AOL FanHouse continuing to load up

[Scoop returns]

Has anyone noticed the amount of hiring FanHouse has been as of late. It seems AOL is serious about taking on the likes of Yahoo Sports and cbssportsline in the world of national sports coverage.

Just Thursday, the site announced the hiring of former New York Times NFL writer, Denver Post columnist and NFL Network columnist Thomas George as a sports news columnist/investigative reporter/NFL insider.

In the last couple weeks FanHouse has also brought aboard former Baltimore Sun columnist David Steele as a takeout writer/college basketball writer, former Rocky Mountain News Nuggets writer Chris Tomasson to cover the NBA, former San Francisco Chronicle writer Michelle Smith to cover women's sports and former LA Times writer Lonnie White to cover the Pac-10 and recruiting. And those aren't the only hires that have been made in the last two weeks.

Any thoughts on the impact in our industry FanHouse is about to make?

 

[Mizzougrad96]

The top 1 percent will never have a problem finding jobs.

The remaining 99 percent remain forked.

Glad to see Steele and Tomasson found jobs.

 

[Scoop returns]

I'm not real sure about that Mizzou. There are still some really good folks out there without jobs. But all of FanHouse's hires have been real quality, no argument there. Steele, George, Tomasson and White were all big-time hires to go along with a nice lineup already that includes Jay Marriotti, Kevin Blackistone, Terrence Moore, Greg Couch, David Whitley, Ed Price, Jeff Fletcher, etc. etc. etc.

 

[21]

I'm not real sure about that Mizzou. There are still some really good folks out there without jobs. But all of FanHouse's hires have been real quality, no argument there. Steele, George, Tomasson and White were all big-time hires to go along with a nice lineup already that includes Jay Marriotti, Kevin Blackistone, Terrence Moore, Greg Couch, David Whitley, Ed Price, Jeff Fletcher, etc. etc. etc.

etc Lisa Olson etc...

No doubt AOL has loaded up on talent, I just wonder how many people use AOL for their sports coverage. Interested to know if anyone here looks at those columns regularly.

 

[Scoop returns]

Saw something yesterday from NYSE report that FanHouse is getting like 10 to 11 million uniques in any given month. Not sure if that is good or not? You tell me.

 

[MileHigh]

Heard about Chris Tomasson about a month ago. Good for him -- and everyone else catching on there. Hopefully, more will follow.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

I never go to AOL for sports unless someone links to it. When I get there, I say something like, "Oh, I forgot David Whitley is here now..." and then I read some of their stuff. They have a great group, there's no question they're trying to build something.

I just kind of cringe when people say, "Oh, AOL is hiring, that's got to be a good thing..."

It is to an extent. Five years ago it would have created a domino effect where Whitley leaves Orlando, Orlando hires Writer X to replace them, Writer X get replaced by Writer Y and by the time all is said and done, several good people have moved up in the journalism world.

That's not happening anymore. It's more like, "AOL hired Whitley, which now means Orlando has one fewer columnist. Period. End of story.

 

[OrangeGrad]

An excellent point, Mizzou. Papers take any reason they can to eliminate a position. It's just sad.

 

[cranberry]

I'm not real sure about that Mizzou. There are still some really good folks out there without jobs. But all of FanHouse's hires have been real quality, no argument there. Steele, George, Tomasson and White were all big-time hires to go along with a nice lineup already that includes Jay Marriotti, Kevin Blackistone, Terrence Moore, Greg Couch, David Whitley, Ed Price, Jeff Fletcher, etc. etc. etc.

Frankly, Lisa Olson is the only one of them that can get me to make a rare appearance at AOL, which is a huge afterthought for me.

 

[derwood]

They also hired a hockey writer. Lisa Olson is a must read for me.

 

[Furry Tractor]

They also hire a hockey writer. Lisa Olson is a must read for me.

Thought I saw Susan Slusser's name on an NHL thing somewhere the other day -- she leave the Chronicle?

 

[SixToe]

Never have visited AOL's site for any reason related to sports because I've never heard much about it, but I will now to see what's there.