People who love sports...

Happy Birthday Angus!

He's 7 today.






















Happy Birthday from Mama and Papa. We love you.

Thoughts & Lessons from the iMedia Agency Summit

Today, Sportgenic had the privilege of presenting to 165+ of our industry’s thought leaders at iMedia’s Agency Summit. This group gathers twice a year to learn about innovative solutions and companies that could help their clients/brands achieve their marketing objectives. We presented bright and early this morning, and believe we put on an informative and unique display of our capabilities. (It’s difficult in today’s PowerPoint infested world but I think we did it a productive and fun way.) I’d like to give a big “thanks” to the team at CatalystSF for their help and preparation. We couldn’t have done it without them.

I also want to share a point of discussion from the summit: It was around the two-way street to building mutually beneficial relationships. John Durham from CatalystSF did a masterful job of hosting a discussion with some great panelists. In today’s fast-paced environment, communication tops the list of both publishers and media professionals. I believe this translates into the importance of being prepared and being accountable.

It’s incumbent on us to take ownership and provide value more than just PowerPoint and Excel spreadsheets. We need to invest the time to train our people and learn our clients’ business to be more effective. The only way you add value to the ecosystem is by doing the hard work.

At Sportgenic, we’re not resting on our laurels. We’ve invested in technology and people to help present compelling solutions to our clients. I open myself up to any constructive feedback from our publishers or media clients.

More on Ad Networks

Everywhere you turn these days, it seems someone has an opinion on ad networks.

Here's a balanced take:

http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/19337.asp

The Rise of Ad Networks

Everywhere you turn these days, it seems someone has an opinion on ad networks.

Here's a balanced take:

http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/19337.asp

Customer-Centric Focus

Nearly every trade magazine I read these days is flooded with articles on Google—some good, some bad. I’m amazed that much of the media is pitting Google against the world. Or at least it seems that way. What’s Microsoft’s next move to compete against Google? How will Yahoo! work with Google? Will there be a Microhoo? It appears the market is focused on Google versus clients.

Yet here’s how I see it: Google’s leadership, innovation and success is directly related to its market focus. Simply put, Google provides its customers with solutions they need. If other industry players spent more time focusing on their customer needs, the market would be much better off. Google is a proof point that good things happen by helping marketers achieve their objectives.

Sportgenic is Two-time "Webby" Honoree

Now how cool is this? Today, The Webby Awards--the leading international honor for the Web--recognized Sportgenic as an Official Honoree for (count 'em) two separate entries related to our outstanding work on the Ironman Mobile Experience.

Hailed as the "Oscars of the Internet" by the New York Times, The Webby Awards drew nearly 10,000 entries from more than 60 countries. Less than 15 percent of the entries received this honor, which adds even further significance to our achievement.

Needless to say, I'm quite proud of this remarkable accomplishment--a direct result of the hard work, innovation and customer-focus our employees display on a daily basis. Moreover, I'm happy to see the industry recognize our technology and services and the value they deliver to our customers.

Much Ado About Ad Networks

Thanks to ESPN, we’ve seen a spike in media attention towards online advertising networks this week--for better or worse. The sports behemoth announced Monday that it is cutting ties with its ad networks, and allegedly trying to get other large publishers to do the same. Why? ESPN believes that its premium-branded content offers an audience and advertising experience that’s worth more than what ad networks offer, particularly those selling remnant inventory. The fear is that these networks are devaluing content by offering advertisers an inexpensive way in.

This is our industry’s tipping point, where the market is realizing that audience quality comes first. The advertisers you choose to align with matter. So does relevancy and respecting users’ space. Take the now infamous “Punch the Monkey” banner ads versus General Motor’s innovative “Saturn Aura” campaign. One has become an irritating ad, sitting out there unclicked for the most part and bringing down the industry average. The other has demonstrated how thoughtful targeting and cross-media promotion creates a compelling, integrated and valuable advertising platform.

While remnant ad networks have been an efficient way for publishers to generate quick revenue, essentially reaching an audience at a low price, too many of them are driving down all prices (to ESPN’s point). Remnant players simply don’t have the time, expertise or business model to drive value. That’s not their game. Hence, vertical networks such as Forbes, Jumpstart and, yes, Sportgenic, have emerged as value-added solutions that offer publishers greater reach, more relevant content, increased brand association and an overall better user experience.

The bottom line is that publishers need experts like us. I believe that, by bucking remnant ad networks, ESPN is helping to prove our case.

A Good Life is a Balanced One

By most accounts, I've lived a pretty good life lately. Certainly, the growth of Sportgenic has been a tremendous success, both personally and professionally. Yet I've failed terribly in one particular area--balance in life. Let me explain:

When I stepped on the scale today, I was horrified by the numbers. In the two-plus years since starting my company, I've put on...well...let's just say a lot of extra weight. So much has changed. I used to exercise every day, building an exhaustive workout into my daily routine. I loved it and was driven by the results. But now? I'm in the office by 7 a.m. and working late every night. Not to mention travelling coast-to-coast on regular basis. As a result, my diet and exercise has taken a back seat.

I love what I do and want Sportgenic to succeed so badly that I just can't say "no" to clients and prospects. But in this crazy process of building a company, I've lost my balance. I've discovered that it's really hard to stay the course, in terms of regular exercise. But that's really just an excuse. We all have choices to make, and staying balanced is one that falls squarely on my shoulders.

Yesteday, I worked out for the first time in months. It was awful. And painful, both physically and psychologically. I'm talking about a guy who used to participate in Ironman events, could run a marathon with nary of huff or puff. And now?

Oftentimes, we forget how hard we worked in the past and, more important, how fast we can lose it. It's no secret that diet and exercise are key to a healthy, active lifestyle. Yet I've lost focus. It's time for me to get back on track. I know the benefits and rewards are huge. Plus, eating right and exercising is a great way to clear the head and stay sharp for my business endeavors.

My goal is not to compete in an Ironman event, but rather getting back into my old jeans. Well, okay, I admit...maybe Ironman!

Climbing the Rank(ing)s

When I started Sportgenic (formerly Active Athlete) two years ago, I had grandiose visions of success--like many other ambitious entrepreneurs. But frankly, I could not have predicted that, in such a short span, our company would evolve into one of the industry's major players.

Our press release today highlights the tremendous growth we've experienced the past 24 months. With more than 250 member Web sites and more than 20 million unique users, our network of online publishers is now listed by comScore as #7 in online sports media destinations, surpassing heavyweights such as ESPN.com and CBS Sports. (Click on the enclosed chart for comparative stats).

In my mind, there's no slowing us down. I want to thank every single Sportgenic employee for their "blood, sweat and tears" over the past several months, as well as our hundreds of business partners who work closely with us to create compelling, relevant content for sports enthusiasts of all types.

Validation

Happy Valentine's Day. Thought I'd share some validation on our space in a recent blog post by Cory Treffiletti, president and managing partner for Catalyst SF and founding partner of The Arkitektive Group. Can you feel the love?

http://blogs.mediapost.com/spin/?p=1232