogosphere.
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the islanders organization, despite their so called “revival” are really looking like a douchey org if you look at some of the things they’ve been doing off the ice.
by Go Ducks on Jul 30, 2009 5:43 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
If anyone is actually thinking, they should hire him. He would have a jumpstart compared to someone else because he will bring a group of readers along with him.
Although, with such a large following, clearly he was doing good work. I wonder what exactly the team was expecting that the blog wasn’t delivering for them. Like a company cutting its research and development budget, it might seem like a good decision at the time, but just hurts in the future if the investment isn’t maintained.
"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle." -- Philo of Alexandria
by Baroque on Jul 30, 2009 5:53 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
One of the better team oriented hockey blogs out there. He will be missed by Isles and non isle fans alike
I find sometimes it's easy to be myself
sometimes I find it's better to be somebody else
by Fauxrumors on Jul 30, 2009 8:21 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
It's a shame
With teams losing coverage from papers, I honestly thought more teams would set up a quasi-Botta-type arrangement, almost like MLB with its team beat writers on MLB.com — writers with access and freedom to analyze/criticize the teams on their own site. Maybe that will still be the next step down the line.
He filled a coverage void and his presence probably got Newsday (the only paper that still has a beatwriter on the Islanders) to beef up its coverage/blogging volume. He’s gonna be missed. Huge resource. Hopefully he’ll still tell stories from his wild days in the organization.
Lighthouse Hockey: Side effects may include Weight gain and frequent game loss.
by Dominik on Jul 30, 2009 8:55 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Could Someone Explain....
Why this would even need to be cut? Where are high costs associated with blogging? Could the Isles’ not afford that and all the positive results the blog seemed to be having?
by hockeysully on Jul 30, 2009 9:05 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, I was wondering about this too.
Why the cut? Seems strange they would be scaling back their media coverage at a time when they’re entering a new era and fan support is on the rise as much as it is.
Rangers, Royals, Raiders, Knicks...the man loves a winner.
by self loather on Jul 30, 2009 9:18 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Purely speculating here, but I don’t know that a “cut” was made so much as they both decided not to continue the existing arrangement. On his blog, Botta has always implied the existing sponsorship was not enough to go on, that it was an experiment that would be re-evaluated … in about a year.
Again, speculating, but I’d hope he got a severance of some sort upon parting in his PR role last year, enough to go on for a while to try this. If he couldn’t build Point Blank into a standalone business in that time, he’d have to move on with his career:
To be clear, the Islanders made a very kind offer of support that would have been of great assistance if I chose to develop Point Blank as my own business. I’m grateful for their gesture and hope they respect that running a hockey blog as my personal full-time business at this stage of my life does not work for me.
As for why the Islanders wouldn’t consider paying a writer to cover them full-time, given this coverage environment, I don’t know. Maybe they think that’d be a conflict (whether perceived externally or just internally) if they paid him a full salary; maybe they’re just being cheap. Hard to put a price on that exposure, though.
Either way, I hope they realize what a loss in coverage and buzz this is. Even if they tried to “replace” him with someone younger (and cheaper?), it’d be hard to replace the mix of experience and perspective on the club that he has.
Lighthouse Hockey: Side effects may include Weight gain and frequent game loss.
by Dominik on Jul 30, 2009 10:55 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Maybe they think that’d be a conflict (whether perceived externally or just internally) if they paid him a full salary;
That might have been the biggest obstacle.
Regardless of the unbiased and far-reaching coverage Botta has provided to date, what was the most likely outcome if he suddenly became a full-time Islanders employee paid by the team? That he would become an “underground mouthpiece” for the organization and nothing more than a puppet, or at the very least, have that spector of speculation around him that he was doing so.
by Afino on Jul 30, 2009 12:02 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, that’s clearly the problem with it. But with the shifts in coverage and economics, suddenly something inconceivable before becomes conceivable. Botta got charges of that already (at whatever sponsorship level they were at) yet he’d still criticize the team and tick them off.
I don’t know what’s next: Teams that are covered well, the marketplace around them seems to support that. For those that aren’t and are trying to grow a viable fanbase, I’d venture that cutting off that coverage cuts a major lifeline to growth. Every fan makes a bargain on how much they invest and at what point it’s no longer worth the bother. When reported info is coming only from the club, you start to get into WWE territory.
Lighthouse Hockey: Side effects may include Weight gain and frequent game loss.
by Dominik on Jul 30, 2009 12:14 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Well, someone has to pay Botta’s salary. There’s a cost right there, no?
Blogging on hockey at fromtherink.com
by James Mirtle on Jul 30, 2009 12:06 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Penny wise and dollar stupid.
Companies cut research budgets all the time – if there is no immediate payoff, the suits lose interest very quickly (or in a couple cases I know of, invest enough to the point that a concept is just about ready to be developed into a product, and then sell it to another company with the vision to actually do the product development after the difficult research has been done because it gives a short-term juice to the stock price and the executives get bigger bonuses).
This should be something that a team invests in even if there aren’t large visible payoffs now, because there will likely be such advantages in the future, and teams that fall behind early will be scrambling to catch up.
"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle." -- Philo of Alexandria
by Baroque on Jul 30, 2009 9:47 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
That’s the thing. It’s hard to look at the overall landscape and not expect more NHL teams needing to create some sort of PointBlank-like arrangement in the future. In 5-10 years, how many U.S. NHL teams will still have newspaper beatwriters? But at that time maybe clubs will be looking for young (inexpensive) writers without families who can be rink rats and even travel with the team.
Lighthouse Hockey: Side effects may include Weight gain and frequent game loss.
by Dominik on Jul 30, 2009 11:00 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Careful James or Duhatschek will eat you alive if he thinks you are coming onto his turf.
:p
The population of Pominville keeps rising!
by Blackcapricorn on Jul 30, 2009 1:42 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
With your loyal readership, you should put yourself up for bid as to which team you choose to grace with your presence. Certainly one of the most coveted free agents on the hockey writers market. :D
"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle." -- Philo of Alexandria
by Baroque on Jul 30, 2009 1:43 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
No doubt. And James needs a team to love and call his own, anyway. I don’t like that he misses out on the pain that comes with chronic losing. :)
Lighthouse Hockey: Side effects may include Weight gain and frequent game loss.
by Dominik on Jul 30, 2009 2:56 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, but then this would turn into the Yahoo commenters section, with people yelling at James for turning FTR into a (insert team here) blog.
by Afino on Jul 30, 2009 3:17 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
James is pretty open...
about the fact that he’s a Canucks fan if you ever meet him in person.
by mc79hockey on Jul 30, 2009 4:28 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yet on the ‘Mirtle VS Wyshinsky’ logo, he’s wearing a Bruins sweater… which is it? =)
by Habs on Jul 30, 2009 5:22 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
One night stand with an old hockey flame?
"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle." -- Philo of Alexandria
by Baroque on Jul 30, 2009 5:35 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Comox’s own Cam Neely.
Blogging on hockey at fromtherink.com
by James Mirtle on Jul 30, 2009 5:40 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Tyler means “was.” I was a terrible fan anyway… bandwagon, etc. Wasn’t hard to give up.
Blogging on hockey at fromtherink.com
by James Mirtle on Jul 30, 2009 5:39 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
So “poor devotion as hockey fan” = “tremendous dedication as hockey writer?”
Odd – but if that’s the way it goes, I and many other hockey fans are thankful. :)
"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle." -- Philo of Alexandria
by Baroque on Jul 30, 2009 5:57 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I always just wanted to follow every team, so, sure I guess that’s the way it works.
Blogging on hockey at fromtherink.com
by James Mirtle on Jul 30, 2009 6:09 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah I always figured that was, what, three, four ’nucks logos ago? :)
Lighthouse Hockey: Side effects may include Weight gain and frequent game loss.
by Dominik on Jul 31, 2009 10:17 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
At this point, James is still a restricted free agent. Some newspaper would have to surrender multiple first round picks to sign him.
by J. Michael Neal on Jul 30, 2009 3:56 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
The Chicago Sun Times freed up plenty of cap room, as well as ego room, when Jay Mariotti left town. We’d love to have you, James.
http://accordingtwomey.blogspot.com
by hawksfan21 on Jul 30, 2009 9:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
What I sent to Chris this morning
If not the Islanders I am sure another Hockey team would consider this for Chris.
Chris,
Sorry to see your blog might be going away. One of the things I have been waiting for is a professional team to create a Social Community for the fans where:
1. There is a "mayor" of the community to provide thought leadership, content and schedule of activities to keep the community vibrant, viral and the fan base empowered (what you are already doing)
2. Team insight from the players, coaches and staff
3. Celebrity guest chats, blogs and videos (celebrity fans)
4. Exclusive offers and the ability to connect to the athletes (like following them in the offseason)
The business model is the team can:
1. Advertising real estate on the community
2. Create a deep database of hardcore customers to go direct to market to with new products and offers
3. Innovation to the voice of the customer (I’m going to say when the Lighthouse project happens it would be insanely awesome to let the fans create and rate ideas to make the fan experience the way they want. When you give your customers what you want, when you want it, you win their business over and over)
4. Communities have proven to drive brand affinity and viral campaign ops to the external world.
To this point there are a host of blogs, but not full-fledged fan community for a professional franchise run by the franchise. I understand the Islanders and Wang are losing money each year, but this would be a great place for you. Being the ring leader of an Islanders community.
Just musing aloud….
http://derekshowerman.com
http//www.authoritydomains.com
by Derek Showerman on Jul 30, 2009 11:50 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Mistake
This is a big mistake in my opinion. Chris has what is possibly the most read sports blog not associated with an ESPN type organization and he did it writing for a team that is usually one of the most beat down in all of sports. Clearly he is doing something that is resonating with fans, I think it behooves the Islanders to find a work around for this.
by Harold C on Jul 30, 2009 3:11 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Hey, congrats on being a hockey blog pioneer.
by VodkaFish on Jul 30, 2009 3:32 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Bott is not the ones saying no
Im telling you Botta he wants to continue just the way things are now, he has said so many times. You can tell he loves doing this- that is why he is so damn good at it. What he does NOT want is for the Islanders to expect the blog to pay for a large portion if not all of itself and for them to subsidize the remainder, having the blog itself be his business and essentailly his salary. There is no valid business model to make a standalone Web 2.0 instrument like this a good living for a man with a spouse and children to support. It isnt feasible, it isnt reality.
The Islanders doing this to us is them disregarding their fans. Yet again. :(
Lets go Islanders...
by TheMetalChick on Jul 30, 2009 4:25 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
PointBlank
This is actually the first time I am truly hurt by Islander Management. After going with my Dad since ’72 (his seats) and mine for the past 15 or so years, this (PointBlank) was a place I trusted to read all about our team. I was saddend when they let Steve Mears and Chris King go…..NOTHING will make a radio broadcast equal to what they did for this team. When I traveled I listened to them on XM and enjoyed their broadcasts. Now the best blog around in NHL country, is not being supported by this team. Do they expect Tavares to do everything? I think not. The Islanders (management) have no idea what they are losing in fan support. Thank you Chris Botta for all you have done. Mr. Dey really got this one wrong. An Islander fan since 1972.
by 312H13 on Jul 31, 2009 5:53 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Botta’s blog was the perfect scheme to strengthen the bond between club/business and fans/customers. Considering the amounts hockey franchises spend on players alone, it is foolish to throw away something that provides lots of insider information and comment, builds up a lot of goodwill among fans, and increases customer loyalty and realistically even the number of regular customers. Teams around the league are probably paying an army of marketing people for the most useless marketing schemes… Apparently, when you strike gold, you don’t take advantage of it, but instead put more money into useless marketing schemes while cutting away the direct line you had to the fans. And while newspapers and their websites cut down their coverage further, the fan is left in the dark disconnected. Of course, there are fan blogs which provide succor to the more ardent fans, perhaps with better and more in-depth analysis of games, players, and performance, but fan blogs do not and never will have the kind of inside information, interviews, and breaking news Botta has provided in detail.
by bearhunter on Jul 31, 2009 7:04 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
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