Washington Times’ sports business reporter Tim Lemke spent a number of weeks interviewing a number of the region’s hockey bloggers, his interest piqued by their prevalence in the Verizon Center press box for Caps’ games. “No team in professional sports offers as much unfettered access to bloggers as the Caps,” Lemke writes in this morning’s Times.
“Writers from a half-dozen other blogs, including Japers’ Rink, DC Optimist and A View from the Cheap Seats, are on the premises, cranking out posts that analyze everything from the Caps’ new uniforms to the Hurricanes’ power-play defense. They are affectionately called “blogger nation” and are part of a growing — and unique — strategy by the Caps to embrace new media outlets rather than keep them at an arms’ length.
We were particularly appreciative that Lemke credited Off Wing Opinion’s Eric McErlain for his role in establishing protocols for bloggers wishing to cover the team.
“McErlain worked with Leonsis and the Caps’ public relations staff on crafting a “Bloggers Bill of Rights” that would grant access to the most active bloggers while outlining rules of etiquette and professionalism.”
Lemke concludes by capturing Ted Leonsis’ commitment to new media covering his team and its sport:
“What happens if the Caps make a deep playoff run?”
“Then they can come sit in the owners box,” Leonsis said. “I’ll find them a place to sit. I hope we have that issue. I’d like to be looked at as the most new media-savvy, blog-centric of the teams. If we win, that network just helps you to keep that momentum going.”
You can read Lemke’s piece here.
9 Comments
pucksandbooks, the past two days must have been nice for you. First, the tune you had been searching for for months. And now your picture is gracing page C6 of the Times. Congrats!
There is no truth to the rumor that the DC Optimist was starting the wave from the press box.
Nice one, Bob… THAT would be a bizarre sight.
A great piece. I’ve read all kinds of stuff about the Caps bloggers, but it’s great to see a publication like the Times invest that much copy in the story.
Ted Leonsis chimes in on his blog:
http://ted.aol.com/index.php?ID=1337
Excerpt:
“As to sending the bloggers and some Caps employees to Russia, I was unabashed in embracing that opportunity as the traditional media couldn’t afford to send reporters to the event or they chose not to. What did I have to gain from promoting the World Championships other than creating good will for hockey and to drive acceptance of the blogosphere to other sites and bloggers via a free widget that we created and distributed? I am proud that we innovated and covered the tournament and that hundreds and hundreds of sites and bloggers redistributed the content for us. Hundreds and hundreds of thousands of visitors consumed those pages. The total cost for those two weeks of great work was less than half a page of advertising in a local major newspaper so its ROI was truly measurable and spectacular.”
I am extremely impressed with Mr. Leonsis’ attitude towards the “alternative media” known as bloggers. More teams should get in on this, and even encourage it.
Well done, Caps bloggers. You’re paving a new path for bloggers to follow. :o)
Here’s one hockey bloggers thoughts on the article, Ted’s additional comments in his blog and those bloggers who got left behind, and of course, it’s in blog form http://www.musicallaughter.blog-city.com I luv ya, but let’s not forget diversity!
Great to hear of your access up there in DC. I’m hoping things will open up a bit more down here in ATL at some point in the future.
I’ve seen quotes about the NHL thinking about a league wide policy but so far there has been no announcement.
It may just be because of their trickledown relation to the Caps, but I’m finding the Hershey Bears incredibly open to bloggers as “real” media up here as well.
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