Everyone-
Rivals has been purchased by the On3 group. This was announced on April 30th. I found out sometime later but have been trying to gather as much information on how this affects us. Certainly, all the questions haven't been answered but that how mergers work. I have been through a few corporately and usually in time most questions are answered--but frankly some never are and that's just the way mergers in the corporate world work. Fortunately, the important ones that affect us are all eventually answered, and most questions are more fear of the unknown more than anything else.
I will be posting articles explaining the merger in corporate terms as well as info shared on our publishers board where the On3 staff has been great with answering questions as best they could. A couple of names I am going to put out there that you need to know. Shannon Terry is the owner of On3. He was also one of the original founders of Rivals. So this is full circle for him and an awesome opportunity for him to get Rivals back to where it should be. More on Rivals later. The other name is Will Crall. He is president of On3 and a great guy. I just got off the phone with him and was impressed.
There are a wide range of sites with different levels of memberships and needs. The non-football ones have been the smallest category at Rivals, fortunately we have always been one of the most successful. Sites below a subscription level of 150 are lost leader in the current business model, however a key to current and future success is a robust message board. The new management loves what they see from us in that respect and that is 100% on all of you so great job and keep up the great discussion.
In speaking with Will his eagerness to understand our situation was incredible. No one at Rivals in the past five years ever bothered to
care. When I explained the growth of the Creighton community in the past 25 years he was surprised and that drove our discussion. So as of this moment here is where we stand--
=BJB will basically sign a new deal. We will remain basically the same but not under the bigger sites model-more of a contract labor model
=Plans were discussed and will be in place to drive membership-more on that after the merger is implemented.
=Even though posting stories and content is no longer a requirement, you will see an uptick as we want to continue to conform to what others have on their site. From my end there just won't be anymore "hey you need to post an article or else" stuff.
=This one I'm speculating on--our site will now be labeled under the On3 network
=the cool thing is you, as a member, will have access to both Rivals and On3. No one knows exactly how this will work. I've asked some publishers of bigger sites and they don't even know. Best guess by everyone is you will be On3 and it will be just like you are used to. But if you click on the high school recruiting link it will take you to Rivals to get your info. Portal rankings etc will be on On3. Look at this more as On3 is college, Rivals is high school.
=July 1st is the target date. you won't have to do anything. They will send out instructions when everything is going to happen and the move will happen. There is always great worry around these things but normally it goes really smooth. There will be plenty of support including myself to take care of any glitches.
=Huge benefits--1)we will have access to Joe Tipton and Jamie Shaw and their info. I have dealt with both over the years and they are fabulous sources of info. More inside recruiting stuff.
2) I will be reporting to someone new--excited for the era. There will be a layer of added support--helping us deal with issues ( I think most of you know what I'm talking about)
3) I think you will like all the plans for the layout and new setting options we will have.
Reach out and post any questions you have here. I will try and answer. Have to run an errand before the Creighton game but I will get to them. As well as I will post alot of info that I have received in different forms.
Thanks so much everyone--this will be great!
Rivals has been purchased by the On3 group. This was announced on April 30th. I found out sometime later but have been trying to gather as much information on how this affects us. Certainly, all the questions haven't been answered but that how mergers work. I have been through a few corporately and usually in time most questions are answered--but frankly some never are and that's just the way mergers in the corporate world work. Fortunately, the important ones that affect us are all eventually answered, and most questions are more fear of the unknown more than anything else.
I will be posting articles explaining the merger in corporate terms as well as info shared on our publishers board where the On3 staff has been great with answering questions as best they could. A couple of names I am going to put out there that you need to know. Shannon Terry is the owner of On3. He was also one of the original founders of Rivals. So this is full circle for him and an awesome opportunity for him to get Rivals back to where it should be. More on Rivals later. The other name is Will Crall. He is president of On3 and a great guy. I just got off the phone with him and was impressed.
There are a wide range of sites with different levels of memberships and needs. The non-football ones have been the smallest category at Rivals, fortunately we have always been one of the most successful. Sites below a subscription level of 150 are lost leader in the current business model, however a key to current and future success is a robust message board. The new management loves what they see from us in that respect and that is 100% on all of you so great job and keep up the great discussion.
In speaking with Will his eagerness to understand our situation was incredible. No one at Rivals in the past five years ever bothered to
care. When I explained the growth of the Creighton community in the past 25 years he was surprised and that drove our discussion. So as of this moment here is where we stand--
=BJB will basically sign a new deal. We will remain basically the same but not under the bigger sites model-more of a contract labor model
=Plans were discussed and will be in place to drive membership-more on that after the merger is implemented.
=Even though posting stories and content is no longer a requirement, you will see an uptick as we want to continue to conform to what others have on their site. From my end there just won't be anymore "hey you need to post an article or else" stuff.
=This one I'm speculating on--our site will now be labeled under the On3 network
=the cool thing is you, as a member, will have access to both Rivals and On3. No one knows exactly how this will work. I've asked some publishers of bigger sites and they don't even know. Best guess by everyone is you will be On3 and it will be just like you are used to. But if you click on the high school recruiting link it will take you to Rivals to get your info. Portal rankings etc will be on On3. Look at this more as On3 is college, Rivals is high school.
=July 1st is the target date. you won't have to do anything. They will send out instructions when everything is going to happen and the move will happen. There is always great worry around these things but normally it goes really smooth. There will be plenty of support including myself to take care of any glitches.
=Huge benefits--1)we will have access to Joe Tipton and Jamie Shaw and their info. I have dealt with both over the years and they are fabulous sources of info. More inside recruiting stuff.
2) I will be reporting to someone new--excited for the era. There will be a layer of added support--helping us deal with issues ( I think most of you know what I'm talking about)
3) I think you will like all the plans for the layout and new setting options we will have.
Reach out and post any questions you have here. I will try and answer. Have to run an errand before the Creighton game but I will get to them. As well as I will post alot of info that I have received in different forms.
Thanks so much everyone--this will be great!
