Media Thread

[CarltonTheBear]

Their Edmonton chapter just announced their team:

https://twitter.com/mirtle/status/906171283221749761
www.twitter.com/mirtle/status/906171283221749761

A damn good collection of bloggers. Like during the awful Leafs years, it seems like teams being perpetually awful have a tendency to create some really good writers who cover them as a hobby. Jonathan Willis, Allan Mitchell (Lowetide), and Pat McLean (blackdogpat) have been some people I've read for a long time and they're terrific.

 

[herman]

Just a heads up: current subscriptions get access to the whole shebang, but down the road, they're going to start parceling out the subscriptions to either cities or sports (or combo of both). Early subscribers will continue to be grandfathered into the whole thing.

Source

 

[Peter D.]

How long before Rob sells his long-tenured ownership stake in TMLfans.ca to take a job at The Athletic? LOL

 

[Coco-puffs]

Just a heads up: current subscriptions get access to the whole shebang, but down the road, they're going to start parceling out the subscriptions to either cities or sports (or combo of both). Early subscribers will continue to be grandfathered into the whole thing.

Source

Well, I'd say he skirted the question a little and kept it vague.  I'd take it as they MAY switch to a subscription per city model.  Or, in another response he had to a question about tiers, they may switch to a model where you pay for the amount of access you want.  ie, smaller price for city only, higher price for nationwide access.  They are still figuring out where to go, no doubt but did say they will grandfather people in.

I remember really early last season they had deals where you paid $29.99 or $34.99 per year and I was hesitant.  I finally signed up at $39.99 per year.  Now, you can sign up for a discount, but the discount is only for the first year! 

 

[Coco-puffs]

Say, for instance, that the average subscriber pays $40 / yr (most will sign up with a discount).  100k subscribers gives you 4 million in revenue.  Take some off the top for running the site, $ to travel with teams (for the few who are on the beat) etc and you probably have enough leftover for 20-25 writers getting paid decently and a few others who freelance.  I bet they've already surpassed those numbers too.

100,000 paid subscribers in the internet age is a ton.

The other day their co-founder said that 100,000 subs was the goal by the end of the year.

Well, they aren't far (approx 92k):

@TheAthleticCHI 22,942
@TheAthleticSF 13,090
@TheAthleticCLE 9,910
@TheAthleticPHI 9,884
@TheAthleticDET 6,196
@TheAthleticMIN 5,710

@TheAthleticTO 18469
@AthleticMTL 2607
@TheAthleticVN 999
@TheAthleticEDM 994
@TheAthleticOTT 764
@TheAthleticCGY 621
@TheAthleticWPG 470

https://twitter.com/TheAthleticNHL/status/906202071447285760

https://twitter.com/TheAthleticNHL/status/906208121588256768

 

[CarltonTheBear]

https://twitter.com/mirtle/status/906226022382804992
www.twitter.com/mirtle/status/906226022382804992

I swear I'm not trying to be too much of a shill for these guys, but if anybody is still on the fence or was waiting for closer to the start of the season to subscribe, their 30% discount ends tomorrow.

I remember someone around here was saying they were waiting for a 40% discount period because those were offered before but at this point I don't see that happening. This will probably be the last discount they offer before the season starts I'm guessing.*

*Don't sue me if they offer a better one in October haha

 

[Arn]

As I've said I'm very curious how this model works and I hope it does cos I'd like to see similar for the likes of football (soccer) and cricket and even rugby in Europe.

But they seem to be growing so fast I hope it's sustainable and they're not trying to do too much too soon

 

[herman]

https://twitter.com/simmonssteve/status/906222838381764608
www.twitter.com/simmonssteve/status/906222838381764608

 

[Kin]

Huh. Who knew all this time that I was running the Athletic.

 

[Heroic Shrimp]

https://twitter.com/simmonssteve/status/906222838381764608
www.twitter.com/simmonssteve/status/906222838381764608

The Athletic is pretty much the anti-Steve Simmons.  There is zero chance they'd want him.  I also had to hold my tongue yesterday when somebody on Twitter was urging Al Strachan to be a writer at the Athletic.

 

[ZBBM]

Al Strachan is still alive?

 

[Heroic Shrimp]

[tweet]906533231713034240[/tweet]

So, people getting promo rates for the Athletic get locked in at that rate forever?  I feel kind of ripped off for being an early subscriber/supporter and paying full price.  I understand a sale price, but a sale price that lasts forever on a subscription?

 

[pnjunction]

It said pretty clearly just first year is at 30% discount.  Seems the lock-in rate would be the rate without the discount which would be $6/month, I don't know how that compares to what you got

 

[Redleaf]

Al Strachan is still alive?

Lol. It sounds like they're getting desperate. I hear Howard Berger is looking for a job.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

https://twitter.com/SimonDingleyCBC/status/906897972163739649

I didn't watch the Reporters much but I've always liked Michael Farber's written work. Sad that they kept Simmons on as a panelist instead of him.

 

[Highlander]

Grew up with Dave Hodge and a bit of a shock to realize how old we are starting to look after all these miles.

 

[hockeyfan1]

Grew up with Dave Hodge and a bit of a shock to realize how old we are starting to look after all these miles.

Same here.  I remember him from way back from those Hockey Night In Canada broadcasts and can still see him flipping that pen! 

 

[Bender]

Grew up with Dave Hodge and a bit of a shock to realize how old we are starting to look after all these miles.

He's always looked old to me!

Sent from my SM-G935W8 using Tapatalk

 

[Zee]

Heard on Naylor & Landsberg this morning they were tossing around the idea of trading Marner for Doughty. 

So far in the media we've traded away both Nylander and Marner.  I love these shows.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Heard on Naylor & Landsberg this morning they were tossing around the idea of trading Marner for Doughty. 

So far in the media we've traded away both Nylander and Marner.  I love these shows.

The Doughty-to-Toronto rumours are going to go into overdrive with Drew pretty bluntly saying that he won't re-sign with the Kings if they aren't contenders (which they won't be).