Let’s Talk About How BN is Doing Right Now

When it comes to having a job in the current sports media landscape, I’ve been incredibly fortunate. I was really fortunate to have left the law firm to start doing BN full-time when I did. I was really fortunate to have found a tremendous early partner like Michael to help me run the place. I was really fortunate to have made relationships with people like Luke, and Luis, and Eli, and Bryan. We work really hard here – whatever the appearance, this is a hard business – but I have never lost sight of just how lucky I’ve been, too.

I’ll say up front: don’t worry. This isn’t one of those posts about how the site is going under and I’m saying goodbye or anything like that. But we are seriously impacted by the pandemic, the economic downturn, and the total absence of sports, and I thought many of you would want to know how things are going. That’s the other thing I’ve always been really fortunate to have: an incredible community that is invested in BN. You are the single most important part of this place. You deserve to know what’s been happening behind the scenes.

Where to begin.

Well, I suppose I’ll confirm the obvious: oh yeah, baby, we have been absolutely hammered over the past month and a half, and we’re going to get absolutely hammered for the foreseeable future.

I doubt that’s a surprise to anyone paying attention, as you’ve seen FanGraphs being very frank about their challenges, SB Nation making huge cuts today, SI laying people off, local publications around the country doing the same, layoffs at The Score, etc., etc. As The Ringer recently explored, it’s a brutal time for all sports media. It was already an increasingly challenging industry, and now, it won’t get better for a long time.

When sports shut down, traffic at BN was approximately halved. We were really fortunate – there’s that word again – to have football transactional coverage and Bulls front office news to buoy those numbers a bit for a couple of the weeks (so thank you very much to the Cubs-only fans among you who understand why we had to diversify over the years). But the reality is that without ongoing new sports content, there’s only so much mileage you can get out of the other things you explore. We’re doing our best, but May figures to be even uglier than April has been.

To that end, our focus has been less about scratching and clawing for traffic right now (because it’s going to suck either way), and more about trying to just be consistent in providing the news and entertainment you came here for in the first place. I don’t want to sound overly self-important or dramatic, but I feel like we have a job to do, and even if the traffic isn’t where we want or need it to be, that doesn’t mean the folks who ARE coming don’t deserve to still get what they signed up for. And that means consistent content. We won’t waiver from that. We’re too obsessive.

I am not sure everyone out there gets why this time has been so brutally bad for sports media, though. The losses in traffic are only part of the problem – and maybe not even the biggest. Because the economy hit the tank in such a sudden, scary, and particular way, advertisers everywhere slammed the brakes on whatever ad spending they could in mid-March. Then, you had the start of the second quarter (April 1), which gives an even bigger “out” opportunity for advertisers. So, basically, the pool of available ads to show to folks around the web contracted MASSIVELY in a matter of days. Worse for sports media sites, sports-related advertising – which does the best on sports sites – didn’t just shrink, it went away entirely.

Thus, when you factor in the traffic and the advertising drops, revenue at a place like BN (or, I suspect, any of the other places mentioned above) … woof … it’s down about 65%. Lord I wish that was a typo.

Oh, also? We get a portion of our revenue from affiliate deals – you know the type, we share a link, you sign up or buy something, we get a small cut – and those, too, are currently DOA. Heck, Amazon just announced a massive rate cut for affiliates, you know, to really rub some salt in the wound.

… and yet I still feel really fortunate.

I’m still doing my dream job. I still have a great team to work with. I still have you wonderful folks reading. It’s all going to be fine.

Another reason I feel fortunate: we applied for, and have received, a small business loan that will help us manage payroll so that we don’t have to think about things like furloughs or layoffs. I’ve seen enough of the world to know I shouldn’t promise anything, but I knew from day one when things went south that we were committed to keeping our team together. We can make it work, and in this environment, if you can keep people employed at their normal salary, you should do what it takes to make it happen. So we are.

We are also committed to keeping this place as free as it has ever been for you to read and enjoy. Nothing is ever actually “free,” but the only price tag we’ve ever asked of our readers is that they simply let our ads display. Those ads are what pay the bills here, and they are critical to our survival. So thank you very much for never using an adblocker on BN, where we do everything we can to keep ads as minimal as possible. And if you do use an adblocker, please, please, please consider whitelisting BN and allowing our ads to display. If you like this place enough to come visit the servers we pay for, then please also like it enough to help us stay in business.

Long story short here? Yes, the pandemic is hurting us. No, we don’t want to change anything we’re doing in response. We want to keep focusing on you, the reader. We want to keep informing and entertaining every day. We want to keep and pay our employees. We love this place too much to let this virus muck it up. We’re gonna be here as best we can while the world does what it needs to do to survive, and we’re gonna be here when this has passed.

If you want to help us out in a tangible way right now, let me offer some easy things that REALLY DO HELP US OUT so much:

  1. Please keep coming to the site, reading, enjoying, and so on and so forth. It’s why we’re here.
  2. When you see our stuff on Twitter and Facebook, please share it. Comment on it. Like it. Reply to it. Tell your social media friends to follow us there. You have no idea how huge it is for us.
  3. Specifically? Help us get more followers for our Bears coverage (Twitter and Facebook) and our Bulls coverage (Twitter and Facebook). I can’t overstate how much that winds up helping the whole site (including Cubs) in the long run.
  4. Turn off your adblocker, or at least whitelist BN. Please.
  5. Take care of your physical health, your mental health, and the people around you. Do that, and it winds up being good for everybody.

I know we superficially feel like it’s sports that brings us together here, but I’m pretty sure that it’s actually just love. Love for those sports, love for a community, love for a feeling, and love for each other. Thank you. Be well. Be good.

written by

Brett Taylor is the Lead Cubs Writer at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @BleacherNation and on LinkedIn here. Brett is also the founder of Bleacher Nation, which opened up shop in 2008 as an independent blog about the Chicago Cubs. Later growing to incorporate coverage of other Chicago sports, Bleacher Nation is now one of the largest regional sports blogs on the web.

more cubs news

CRAAAAAAP: Justin Steele Exits the Game with an Injury

Yep. That's about as bad as it gets. All those fears and anxieties you felt when Justin Steele took that liner off his knee in spring training came back tonight, only this time it's a soft tissue injury during the...

Pre-Gamin’: Cubs at Rangers – Lineups, Pitching Matchup, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

*SHORT COURTS: It's Time To Bring The Home Court, Home! Looking for a unique way to celebrate your athlete or team before you peruse the FIRST CHICAGO CUBS LINEUP of the Year? Don't miss out! For just one more week...

The Cubs Are Among the Most Returning-y Teams

I am still mostly incapacitated at the moment, so apologies for the short shrift on such an otherwise blessed day. In between pokes and prods, I wanted to share a chart I saw that was pretty interesting, even if unsurprising:...

Maybe the Cubs Are the Favorites in the NL Central, After All?

ESPN was the first to throw some love the Cubs way this week, with an overwhelming majority of their writers, analysts, and editors picking the Chicago Cubs to win the NL Central in 2024. But the love doesn't end there....

The Season Begins, Love for Morel, Counsell’s Value, and Other Cubs Bullets

You know where you want to spend your Opening Day morning? The hospital! Suffice to say, this is not how I imagined getting HYPED for the Cubs' opener. I guess I'll just have to think about all the possible lineup...

Cubs vs Rangers: The First Series of the Year!

Cubs vs Rangers — THE REGULAR SEASON IS HERE! Wake up and rejoice. Later tonight, the Cubs will begin their march toward October Baseball against the (reigning World Series champion) Texas Rangers in Arlington. Justin Steele is getting the nod...

The 2024 Chicago Cubs for Dummies

Boom. We made it. The offseason is over, and the Cubs regular season - and those elevated expectations - begins tomorrow. But in case you slept through the winter, I'm here to catch you up on everything you need to...

I’m Expecting More This Year, Cubs — It’s Time to Start Winning

There's no way around it: The Chicago Cubs did *not* have the offseason we hoped they might after making Craig Counsell the highest paid manager in MLB history. Not that they did poorly, mind you. Cody Bellinger, Shota Imanaga, and...

I Dug Deep on the Cubs 2024 Schedule (And I Like What I See)

Finally, with Cody Bellinger in the fold, we can start focusing more seriously on the season ahead. So today, I thought we'd take a look at the Cubs 2024 schedule. You can flip through the Cubs 2024 schedule right here...

Here’s What I’m Betting on the Cubs for Opening Day

I get it. Sports betting isn't for everyone — like, say, the interpreter for an international baseball superstar — but some of us quite enjoy it! If you are one of those people, this article is for you. Below, I'm...

Latest News

Astros vs. Yankees: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

On Friday, Kyle Tucker and the Houston Astros (0-1) face Juan Soto and the New York Yankees (1-0), with first pitch scheduled for 8:10 PM ET at Minute Maid Park.Keep reading to find out all the details on how to...

Rays vs. Blue Jays: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

The Toronto Blue Jays (1-0), led by Vladimir Guerrero Jr., visit the Tampa Bay Rays (0-1) at 6:50 PM ET on Friday.Keep scrolling to find out all the details on how to watch Tampa Bay square off against Toronto live.When...

CRAAAAAAP: Justin Steele Exits the Game with an Injury

Yep. That's about as bad as it gets. All those fears and anxieties you felt when Justin Steele took that liner off his knee in spring training came back tonight, only this time it's a soft tissue injury during the...

Heat vs. Trail Blazers Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Portland Trail Blazers (19-54) are heavy underdogs (+14.5) as they attempt to break an eight-game losing streak when they visit the Miami Heat (39-33) at 8:00 PM ET on Friday, March 29, 2024 at FTX Arena. The matchup airs...

Cavaliers vs. 76ers Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Cleveland Cavaliers (44-29) take the court against the Philadelphia 76ers (39-34) as 7.5-point favorites on Friday, March 29, 2024 at 7:30 PM ET on NBCS. The matchup has an over/under of 210 points.Cavaliers vs. 76ers OddsCavaliers odds to win:...

Knicks vs. Spurs Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

The New York Knicks (44-28) are heavily favored (-10) to continue a three-game winning streak when they visit the San Antonio Spurs (17-56) at 8:00 PM ET on Friday, March 29, 2024 at AT&T Center. The contest airs on BSSW....

Wizards vs. Pistons Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Detroit Pistons (12-61) are 2.5-point underdogs as they attempt to turn around an eight-game losing streak when they visit the Washington Wizards (14-59) on Friday, March 29, 2024 at Capital One Arena. The matchup airs at 7:00 PM ET...

Pacers vs. Lakers Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Los Angeles Lakers (41-32) will attempt to extend a five-game winning streak when they hit the road to play the Indiana Pacers (41-33) on Friday, March 29, 2024 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse as just 2.5-point underdogs. The game airs at...

Nuggets vs. Timberwolves Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Western's top two teams, the Denver Nuggets (51-22) and the Minnesota Timberwolves (50-22), hit the court at Ball Arena on Friday, March 29, 2024 at 9:00 PM ET on ALT. The Nuggets are favored by 6.5 points at home....

Warriors vs. Hornets Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Golden State Warriors (38-34) play the Charlotte Hornets (18-54) as double-digit, 11.5-point favorites on Friday, March 29, 2024 at 7:00 PM ET on NBCS. The over/under is set at 218 in the matchup.Warriors vs. Hornets OddsWarriors odds to win:...

more cubs news