bdsisme

April 3rd, 2013 at 9:18 AM ^

That's awesome.  Are you eventually looking to expand into other types of periodicals (other than annual previews)?  Are you and Brian (or just you) the sole owners?  It'd be cool if this thing took off and two Michigan guys were the go-to guys for sports-blogger-publishing.

M-Wolverine

April 3rd, 2013 at 9:47 AM ^

But I'm curious how this business model works.  Is MGoBlog teaching a man to fish, or are they supplying the fish?

If you're teaching everyone how to do this on their own, that's nice, but I hope you're getting some profit, kickbacks, or something in return for having done all the really hard work already.  

If you're setting it up that you're basically a new, nicer, less corporately driven Maple Street Press, that actually seems like a pretty smart way to expand the "MGoBlog Empire" without really doing anything that infringes on the integrity of the primary site, or "selling out." Not that I ever really see a man trying to make a buck for his family as selling out, but I know there's a vision of what this site should be and fulfill. And I don't think that violates it at all. It would be kind of interesting to see how a sort of "co-op" model works.

And if you're just getting other sites started, there's nothing wrong with that...but I sincerely hope you're getting more than just some share of THIS year's profit out of it.

Seth

April 3rd, 2013 at 10:15 AM ^

No no this is my new business, Brian's a minority partner. The model is VERY different from MSP, but I'm basically in charge of the things MSP did. It's not really a matter of teaching a man to fish, since the publishing part is a SHIT TON of work, plus knowledge and contacts I gained from 10 years of being in the publishing business. If the thing is profitable I will profit, but MSP just paid the editors and reaped the profits themselves, whereas I make the editors the majority partners in each book and take 35% for my efforts.

With that small a share it'll never be an empire. But that's not my vision. My vision is more like a NATO between select great bloggers, and for the books to make enough for each blogger each year that we can be informative for a living. The funding comes from the readers and therefore the readers are the ONLY people you need to impress.

Needs

April 3rd, 2013 at 11:44 AM ^

I can see the way that this will work if you can link up a lot of the big ten teams with  team previews repurposed multiple times with slight variation to account for the specific team that is the focus of the book. Seems like a good way to link up the knowledge of sportsbloggers outside of the sbnation thing, which annoys me for some reason I can't put my finger on (the style? I'm not sure).

Seth

April 3rd, 2013 at 10:18 AM ^

First the Big Ten. Then the ACC and midwestern pro sports. Red Wings or Tigers may pop before that depending on certain things falling into place, and we came close to doing a Cubs one. But let's see if this one works before getting out there.

M-Wolverine

April 3rd, 2013 at 4:38 PM ^

I mean, you could write up a team review from an opposing fan's point of view, but if they're already doing a full one for Indiana, wouldn't it make sense to include that in HTTV, and then put your Michigan overview in theirs?  

If you can get a wide enough net, eventually you'll have the Out of Conference teams (not MAC-y cakes, but the more well known teams) and make the previews and analysis in the books and on the site easier. Heck, you might even make bowl opponents a lot less work.

jaggs

April 3rd, 2013 at 9:36 AM ^

tell me it's not a football HTTV for Indiana. If so, I seriously question your business accumen.

EDIT: I guess with kickstarter if it doesn't fund you'll be ok anyhow but why not a Nebraska or Wisconsin, someone with actual fans?