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Illinois Matmen Blogs: Shannon Heaton

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Posted by Shannon Heaton on April 18, 2008
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I do still plan on breaking down the AA and remainder of A sectionals (hint: if you're from the DVC area, you had much to crow about in terms of strength of competition, but you guys already knew that), but what I would like to get your feedback on -- and be creative with IM's budget if you wish -- whether IM.com should have a presence at meets such as Virginia Beach, Univ. nats, Fargo, Reno, etc. Even in-state presence like the state FS/GR meets or Midwest Nationals or the folkstyle nats just over in Iowa at Cedar Falls.

I could envision a world where IM sends a reporter to cover these meets and competes directly with local and national papers and wrestling magazines that might be in attendance, plus any other media that happen to be on hand. I would love to see IM be the most comprehensive news site as well as fan site. I've read a lot of Division I conference tournament and national tournament coverage over the last 15 years or so, and I gotta say, it gets pretty superficial (re: lack of insight) really quickly. As IM is not a "traditional" media outlet, it wouldn't cover these events in traditional ways.

Said reporter would provide the readership with daily comprehensive reports, almost real-time updates on certain matches of fan interest, and the like. I would bet that very few, if any papers, sent anyone out-of-state to anything but Big Ten or nationals, if they even did that.

I know that many parents of elite wrestlers -- if they aren't already sort of annoyed with their local paper's in-season coverage -- don't even bother sending reports from spring and summer events. Local sports staffs are headlong into the spring season anyway and look at wrestling as being "done." I remember that we did a feature on Tyler Clark after he won out at Fargo between his freshman and sophomore year, while I still worked at the Illinois paper, and I kind of had to pull some teeth to budget it.

Said reporter could make visits to Division I and III in-state colleges, and provide "training camp" reports. Even the powerhouse HS programs -- north, central and south, this reporter wouldn't discriminate -- could very well get visits.

Does it sound like I'd want the job? Hell yes I'd want the job! I would love to cover wrestling (almost) 12 months a year and not do anything else. I think it's very obvious to all that the site is not there yet, and won't be for some while.

But hey, Predicament and IAWI are pay sites, those buzzards go everywhere to cover meets, and then they don't even share the stuff they have. Even results go lacking. They have the resources to crush IM as a site, and they don't. Why? 1. You and your participation, which is so far more extensive than fan forums there that it's not even funny. 2. They don't know how to promote what they have. Particularly the Predicament, which just sends their guy (usually just a photographer, not a writer) out and he shows up and says, kind of, "We're the Predicament. Love us. Because you must."

I would really like to get your feedback on the possibilities here. Is this even a desirable situation for IM to get into?

Shannon

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Illinois' Premier Wrestling Website

Illinois Matmen Blogs: Shannon Heaton

We interrupt this track season...