This morning at 6 a.m. launched a new sports media outlet. In a market with overflowing voices and outlets the Boston Sports Journal (www.bostonsportsjournal.com) hopes to bring a new model to sports coverage. Designed similarly to DK Pittsburgh sports’ model, the BSJ provides daily Q&As with beat writers, videos, in-game chats and more. Subscriptions can be purchased for $4.99 per month or $34.99 per year, with discounts to students and military.
The website has had a lot of hype leading up to its launch, something it could only accomplish with the "big name" reporters joining the staff. With Greg Bedard, former writer of the Boston Globe sports section and Sports Illustrated, is Sean McAdam, formerly of the Providence Journal and CSN New England. Along with two of the bigger names in sports media is Chris Price formerly of WEEI and Brian Robb, known as “B-Robb in the closet” at 98.5 the sports hub.
It’s the credibility of these reports that will allow this website to succeed. As Bedard has been a go-to source for New England Patriots news and analysis for years, people will migrate to the site for this reason. If this were a team of start-up bloggers and reporters, forget about any kind of success. At least in the beginning phases of the project.
Content-wise, the website has an easy to read and navigate approach. Users can easily click on the “Home” button at the top of the page and will be directed to the most recent articles. Users can easily navigate the different teams and content. It even provides direct links to scores, standings and articles, a pesky job when on nfl.com, mlb.com and the other professional sports league websites.
Along with daily articles, reporters will provide podcasts and videos. McAdam has already posted one video to the site. Although it is rather boring as it is a shaky video of no one at Angels stadium and one person doing grounds work, it still is fun for fans to get this type of content. It’s fun for fans to feel like they’re at the game from their couch. This section looks promising as the site develops and reporters find a niche and a variety of different videos to create.
Podcasts are also an up-and-coming sports content. With podcasts becoming more successful and establishing a solid base of listeners looking for podcasts, it makes sense that the BSJ provides them. However, the content is sub-par with the only podcasts available are re-runs of sports radio shows. If the website does not end up providing their own content and podcasts, providing new content for listeners to enjoy, I see this part of the website failing.
The staff pages are also detailed and make it inviting for first-time users like myself. If you read any biography of any of the reporters, you get personal stories and funny tid-bits that invite the reader into the reporters’ lives. It makes readers feel more connected to the reporter, like they are having a conversation with a person and not some robot or bland response when it comes to Daily Q&As and live chats. It makes readers feel like the reporter cares about them and that they don’t feel above the fans because of their title.
A huge downside to the site is its lack of an Application on smart phones. It’s inconvenient for readers to have to log into the desktop to access content with everything and everyone on the go in today’s world. It makes sense that readers would like an App on IPhone and Android stores and BSJ has failed to provide this, on day one that is. Maybe the site plans to have one in the future, but no plans have been detailed or mentioned on the site.
In such an infancy stage, the BSJ shows promise on day one. It has a group of well-respected reporters giving it a solid reputation from the beginning. The BSJ provides an alternate way for fans and readers to experience sports content with its daily mailbag, Q&As and more. It’s hard to see the BSJ take over the sports media seen, but if it maintains its staff of reputable reporters and different take on sports content, the BSJ surely could find a spot in the crowded field of opinions and content.
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