HHR Media Group Announces “Blogs with Balls” 2.0
Note: Our hosts at Blog World Expo have given us the liberty to include events and parties specific to Blogs With Balls that will be included for BwB sports track attendees only, in addition to and separate from what’s being offered by BWE.
Over the next couple of weeks we will be announcing these events, which will feature other prominent figures from the sports blogosphere.
Proposed Blogs With Balls 2.0/Blog World Expo Panels and Speakers
PANEL 1: CONNECTING DIRECTLY
A discussion about what athletes being able to speak directly to their fanbase via blogs & Twitter means to sports media, bloggers, and fans.
- Mike Germano (President, Carrot Creative)
- Pete Vlastelica (CEO, Yardbarker.com)
- Ron Wechsler (VP Series Production and Development, ESPN)
- John Thornton (NCAA All-American, Cincinnati Bengal, Founder & Co-CEO: JockBiz.com)
Moderator: Matt Sebek (JoeSportsFan.com)
PANEL 2: THE FUTURE OF SPORTS MEDIA
A discussion between traditional journalists and bloggers about the rise in prominence of sports blogs as members of the media and how the two parties can work together to compliment one another instead of taking an adversarial tone.
- Bethlehem Shoals (FreeDarko, Bloomsbury USA, The Sporting News’ The Baseline)
- Matt Ufford (WithLeather/Kissing Suzy Kolber)
- Kevin Blackistone (Around the Horn/FanHouse/Shirley Povich Chair in Sports Journalism at the Univ. of Maryland)
- Amy K. Nelson (ESPN.com)
Moderator: Dan Shanoff (DanShanoff.com)
PANEL 3: ACCESS
Certain teams and leagues have embraced bloggers and recognized their value in promoting their respective brands. Several have allotted bloggers many of the same privileges they do member of the traditional media. Many, however, are still guarded and protective of their product in this regard. We discuss the pros and cons of the various policies.
- Mitch Germann (VP Communications, Sacramento Kings)
- Patrick Wixted (New Media Strategies)
- John Karalis (RedsArmy.com)
- Greg Wyshynski (Puck Daddy)
Moderator: Dan Levy (OnTheDL Podcast)
PRESENTATION 1: BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT: BUILDING YOUR BRAND & GROWING YOUR BOTTOM LINE
A presentation from the Sports Illustrated Group on strategies you can use to leverage your voice and your audience to reach marketers, advertisers and editors.
- Jeff Griffing, VP of Ad Sales for the Sports Illustrated Group
- Paul Fichtenbaum, Managing Editor SI.com
- Ken Fuchs, VP SI Digital
PRESENTATION/Q & A: STATE OF THE UNION
3 of the top sports bloggers on the web talk about the direction the genre has taken, the direction it’s headed, and answer questions from attendees.
- Jamie Mottram (Yahoo!/Mr. Irrelevant)
- JE Skeets (Ball Dont Lie/The Basketball Jones)
- AJ Daulerio (Deadspin)
