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Another Article about the Rivals Demise (this one from SA)

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout' started by mrpaige, Apr 26, 2001.

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  1. mrpaige

    mrpaige Member

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    RivalsNetwork Inc.'s demise is curve ball for Spurshoops.com
    W. Scott Bailey
    Call it a turnover. A shot clock violation. Seattle-based RivalsNetwork Inc., an Internet company built around Rivals.com and its hundreds of team and sports Web sites, simply ran out of time. They also apparently ran out of money. Fallout from the company's impending demise now reaches as far as San Antonio.

    Formed in 1998, Rivals.com is the world's largest network of sports team and specialty Web sites, with more than 600 sites, 700 writers and experts delivering in-depth team and player coverage. According to Gene Hoffman, the founder and publisher of SpursHoops.com, a recent decision by the board of directors of RivalsNetwork Inc. to cease operations has left his San Antonio Spurs fan site and all others with Rivals.com in Internet limbo. Now the Australian who launched SpursHoops.com is scrambling to get a new site up and running as the Midwest Division champion Spurs make a run at possibly a second world championship.

    After RivalsNetwork Inc. Chief Executive Officer Saul Gamoron reportedly failed to secure a deal with Nike Inc. that might have saved the company, his board of directors voted to wind down the 6-year-old company and the dream of its already ousted founder Jim Heckman. It also sealed the fate of SpursHoops.com. But Hoffman says the game is not over.

    "We first started as SpursCentral.com six years ago," says Hoffman about the Web site that eventually became SpursHoops.com. Hoffman says the site grew from a small venture featuring player profiles, into a comprehensive interactive product attracting thousands of visitors daily from across the world.

    Rival deal
    In 1999, Hoffman entered into a partnership with RivalsNetwork Inc. "We (SpursHoops.com) provided daily content (to Rivals) for the site and they sold the advertising," says Hoffman. He adds, "They also provided us with other services like Web hosting and Associated Press photographs. We split the profits from the advertising sales (equally)."

    With the support of Rivals, Hoffman, who resides in Ballaret, Australia, says SpursHoops.com writers offered daily updates on Spurs and NBA breaking news, opinion pieces, game recaps and team stats.

    Asked if there was any warning from Rivals officials that the end was near, Hoffman says, "Nothing official. We (the various site publishers) all heard whispers during the last few weeks of the company being in financial trouble, but we never heard anything official at all. Communications from the company since the closure have been almost nonexistent."

    RivalsNetwork officials were unavailable for comment at press time. As of April 17, the Rivals.com site was still operational and made no mention of the company's pending demise. A recording on one of the company's office lines, however, states that it has ceased operations.

    Asked what will become of the more than 600 team and sports sites hosted by Rivals, as well as the publishers that run them, Hoffman says, "It looks like we're out in the cold. I know that a lot of my fellow NBA (site) publishers plan to continue with their sites as a private venture. Our Spurs site, which is for the moment nameless since Rivals.com owns our domain name, will continue to exist."

    Other fallout
    Another site expected to be impacted by the closure of RivalsNetwork Inc. is VikingUpdate.com. The site, dedicated to news and features on the NFL Minnesota Vikings, had covered closely the possible relocation of the team to San Antonio. VikingUpdate.com officials were unavailable for comment as the office was temporarily closed.

    The site publisher for SeahawksInsider.com, which covers the NFL Seattle Seahawks, confirms that his operation is also in the midst of a major changeover due to the demise of RivalsNetwork Inc. "This isn't a bad thing that our host, Rivals, is closing its doors," says Spike Matau. "There are many benefits, such as less profit sharing and network problems (with a planned new site)."

    Despite the setback, and the turmoil of starting over, Hoffman says that is exactly what he intends to do. "We're about to launch a new site within the next week," says Hoffman. He adds that, unlike the arrangement with RivalsNetwork Inc., Web ad revenues, other than perhaps a single title sponsor, will not be factored into the operation of the new site.

    Hoffman does not have a name for the new site yet. And his present site includes the following warning to visitors: "We aren't sure how much longer this site (SpursHoops.com) will be online. So take a good look, because it could self-destruct at any time."


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    #1 mrpaige, Apr 26, 2001
  2. Hydra

    Hydra Member

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    Might I suggest SpursHoops.net


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    "Of course, thats just my opinion, I could be wrong" -- Dennis Miller
     
    #2 Hydra, Apr 26, 2001
  3. Nuggets4

    Nuggets4 Member

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    Hey, how come I wasn't contacted for an article?

    I get no respect.

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    Nuggets4
    This space for rent!
     
    #3 Nuggets4, Apr 27, 2001
  4. Mango

    Mango Member

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    If your team was among the favorites in the playoffs, they probably would have contacted you for a story.


    Mango



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    Get it right or just don't do it!
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    #4 Mango, Apr 27, 2001
  5. Isabel

    Isabel Member

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    So the Spurs are out of a site? If only Clutch had kept the one he started in April '99. [​IMG]

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    Isabel,clutchcity.net lurker since 1996

    All your base are belong to Heypartner. :)
     
    #5 Isabel, Apr 27, 2001
  6. mrpaige

    mrpaige Member

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    The story was from the San Antonio Business Journal. Perhaps the folks at the Denver Business Journal aren't as Internet-Sports Friendly. (Plus, the guy who wrote the article has written many sports-related articles for the Business Journal, I assume he probably frequented the SpursHoops.com site).



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    #6 mrpaige, Apr 27, 2001
  7. Rocket River

    Rocket River Member

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    More and more
    Clutch is looking like a Genius

    Rocket River




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    #7 Rocket River, Apr 27, 2001
  8. Nuggets4

    Nuggets4 Member

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    Oh, I know, I just wanted to fish for pity. [​IMG]

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    This space for rent!
     
    #8 Nuggets4, Apr 27, 2001
  9. mrpaige

    mrpaige Member

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    Doesn't being a Nuggets fan bring enough pity from others? [​IMG]



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    #9 mrpaige, Apr 27, 2001
  10. Nuggets4

    Nuggets4 Member

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    Good point.

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    This space for rent!
     
    #10 Nuggets4, Apr 27, 2001
  11. Johnny Rocket

    Johnny Rocket Member

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    Yea I am really glad he decided to not join rivals the way it was once planned

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    Help keep the obsessed thread alive post the reasons why you are an obsessed Rockets fan by clicking here
     
    #11 Johnny Rocket, Apr 27, 2001
  12. Clutch

    Clutch Administrator
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    Johny -- [​IMG] I never planned on joining Rivals. When they realized they were lied to they tried to get me to replace the fraud several times, but I never planned on joining.

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    NOTHING BUT .NET
    CLUTCHCITY.NET
     
    #12 Clutch, Apr 27, 2001
  13. Johnny Rocket

    Johnny Rocket Member

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    Oh I am sorry I am still confused about the whole thing and how you lost the domain name. I thought you were going to go with them but then relized they weren't going to let you do things your own way you changed your mind or something.
    How exactly did they get the old domain name away from you?

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    ~John~
    Help keep the obsessed thread alive post the reasons why you are an obsessed Rockets fan by clicking here
     
    #13 Johnny Rocket, Apr 28, 2001
  14. Kim

    Kim Member

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    Clutch said:
    That's just freakin hysterical. I never really thought about what exactly happened during the switch. I do recall some people switching over to rivals and thinking that it was going to be THE site. I think I absentmindedly stayed there for a few minutes one time early on before I figured it out. It was like Bizarro Clutch. Clutch, you are the man. What did you tell them? Was it like: "sure, sure, I'll join you." Then the old name became "hurry up and click this link to clutchcity.net before the site gets to rivals.com."
     
    #14 Kim, Apr 29, 2001
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