As some of you may know, I was recently promoted and am the editor for SB Nation Bay Area (bayarea.sbnation.com). It's an awesome honor and has been great since I took over on April 9. On top of that, I've also owned and managed a music-based magazine and currently have a music website.
Naturally, now that I've been promoted and settled into my job, I want to do more. Some of you may recall I had a post in April soliciting names for a website dedicated to news, reviews and editorials regards sports games. Be it Madden, FIFA, or Mario Tennis (plus retro titles) and have since made significant strides in the development of the website.
The name will be "Bases Loading", and I'm currently prepping for a June 23 launch date. I have a set of goals in mind - and in the future, I expect the site to be absorbed into SB Nation's large network of websites, but that's something for later. For now, I have four guys on staff with significant writing experience, but I'd like to mix it up a little.
As it stands - no pay. None. Not for me, not for you. I will not be putting ads onto the site - that's something that will change once it goes to SB Nation, but as it stands, I'm launching on my own and there's no reason for ads.
I've already spoken with one Board 8er about helping out (Emporer_Kazbar, who also came up with the name) and was wondering if any else was interested. I can provide more information if there's some interest.
good luck tho man! I don't need luck! And as someone who is now making an awful lot of money writing, it's worth slugging it out for no pay for awhile.
I feel I am not eloquent enough with putting my thoughts into writing, so I can't help, but I can give my moral support. So you have that, good luck man.
as another person who writes a significant amount for good money I have the exact opposite philosophy...if you are already great at what you do and get paid for it why would you ever do it for free LOL
From: HateMEbcURnotME | #005 as another person who writes a significant amount for good money I have the exact opposite philosophy...if you are already great at what you do and get paid for it why would you ever do it for free LOL
I was of the impression that the folks I would be getting are just starting out! I did one article a day at 3:00 a.m. each day for about a year and a half before I started seeing any money!
From: RayDyn | #004 I feel I am not eloquent enough with putting my thoughts into writing, so I can't help, but I can give my moral support. So you have that, good luck man. Thanks much LNC brother
From: HaRRicH | #006 I could maybe write an article -- I'm in the process of moving, but it sounds fun. Well right now I'm looking for people to grow the site with. I want people to be a part of it at the beginning. As far as just writing one-off piece is concerned, it's definitely something I'll look into once the site itself is launched.
From: foolm0ron | #010 Sports video games? A little too niche, don't you think? I don't think so. They're insane for page views, especially on specialty sites like Pasta Padre. The great thing about sports games is you're guaranteed community if you provide good content. It's all competitive, so things like tournaments and things like that hold a ton of interest.
Not to mention, as noted, my ultimate goal is to be absorbed into SB Nation, where it would be right at home. (I've heard it's more of when, not if).
I could be interested. What would you need someone to write about? I don't have a lot of sports games at the moment, especially recent ones. Could it be like setting up a league in a game and simulating it and writing things up? Like a playthrough topic? I assume you're looking for more than just news/reviews? Or is that it?
-- NEW YORK GIANTS: SUPER BOWL XLII/XLVI CHAMPIONS! LETS GO DEVILS
From: DpObliVion | #016 I could be interested. What would you need someone to write about? I don't have a lot of sports games at the moment, especially recent ones. Could it be like setting up a league in a game and simulating it and writing things up? Like a playthrough topic? I assume you're looking for more than just news/reviews? Or is that it?
There's going to be a ton more than just news. For news, we'll have roster updates, new releases, screenshots, videos, previews, reviews and things of that nature. But there's also going to be a ton of tournaments, for many games, including retro games. We'll also have retro reviews, on and off video. Plenty of room for long editorials as well. And yeah, things like running leagues for the staff or individual members of the staff presented like a playthrough topic are some of the things I'm definitely looking for.
From: MZero11 | #021 I was not acknowledged :/ Is Madden pretty much it? Do you play it competitively?
From: TimJab | #023 i'm really busy right now but would be interested in contributing here or there That's an interesting proposition! I don't think I ever agree with you when it comes to sports, which could be good for the site.
Well, I'm definitely interested. I'd have to get my hands on some more games though. My brother has Madden '12, so there's a start. I was planning on getting MLB '13: The Show and maybe NHL 2013, but that's a ways off. Everything else I have is quite a bit older. I don't want to be buying a bunch of new sports games to do reviews. I don't know what specifically I would do.
-- NEW YORK GIANTS: SUPER BOWL XLII/XLVI CHAMPIONS! LETS GO DEVILS
I don't play the big sports games like Madden or The Show, but I bought and still play a lot of SSX, and plan to play Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD which comes out later this month. If you could use some stuff on that, I could do something.
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Congrats to 2011 Rivalry Rumble Guru winner, SuperNiceDog http://backloggery.com/articuno2001/sig.gif
I wonder what kind of reader interest there would be in following a simulated season, be it real/current, real/historic, or custom rosters? It's something that could work in a forum setting like this, where other people can interact and influence (i.e. manage a team), but I wonder how much people would care about just reading along. I suppose it could work.....we could be revolutionary!
-- NEW YORK GIANTS: SUPER BOWL XLII/XLVI CHAMPIONS! LETS GO DEVILS
So, for example, here's an idea I've been thinking about:
Being the NFL offseason, I would start up a season on Madden 12, with updated end-of-season rosters. It would be a simulated season, and I would detail what's going on in the league every week. If the site is launching the 23rd, I could do two game weeks each calendar week, then the Super Bowl would land on the Sunday before the real season begins. Preferably I would be able to watch and write a recap for every game.
This could be a pretty time-intensive undertaking though. Do you think this would work? Is this something you'd be looking for, or not at all?
-- NEW YORK GIANTS: SUPER BOWL XLII/XLVI CHAMPIONS! LETS GO DEVILS
Oh my god, that's some serious motivation right there....
So I had a simulated game going while I was typing that last post up, just to see how interesting it might be. Giants vs. 49ers. The game ended with a Hail Mary TD from Eli to Cruz with time expiring in OT! He caught it at the 2 and was tackled in. Unfortunately it was the end of the game so I couldn't check it out on replay, but that was f***ing amazing.
-- NEW YORK GIANTS: SUPER BOWL XLII/XLVI CHAMPIONS! LETS GO DEVILS
I could conceivably do some legwork for something like this. Coordinating tournaments and the like sounds fun. Especially for some retro sports games. NHL 1994 is still fun all these years later.
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http://img.imgcake.com/nio/81edpngej.png The one and only Underdog Millionaire and UCA CORPORATE Champion
Tomorrow I've heard that some of the folks at SB Nation are going to look at the idea and see what they'd prefer right here and now, so I'm pretty excited.
From: Weakupedia | #034 i would totally be interested if i actually played sports games
good luck to you and whoever joins you! Thanks!
From: DpObliVion | #031 Oh my god, that's some serious motivation right there....
So I had a simulated game going while I was typing that last post up, just to see how interesting it might be. Giants vs. 49ers. The game ended with a Hail Mary TD from Eli to Cruz with time expiring in OT! He caught it at the 2 and was tackled in. Unfortunately it was the end of the game so I couldn't check it out on replay, but that was f***ing amazing. One thing I'm definitely going to be doing is simulating seasons and games each week. It's a lot of work, but it's fun work. There's all kinds of stuff we can do - from serious simming angles (most of the NBA games get surprising accuracy out of 'em) and also humorous simulating angles (the Jaguars being in the Super Bowl like four years in a row on my Madden game - what the hell?).
From: Articuno2001 | #027 I don't play the big sports games like Madden or The Show, but I bought and still play a lot of SSX, and plan to play Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD which comes out later this month. If you could use some stuff on that, I could do something. All those games will get coverage and people who play them definitely could help. People forget that, aside from Madden, there's SSX, Tony Hawk, Skate, UFC, tennis, etc etc.
From: StealThisSheen | #030 Digi, we don't always get along
But I f***ing love sports games
And I think we could for that reason. To be totally frank, I absolutely hate the way you argue with people. Even when you're not arguing with me, and it makes me unnecessarily angry - but I've never once considered you an enemy for it. You're just on the list of people I don't debate with. You're a smart, witty guy and there's definitely a place for you to be on board.
In regards to tournaments
One thing that I'd like to note is the fact that it would be beneficial to have some folks that really specialize in this stuff. Whether it be tournaments or simulated seasons - uniform things of that nature (that one game where you start a wrestling league comes to mind, and that one football manager game), it would help if there are people that enjoy doing that (there's a ton on this board) who specifically do that, leaving people like myself, Kazbar and some of my other contributors to editorialize and free up out schedules to do what we do best, if that makes sense.
To be totally frank, I absolutely hate the way you argue with people. Even when you're not arguing with me, and it makes me unnecessarily angry - but I've never once considered you an enemy for it. You're just on the list of people I don't debate with. You're a smart, witty guy and there's definitely a place for you to be on board.
Yeah, to be perfectly honest... I just love to debate stuff and argue with people. And on a message board like this, I just don't really hold back, because I'm the type of person that can be ranting and raving on something to somebody in a topic... But then once I leave that topic, I usually forget what I was even arguing about or who it was with. It's just how I waste time, I guess. I know I'm overly aggressive and can turn into a total dick, though.
That said, I have absolutely no problem with you, and this sounds like something I'd really like to help out with.
-- SEP Nash, Smelling Like the Vault since 1996 Step FOUR! Get Paid! http://img.imgcake.com/stevenashgifpu.gif
Well I could definitely do something like that. Maybe not quite up to the level I'd hope, I'd have to make some sacrifices to cut down on the time commitment. It's just too much in too short of a time frame, to get it done before the start of the actual season.
-- NEW YORK GIANTS: SUPER BOWL XLII/XLVI CHAMPIONS! LETS GO DEVILS
From: DpObliVion | #037 Well I could definitely do something like that. Maybe not quite up to the level I'd hope, I'd have to make some sacrifices to cut down on the time commitment. It's just too much in too short of a time frame, to get it done before the start of the actual season. Hm, I was more talking in general terms - not going for something specific yet. There's not really any reason to have something done prior to the season.
On Niners Nation, I used to do a post on Saturday mornings where I simulated and wrote some commentary on Sunday's game.
Well, the reason for the idea was to be something to hold the football fans over until the real season began. That's what came to mind initially anyway. If I was a machine, I'd get it done by the beginning of the season and then I could move onto something else.
-- NEW YORK GIANTS: SUPER BOWL XLII/XLVI CHAMPIONS! LETS GO DEVILS
What sort of time commitment are you looking for? How many articles per month is what I guess I'm asking. Will you be assigning stuff or would the writers get to pick? Do you anticipate any sort of monetary incentive in the future, and if so how long? Why are you looking for additional authors if you already have four lined up, because if you were planning on eventually giving monetary compensation, it seems like five is already too much for a starting website without any funding.
-- Moops? "I thought you were making up diseases? That's spontaneous dental hydroplosion."
If you look after I said "I don't need luck" I said thanks! I was joking.
From: DpObliVion | #040 Well, the reason for the idea was to be something to hold the football fans over until the real season began. That's what came to mind initially anyway. If I was a machine, I'd get it done by the beginning of the season and then I could move onto something else.
Cool thing about that is Madden's release schedule. Previews and stuff for the new game are probably enough. We're also a decent way through the offseason already.
From: Suprak the Stud | #041 What sort of time commitment are you looking for? How many articles per month is what I guess I'm asking. Will you be assigning stuff or would the writers get to pick? Do you anticipate any sort of monetary incentive in the future, and if so how long? Why are you looking for additional authors if you already have four lined up, because if you were planning on eventually giving monetary compensation, it seems like five is already too much for a starting website without any funding.
I'm trying to get enough people so I don't NEED people to have huge time commitments. Articles per month is an odd question, mostly because there is no set limit. My paid staff writers at SB Nation Bay Area don't have set articles per month. That's another reason why I'm starting out without SB Nation - I get to really evaluate how everyone is working, get a good feel for things, let people grow into their role and things of that nature.
I occasionally will be assigning stuff, but that's more of in the future after I really get a feel for what everyone likes and is best at. Most of the assignment desk will be conducted via a group email conversation in which I note when we need something, in which case it will be first come, first serve. But outside of that, it will be a collaborative effort to determine content.
I'm looking for additional authors because the four other people I have lined up are coming from SB Nation, where we already have a ton of time commitments in regards to writing. Aside from my assistant editor, Bill Hanstock and the aforementioned Kazbar, I don't anticipate a lot of help from the other two, for one. In regards to monetary compensation .. If SB Nation doesn't want the site, then it's up to me and my contributors to grow it on our own. Work on our platform and eventually sell our own ads, which is actually not out of the realm of possibility given my experience in SEO and lack of competition in the sports blogging world. If that happens, then I'll be happy to pay my contributors. If it comes to a pay situation in that case, then yeah, I'll probably have to streamline and pay specific people - but at that point, real commitments would have to be made.
With SB Nation, there would be money. I'm not sure how much. I have one contributor at SB Nation Bay Area making close to what I make, and my least-paid contributor makes a monthly stipend of a whopping 50 bucks. It's a young network that has started to really reward its writers. I know there would be money on SB Nation, I just don't know how much or for whom. Let me make this 100 percent clear: I will always be totally up-front about money. Also of note, another reason I'm looking for extra writers is because I don't expect everyone to stick with it.
From: SecksThaNemesis | #043 I got you covered for FIFA if you're interested.
Like, writing about it, or just entering and winning every tournament?
Currently now that school is done I'll be busy trying to get myself onto Cracked, but go ahead and put me down as somebody interested in more information. I've played a motley assortment of sports games over the years and could probably write a hilarious retrospective on NFL Quarterback Club '99.
--
SubDeity wants to vote for Calvin Coolidge. [Evil Republican] Play Der Langrisser.
Okay, maybe I could do something else. I was just thinking Madden because it's the only most-recent sports game I have, and of course it's the most popular. The next most recent game I have is NBA 2K10. One thing I've done a few times in the past with that series that I enjoy doing is personally drafting 12 teams of 5 players and simulating a round robin in Street mode. So that could be a possibility. Or I could go with a retro game (probably on a ROM).
I suppose I could also do some work on gathering information for upcoming releases, etc., if needed.
-- NEW YORK GIANTS: SUPER BOWL XLII/XLVI CHAMPIONS! LETS GO DEVILS
From: DpObliVion | #047 Okay, maybe I could do something else. I was just thinking Madden because it's the only most-recent sports game I have, and of course it's the most popular. The next most recent game I have is NBA 2K10. One thing I've done a few times in the past with that series that I enjoy doing is personally drafting 12 teams of 5 players and simulating a round robin in Street mode. So that could be a possibility. Or I could go with a retro game (probably on a ROM).
I suppose I could also do some work on gathering information for upcoming releases, etc., if needed. Hah - well, it's great that you're thinking about content and stuff already. You're definitely on board - keep the ideas coming but you don't need to be jumping in right now. If you could, shoot me an email at [email protected] so I know what it is. At some point late this week I'll be emailing the people seriously interested and bouncing ideas back and forth. As noted, I'm hoping for a June 23 launch so there's plenty of time to really plan for content.
From: SecksThaNemesis | #049 From: DigitalIncision | #044 Like, writing about it, or just entering and winning every tournament? All of the above. You could be a ringer. I'll have tournaments with rewards and you can come in and win it every time.*