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First Month in the books for SBI

Good morning everybody. Before I get to the news of the day in the world of soccer I wanted to take the time out to thank all of you who have helped make the first month of SoccerByIves.net a successful one.

The site logged more than 700,000 page views for the month of January, nearly doubling the record for the original Soccer By Ives blog. The MLS Combine and MLS Draft were the big stories of the month, as well as the Brad Guzan transfer saga.

February promises to be even better. SBI will be in Houston for the US-Mexico game and will travel to California for MLS training camps. Champions League will also be returning to give us plenty to talk about.

The success of the first month of the website has led to some new sponsorship opportunities for the site, so you will see some new ads when you starting checking in during February. The main ads will be soccer related, which should make for a better browsing experience going forward.

Now I want to hear from you. Let me know what you would like to see more of (and less of) on SoccerByIves.net, what subjects you would like to see covered more (or less). Post your suggestions in the comments section below.

That’s all for now. Thank you again for continuing to support SoccerByIves.net.

Comments

  1. Hey Ives, I think when you give us news stories, at least I know I would like to know your input on the news. I know you give it most of the time, but sometimes there are little things. Thanks, Good Luck going forward.

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  2. Tom,I agree that my European coverage has slacked but part of that has been due to the increased coverage to more MLS teams as well as the MLS Combine and MLS Draft.

    I will be bringing back the European rankings as well as the extensive Champions League coverage (extensive being a relative term here). I know a lot of readers love MLS and European soccer so I will look to provide that balance again.

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  3. What happened to your European coverage? On the old site you had a nice balance between MLS and Europe, but now it’s only MLS. I wish you went back to the old format and talked more about Europe.

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  4. Fantastic all around Ives. I truly appreciate the wide breadth of daily postings. Being in college, I probably check your site at least 5-10 times a day. Always quality stuff, I would like to see analytical stuff on European soccer but of course, just keeping the site as it is now is probably a tall task already.

    Keep up the great work and comfort yourself in knowing that you have a great fanbase who supports your decision to become a full-time blogger 😉

    Reply
  5. Ives, great blog, the breaking news stories are the best part. That is what I check back for.

    I would like to see more insight about the inner workings of MLS. Not glamourous, I know, but NOBODY seems to know how much allocation money each team has or how much they spend. Cap room is a black hole.

    I’m probably in the minority on this, but IF you could find out this info you would be breaking new ground.

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  6. Ives, congratulations on a great start in your new venture. I was reading your old blog daily for about six months and so I was able to get on this “new and improved” blog on your very first day. As a displaced Jersey boy I truly appreciate your coverage “with a Jersey flavor.”

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  7. Ives,
    I find almost everything that you post to be interesting. You are the best source for info that isn’t widely available (ie. MLS, US national team). With that in mind I would love for you to expand into more coverage of non-American CONCACAF players & leagues. As we move into World Cup qualifying it would be great to know more about our own region.

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  8. Ives,
    Congrats on the continued growth and success of your blog. I think you have a good mix on your blog, doing a great job. I think it would be great to explore via interviews some issues, like refereeing (interview players, good ref, and maybe a guy like Calguiri, the great Italian ex-ref) about what makes a good ref and what the U.S. needs to do to continue to improve. Things like this, or other issues, like the youth programs, with interviews etc.
    Keep up the good work.

    Reply
  9. Great stuff Ives, no suggestions for improvements – certainly expose interviews would be sweet, but that’s more up to the players than you I would guess. Really impressed with the frequency of new posts, even getting a little spoiled when there isn’t one. Keep on rollin…

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  10. One last thing try to index stories so that people can search by teams.

    Again you have a very good reputation and access… exploit it.

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  11. Ives, first congratulations. Second if you want some suggestions… for me two things are signs of not a good blog but a great one. First is a large number of stories per day. Have us constantly coming back several times a day for updates (for a good example please see http://www.mlbtraderumors.com), and second given that MLS is a sport that doesn’t have a lot of coverage you could strike gold if you supplement your writing with a top notch podcast where you talk about issues surrounding MLS (not just news but real analysis), you invite players, coaches, and executives to participate (there is a huge need for this in MLS given how little TV time these guys get), and finally you can have a call in number to include your readers and make them even more diehard fans. If this is really going to be your main source of income you want to make the experience at SBI the more complete possible. You want to have MLS’s number one stop shop for all things this league. And podcast and blogs go hand in hand now a days (if you want to be great you need a podcast). There are a lot of free or very cheap options out there (one could be blogtalkradio or gabcast). You could even make the blog free and the podcast a paid subscrition. Remember to be a real source of insider news not just reporting the news… that is what people like and need in such a secretive league like MLS. Thanks and congratulations again.

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  12. Congrats Ives. Your blog is definitely one one of my top soccer stops on the web. Overall you diversity of subject matter is pretty much spot on. Everything from MLS game recaps, MLS news/events, Yanks abroad, Euro coverage, South America, national teams coverage is great. I’d say add in a little bit of the women’s game (def. USWNT, maybe WPS?) and a little broader international focus (Asia, Mid East, Africa, etc). Those regions of the world have great clubs and interesting national teams that the average American doesn’t hear about. And of course keep us posted on all that insider info you get! Definitely the juiciest part of the blog… Thanks Ives!

    Reply
  13. Ives,

    Great Blog. Congrats on all your success. The site is great, but here are a few suggestions:

    1. On the Yanks abroad updates, instead of just saying how many minutes a player played, it would be great to know if there was a consensus on whether they played well or poorly.

    2. Although I think your opinions are terrific, some diversity would be great too. Maybe have a guest blogger every once in awhile.

    Keep up the great work.

    Reply
  14. Ives is selling out, man!

    I used to read his stuff when he was on some crappy rag no one read in NJ. Now he’s all about selling ad space!

    You used to be cool Ives! Its just like when KISS took of their make up!

    HAHA Just kidding Ives! Keep up the great work! The blog is always the first thing I read in the morning.

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  15. Dude we need more on RBNY. I appreciate that a lot of your hits are not related to RBNY but you are our inside source and you have the relationships to provide the best info.

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  16. Hey Ives- I have loved your blog since the World Cup. I love your style.

    Things I would like to see more of is the breaking news around MLS, even if its just as small as confirming some back-up signed with a USL team. So many times these names just disappear and I never know what has happened to them!

    You do a great job of breaking stories though and that’s what really keeps me coming back for more!!

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  17. Congratulations and keep up the great work. I think you do an excellent job of keeping your finger on MLS, USMNT, YA’s and CL — those are the topics I’m interested in. Your site is a daily must and has become the clear best blog. Please continue to report the news PLUS continue to provide your critique and analysis — you do a great job of providing news & insight. I guess the only thing further would be exclusive interviews with coaches & players. Congrats and keep up the fantastic work!

    Reply
  18. I’d like to see a reference link with a summary on transfer policies and a summary on work permit policies, etc. It is background information that a lot of us probably have some knowledge of, but a central resource would be great.

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  19. I’d like to get to know the other teams that are going to be in the new Champions League. (when they’re announced). It would be cool if you did a profile of the teams in the Carribbean and Central America. Would make the Champions League that much more interesting.

    Reply
  20. Ives,

    Thanks for your coverage and insight. I hit the site several times a day and am always looking forward to the next post.

    Congratulations on your launch, and on having the courage to make a go of it on your own. I am glad that the advertisers are responding. You deserve to get paid for the work you do – besides for soccer advertisers you are giving them a focused high value fan base of the soccer obsessed. If you haven’t yet, you should go after FSC, GolTV and Setanta to advertise with you.

    Congratulations and good luck.

    FYI I got a call at home from Danny Cepero who is dialing for dollars to help sell ticket packages and season tickets. I am not buying my season tix until March (these will be my first), but I think it is a great move by RBNY to use some of their players to market to the die hard fans.

    Danny – if you read this – I got your message and I am going to give Vinny a call in about a month to buy my tix..

    Reply
  21. Ives,

    Coverage on the new SBI has been awesome. Personally, I don’t care so much about the European coverage aside from the Yanks Abroad recap. If I want to read about Champions League, I’ll read one of the hundreds of other people that write about it. If I want to read about all the stuff in MLS and USMNT as it happens, I come here. 🙂

    Reply
  22. Ives –

    Love the site and click multiple times daily.

    Continue to fill the hole where the mainstream media falls down: MLS player and team news and news about the US National Team and its players or potential players abroad.

    I don’t need any more information about England, the Premiership, or any of the big clubs in Italy, or Spain.

    Reply
  23. congrats on the big month!
    too early to say what I’d like to see more of. Maybe a bit more La Liga and Bundesliga.
    Otherwise, I cam interested to see more from MLS pre-season camps.
    Again, congrats!

    Reply
  24. Love the blog, it is actually one of the few blogs that has graced the home screen on my iPhone. Read it everyday!

    I would like a little more attention to La Liga, specifically Barca, but all the Milan/Serie A news is great! And the Yanks abroad is one of my favorites too.

    Would be nice to have an international youth watch; for example, this week i found out about Barotelli (Inter) for the first time. He is awesome, and I really enjoyed his play on the ball. If you can give us a quick heads-up on players like that it would be awesome.

    Also, now that the Copa Libertadores is starting it would be nice to know about great players who will be getting a lot notice for playing in this tournament. I remember Robinho (Real Madrid), Diego (Werder Bremen), Mati Fernandez (Villareal), etc. have made a name for themselves in this tournament. A glimpse at these talented players wouldn’t hurt, specially if any of them might be transferring to Europe.

    By the way, who won the last “You Write the Caption”? (the one with Beckham in Africa)

    Reply
  25. This is a tall order, but anything you could do to expose MLS’s standard business practices and inner workings would be greatly appreciated. Details come in randomly, like the MLS salary list that Goff gets from B__ O____, but there’s a real desire out here to know more about how contracts are offered, CBA posturing, specifics about which owners vote for what proposals, etc.

    Reply
  26. Ives – I have been reading you almost from day one and what I have enjoyed the most is the coverage not of the big name players but of the players at the very start of their careers trying to find a way into the game. Please don’t drop those types of stories as you refine the site.

    As for other suggestions, I think the YWTC is a great hit, but really only need be done every other week or so, or if there is a can’t-pass-it-up opportunity connected to an event you are covering. You already know that the Q&A is a huge hit, and that it takes you too long to reply to the questions. A biweekly schedule for that would be perfect as well, but you have to limit it to the first 50 question (plus some editor’s choice if you can’t resist) so that you can keep the interactive feel.

    Last, I think someone else mentioned the importance of distribution through RSS, widgets, etc.

    Keep it up. You rock. NM

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  27. Hi Ives, great site, come here at least 6 times a day, probably more. I have to agree with some of the other comments, interviews would be awesome as well as expanded coverage of other MLS markets. I’m an RBNY fan, but I would love to hear inside scoops from other teams. Keep up the great work!

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  28. Kpugs, like I stated earlier, if the interviews aren’t reaping any benefit. (i.e. they’re not giving you anything but the usual crappy answers), then it’s just filler, I agree. But if you can actually get them to talk openly and honestly about their experience in the MLS and the difficulties and the positives, I think it would be something we all want to read.

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  29. The only thing missing for me (and to be honest I don’t even know if this would be an improvement) was the lack of European transfer news relative to the transactions that took place.

    I think it’s probably because hey, we’re in America, and you have to draw the line somewhere. There are a lot of MLS heads on the site who don’t follow any other leagues so it’s understandable.

    Just as an example, during Eddie Johnson’s transfer Fulham loaded up on other strikers but only the Eddie Johnson angle was covered.

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  30. I would like to see more coverage on the lesser known Americans playing abroad. Specifically the young ones. With guys like arguez and jacobsen going over to Europe before we can get a look at them on the field, I want to know what kind of players they’re turning out to be. Updates on their progress as pros would be awesome.

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  31. Ives,
    The site is great. It has steadliy climbed to one of my go to websites for soccer info….If I had to say what I enjoy most, its probabley the progress our players in Europe are making. I love to hear as much speculation as possible on dealings and transfer market stuff….I wouldnt change much in what your doing now. Keep it up!

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  32. Something severly lacking in MLS coverage in general are player interviews. Especially I’ve been dying for a good interview with JPA on his impressions on his first year here.

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  33. This site is the first thing I go to in the morning (before e-mail!). I also return to it basically every time I am at a computer throughout a day (for a college student thats a lot).

    I would love to see as much MLS pre-season as possible. This might be minor but maybe more pictures or links to pictures related to the stories (i love that there is usually atleast one picture in the heading).

    On a side note, the links that “fade”into the background should stay that way in my opinion. That way they do not distract from the blog entries.

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  34. I love your site. I stop by at least 5 times a day. Now, I would like to see a EPL Fantasy Update every now and then. Also more coverage of other MLS teams besides the Red Bulls and more on the Serie A.

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  35. Ives, your site is a regular stop for me at least twice a day, I have appreciated the quality. I am most interested in the stories, troubles, tribulations, victories, etc. for Americans playing abroad.
    Thanks again.

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  36. MORE MLS coverage, especially the preseason.

    We need more preseason coverage.

    What is Houston going to do with only one forwar on the books?

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  37. Ives, you know that this is the best soccer blog on the net and it’d be pretty hard to improve it, but I agree with Eric. The only way I can see improving it is by possibly doing some short interviews with coaches and players, but if they’re not giving up the goods (which it seems like happens pretty often in the MLS), then I can understand why it wouldn’t be a priority.

    Otherwise, I find the new blog to be spectacular. However, I do not find my performance in the SBI fantasy league to be spectacular.

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  38. One comment on the site I have is the color of the type under Recent Posts, and Categories blends in with the background.

    As far as content I think you do a great job. I enjoy any of the yanks abroad, mls, and euro stories. Great site!

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  39. I’m always in for more yanks abroad updates, yanks transfer speculation, and USMNT coverage. However I would like to say that I’ve also enjoyed the in depth look in the MLS topics like the draft and such. Honestly Ives your doing a great job at making this blog the best soccer blog around. Goff’s is good but he takes long breaks, you on the other hand are a beast when it come to posting information! Keep up the brilliant work!

    P.S.
    What are your thoughts on Brad Guzan’s sitiuation. Does he really have to wait another year to apply for a work permit in England? If not do you think Villa will try again this summer?

    Reply

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