"Maybe in the next year we'll be seeing sports blogs pop up on the list," said A.J. Daulerio. He's the editor of Deadspin.com, which was recently valued at $16.6 million by DN Scoop, which values Web sites based on links, public relations, traffic rank and other factors.
His was by far the sports site with the highest estimated value, although it did not include sports sites tied to larger Web domains such as sports blogs on AOL or newspapers, television, radio, etc. His site is also more irreverent than your typical Ravens blog, offering titillating pictures of cheerleaders and raunchier language.
Matt Loede, who runs another Ravens blog called Ravensgab.com, chafes at the liberties some blogs take to attract readers.
"I'm 33 and I've been watching sports since I was 7 or 8. I don't want my nephew going to my site and seeing a half-naked girl and reading curse words. That's where sports blogs have gotten a bad rap," he said.
In yet another example of the Internet dissolving geographic boundaries, Loede lives outside Cleveland, a place where mention of Baltimore still, 13 years after the Browns became the Ravens, elicits the response "you stole our team."
Loede has a morning job doing sports and traffic on the radio, but devotes afternoons and evenings to his collection of 43 blogs named gab for each of the NFL teams, plus other sports. About 40 writers contribute, many unpaid. A schoolteacher and another writer in Baltimore focus on the Ravens for him.
"Nobody's quitting their day jobs to do this. We've told writers from Day 1, it's more a labor of love but hopefully, their work will be rewarded," Loede said. His group of blogs is up to 150,000 page views a month and growing, up from maybe 3,000 when it launched two years ago. He marvels at times at the status his blogs can confer. Reebok offered him an interview with placekicker David Akers to publicize a new football shoe and publishers deliver books to his door seeking published reviews.
But like many independent sports bloggers, he also struggles against the control over "intellectual property" by the professional sports leagues.
"If I call the Ravens and say my name is Matt and we'd like to come out and cover a game, they'd say, 'No way.' There is not even a conversation," he said. "They think this is some guy who's 40 years old, living in his mom's basement with pictures of supermodels on the wall."
SIZING UP SOME RAVENS BLOGS
Ravens24x7.blogspot.com: Named best Ravens blog by Baltimore Magazine, the site is a fun read, conversational in tone and wide-ranging, from commenting on quarterback controversies to annoying repetitive pop songs on the radio.
Ravensgab.com: Provides the headlines on what's happening with the Ravens. Informative, not much attitude.
EbonyBird.com: Well-packaged, fast-paced. Held contest seeking "Best Ravens Bar." Monthly prize: a 24-pack of beer of the winner's choice (or the cash equivalent).
BaltimoreBeatdown.com: Not as ornery as its name suggests, but a good place for intelligent commentary. Promoted its recent mention on Sports Illustrated's Web site.
Ravenslocker.com: Heavy on statistics to make its point, but fairly grim design.
Bmorebirdsnest.com: Covers Orioles as well. More photos and videos than other sites.
Blogimoreravens.com: Long on attitude and humor, shorter on insights.
Andrew Ratner
