THE NY TIMES ON POINT BLANK: “A journalistic experiment that proved surprisingly successful”
Chris Botta on NHL Fanhouse RSS feed
Writer Jeff Z, Klein reports on how Islanders Point Blank was started, what the blog accomplished in Year One and what could be next.
I should know PB’s future in the next few weeks. Islanders President Chris Dey says in the Times piece there “might be an opportunity for another entrepreneur to cover the Islanders in a similar manner.”
I certainly never thought Point Blank would get to the point of being written about in The New York Times. As with everything, this doesn’t happen without the extraordinary support demonstrated the last 11 months by Islanders fans.
This morning at the Apple store in Roosevelt Field, I ran into a core player for the Islanders. I wanted to know how he was doing. Instead, he inquired about the blog. “I think it’s been a great thing for the team,” he said. “I know a lot of us really hope you continue it.” He said much more than that. My kids could tell how much I was blown away by the Islander’s comments. The response in texts, emails and calls from so many players and hockey people inside and outside the Islanders organization over the last month has been inspiring.
No matter what happens, this has been an amazing experience. Getting covered in The New York Times is hopefully the icing on top of a rewarding first year. Thank you…CB
59 Responses to THE NY TIMES ON POINT BLANK: “A journalistic experiment that proved surprisingly successful”
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You deserve it, CB. Thank you for the wonderful year… Hope you’ll stay with us for years to come.
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Sab says:
Excellent stuff! You’ve earned all your praises young man!!!
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BillyBC says:
Wow that is just awesome. I’m glad islander players appreciate this blog. Good stuff!
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Hats off to you, man. You deserve the recognition. Your a class act all the way, CB. Wish you all the best, whatever this life holds in store for you.
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Matt says:
great to hear Chris. this blog needs to keep going! or a similar blog by you needs to get going so hopefully the Islanders make the smart move and support you. this is clearly the best Islanders blog on the net and as the fans, we want and need it!
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MattNC says:
Chris Botta deserves a three-year deal, Dey!
Stop messing around and make the surest investment in good coverage and PR for the team as the Isles enter these crucial years.
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Big Dog says:
CB def deserves a deal from the NYI. I for one think this has been such a outstanding source for all info isles it has been top dog. I just hope they dont think filling CB’s shoes is that easy..i can guarantee NOONE can do what you do. I applaud you
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Madchef says:
I know you gotta do what you gotta do….but seriously what does it take to keep you write here.Isles fans need you and obviously the players do too. Lots of luck….hope to keep you right here and for when the isles actually matter in the nhl playoffs again.
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19 ISLE in NJ 22 says:
Chris … great way to enter month 12 of Islander Point Blank!! Congrats!!!
Firstly … Dey has to realize that we as Islander fans couldn’t just support another version of Point Blank just because it covers the Islanders … You have established a trust and fandom among us that isn’t just given by us because you slap the Islanders’ name on your blog. It goes much deeper than that… and I hope that Dey knows that.
From what I read in that NYT article I took it that Dey was “hoping” some other entrepreneur would take on a similar blog if you ceased Point Blank.
I’m just hoping it doesn’t come down to that and you find a financial backer to continue. Again Chris. Congrats on the NYT article.
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Who better than the players on the Islanders and the other PR execs around the league to recognize the value and quality work that you’ve done with Point Blank. I especially would be floored for the support you receive from Islander players … that in itself may be even more of a compliment then being covered in the NYT.
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Angelos says:
CB, you’ve done a remarkable job with PB. All praise unto you.
Also it shows that there are alot of us isles fans out there, we’re ravenous and patiently waiting for a winner!
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Rish31 says:
It’s good to see that it’s not just the fans of this organization that appreciate all the hard work that you have put in! It is hard for a fan to put into words, as elequently as you do regularly, the appreciation we have for what you do. It is wonderful to hear that the players, the guys who are the reason we have this passion, truly understand how important you are to this team. May your blog continue in all it’s glory, with the full support $$$$ of the NYI!
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rob in nj says:
Thank you for the past year of the best Isles coverage ever!! This is the first site I come to each day and the last one too. Long live PB!! Let’s keep it going!
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MT says:
That’s great that one of the players said that to you! and congrats on the Times article mention
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isles316 says:
Chris, you deserve all the publicity that you get. I still can’t understand how the Islanders have stopped sponsoring this blog. Good luck with Fanhouse.
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chip saunders says:
Congratulations Chris for being mentioned in the N.Y.Times,the paper of record.
I wonder if Dey realizes what he had under his nose. Seems he doesn’t,at least the player’s are appreciative of the blog. -
therain93 -- terriers fan says:
Great to hear you’re getting publicity but the thought of another writer….I’d prefer to see Chris Botta’s islanderspointblank renewed….
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Tom C says:
Been lurking for almost a year to get my Isles fix from upstate NY. Yes, CB deserves applause for IPB- great content, great writing. But I think Isles fans deserve it as well- no matter the end of IPB, we’ve come out in droves on IPB & found a forum( ok, not a bar or the NVMC) but someplace to congregate. While some of us couldn’t attend Isles games in Uniondale, we’ve found a home here. I would be interested to see how the Long Island ‘diaspora’ has impacted ‘Islander Country’. Just a thought…after my 3rd scotch. Shuttin’ up now.
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islesfan999 says:
Please keep this blog. We envy you and love getting our islanders fix..
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Sean S says:
Congrats CB. I agree with every good word that anyone can say about PB. Thanks again
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nystrom23 says:
Of course CB the one time I don’t go to roosevelt field ur there…just kiddin that’s great news for the blog I hope PB can stay in some form
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Jim Clark says: The real point of this story is the Islanders are getting cheaper and cheaper.
And G-d knows how many belly laughs I get when the “NY Times” has someone huffing about “this could threaten journalistic integrity” As Yankee GM said about 1950s sportswriters: “I can buy any of them with a ham sandwich”. -
Tim F. says:
The reference in the article to “ethical issues” is a hoot. I hate to keep beating the same dead horse, but the only newspaper that devotes regular coverage to the Islanders is owned by the same folks who own their biggest rival, the New York Rangers. Is Newsday going to stop covering the Rangers to avoid these “ethical issues”? I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – - Charles Wang and his son-in-law are fools if they continue to let Newsday serve as the primary media outlet for the team. Point Blank was the best thing they had going in terms of coverage and PR, and they’re tossing it away. Perhaps they think that no one in Kansas City has internet access.
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JKP on LI says:
For what it’s worth, “entrepreneur” makes it sound like he’s talking about someone who wants to run the blog as his own business.
The fans love the blog and want it to continue; we trust that if you can make it work, you will.
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Strummer's Army says:
Lord help me I just read the NY Times! LOL CB has always been objective! The Isles should seriously understand that despite adding better and better players for reasons that are unclear Islander coverage is way down. Hell even Newsday stopped the excellent coverage down to a trickle while jacking up Ranger coverage. This blog has proven it can compete against the major papers in creating buzz for the Isles and helpin to communicate the Islanders message.
This blog must continue. Perhaps CB can now take the offer the Isles made him earlier in financial assistance and combined with the Fanhouse gig be better off then last year? I think in continuing to do the blog it will continue to provide more opportunities like radio and tv. Pretty apparent he knows more about hockey then Mike Milbury (but so do my two Golden Retrievers).
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Staten Islander says:
Congrats CB. You deserve all the accolades. I’ve posted it here several times, you have given this lapsed fan his hockey team back. Thank You
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Section 320 rocks says:
Congrats CB,
You can never get enough accolades to reward you for all your hard work and dedicated coverage over the last year. I started following the blog last year and remember one of the first entries I read by you. It was something about Garth Snow and Ted Nolan. Now were here a year later no more Nolan and we have JT. Congrats on the times article and the recognition of Islanders players and staff from around the league.
Best of Luck and hope you keep the blog going!
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rb says:
Without Islanders Point Blank:
1. Kate Murray doesn’t get bombarded with emails and telephone calls after she drags her feet on the LH Project. Murray learns that there’s more support for the LH Project than she can brush off.
2. There are only 1,000 or fewer fans at the draft party, and many of them don’t know John Tavares, Victor Hedman and Matt Duchene from Adam. Instead, there are 10,000 and fans have been chanting John Tavares’ name even before the season ends.
3. Islanders fans remain the least respected and derided fans in the league. Instead, attendance remains more than respectable during a dismal season, and hockey writers throughout the league and blogosphere, especially those north of the border, are no longer able to make fun of the fan base. The numbers folllowing IPB are simply too large to ignore.
If the Isles somehow manage to lose this website (or a replacement if CB can’t continue) it will be a worse and more damaging decision than slapping the Gorton’s fisherman on the sweater.
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Who is this “core” player?
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Leviticus says:
Been an interesting and informative year… But it is possible that a someone new (a real hockey guy???) might actually be a better fit… Good luck CB
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TwistedWrister says:
Congrats CB!
Forget what Dey said; there is no better person to keep this blog up an running than you. The Isles don’t need to give “someone else this opportunity.” That’s akin to letting Okposo walk so that we can give DiBo an “opportunity”.
Why try to reinvent the wheel, especially when you’re doing such an amazing job now? Best of luck to you!
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pat says:
nothing could be worse than the fisherman
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JKP in Halifax says:
Great stuff, CB. I still don’t comprehend why the Isles aren’t writing you a big cheque to keep this going. The goodwill and fan connection to the team that you’re building here is worth a lot. In this age of online marketing, this has been a stroke of genius and serendipity.
If you think of the costs of other forms of marketing, this is a pretty large ROI. To have it end is ridiculous.
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Mike R. says:
I feel bad for anyone who would have to live in the shadows of C.B. and try and take over this blog.
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beatlebailey says:
c’mon CB i hope you find the backing. We will read you at fanhouse but not with the same enthusiasm or frequency that we do here. No offense i could give a $hit about the LA kings…or god forbid the rags.
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joey bagodonuts says:
let me put my business cap on here….500,000 unique users, or 500,000 monthly hits? long island lacks websites that are dominated by use of long islanders. aside from newsday, i can’t name any other website that is exclusively written for long islanders and is worth visiting on a daily basis. i own a small business on long island. print advertising in some of the weekly periodicals that come out on the island are expensive. if this website draws 500,000 users, and most of them live on long island, then that is a great opportunity to reach a specific market. in my opinion, there’s a way to make this business work, albeit in a very small business. the long island business community would probaby be very interested in an advertising option that draws that many local readers.
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mrlbem says:
It is distrubing that the individual who runs the business side of the Islanders thinks that you (and IPB) are a fungible commodity capable of replacement. The success of IPB is a function of your unique insight which is in turn a function of your position in the organization all those years as well as your individual writing style. If Mr. Dey thinks you are easily replaced, it means his business judgment is less than what it should be. That’s not good.
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Shoogah says:
Omg, CB! I’m so proud of you!
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gary says:
this was the only site i looked at sevral times a day for the latest Isles news–I never really looked at the Isles main site
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Marc from Troy says:
Well said, rb (29).
I still cannot fathom how/why the Islanders do not see the value in keeping this site going, as is – no new model, no new “entrepreneur”. THIS site, THIS writer. Get a clue, Mr. Dey.
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Michael says:
Please don’t leave us
There are so many of us that love to visit this site daily. You can’t do that to us. -
Jeff Kuntz says:
If another Islanders blog popped up, I would absolutely give it a chance.. It doesn’t matter to me whether or not the team formally gives it the thumbs up (and thus directs Islanders players/staff to co-operate with the blogger and give interviews)..
The MLB set up a media company that operates at arm’s length and they have professional bloggers that cover every team, every game.. NFL teams have poached newspaper beat writers and set up blogs.. the teams need coverage, especially the NHL..
What would make a new Islanders blog successful or not is the talent of the writer(s) and the quality of the blog..
Not to be single out any one other blog, but it’s the one that came to mind: BD’s blog started out fantastic, especially after he left the “Buzz” site.. but lately it feels like they’ve jumped the shark.. I feel there’s an opportunity for either that blog to turn itself around, or another blog to come forward and make an impact among the Islanders fan base.
I don’t know if the Islanders severing support for PointBlank is about something personal between Botta and Dey.. I don’t know if it’s about money.. I don’t know if the Islanders judged PointBlank to be ineffective..
What I DO know about the Isles/PointBlank situation is it is NOT about the QUALITY of this blog.
Fortunately for hockey fans, and PB readers, AOL recognized the level of talent that Christopher Botta has and seized the opportunity.. So if the Islanders hire a different blogger to cover the team full time – he/she had better be good. PointBlank has set the bar very high, and the Islanders cannot afford to deliver us something inferior now.
If Chris Dey’s hands were tied financially and they had to break ties with PB, so be it. But if they made the decision for any other reason, then when it comes to the internet and fans who follow the team on the internet – Dey doesn’t get it.
I can forgive someone who doesn’t “get it”. But unfortunately, I’m not convinced Dey even cares.
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Tavares says:
Why doesn’t Chris Dey keep the guy who the fans like on board? That being Botta.
Dey is just clueless and sounds like a real backstabber.
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On Edge says:
I love this blog and visit it daily – and often several times a day. But, to me it has a different feel to it and I’d almost swear it’s not CB here anymore…I know Chris cannot put the time in it – nor should he – based on what we’ve heard but to me the writing style just seems different. Anyone else think the same or is it just me?
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J (e_godard) says:
Very cool CB
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GD says:
The new site will be called Islanders IR.. where whatever player is on the IR is REQUIRED to post daily blog updates of the team… but they cant tell you what got injured or anything important..
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Islebethere4u says:
Congrats on the new gig! You deserve all the accolades and more. But replacing you with another blogger just wouldn’t be the same. I don’t think anyone else has the history or resources with the Isles that you do Chris. Just a Quickie, where the Newsday link?
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d[p says:
Chris,
Congrats on being “newsworthy” enough to make The Times. Hopefully PB will continue, it is my daily elixir, don’t know what I will do without it.
Isles mgmt certainly didn’t know what they had. The word clueless comes to mind. Newsday coverage so far has been perfunctory (read passionless) now that Logans gone. -
I have to say I am pleased by that article, also I started teh petition, so not everyday something you start ends up in the Times. Great job team PB!
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Steve says:
Congratulations, Chris.
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C.J. says:
Oh, boy. Another brainiac idea coming from Chris Dey. Did that moron require a hospital visit to foster enough energy to put together a coherent thought?
Daddy Wangbuck’s lackey is completely unimpressive.
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Numbers65 in Ohio says:
Just like I couldn’t wait to hear them call JT for the #1 pick, hoping they would, so I sit hoping the same for you and IPB. Whithout IPB, out here in Ohio I would have little link with the team I watched as a kid, during its Dynasty era. IPB has made being an Islander fan enjoyable these days, not the team. I will keep up with you at the new gig as well. Thanks & GOD BLESS you and yours!
GO ISLES!
GO JACKETS! -
Viper says:
Great work, as always, Chris! Let’s keep this going, no replacement will do!
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Congrats!!! About to read it now – I’m sure I can access it without the difficulty I have with newsday’s dot com.
I said before and I’ll say it again I will always cheer for and support the Isles, but I’m not spending a dime on them until this is straightened out. If you’re not taken care of by them I won’t be able to ever get it out of my head that they do not have the fans as a priority, and basically have their own sneaky agenda.
The 20 game plan I had planned to purchase has been dropped. The emplyee, friends, and fam night I had planned for a group outing – scrapped.
The exposure and accolades you’ve received are all very well deserved. I hope it keeps up, congrats again! -
JCasey31 says:
I only hope you can still be part of this great blog that has kept me more excited about the Islanders then ever! Islanders Mgt has gotten some things right for a change lately. Hopefully keeping Point Blank and you a big part of it is part of the plan too.
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Daniel says:
Congratulations Chris on the article. Who on earth could they replace you with? Chris Dey clearly has no clue how to do things with it comes to this.
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pablo says:
For whatever it is worth and i am a little late on this, the brass know’s this is going to be a tuff year. What does that have to do with you? You expressed a week or two ago about how you went against the grain so to speak to speak out about certain situations about the club’s response’s to DP “shenanigans” and the “Gloves Off” comment. Just for the Record you basically stopped after that when the club put you on the oust “Time Out” for a while, then after that you deleted basically everything that refered to thoughs comments and comments made that were Negative, i know first hand you did. Anyway that is in the past however take this for what it is worth and do NOT stop the “Gloves Off” mentality.
Because Now they see your not going away like they thought and now they can not control you and that is a problem. They know that this season will be a tough one and they dont need a voice like yours to Hammer them down. So if you read between the lines, your life line may continue with a clause “silence”. -
BringBackNyles says:
Here is the Islanders biggest problem..I was in Niagara falls, ON all weekend and got the Globe and Mail at the hotel. The paper had two islander related articles (a reprint of the Times story about this blog) and one on Tavares.
I can’t remember the last time any NY metro area paper had two Islander stories on Labor Day.
congrats chris!!