A few weeks ago, I came up with this great idea of interviewing upcoming sports bloggers/writers like myself. The idea is to ask them about the blogging life and if they run their own site, how do they do it and if they had any trials or tribulations in the beginning. Well, the first person I decided to interview was Glenn Erby of Thacover2.com. He is a really great guy and writer who is all about bringing the best coverage of the Philadelphia Eagles, Philadelphia 76ers, and everything else in the world of sports.
Without further adieu, here is my interview with Glenn Erby:
Jovan Alford: When did you start ThaCover2.com and what’s the site about?
Glenn Erby: I started Thacover2.com in February 2012 on the advice of my wife who felt I should translate all my sports knowledge into a website.. The site was originally started as a football only website. After some thinking and due diligence, I decided to make it an all sports website. Thacover2.com is your best source for comprehensive and no holds barred coverage of the Eagles, 76ers and everything else going on in the world of sports like no one else. Thacover2 is a Yardbarker affiliate site and partnered with FOX Sports and MSN.
Jovan: What is the typical blogging day for you? (Meaning how many times per day you write)
Glenn: I write everyday of the week 365 days of the year unless an emergency comes up. My typical writing day begins around 6:00 am est. After I workout, I’ll have breakfast, read the newspapers, and begin my day of bringing up to the minute and breaking sports news to my fans. My typical day ends around 11:pm unless it’s simply a slow sports day.
Jovan: How is it running your own site? What are the struggles you have encountered running your own site and did you have any doubts?
Glenn: Running my own site is an amazing pressure filled ride that I didn’t know could be so much work and so much fun. I run thacover2.com by myself so I do incur challenges on a daily basis. I’m my own writer, editor and investor. I’ve definitely had my share of doubts and concerns. I don’t consider myself a conventional blogger. I take myself and my site serious as credible source for breaking sports news. As a beginning site, it’s easy to get caught up in watching your sites numbers and the growth. We all want to make a living in this business, so it can be extremely frustrating when the site isn’t as popular as you like right from the start. You have to have patience in this process and understand that this is a marathon and not a sprint. Growing a successful site takes time and patience.
Jovan: On the other hand, what has been your biggest accomplishments involving Thacover2.com?
Glenn: My accomplishments include interviews with World Champion Boxers, getting credentialed for some major sporting events. I think my biggest accomplishment is just being able to day in and day out put up the numbers I’ve been able to from a visibility standpoint. I average 60K views a month in my first year. I’ve heard stories from sites who talked about not getting a thousand views per month during their first year of running a website. So I believe that’s my biggest accomplishment. I’m a needle mover and making noise as a sports reporter.
Jovan: Where do you see Thacover2 in a few years?
Glenn: I have a five year plan for thacover2.com of course. In the next few years I see thacover2 being that one site that Philly fans and sports fans alike go to for all their sports news and analysis. I don’t have ideas of being a ESPN or CBS Sports, but I do see thacover2.com being a major player in the world of online sports reporting for years to come.
Jovan: Finally, what are some words of advice you have for upcoming sports bloggers?
Glenn: My advice for any up and coming blogger/online media personality is to grind, stay prayed up and don’t let anyone tell you what you can do. Even if you got into the world of sports blogging the unconventional way, take the proper steps to learn and enhance your craft. Continue to read, work on your typing, spelling, grammar and anything else that you need to succeed. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. If possible, get a mentor or a group of like minded individuals that will support you, offer you advice and potentially give you the opportunity to make a name for yourself. Most importantly for any young blogger is to find a niche or your own lane and conquer it 100 miles and running.
I would like to thank Glenn again for doing the interview and make sure to follow him on twitter @thacover2 and check out thacover2.com for your latest in sporting news.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
