Comments on: ESPNChicago and the Future of Local Sports Coverage http://sportsmediajournal.com/2009/04/15/espnchicago-and-the-future-of-local-sports-coverage/ Mon, 12 Mar 2012 15:24:32 +0000 hourly 1 By: T.J. Donegan http://sportsmediajournal.com/2009/04/15/espnchicago-and-the-future-of-local-sports-coverage/comment-page-1/#comment-2164 T.J. Donegan Thu, 16 Apr 2009 20:33:17 +0000 http://sportsmediajournal.com/?p=943#comment-2164 Well that's the question: Will ESPN put the reportorial resources behind this idea? They've got a ton of writers beyond their top-level national staff. Their page 2 writers and several of their other guys have lost a bit of their cachet, especially in the last two years as national guys (Simmons, Wojciechowski, Reilly, Olney, etc.) have risen in popularity. Many of their writers already have roots in these cities (read: Scoop Jackson's piece on ESPNChicago specifically) and by becoming more provincial, they could certainly develop a better market following in these cities. The key would be seeing enough of an investment opportunity to justify hiring the type of staff you need (beat writers, editors, etc.). I think you could definitely see it, especially as these papers continue to struggle. I think it'll be more than ESPNChicago just being an aggregate portal for Chicago news that breaks but an opportunity to invest in developing a local bureau. Certainly the writers already in these cities would probably jump at the chance to write for ESPN and have a stable future and I think there is more than enough return on investment there for ESPN to justify bringing in the writers, especially since they have so many writers on the main espn.com that get so little coverage as it is. If they go that way, I think fans will benefit, writers will benefit, teams will actually benefit with move coverage, and ultimately ESPN will benefit. Well that’s the question: Will ESPN put the reportorial resources behind this idea? They’ve got a ton of writers beyond their top-level national staff. Their page 2 writers and several of their other guys have lost a bit of their cachet, especially in the last two years as national guys (Simmons, Wojciechowski, Reilly, Olney, etc.) have risen in popularity.

Many of their writers already have roots in these cities (read: Scoop Jackson’s piece on ESPNChicago specifically) and by becoming more provincial, they could certainly develop a better market following in these cities.

The key would be seeing enough of an investment opportunity to justify hiring the type of staff you need (beat writers, editors, etc.). I think you could definitely see it, especially as these papers continue to struggle. I think it’ll be more than ESPNChicago just being an aggregate portal for Chicago news that breaks but an opportunity to invest in developing a local bureau.

Certainly the writers already in these cities would probably jump at the chance to write for ESPN and have a stable future and I think there is more than enough return on investment there for ESPN to justify bringing in the writers, especially since they have so many writers on the main espn.com that get so little coverage as it is. If they go that way, I think fans will benefit, writers will benefit, teams will actually benefit with move coverage, and ultimately ESPN will benefit.

]]> By: Mark Coddington http://sportsmediajournal.com/2009/04/15/espnchicago-and-the-future-of-local-sports-coverage/comment-page-1/#comment-2135 Mark Coddington Wed, 15 Apr 2009 22:44:06 +0000 http://sportsmediajournal.com/?p=943#comment-2135 The thing that's missing from the ESPNChicago model, as far as I can see, is the original material. If I'm a diehard Chicago sports fan, I'm not going to settle for ESPN's flyover coverage with occasional saturation in a Cutler trade-type moment, even if it is all packaged in one place. I want the minutiae--the daily notes coverage of the Sox, an in-depth position-by-position analysis of the Bears, a look at the Bulls' cap situation and potentially good-fitting free agents. I want to read features about what Buehrle did to his curveball (or whatever) during the offseason. There's no way ESPN can give me that kind of detail in several major sports cities at once--that would require a massive increase in reporting resources. I agree that ESPN can make this fly for a while based almost solely on its brand power and reach, but it's going to fizzle out if there's no real oomph behind it. The thing that’s missing from the ESPNChicago model, as far as I can see, is the original material. If I’m a diehard Chicago sports fan, I’m not going to settle for ESPN’s flyover coverage with occasional saturation in a Cutler trade-type moment, even if it is all packaged in one place. I want the minutiae–the daily notes coverage of the Sox, an in-depth position-by-position analysis of the Bears, a look at the Bulls’ cap situation and potentially good-fitting free agents. I want to read features about what Buehrle did to his curveball (or whatever) during the offseason.

There’s no way ESPN can give me that kind of detail in several major sports cities at once–that would require a massive increase in reporting resources. I agree that ESPN can make this fly for a while based almost solely on its brand power and reach, but it’s going to fizzle out if there’s no real oomph behind it.

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