CBSSports and SI Play Ball

CBSI.com

The Sports Illustrated Group and CBS Interactive's CBSSports.com announced a distribution partnership on Monday. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but a source close to the deal said "there is no money changing hands here ... strictly promoting and distribution of content."

Per the deal, SI.com will carry content from CBS's high school sports site MaxPreps.com in its high school section.

More broadly, select Sports Illustrated writers, including David Feherty and Seth Davis, will now be syndicated across CBSSports.com.

CBSSports.com will feature direct links across its site to SI.Com's writers, including Peter King and Tom Verducci, while SI.com plans to promote live sports video on CBSSports.com such as SEC Live and Fantasy Football Today.

MaxPreps.com will also become the engine for Sports Illustrated's Faces in the Crowd franchise -- both in print and digital.

Coverage of high school sports has grown considerably online in recent years, and with it so have its publishers. Generally positioned as recruiting sites, there's News Corp.'s Scout.com, Yahoo's Rivals.com and Sports Illustrated's own Takkle.com.

In June, MaxPreps.com witnessed a 120% increase in visitors year-over-year, according to comScore MediaMetrix.

Leaving aside its acquisition of CNET, CBS Interactive's second-quarter revenues decreased 8% year-over-year, the company recently reported.

1 comment about "CBSSports and SI Play Ball".
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  1. Sarah H. from Wellons Communictions, September 1, 2009 at 10:51 a.m.

    Building an online community around sports is a no-brainer...and it allows great coverage for high school sports and small sports teams/leagues. And while SI and CBC offer great coverage, fans can create, load and share their own sites, as well. For the basic steps, check out: http://endavomediablog.typepad.com/endavo_media_blog/2009/05/small-sports-teamsleagues-huge-opportunity-to-use-online-video.html

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