ESPN Ann Arbor?
I can't find it elsewhere, but Brooks is reporting on twitter:
ESPN Im told starting websites in 'Top 25' college fball-centric markets. What markets do u think they should be in?
ESPN Ann Arbor site hires: Mike Rothstein @mikerothstein Tom VanHaaren @TomVH & Chantel Jennings @chanteljennings
All hail TomVH
Congrats to TomVH, I saw this too, good thing I can't start threads I would've made a double post phew! #brightside
If true, woooo! Congrats TomVH!
Congrats to Tom. A tireless worker who helps keep us sane.
The mothership has landed.
Congrats to TomVH! In a much more selfish view, however, I'm worried that a year or two down the line we will no longer get such great free information regarding recruiting, but instead have to pay to be an ESPN Ann Arbor "insider" for TomVH updates.
/tinfoilhat
wounder if this means if we'll lose TomVH to a paywall?
I'm actually worried about this. Tom seems to be an incredibly successful journalist when it comes access to recruits. I wonder if he'll be allowed to give free updates, and also, if being less "independent" will affect his access to recruits.
ESPN ad model is TOTALLY different than Rivals / Scout. The traffic to ESPN is so ridiculous, the ad revenue means subscriptions (ala Rivals / Scout) aren't necessary.
Likely case - it's all "insider" material. You can buy a subscription for like $30 / year. Which, if you can't cough up $30 / year for TomVH info - you aren't a real fan.
Yeah, and that's the regular price -- you can easily score a subscription to ESPN the Magazine for $4/year, and that comes with an Insider subscription -- if this ever occurs then I'm sure I can scrounge up some links to said magazine sub deals...
$4 a year or a month? That little per year sounds like a great deal, too good to be true.
a deal ESPN the magazine 3 years for $9. It includes Insider which is why I got it. These deals go on every so often. Next time I see one happening, I will post here and let people know.
Cool, thanks.
A year. I've gotten it for less -- in fact, with my current subscription, they keep sending me emails to renew it for $1 per year. I haven't done it simply because I've already got renewals that run through 2016.
For them (and most magazines) it's simple: more subscriptions means more advertising revenue, so they are willing to sell the magazine for cheap. In ESPN's case, super cheap! Next time I see a deal for it super cheap, I'll post it!
Ah, the focus on ad revenue makes sense.
And what about us who live aboard #sadface
Congrats, if true.
ESPN site? Probably not.
Burning sofa? Probably.
First of all, congrats to Tom VH, who deserves his "promotion." As for Rothstein, when the new guy at ann arbor dot com put up five football stories this weekend, it sorta looked like he had found something else. I guess that's what happens when they give writers a month "vacation." Chantel Jennings? Nice to see a Daily guy get a shot right out of school.
This does, though, create more competition for mgoblog. It's like ESPN has noticed that local blogs like this one do a better job than they do and are copying them. I can't say that I blame them, but I hope blogs like this one, who are beholden to nobody, can still survive and that their owners can still make a decent living doing them.
Also, this doesn't look very good for annarbor dot com, and could hasten the demise of the freep, which still has the prohibitive costs of a brick and mortar business. The business is definitely changing.
a Daily gal*
Rest of the staff looks good as well
MGoBlog needs one of our own to work for the NCAA
Sounds like a good move for Tom and potentially a big loss for the blog.
This makes me happy. The American Dream is alive and well. GOTVH!
EDIT: Ok, now my inner selfish child is coming out. How will this affect TVH's affiliation with this here blag?
Could be it doesn't affect it at all, but if it does, maybe TomVH retires and DefinitelyNotTomVHJustAnotherMGoBloggerWhoHappensToGuessCorrectlyALotOfTheTime
WhenItComesToMichiganRecruitingIPromiseImNotTomVH picks up where he left off.
Move over Erin Andrews, Jenn Brown and Beadle, looks like I've got a new favorite ESPN employee!
<br>When the rest of the country catches on, let's hope they don't fawn over Tom quite the same as the above 3. Please, no peephole videos of TomVH.
but....but....ah rats. Cancel the vid cam!
Well this is a great thing for Tom, congratulations. But this could really suck for us and this blog
Brian's vacation just got ruined.
Im excited for Tom, but if this means he is longer the Mgoblog's recruiting guru then I'm selfishly disgruntled.
Has an uncanny ability to sniff out an ambush.
Congrats TomVH! Maybe Brian should be on permanent vacation? Good shit seems to happen when hes gone.
MGoBlog's new slogan:
"We had TomVH. We still have UFR's! We're still relevant! Damnit!"
Congrats Tom.
By now TomVH must've seen the @ reply on Twitter and this thread. Since he's keeping quiet, it must be true!
I'll be the thousandth person this thread to say, Congrats Tom! Hope he can still be a regular contributor here, but I'd be more than willing to become an insider for his services. Great hire by ESPN
I'll be one thousand and one, congrats TomVH!
Anxiously awaiting a classic cryptic TomVH post very soon. He's seriously my version of crack/herion/meth. I can't quit him.
I see Tom more similarly to porn than drugs. He's not doing my body any damage, but my wife would probably be pissed if she knew how much I liked it.
Hilarious!!
Porn or drugs. It matters not. TomVH makes us feel good. You may get a tingle in the loins from a TomVH post. I get an immediate rush like I'm mainlining some pure white gold imported from S. America. It's safe to say we both need help.
I think we need an OMG TomVH shirtless to satiate our collective appetites.
Only if it actually has an OMG Shirtless pic of TMFVH on it. I'm sticking with my porn analogy.
I think I would have preferred to read Sam Webb rather than Rothstein, but I suppose that is a personal preference. TomVH and Webb working for the same company would shut down the internets during prime recruiting season. Either way, congrats to all on their new positions at the World Wide Leader.
But it begs the question if this site should have some pay aspect to it. I feel the majority of the site should be free - such as the Board, etc. But if some items were premium, it would allow Brian the income stream to get a NEW TVH + another writer/reporter or two. That is nothing against what we currently have - but I think the best Michigan blog (and one of the best sports blogs I am aware of), could get even better.
No. Beveled guilt works just fine -- if it becomes a pay site, then people will just start migrating to other Michigan blogs, frankly.
Maybe even do some polling or something. I am not suggesting the size of fees that Rivals and Scout ask. Something easy and simple, like $9.99. Heck, it could be optional or something, but if we all registered our email addresses, I feel it would at least make more people donate or give to the blog.
I'm not sure that would work. A lot of people like MGoBlog because it's free. Many of the people who spend a lot of time here do so because they don't have to pay like at Rivals/Scout and if they had to pay here, they'd find another free spot. There are other people who come here who already have Rivals or Scout accounts, and since they wouldn't want to pay for two sites, they might stay at Rivals or Scout. Some would pick MGB, but some wouldn't.
Brian gets a lot of clicks from high schoolers or college kids who don't have the money for pay sites or older people who love following this stuff but don't want to pay for it.
If this became a pay site, Brian would make money off of that, but he'd lose a ton of page views, t-shirt sales, Maple Street Press sales, etc. The beveled guilt would also go immediately to zero.
This is awesome! Our very own TomVH is moving on up...to the east side!