Today marks a pretty huge change in this website.
Last October, the company SportsBlogs Inc., creators of the blogging network SB Nation got a pretty nice chunk of investment money from a venture capital firm to try and expand their sports blogging network. One of the areas SB Nation has tried to jump into is hockey, and more specifically, college hockey.
I was offered the chance to move my blog to SB Nation last December and decided to accept. So from now on, WCH can be found at http://www.westerncollegehockeyblog.com/
Why make this move? I have received several different blogging offers of varying quality over the years and have been reluctant to change how I do things. But there were a couple different reasons I decided to make this move.
1. I get to maintain complete editorial control. This was my first question when I was approached about signing on. This is always been a hobby for me, and if it ever stopped being fun, I'm not sure how much longer it would last, so it's best that I keep writing what I enjoy. So basically, the content is going to be the exact same as it is here(except I'll probably start posting nothing but funny YouTube videos and embarrassing pictures of celebrities. Super sorry.) It's still going to be the WCHA, CCHA, recruiting, HS hockey, USA hockey, whatever I feel like. So from that aspect, nothing is really changing.
2. A more interactive community for readers. This is actually something I've wanted for some time, but never had the technical acumen to pull off. Most newspapers in the country are in serious financial trouble at least in some part because they've failed at making the transition to the internet. The thing they've missed, at least in my mind, is that the internet was practically built on people being able to interact with one another. The problem with the comments section on most blogs or newspaper articles is that they get so cluttered with noise that there's little room for quality discussion. SB Nation has some tremendous opportunities for user-generated content that I outlined in the new blog's first post that should make this blog even better.
3. It's good exposure for college hockey. Even in the occasional emails I get from hockey people telling me what an a-hole I am, most are at least polite enough to thrown in a "While I appreciate what you do to promote college hockey..." before it. Being part of such a major network allows a different set of people to experience and learn about college hockey, who might not have otherwise, especially since there are many NHL blogs and blogs for other major college sports.
4. They have a pretty nice support staff with people that understand more about computers than I could hope to know. So now WCH will have, like, a logo, and a nice site design, and some colors that aren't a hideous shade of orange.
So overall, I feel like there are a ton of benefits to this move, and no real downsides. I'm pretty excited about it, and hope that the people who frequented this site will enjoy the new site even more.
Once again, you can find the new site at http://www.westerncollegehockeyblog.com/
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16 comments:
didn't you forget to mention no. 5 "they offered me lots of money"; you offer a good service; and from a comment standpoint, except for the excessive exchanges btw. the sioux and the gopher fanatics, it's fun to interract with other hockey fans.
Dude there are freakin ads all over this new webstie; you're a total sell out!
Just kidding, congrats on the new site; it's nice that you get paid for all your hard work..... well deserved!
No more anonymous comments allowed on the new site? What are us North Dakota fans suppose to do now?
1. We like to hide behind our computers taking cheap shots without our names being out there.
2. We aren't smart enough to register a username.
Congrats, Chris!
Congrats, Chris!
Congrats, Chris! Good luck with the new blog site and I'm confident we'll still get the same good content from you.
Does this increase your odds of getting media passes too?
As to anonymous post at 9:23, you may have posted the most ironic message I have ever read. Why don't you post your actual name and the team you root for. I'm sure that you wouldn't worry about your name being out there, as it appears that you feel pretty secure in what you say. So, please use the great intellect that you possess and register a username, so that you don't have to post anonymously anymore and we can all be amazed at your journalistic genius. And please list your team, so we can be in awe of your brilliance, because I'm sure you received your education at your favorite school. I'll make sure to list my name and my team, so there won't be any ambiguity (I know that's a big word, so you may have to go look it up in a dictionary) And congratulations Mr. Blogger, I will be looking forward to moving along with everyone else. Thanks for the hard work.
Nice job Chris, I'm assuming you cashed in when Gopher and Sioux made 100 mindless dribble comments in a 5 day span. Like the blog, but is in a vast need of an upgrade.
Dear Chris, Not bad for a Meeechigan boy from a small town west of A-squared. Secondly, my Dad always taught me, if you are going to be something, be good at it! Well, I've been called an a$$hole before, and quite frankly, I'm good at it! So.....if you are going to be called an a$$hole, be good at it! Last but not least, don't forget the HS hockey in Michigan, especially the Shamrocks of CC! Congrats on being rewarded for such a great blog! Mr. D. :)
Congrats, Maize. Don't always agree, but love the content. Keep doing what you're doing -- you certainly deserve all this!
Dude - your new site sucks!
It is hard to follow, not as many links to other sites... it's a shame.
now you can pay for that ring! hope to see you guys at a game or two, I need someone to agonize with. Paul
Hopefully your site will be more professional, without the cheap shots at certain universities and fan bases.
Chris - Why don't you have a single Gopher link at your new site? You're not a fan??
Cool, this was one of the best college hockey sites around. Glad to see you are moving up. College hockey is the best in the West!
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