Should Pro Sports Bailout Newspapers?
A few weeks ago Mark Cuban suggested it was time that professional sports league pay for local beatwriters.
It’s actually one of the more interesting reads in the category of “people coming up with crazy ideas to save the newspaper industry” (in part because Cuban actually owns a pro sports team and theoretically has the influence to help make something like this happen). Anyway, Cuban basically argues that pro sports can’t afford to lost newspapers because it’s the only inexpensive way to reach the casual fan. “The cost to reach those fans in a newspaperless world over the next 5to 7 years will cost us far more than working with newspapers today to try to help them,” he explains. (Not quite MediaisThriving material, but still nice to see new ideas.)
Hi, I'm 
Yes I read this too Noah. It is an interesting idea.
2 thoughts.
1) Why is everyone so concerned with saving the paper part of newspapers? Seems like two steps backwards. Just let them die, stop prelonging the inevitable (come on, in a decade, or even 2 will we really be PRINTING news?).
2) Maybe it is time for newspapers to die so they can evolve into something else. Obviously their model is dated. Sometimes it is best to start fresh.
Interesting idea for sure – I haven’t heard that before. I think the newspaper industry is in the same predicament as the auto and music industries: outdated business models trying to hang on to “tradition.”
I think Adam Singer makes a valid point. Carlos Slim just became an investor in the NYTimes and said, “We’re not in the paper business. We’re in the news business.” I think he’s the 1st person in the newspaper industry to acknowledge that.
As far as sports go, Seth’s Blog had some interesting opinions a few weeks back where he suggested removing certain parts from the print versions that readers could get online (sports, weather, comics, etc).
Makes sense to me. I don’t remember the last time I read the Sports Section in print. Why would I? I could get real time scores and updates online or on my phone.
I’d have to disagree with Cuban, though, that “it’s the only inexpensive way to reach the casual fan.” Although we DO pay for the Internet, I don’t really see a COST with access to sports info.
Newspapers do still serve some purpose. I’m a teacher in a small district in PA. My students use the local paper daily in my current events class. It would be nice if we could afford to give every student a computer but until then the newspaper is our best resource.