SB Nation

On The Verge of a New Tech Site, Which Finally Debuts

Kara Swisher in Media on October 31, 2011 at 7:18 pm PT

Tonight at 1 am PT, techies who have nothing else to do — that would be me! — can click onto a brand new tech site called The Verge.

Former Top Editor Makes Another Talent Raid on AOL’s Engadget for New Competing Gadget Site

Kara Swisher in Media on July 7, 2011 at 9:24 am PT

I love the smell of blog wars in the morning! Acting as Facebook often does to Google, a new site started by former Engadget editor Josh Topolsky just hired away yet another passel of tech journalists from the giant gadgets news and reviews organization. It is Topolsky’s second major talent raid since he left his editor-in-chief job there in March, for a new gadget property aimed at unseating Engadget.

Former AOL Media Exec Marty Moe to Join Engadget Gang of Eight at SB Nation

Kara Swisher in News on April 6, 2011 at 8:49 am PT

Just what is SB Nation’s Jim Bankoff up to? Earlier this week, he hired away eight staffers from AOL’s Engadget in order to create a competing tech news and gadget site. And now, according to sources close to the situation, the former AOL content head is close to hiring another former top AOL media exec, Marty Moe, to manage it and also more niche sites the blog network is contemplating launching.

SB Nation Sacks AOL in Raid of Former Engadget Team for Competing New Tech Site, As AOL Zeroes in on New EiC

Kara Swisher in News on April 3, 2011 at 7:34 pm PT

Jim Bankoff, the fomer AOL exec responsible for buying Engadget for the Internet portal, has grabbed eight staffers who had recently left the huge tech site amid tensions, in order to start a new gadget property for his SB Nation sports and news platform. The site–which is still unnamed and will be run by outgoing Engadget Editor-in-Chief Josh Topolsky–will debut sometime in the fall. Meanwhile, AOL has zeroed in on a new leader to replace Topolsky.

Flipboard Partners With Web Publishers for Full Content (and Full Disclosure: Including ATD)

Liz Gannes in Social on December 2, 2010 at 9:22 am PT

Yesterday, I wrote about Pulse, a news-reading app with innovative design, going social by integrating Facebook. Now Flipboard, a social news-reading app based around Twitter and Facebook, is adding publisher feeds. (Full disclosure: Including from All Things Digital.) One thing’s clear: There’s a lot of excitement and energy going into how the iPad can re-create content consumption.

Bleacher Report's Brian Grey Talks About New Content Biz, as Patrick Keane Joins Board

Kara Swisher in News on November 24, 2010 at 11:30 am PT

Earlier this week, BoomTown went downtown to the San Francisco HQ of Bleacher Report, one of the many interesting efforts trying to change the way content is made and distributed. Bleacher Report, no surprise, is focused on sports, and competes with sites such as Yardbarker and SB Nation. All take different approaches, with Bleacher Report delivering a grassroots platform for both professional and hobbyist writers who want give their take on any topic about college and professional sports, from the latest draft to explaining what’s the deal with “Fear the Beard.”

Exclusive: SB Nation Raises $10.5 Million in Khosla Ventures-Led Series C Round

Kara Swisher in News on November 8, 2010 at 12:02 am PT

SB Nation, the Washington, D.C.-based sports blog and news start-up, has just completed a $10.5 million Series C round, which is being led by Khosla Ventures, according to sources. SB Nation has already raised about $13 million in total venture funding from Accel Partners, Allen & Company, Comcast Interactive Capital, as well as angel investors such as Ted Leonsis and others in Silicon Valley.

ESPN's Spiked LeBron James Story Is Scandal-Free, Does Mention "Panties"

Peter Kafka in Media on July 29, 2010 at 12:27 pm PT

Why did ESPN kill a pretty tame Web story about the most famous athlete in America? Hard to guess. In any case, it doesn’t matter now: On a slow summer day, it’s perfect fodder for bored Web surfers.

Fox, Yahoo Sports Vet Brian Grey to Run Sports Start-Up Bleacher Report

Peter Kafka in Media on June 16, 2010 at 12:30 pm PT

Brian Grey used to run big sports sites for really big portals, first at Yahoo, then at Fox Sports. Now he’s going to do the same thing at a start-up: He’s leaving an entrepreneur-in-residence perch at Polaris Venture Partners to run Bleacher Report, a San Francisco-based sports network.