LA KINGS HIRE FULL-TIME BEAT WRITER
Hmmm….maybe THIS one will start the trend
James Mirtle of SBN reports. The Kings called this summer for feedback. I told them that despite the NYI not maintaining our deal, the NHL needed this and in Rich Hammond they had the ideal candidate. Teams will follow.
35 Responses to LA KINGS HIRE FULL-TIME BEAT WRITER
Hmmm….maybe THIS one will start the trend
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Staten Islander says:
Too bad the Isles didn’t start a trend. I’m not sure if they really understand how much attention for the team this blog gathers.
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Giaco says:
It’s sad how we think the Isles can do things right but in the end screw it up.
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beatlebailey says:
the isles did start the trend but never follow through. CB is the Luongo of the media…c’mon isles..do SOMETHING right to generate interest in your team…we had 4000 in the building yesterday at most..sheesh
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JD (e_godard) says:
Perhaps this will be a wakeup to the Isles staff. Your site has become a daily necessity for any type of fan (casual or hardcore).
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bergie20 says:
very smart move by the kings. i’m sure they won’t be the last team to do this.
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Dan from Westchester says:
With the “Cablevision – ization” of Newsday, this site is really the ONLY place to get independent and consistent Islanders coverage.
Why put the time / effort / $$ into starting something. . have it succeed beyone anyone’s wildest expectations. . and then pull the plug??
And not for nothing. . the marketing for JT has been terrible / non – existent since the draft. Figured I’d be much more excited for 10/3 by now.
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Jeff Kuntz says:
The Islanders will do this. It’s just a matter of when, and who.
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Blizzard says: I mean if any team needs it its the Islanders. As has been stated why pull the plug? Maybe CB was too independent? Wrote something they didnt like? Too honest maybe? Well they reap what they have sown because the treatment they are getting in Newsday and other media outlets speaks for itself.
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mrlbem says:
Yes, Jeff (#8), the Islanders will do this. . . .on the cheap, like they do everything else these days. So instead of Chris, the most knowledgeable person regarding the organization, they’ll hire someone right out of high school.
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Chris,
I agree completely. In fact, I did a blog about how to make a culture more “social” yesterday. The Islanders and other NHL teams should read it and follow suit.
http://derekshowerman.com/2009/09/23/3-actions-to-help-your-organization-embrace-social/
Congrats on being a visionary!
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Chris M says:
So the Isles would hire a full time writer to cover all the great signings this summer? When it comes to the budget, this team is mailing it in until the Lighthouse gets approved. Or should I say “if” it gets approved. I know he loses money, etc., etc. I’d be curious to know CB’s viewpoint on the financial situation/prospects when Wang first bought the club.
Now that the Lighthouse decision is approaching the deadline, I wonder how much of their decision to have CB blog was based on promoting their Lighthouse agenda. I’m not slamming CB for his pro-Lighthouse position, but rather questioning the motives behind Dey. If this was meant to be a trial, then why end it? Clearly it’s been the best coverage ever for Islanders fans.
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19 ISLE in NJ 22 says:
CB – The Isles had a chance to yet again establish a positive new trend… IMO, not because I’m a fan of your site … but because I saw the impact and positive results due to the impact of your site I feel it would of been a great business move to not only continue their original arrangement with you, but to also expand on it by allowing you a video portal with Isles TV. Revenue sharing in advertising … etc. … but belt tightening ensued … and we’re at were we are.
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Potvin5 says:
I’m putting my vote in for you Chris.
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Mike R. says:
They will keep it going, but on the cheap. If you can’t tell the Isles are tightening their belt and cutting back on everything. This makes perfect sense to try and market Tavares and get this team to be relevant again. The NHL sells Crosby and Ovechkin jerseys all over the world. Why not Tavares? And I was at the game last night. some pathetic stuff going on. We don’t want to light up the arena with cell phones. We don’t want to see a terrible Brad/Angelina joke. We don’t want to hear 90′s techno music. We don’t want to see those terrible navy blue jerseys that look like pajamas. Sorry for the rant but this team is killing me.
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The Isles set a trend 1st with CB and independent coverage. Also with ITV and I even think the Ice Girl idea was an Islander one first. They better re-up with you CB… it’s not a want from us fans it’s a necessity.
And I’m not bothered by the marketing for JT. They had the commercials on the pre-season game. It’s hyped on NHL.com talking about JT about every other day. The kid has pressure to deliver as it is being a #1. Why add even more hype to it? A true Isles fan knows the deal anyway.
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Tom says:
Fans have an insatiable appetite for their teams. Cutting them out & NOT having a full time source is shortsighted & stupid. The LA Kings obviously understand this. I wish more NHL teams had the intelligence the LA King org has.
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Strummer's Army says:
I agree 100% the NHL needs this and the Islanders REALLY NEED THIS!
In the past few days I am seeing Newsday increase their untrue and biased articles against the Lighthouse. It is clear Murray and Newsday has made a deal because they aren’t even reporting the facts. Herman just wrote a big piece about how the Isles could have a renovated NVMC and no one is oppossed to that. He wrote that a new owner (no idea who) might be willing to buy them and keep them here for a renovated building. I wrote him back and let him know I understand he’s someone’s slave but he needs to get his facts straight. Since the state, county nor TOH can afford to renovate the NVMC the entire project is needed for Wang (or anyone else) to take the risk of spending their own money to try to make it worth it. It seems his talking points come straight from Kate.
This is why we need point blank! We are barely getting anything from Newsday anyway. When Katie writes something it’s really short (or the editors cut down the online content big time)and not that informative. The other reporters are taking a very negative approach to the Isles. I guess they have to try to minimize the Isles since they don’t have a star like Tavares.
Seriously at this point the damn TOH and Newsday have been so mean, unfair, and aggressive I want the Islanders to move because it will punish the TOH and Newsday (that trash rag might fold) and TOH would be in for some lean years. It’s a shame it would also punish the Islander fans, charities, and citizens but at this point TOH and Newsday deserve to be punished for their odd & mean behavior.
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isles316 says:
My good friend is a Kings fan and he is excited about this. The person they hired he felt always was their best writer and the place to get Kings news from. He said he is very similar to Botta and thinks the Isles are idiots for not doing the same thing.
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JKP in Halifax says:
A pity the Isles can’t follow through on what was obviously a good idea; it will generate more than its cost in goodwill and marketing and would cost less than the stick budget.
I’ve been able to see the reasoning (not the logic, mind you, but the reasoning) in many Isle management moves over the years.
This one I just can’t get my head around. I think they’re nuts to not want to fully fund this AND take you on the road to cover them as well.
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Good for the Kings.
Now if only an organization that has no radio team, an intern-turned-beatwriter, and nothing else other than the occasional negative input of guys like Baumbasch and Arthur Staple would be smart enough to do the same. Oh, wait… these are the Islanders we are talking about. Sigh. -
Michael Pastore says:
Herrmann: Scaled-down Lighthouse might work
I am very tired of (Ranger’s-Newsday) yes I am putting it that way because Newsday was the only outlet The Islanders had. We used to have Sportschannel now we are on MSG guess what they are now all run by the people who own the Rangers!!!!!!!!! All of our media outlets are run by our arch rivals. Could you imagine the Yankees being promoted by the owner of the Redsox or maybe the Jets being promoted by the Dolphins or the Patriots. That would never happen in a million years. Now we have our one media outlet over the last year is turning very anti-Islanders. Mr. Wang has lost aprox. $200 Mil by trying to keep the franchise on Long Island. Yes he is trying to make money on the land deal. My God Heaven forbid a corporation trying to make money. But you must remember before he makes dime 1 he still has to recuperate his $200 Million dollars just to break even not counting the 20 Million he is going to loose the next couple of years. Lets just round it off to a cool 1/4 Billion Dollars. This is the reason why the land deal is needed. The other reason is the dumbest contract I have ever heard of the SMG concession deal. How is any sports franchise to make any MONEY if they do not receive concessions. Yes sports franchises are supposed to make money!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wang is not asking the public for money he is taking all the risks. That’s the big difference between the Islanders and the Yankees, Mets, Jets,Giants. Why is he being persecuted. This will create jobs and tax revenue so what is the issue. I will tell you the reason The town of Hempstead officials want to be greased, and Dolan does not want the Rangers to be overshadowed!!!!!! Everybody forgets when the Yankees were loosing in the late 80s and early 90s and the Mets in the late 70s and early 80s Shea and Yankee stadiums were ghost towns. THE ISLANDER FANS WILL START COMING BACK TO SOLD OUT NVMC WHEN THEY START TO WIN AGAIN LIKE THE MID 70S TO THE MID 90S!!!!! Maybe we should hire Don Maloney again and have the Ranger’s running our team completely!!!!!!!!!! -
good point..it really hurts that the team sucks so bad now. As soon as the yankees started winning the talk of leaving the bronx ended and the new stadium got built..crosby got the penguins a new place..i hope we can turn the on ice product into a winner. Remember that 10-0 start back in 01-02(?) attendance really picked up
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225 comments on Hammond’s blog announcing the news shows that there is certainly some hockey interest in LaLa Land.
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Tim F. says:
[Sarcasm on] The Kings are silly. They’d be much better off if they just put their coverage in the hands of media outlets controlled by James Dolan. [Sarcasm off]
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jimfromstjames says:
The decision to stop this site is so puzzling, If you do the math straight-
CB’s pay, 80k? 100k? (he’ll still need a second job to pay Nassau Prop Tax)
Money to host the site – 30k -40k annually
OK so that’s 150k a year for endless exposure for the team, Unbiased ( unlike the Rags fans at Newsday, all homers ) press that all the fans are drawn too & still they are playing games with it.
Consider a half page ad in Newsday runs like 10k, you could cover this site with a seasons worth of ads.
Unless they threatened to pull the site to gauge interest ( actually a smart move if you think about it ) They are spending money that they don’t have poorly.
Can anybody conform these numbers? I’m not sure what it costs to run a site like this? -
Maybe is they weren’t still giving Yash 3.2 a year, they could afford CB??
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KO21 says:
I used to post on “Islandermania” but that place is a a joke because the moderators run a monopoly on making new threads and they don’t allow any banter that might be a bit combative and the mods play favorites…Thats what forums are for…
Then I found this place…Although its not a forum, its honest and helps bring Isles fans together and for the most part Botta allows us to be open and speak our minds…I felt kind of alone with my passion for the Isles until I started coming here…
It goes to show, Islandermania is still hosted by the Islanders and Pointblank was dropped…If you ask me, they should close down “IslanderNazimania” and use that waste of money to sponsor this place…
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CJCB says:
I agree about Islandermania, i mean i love the Islanders but loving the Islanders does NOT mean that i agree that the team can do no wrong and that is widespread on Islandermania. I prefer to tell it like it is, whether it for or against the Islanders. Just because i dont agree to something the Islanders do does NOT mean i dont like the team.
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UIF says:
I credit Dey with one brilliant decision, and that was sponsoring this blog. But now we are where we are and I’m wondering if that brilliant decision was even his to begin with. The right thing to do here is such a no-brainer that it almost seems like the Isles don’t want to actually rebuild the fan base. Why do they think there were 10,000 people at the draft party? Tavares was a big reason, but without the hype generated here all season long, I bet less than half that number shows up. Add this decision on top of closing practices, and what exactly are they trying to accomplish as far as generating interest?
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dp says:
without point blank, there is really no substantial islanders coverage, but I guess the team doesn’t see the advantage to an involved and excited fan base. too bad all around. Chris have you thought about approaching the Flyers or Devils about writing for them?? I can’t even type the R’s but isles loss would be any teams gain
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KO21 and CJCB- remember, there are other Isles/NHL msg boards that would appreciate your input.
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Ron says:
*shrug* I never had a problem with Islandermania. They have their way of doing things, and it works for them. As far as calling them nazis, the mod team seems to be fairly forgiving – it takes them a long time to get rid of obvious troublemakers.
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B.P. says:
I have found people that have problems with a particular message board are usualy people who simply didn’t want to follow its rules. The idea that I-mania doesn’t allow negative talk about the Isles is ludicrous at best. There is more negativity about the Isles on Mania then I care to remember. Moderators have slayed this team on the forums on many different topics. We have never nor will ever curtail anybodies opinions be they positive or negative. We simply ask that people abide by the BOARD GUIDELINES. If that is to unreasonable a request for some, then yes better for you to find a different outlet for your Islander talk. Otherwise I-mania is happy to have anybody come and speak their mind about this team. No matter what the opinion might be.
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Thank you Ron.
Hey Chris Dey, this sounds like a really good idea. (hint hint)