Two powerful names in sports media are partnering on a new digital product. Sporting News and the Comcast Sports Group are partnering to produce regional editions of Sporting News Today, the daily digital sports magazine.
The local editions will be 8-20 pages long and will feature news, analysis, scores and more from local and regional teams. Content will be produced by the regional affiliates of the Comcast Sports Group. It will launch this week in Philadelphia, with additional regions rolling out in early 2011.
“Comcast Sports Group’s commitment to best-in-class, comprehensive local coverage combined with the marketing strength of their regional sports networks is extremely appealing to us,” said Jeff Price, President and Publisher of Sporting News. “Together, we’ll deliver an entirely new genre of local/national digital magazine to avid fans on a daily basis, particularly among fans in the exploding tablet marketplace.”
“During the past 18 months we have built the strongest local digital sports desk in our markets featuring some of the most respected local sports journalists,” said Comcast Sports Group Executive Vice President and Chief Digital Officer Eric Grilly in a statement. “Today’s partnership allows us to extend the reach of our growing hometown coverage to new audiences in conjunction with one of the most storied and innovative names in national sports journalism.”
More information in the release, after the jump.
SPORTING NEWS TODAY AND COMCAST SPORTS GROUP PARTNER TO PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE LOCAL/NATIONAL DIGITAL SPORTS COVERAGE
National digital sports magazine enhanced with dedicated local news and analysis debuts today
New York – November 17 – Sporting News and Comcast Sports Group today announced a partnership to produce regional editions of Sporting News Today, the country’s only 100% digital daily sports magazine. Each local edition will include 8 to 20 pages of local news, analysis, scores, stats and more produced by Comcast Sports Group’s regional affiliate, beginning this week with Comcast Sports Net Philadelphia. Each edition will feature a customized local cover with the hometown content positioned directly in front of the full daily national edition and branded Sporting News Today, powered by Comcast SportsNet. Additional regional editions will launch in other Comcast Sports Group markets beginning in early 2011.
A monthly subscription to the local edition will cost $3.99 per month, one dollar more than the national edition, and will be available across all Sporting News Today delivery platforms, which include Mac, PC, iPhone and iPad. Advertising sales within the local pages will be handled by Comcast Sports Group and Sporting News will manage national advertising sales.
“Comcast Sports Group’s commitment to best-in-class, comprehensive local coverage combined with the marketing strength of their regional sports networks is extremely appealing to us,” said Jeff Price, President and Publisher of Sporting News. “Together, we’ll deliver an entirely new genre of local/national digital magazine to avid fans on a daily basis, particularly among fans in the exploding tablet marketplace.”
“During the past 18 months we have built the strongest local digital sports desk in our markets featuring some of the most respected local sports journalists,” said Comcast Sports Group Executive Vice President and Chief Digital Officer Eric Grilly. “Today’s partnership allows us to extend the reach of our growing hometown coverage to new audiences in conjunction with one of the most storied and innovative names in national sports journalism.”
About Sporting News:
Founded in 1886, Sporting News is a multi-media company catering to avid sports fans. Its content is available through a bi-weekly publication, Sporting News Magazine; the world’s first and only daily digital sports publication,Sporting News Today; the online source for real-time, breaking sports news and information, SportingNews.com; the ultimate premium destination for fantasy content, tools and information, Sporting News Fantasy; a video and community-based website, Rowdy.com; and 11 annuals covering all major sports. Sporting News also serves as the national sales representative for CineSport, the leading video reach vehicle in the sports category. Sporting News is a division of American City Business Journals, Inc., publisher of 41 city business journals, Sports Business Journal, Sports Business Daily, NASCAR Illustrated and Inside Lacrosse.
About Comcast Sports Group:
Comcast Sports Group operates 14 local networks that deliver 2,400 sporting events annually and breaking news and analysis to more than 50 million cable and satellite homes. Comcast Sports Group’s sports networks are: Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, Comcast SportsNet California, Comcast SportsNet Chicago, Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic, Comcast SportsNet New England, Comcast SportsNet Northwest, Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia, SNY, The Mtn. – Mountain West Sports Network, CSS and Comcast Sports Southwest. Comcast Sports Group also manages New England Cable News (NECN), the nation’s largest regional news network, and The Comcast Network, based in Philadelphia and Washington, which delivers community-oriented programming. For more information, see ComcastSportsNet.com.