Brian Stelter of the the NEW YORK TIMES reports Harvey Levin confirming that TMZ Sports is a go:
AOL’s exit is expected to make it easier for Mr. Levin to introduce another idea, TMZ Sports, and brings a new phase for TMZ’s advertising sales, which have not kept up with the site’s popularity. … Warner Brothers says the site will begin early next year.
(Joba’s mom could stand an Ambien before the ribbon-cutting)
In my introduction of TMZSports.com to you last week, I illuminated the incestuous business relationships that created an opening for such an entity. Levin noted the same to Stelter in the Times:
Levin sees a lot of what he calls agenda reporting in sports, he also sees an opening for coverage by an outsider, free of potential conflicts of interest, like league licensing deals.
Levin also observed the century-old coddling of sports celebs by the sports media:
“I don’t really see a difference between a sports star and a celebrity.”
There is no difference except that unlike entertainment celebs, sports celebs have long enjoyed the trappings of fame and fortune along with obligatory breakage of societal rules scot-free thanks to passive sports media.
Not convinced it’ll work? You aren’t alone. From high profile ESPNers to the lowliest blogger, the sentiment I experienced first hand is near universal: TMZ Sports will not attract the sports fan. At least not consistently.
That despite the fact that TMZ.com has already succeeded in the most hyper-competitive area of the electronic press: showbiz scandal.
As someone who covered pro and college athletes for 16 years in the main media, I can confirm that sports has every bit the shameful behavior percolating beneath the surface as a celebutard-populated cesspool. Behavior that, if reported, could often materially affect the outcome of games, teams, leagues and *gasp* Vegas betting lines.
Best part: there’s no competition in the existing sports media for making that information public!
I’m not going to pretend that TMZ Sports is going to crank out award-winning journalism that will shake the foundation of organized sports as we know it. But I will guarantee that TMZ Sports will cause outlets like ESPN to soon create similar news-gathering methods. Not to mention shows or dedicated segments. (I’m not talking about the failed ESPN Hollywood fluff, either.)
It’s either that or be left behind.
For those who think that TMZ Sports won’t succeed in consistently drawing sports fans, all the site has to do is break a couple-three stories that blow up betting lines during an NFL season and I’ll wager you’ll have it bookmarked quicker than a Mark Sanchez pick-six.
As for the comparison between TMZ Sports and Deadspin, it’s apples and oranges. The majority of TMZ Sports content, if its anything like TMZ.com, will probably be original. The majority of Deadspin content is repackaged material taken from other outlets.
My guess is that TMZ Sports content will be of three types:
a) Goof video sightings of athletes.
b) Investigative follows on stories like Charlie Weis‘ accusation of Pete Carroll’s lifestyle, Ron Artest’s “fall” and Shaq’s alleged dalliance with Gilbert Arenas‘ fiancee. Along with an occasional original newsbreaker.
c) Repackaged content.
If we get enough of “b”, “a” and “c” will be more than tolerable enough for me to visit daily.
8:38 am on December 28th, 2009
So have you already submitted your resume to Harvey Levin yet? I mean, you’ve been pining for the job since news came out
might as well
9:35 am on December 28th, 2009
That site will have a big launch, and fade away after that. This time next year you will be making fun of it. Sports fans aren’t like People mag readers. They don’t care what their favorite athletes/teams do when they are not playing, just that they win.
10:00 am on December 28th, 2009
As an ashamed celebrity gossip junkie - I usually only like a couple of sites that usually knock the self-important celebrities off their high-horse. I don’t go to TMZ much - I like the bloggers who make fun of the celebs. It could work, but really it would only be good if it has dirt on the big names in sports. There’s plenty of pro-atheletes I wouldn’t know or give a damn about unless I’ve got my money riding on them.
I’m still awaiting for Tiger steriod scandal - and have been for a couple of years. You know it’s coming.
12:26 pm on December 28th, 2009
Tmz sports is a no brainer. It will be a huge sucess. 20 yr old instant millionaire’s who can barely read let alone manage their lives. And the hot skanks that follow them around. Finally reality tv for men. This time next year we’ll be talking about why it took so long for this “news” niche to be created. It will be a new car crash every day
2:48 pm on December 28th, 2009
it will be huge… no red tape… no sucking up! watch out athletes!
3:36 pm on December 28th, 2009
I’m not sure any of you understand that TMZ will “out it” and ESPN will pick it up as “reported by sports site TMZ.”
It’s been happening on CNN for months and ahem, who are they all owned by.
“As reported by celebrity news site TMZ…”
The formula: print a damaging story. If someone calls them on it then they add a paragraph called “update” to the original story. Now they can claim they are fair but the problem is that the news has already traveled the world but the update? Never.
You may not care if that happens to people like Britney Spears or Courtney Love or any other celebrity on a regular basis but you may care when damage is done to sports figures without repair. You can find my website if you care to know more or see articles that debunk TMZ’s version of Britney Spears: just to see how it works.
Fair News Spears. Also, please don’t forget that much of your online content outside ESPN comes from the AP ….
3:37 pm on December 28th, 2009
Sorry. One line of that was misleading. TMZ doesn’t own CNN but .. they have a financial relationship.
5:04 pm on December 28th, 2009
TMZSports.com featuring Brooks
5:22 pm on December 28th, 2009
Question: Did Tiger sleep with Joba The Whut’s Mama, too?