UVA Athletics put out a media release this week – from what I can tell, picked up by exactly nobody in the UVA sports media – touting the launch of something called Corner Media Co, which the presser told us is “a new athlete-driven content network in collaboration with UVA Athletics.”
I’m sure the PR folks over there at UVA knew they weren’t going to get any free pub for their new venture, which the release said “will serve as the premier storytelling hub for Cavalier fans, delivering behind-the-scenes access, player-driven features, and innovative digital content across social platforms.”
The PR types didn’t expect to get free mentions of this from their existing “media partners”; this was a shot across the bow.
“Corner Media Co is about giving Cavalier fans a new way to experience UVA Athletics,” said Adam Breneman, named in the press release as the co-founder of an entity that goes by the name College Sports Co.
“The Corner is such an iconic part of Charlottesville’s culture, and we wanted to build a media platform that feels just as authentic and connected to the community. This relationship allows us to put UVA’s incredible athletes at the center of the conversation, and we can’t wait for fans to see the stories and personalities that make this program special.”
The lack of coverage of this “news” speaks to the threat to their existence that my buddies in the UVA sports media are feeling right now.
One of my colleagues wrote me to ask my thoughts on this Corner Media Co thing:
“You think this is the first step in attempting to wipe out everyone that covers them so that they can control the narrative?”
Maybe.
Probably not, but maybe.
Quick history: things have been moving in this direction for a while now.
Derek Jeter launched The Players Tribune, the first effort by sportsball people to “control the narrative,” way back in 2014, which, from what I can tell, using the handy, dandy Googler, gets traffic comparable to, egad, for them, little ol’ AFP.
The value to TPT, and I presume to ventures like this new Corner Media Co, is the lure of getting access to “athlete-driven content.”
Problem there being, it’s not really “athlete-driven” – the athletes are the feature pieces, but it’s produced content, just like what I produce, what Jerry Ratcliffe produces, what Streaking the Lawn produces, with a limitation in the form of, you’re not going to get even a sliver of critical content from something that is “athlete-driven.”
For the access that you get – the Virginia Sports TV YouTube channel has been running shorts on scintillating topics like “contestants on Love Island,” “who can’t date your sister” and “celebrity look-alike,” which is the kind of content we can expect to be forthcoming from Corner Media Co – is there any depth there?
Maybe you don’t care about depth – you just want to see the guys ripping on each other about silly stuff, sorta like they’re letting you in their secret club.
There’s no doubt an audience for this – the 18 to 29s might lap this ish up.
If you’re of the age or just the mindset that, I don’t want to pretend that the athletes would ever be my best friends, “unfiltered conversations and stories from athletes who have repped UVA on the gridiron,” as we’re promised in the presser, that are anything but – seriously, you don’t expect them to allow Donavon Platt to air any dirty laundry about UVA Football on “The 5th Side,” do you? – aren’t going to get you to click.
What this is really about is, giving the kids another outlet where they can make money through NIL.
I don’t expect this Corner Media Co to be a moneymaker in any real sense, but it can be a good funnel for NIL dollars to go from donors to the student-athletes.
At best, this venture breaks even, or is within hailing distance, from the business perspective.
The quote from Wally Walker in the PR is your indication there.
“This relationship with a leader in sports media opens new doors for UVA student-athletes to tell their stories, grow their personal brands and unlock meaningful revenue opportunities.”
“Meaningful revenue opportunities.”
Uh, huh.
The folks in the press box and on media row have plenty of things to worry about.
Corner Media Co isn’t among them.