OT: How Much Money Is 247 Sports Making?

[ShotgunDawg]

I found this jaw dropping. Do all these people pay $100 a year?

https://twitter.com/sbterry247/status/1093603424451612673

[hacker]

Probably less than 1% of those pay. They make money off of ads too, though. They're doing fine.

[ShotgunDawg]

Probably less than 1% of those pay. They make money off of ads too, though. They're doing fine.

How do you figure that less than 1% of those pay?

It said "unique visitors"

[Interpolation_Dawg_EX]

How do you figure that less than 1% of those pay?

It said "unique visitors"

I wonder what the MSU percentage of users is and if it affects the way our commits are ranked.

[BiscuitEater]

How do you figure that less than 1% of those pay?

It said "unique visitors"

Random visitor can view some of content and post on some of the boards without ponying up the $100. Rest is 'members only' which tends to end up here and/or SPS (or vice versa).

[stalkingpoon]

How do you figure that less than 1% of those pay?

It said "unique visitors"

Not everyone of those visitors is a paying member. Some have accounts to browse the free content, some might click a facebook link that brings them to the page.

[Dawg2003]

I subscribed to it for about 6 months at one point. When I called to cancel, they offered me 2 free months. They are doing a promotion now where you pay for 1 month and get 5 free. The writing is so subpar. Basic grammar mistakes and terrible syntax. Really the only reason to subscribe is if you want to post on their cesspool of a message board or get alleged inside information that filters out to other message boards or Twitter.

[Gutter Cobreh]

I wonder what the MSU percentage of users is and if it affects the way our commits are ranked.

Not many; and I would think it does. If their tracking unique visitors, they're tracking hits on school pages. The more a school gets viewed, the more likely a couple extra stars get added to those kids committed. It keeps the reader engaged and coming back.

The recruiting sites have done a masterful job of sucking people into believing what they do is actually legit.

[Cooterpoot]

They never tell you the whole truth

[ShotgunDawg]

Not many; and I would think it does. If their tracking unique visitors, they're tracking hits on school pages. The more a school gets viewed, the more likely a couple extra stars get added to those kids committed. It keeps the reader engaged and coming back.

The recruiting sites have done a masterful job of sucking people into believing what they do is actually legit.

I believe we can absolutely debate the rankings of individual prospects, but from 30,000 feet their rankings are fairly legit. There's a ton of evidence out there. Even Joe Moorehead agreed yesterday

[hacker]

How do you figure that less than 1% of those pay?

It said "unique visitors"

A random person clicking a recruit's profile linked on a reddit thread is considered a unique visitor. Or someone googling a recruit their team just signed and viewing their profile.

[Liverpooldawg]

I pay for it and it's over $100 a year.

[Pit Bull]

Gene Swindoll giving up his RR accountant job for becoming a Miss. State Sports Webmaster was the best decision he likely ever made. At least financially. Probably ten timed his accountant salary.

[Gutter Cobreh]

I believe we can absolutely debate the rankings of individual prospects, but from 30,000 feet their rankings are fairly legit. There's a ton of evidence out there. Even Joe Moorehead agreed yesterday

At what elevation level do their rankings not become legit? Where is this research you speak of?

I'm not saying they don't provide value, but the hysteria (like we saw yesterday) around the stars applied to high school kids and what it does regarding the perception of a program is mind-boggling. It's fascinating because it doesn't predict success of either the program or the kid. Once you get past the legit 5* anyone would recognize as being special, it's all subjective and they've cornered the market.

[Matty Dispatch]

Gene Swindoll giving up his RR accountant job for becoming a Miss. State Sports Webmaster was the best decision he likely ever made. At least financially. Probably ten timed his accountant salary.

I can't imagine that is true. There's no doubt Gene has been the most successful with it, but not 10x an accountant's salary would put him at $700,000 - $1,000,000 per year. He makes no where close to that.

They have roughly 4,000 subscribers paying $10 per month. That's $40,000 per month x 12 months = $480,000 to pay 5 salaries (Gene, Steve, Paul, Robbie and David). Plus they have to pay 247 to be apart of their network and web hosting, and then all the expenses associated with the sports such as travel, equipment, etc.

I'd venture to guess their books look something like this each year:
$75,000 - Gene
$75,000 - Steve
$70,000 - Paul
$60,000 - David
$50,000 - Robbie
$50,000 - 247 network fees
$80,000 - travel, expenses
$20,000 - misc. overhead (insurance, taxes, BS)

They are a small business working in the framework of a large company. And I'm sure 247 keeps all that ad revenue.

[jdwhite]

Paul and Robbie work directly for 247sports and not Gene's Page.

From posts Gene and Steve made back when 247 took over Scout.com 247 is paying them to be part of the network. Some of the 247 sites are independent companies which 247 contracts with to provide coverage or additional coverage for schools they cover. That's why the site is still called "Gene's Page" and not what it was named before they were combined with the 247 board Paul and Robbie ran. Same reason the OM site is still named the Spirit. David Johnson seems to still be, like Paul and Robbie, employed by 247 because he still has his original 247 board attached to the Spirit.

On the other hand for example the University of Texas and Texas A&M sites seem to be owned by 247 thus they are named "Horns 247" and "GIGEM247".

[hacker]

Paul and Robbie work directly for 247sports and not Gene's Page.

From posts Gene and Steve made back when 247 took over Scout.com, 247 is paying them to be part of the network. From what was posted some of the 247 sites are actually independent companies which 247 contracts with to provide coverage or additional coverage for schools they cover. That's why the site is still called "Gene's Page" and not what it was before they were combined with the 247 board Paul and Robbie ran. Same reason and the OM site is still named the Spirit. David Johnson seems to still be like Paul and Robbie employed by 247 because he still has his original 247 board attached to the Spirit.

On the other hand the University of Texas and Texas A&M sites seem to be owned by 247 thus they are named "Horns 247" and "GIGEM247".

Yeah, I'd imagine 247 pays them to be part of the network rather than the other way around.

[Bass Chaser]

Isn't 247 Sports owned by CBS?

[msbulldog]

I pay for it and it's over $100 a year.

I am a subscriber and enjoy it.

[sandwolf]

It's fascinating because it doesn't predict success of either the program or the kid. Once you get past the legit 5* anyone would recognize as being special, it's all subjective and they've cornered the market.
Yea, this is just wrong.

[Gutter Cobreh]

Yea, this is just wrong.

Please enlighten me? I have an opinion, but I'm willing to listen at how their evaluations predict success.

While I'm not a subscriber, I don't have anything against anyone that pays to follow recruiting. I think these sites give an opportunity to kids that may have been overlooked in the past, so help me understand what I'm missing.

[Pit Bull]

I can't imagine that is true. There's no doubt Gene has been the most successful with it, but not 10x an accountant's salary would put him at $700,000 - $1,000,000 per year. He makes no where close to that.

They have roughly 4,000 subscribers paying $10 per month. That's $40,000 per month x 12 months = $480,000 to pay 5 salaries (Gene, Steve, Paul, Robbie and David). Plus they have to pay 247 to be apart of their network and web hosting, and then all the expenses associated with the sports such as travel, equipment, etc.

I'd venture to guess their books look something like this each year:
$75,000 - Gene
$75,000 - Steve
$70,000 - Paul
$60,000 - David
$50,000 - Robbie
$50,000 - 247 network fees
$80,000 - travel, expenses
$20,000 - misc. overhead (insurance, taxes, BS)

They are a small business working in the framework of a large company. And I'm sure 247 keeps all that ad revenue.

Disagree a bit.....know for a fact many years ago, Gene was well into 6 figures income. I think his railroad job was about 40-50K back in the late 1980's when he started his hobby of internet MSU sports. The hobby grew so fast and made so much money, he went full time with it. And it has continued to grow and he has added SR who moved from Baton Rouge and took on David Murray who had formerly worked as SID at MSU, but later had his own MSU sports paper....."Dawg Bites" or something like that. It was pretty successful in its own right. I think the salaries of David and Steve are way understated. Pretty sure both of them are right at 6 figures or higher and also have an agreement to take over ownership one day when Gene hangs it up. Dont know of any website owners who make less than 6 figures. I've seen ranges from 150,000 up to a million per year depending on how successful it is.

[msbulldog]

Dawgs Bite was great, I subscribed for several years.

[Matty Dispatch]

Disagree a bit.....know for a fact many years ago, Gene was well into 6 figures income. I think his railroad job was about 40-50K back in the late 1980's when he started his hobby of internet MSU sports. The hobby grew so fast and made so much money, he went full time with it. And it has continued to grow and he has added SR who moved from Baton Rouge and took on David Murray who had formerly worked as SID at MSU, but later had his own MSU sports paper....."Dawg Bites" or something like that. It was pretty successful in its own right. I think the salaries of David and Steve are way understated. Pretty sure both of them are right at 6 figures or higher and also have an agreement to take over ownership one day when Gene hangs it up. Dont know of any website owners who make less than 6 figures. I've seen ranges from 150,000 up to a million per year depending on how successful it is.

I don't doubt that when Gene's Page was in it's heyday 15 years ago that Gene was making 6 figures. But now he's cruising towards retirement and splitting it between 5 people. There's not as much money in the internet as you think - especially when it's in something as niche as a specific college's sports teams. There's a reason why Robbie needs to have a second job with Starkville Daily News, Steve needs to write a book and host football camps, David needed Dawgs' Bite for all those years.....it's not a big income - it's just a fun job.

[ShotgunDawg]

Disagree a bit.....know for a fact many years ago, Gene was well into 6 figures income. I think his railroad job was about 40-50K back in the late 1980's when he started his hobby of internet MSU sports. The hobby grew so fast and made so much money, he went full time with it. And it has continued to grow and he has added SR who moved from Baton Rouge and took on David Murray who had formerly worked as SID at MSU, but later had his own MSU sports paper....."Dawg Bites" or something like that. It was pretty successful in its own right. I think the salaries of David and Steve are way understated. Pretty sure both of them are right at 6 figures or higher and also have an agreement to take over ownership one day when Gene hangs it up. Dont know of any website owners who make less than 6 figures. I've seen ranges from 150,000 up to a million per year depending on how successful it is.

Good for them.

They provide a great product IMO and represent MSU well.

I'm always happy when people can make money by covering MSU athletics or selling merchandise. It means business is good, the interest is there, and we are headed in the right direction

[msbulldog]

Good for them.

They provide a great product IMO and represent MSU well.

I'm always happy when people can make money by covering MSU athletics or selling merchandise. It means business is good, the interest is there, and we are headed in the right direction

Absolutely Gun and we don't have to put up with a liar like Yancy.