Let's Talk about The Athletic (Sportswriting Behind a Paywall)
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This subject has rattling around in my brain for a few days now as two of my favorite Timberwolves writers have moved from the AP and the MinnPost respectively to working for The Athletic. Since that happened, they barely post on Twitter and all of their observations are behind a paywall. I am not inherently against paying for news as I have two digital newspaper subscriptions, but something about their ideas and business practices really rubs me the wrong way. They've basically taken the ESPN Insider model and applied it to local sports, with the intent to put the Star Tribune out of business.
As they told the New York Times:
Has The Athletic started to encroach on your local sports team's coverage yet? Would you subscribe if they did?
I did consider that I should buy an Athletic subscription because I think Britt Robson is one of the most insightful basketball writers we've got, but I think that statements like this are really gross and don't want to support that kind of Silicon Valley people don't matter mindset.
As they told the New York Times:
“We will wait every local paper out and let them continuously bleed until we are the last ones standing,” Alex Mather, a co-founder of The Athletic, said in an interview in San Francisco. “We will suck them dry of their best talent at every moment. We will make business extremely difficult for them.”
Has The Athletic started to encroach on your local sports team's coverage yet? Would you subscribe if they did?
I did consider that I should buy an Athletic subscription because I think Britt Robson is one of the most insightful basketball writers we've got, but I think that statements like this are really gross and don't want to support that kind of Silicon Valley people don't matter mindset.
Wow, I'm all for paying for news but this is the worst possible way to do it (consolidate the stuff people might pay for [sports] in a single place and drive all the local news groups out of business). Figures that this came out of the San Francisco startup scene, that's full of morally bankrupt people who think quotes like that are endearing.
Had no idea the Atlantic was using tactics like that to monopolize their areas. That's definitely off putting IMO
By Fenderputty Go To PostHad no idea the Atlantic was using tactics like that to monopolize their areas. That's definitely off putting IMOAs far as The Athletic MN goes, they've tried their hardest to corner the market on Wolves and Wild coverage already, hiring away the best Wolves beat and the most insightful columnist. These guys basically only have social media presence to tell you to subscribe to their website. Nothing is free anymore. Even things like "player x is injured and needs y surgery" is an article behind the paywall.
I'm not saying you're entitled to get news for free since these people should get paid, but it feels really nasty.
“We will wait every local paper out and let them continuously bleed until we are the last ones standing,” Alex Mather, a co-founder of The Athletic, said in an interview in San Francisco. “We will suck them dry of their best talent at every moment. We will make business extremely difficult for them.”That pervasive Silicon Valley attitude...
Two thoughts on this:
1) I want reporters and journalists and op-ed columnists to be paid. Their voices are powerful even if sometimes wrong and an informed society is a good society.
2) A barrier of entry to coverage is antithetical to the above. For all the years ESPN Insider has been up and running, I have rarely come across an article that actually made me go, "you know what? Have my money!" Why? Because the type of value and insight that's provided there has rarely ever been that good.
There has to be a financial model that works to keep journalism alive and well, but restricting content behind a paywell is not one of them. People will just find their practice reports elsewhere.
Yeah it's odd because I don't have an issue with the pay model, just the tactics. Even from an economical standpoint it's awful.
By Fenderputty Go To PostHad no idea the Atlantic was using tactics like that to monopolize their areas. That's definitely off putting IMOThe Athletic, slightly different.
By reilo Go To Post2) A barrier of entry to coverage is antithetical to the above. For all the years ESPN Insider has been up and running, I have rarely come across an article that actually made me go, "you know what? Have my money!" Why? Because the type of value and insight that's provided there has rarely ever been that good.This is basically where I'm at right now. I think, I'd love to read what Britt has to say, but really, how much of what he has to say differs from the smart Wolves writing I can get from AWAW or Canis? For things like post game reports, practice updates, etc., the Star Tribune and Pioneer Press still do those. It's not like I can't get that information anywhere else.
There has to be a financial model that works to keep journalism alive and well, but restricting content behind a paywell is not one of them. People will just find their practice reports elsewhere.
By reilo Go To PostThe Athletic, slightly different.
That's actually what I mean to type. Have no idea how that came out lol
Wowza, I don't have to worry about this because my "local" sportswriters I care about are Gary Parrish and Jason/John, who have podcasts/radio shows
By rodeoclown Go To PostThis is basically where I'm at right now. I think, I'd love to read what Britt has to say, but really, how much of what he has to say differs from the smart Wolves writing I can get from AWAW or Canis? For things like post game reports, practice updates, etc., the Star Tribune and Pioneer Press still do those. It's not like I can't get that information anywhere else.Not only that, but when will you not hear about an injury report? The teams put that out! For free! On their website! To everyone in the media! Why would you paywall that?
By reilo Go To PostNot only that, but when will you not hear about an injury report? The teams put that out! For free! On their website! To everyone in the media! Why would you paywall that?My thought process behind that was they want people to accustomed to the idea that to get any of the news, to read any of the pieces on The Athletic, you have to pay for it, even when that something is innocuous like an injury update they hide behind a "Sources:" headlight and with some columnist insight into what it means attached.
It's not like access is cheap, either. It's $7.99 a month for their monthly plan.