This news is something I’ve been anticipating for a while. It finally became official today. Comcast SportsNet New England has announced that it has hired several well-known New England sportswriters to provide content for its website. In addition, it will add some new local shows to its lineup. Ever since former Providence Journal political writer Scott MacKay broke the news about his colleague, ProJo sports editor Art Martone leaving for CSNNE’s website, we’ve been rumors about who would join the site.
Comcast now joins a suddenly crowded lineup in Boston for local sports content as just this year, we’ve seen ESPN launch its local website, WEEI increase its local content on its site, CBS Radio launch 98.5 The Sports Hub and an adjoining website, NESN make a commitment to providing local content on its site and now Comcast SportsNet has made this announcement. The question is now, can all of these sites survive and is there enough room for all of them? In addition, will there be attrition? Could we see an alliance among media companies, perhaps Comcast SportsNet and 98.5 The Sports Hub? Already, ESPN Radio has aligned with WEEI and we expect there’s something brewing between the two companies other than ESPN personalities appearing on the station. So the competition is getting fiercer and the battle for the sports fan is only going to get tougher for these outlets.
Here is the press release from Comcast SportsNet:
COMCAST SPORTSNET LAUNCHES THE REGION’S MOST
COMPREHENSIVE LOCAL SPORTS NEWS LINEUP
Live Daily Sports News Coverage and Relaunch of CSNNE.com to Deliver Integrated 24/7 Sports Coverage on Multiple Television & Digital Platforms
Sean McAdam, Tom Curran, Sherrod Blakely, Art Martone, Joe Haggerty, Rich Levine, Chris Collins, Mike Giardi, Kevin Walsh, Carolyn Manno, Jessica Moran, Jackie Peper and ???
Join New England’s Deepest Sports News Desk
BURLINGTON, MA (November 2, 2009) – Today Comcast SportsNet New England announced the network will introduce New England’s most comprehensive local sports news, delivered across multiple platforms by some of the region’s most familiar and experienced sports journalists and analysts. Comcast SportsNet’s expanded sports staff includes seasoned writers and reporters Sean McAdam, Tom Curran, Joe Haggerty, Chris Collins, Mike Giardi and many more.
Comcast SportsNet will premiere a new live, 30-minute, three-times-a-night sports show, SportsNet Central, to give fans the most in-depth local sports news and analysis. The network is also relaunching CSNNE.com to give fans comprehensive and continuously updated coverage of their local favorite teams, including exclusive video, original analysis from authentic local voices, and interactive community features and applications.
Comcast SportsNet Executive Vice President and General Manager Bill Bridgen stated, “Comcast SportsNet is committed to be the preeminent source for local sports news, analysis and debate in one of the most passionate sports markets in the country. We have assembled a veteran roster of New England sports journalists to provide dedicated coverage of the Celtics, Red Sox, Patriots, Bruins and every local sports institution. Our reporters, writers, analysts and insiders will serve hometown fans with the largest integrated on-air and online local sports news platform in the area.”
Comcast SportsNet will launch SportsNet Central on Thursday, December 3, at 6:00 p.m. SportsNet Central will air live each night at 6:00 p.m., 10:30 p.m. and 1:00 a.m. On Sundays, Comcast SportsNet will air Sports Sunday at 10 p.m. in place of the 10:30 p.m. edition of SportsNet Central.
In addi
tion to providing expanded sports coverage on television, Comcast SportsNet will operate the region’s most comprehensive and dedicated online local sports destination, CSNNE.com, which will feature:
· The most extensive local collection of exclusive online video, including player and coach interviews, press conferences plus content from Comcast SportsNet news shows;
· Unparalleled home and away beat coverage of local teams including the Red Sox, Celtics, Patriots, and Bruins;
· Breaking news and analysis, including web-exclusive reports, from the region’s most informed local lineup of award-winning reporters, analysts, and personalities;
· Community applications including blogs, game-day e-mail alerts, live game chats, and fan message boards.
“Sports fans turn to new technology first because of their voracious appetite for the latest information about their favorite teams, and we are investing in CSNNE.com to create the premier digital source for local sports coverage,” said Eric Grilly, Comcast Sports Group executive vice president and chief digital officer. “Deep New England roots and strong ties to the local sports community enable CSNNE.com to provide original sports coverage around the clock, more local video than any other entity, and exclusive fan experiences with local teams and their players.”
To oversee CSNNE.com, Comcast SportsNet has hired digital media veteran Bill Via as senior director of digital media. Via has been designing and implementing strategic digital campaigns since 1994 and has comprehensive television experience. Via has developed digital media strategies for A&E International, WGBH Boston, Telemundo and KHNL-TV in Honolulu, HI.
Comcast SportsNet has assembled the region’s largest local sports news team to provide coverage on air and online, including:
· Veteran MLB reporter Sean McAdam will cover the Red Sox for Comcast SportsNet after 24 years with the Boston Herald and Providence Journal. McAdam is a member of the Baseball Writers of America and a Baseball Hall of Fame voter.
· Veteran NFL reporter Tom Curran will cover the Patriots after serving with NBCSports.com, the Providence Journal and the MetroWest Daily News.
· Sherrod Blakely, respected NBA r
eporter and Detroit Pistons beat writer for several Michigan newspapers and MLive.com, will cover the Celtics.· Joe Haggerty will cover the Bruins for Comcast SportsNet after covering the Bruins and Red Sox for WEEI.com, Boston Metro and the Woburn Daily Times.
· Art Martone, sports editor at the Providence Journal for the past nine years, will serve as CSNNE.com sports editor.
· Improper Bostonian sports editor and columnist Rich Levine will share humor and insight as a CSNNE.com columnist and editor.
In addition to these new hires, NECN on-air personalities Chris Collins and Mike Giardi join the Comcast SportsNet news team, which already includes leading New England sports voices Michael Felger and Gary Tanguay, and recent additions Kevin Walsh, Carolyn Manno, Jessica Moran, Jackie Peper and ???. Comcast SportsNet’s entire news team will contribute to CSNNE.com’s breaking news and expanded video coverage.
In total Comcast SportsNet is creating more than 40 new local newsroom reporting and production positions and has constructed a new newsroom, added a new studio set and expanded its production facilities at the network’s Burlington, MA headquarters. Comcast SportsNet is consolidating the sports news operations of NECN into its Burlington facility and will serve as the exclusive source of sports news on NECN and NECN.com beginning on November 2. NECN will air encore presentations of SportsNet Central each day at 6:30 p.m., 11:00 p.m. and 1:30 a.m. beginning Dec. 3. From Nov. 2 until Dec. 3, Comcast SportsNet’s Mohegan Sun Sports Tonight will run in place of Sports Late Night at 11 p.m.
Comcast SportsNet reaches more than four million households in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. Comcast SportsNet’s programming includes live game coverage of the Boston Celtics, Mohegan Sun Sports Tonight, Celtics Now, Sports Sunday, The Baseball Show, New England Tailgate, and ‘net Impact.
Comcast SportsNet’s partnership with the 17-time NBA Champion
Boston Celtics is the longest team-regional sports network relationship in New England and the fourth longest in professional sports. Comcast SportsNet New England is owned and managed by Comcast Sports Group. Visit www.comcastsportsnet.com for more information.
That’s a heavy hitter lineup of writers including Sean McAdam who has a national reputation and Tom Curran who has been covering the NFL for NBCSports.com and Pro Football Talk. McAdam and Curran both worked for Martone at the ProJo. Plus bolstering Comcast SportsNet’s local air staff with Mike Girardi and Chris Collins from New England Cable News gives the channel some local talent without having to search outside the company. We’ll be keeping a close eye on this. When Comcast SportsNet New England was known as Fox SportsNet New England, they did air a nightly sports news show, but it went by the wayside due to budget cuts at corporate.
Comcast has had success with local programing at its other regional sports networks so I’m sure the company will be in for the long haul with this. Plus with its impending purchase of NBC and its resources with Versus, if Comcast wants to do live national sports news, it certainly can tap into its local affiliates for content. Certainly this will be worth watching.
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