Dan Patrick Joins Sports Illustrated
October 18, 2007
Will Offer Co-Branded Content in Print, Online, Streaming Media and Live Events
NEW YORK, October 18, 2007 - Dan Patrick, one of the most recognizable names in sports media, joins the Sports Illustrated Franchise as a senior writer for Sports Illustrated and SI.com. As part of a larger partnership with Dan Patrick and his content distribution company The Content Factory, Sports Illustrated's Digital Group will host and produce the website DANPATRICK.com.
"Dan Patrick is a sports genius," said Terry McDonell, Editor of the Sports Illustrated Group. "He's fast, funny, analytic, old-school informed and, most important, he believes in the values reflected in the sports he covers. He will bring all of that to SI."
Highlights of the partnership between Dan Patrick, SI and The Content Factory include:
- Patrick will pen a weekly column for Sports Illustrated beginning in January.
- SI Digital will re-launch DANPATRICK.com in early 2008 with audio simulcast from the nationally syndicated radio program, "The Dan Patrick Show".
- FanNation technology will power a daily Patrick blog and social-networking community.
- SI writers will make regularly scheduled appearances on "The Dan Patrick Show", with Peter King, Tom Verducci and Rick Reilly all joining the week of October 22nd.
- Patrick will serve as an emcee on December 4th for SI's Sportsman of the Year Award celebration, an honor awarded by SI to the sports figure or team which best symbolizes the ideals of sportsmanship.
"I couldn't be more excited to work with the Sports Illustrated Franchise, which, in my mind, represents the pinnacle of sports journalism," said Dan Patrick. "Sports Illustrated's lineup of writers is legendary and it is a true honor to share that company and follow in a long line of some of the nation's most renowned sports journalists. This deal provides us with a great opportunity to cross promote our content in print, online and over the airwaves."
"The Sports Illustrated Franchise is committed to bringing powerful, cross-platform solutions to the marketing community. Our partnership with Dan and The Content Factory builds on an already strong content package where advertisers speak directly to the SI audience," said Mark Ford, President, Sports Illustrated. "Dan's magazine column, DANPATRICK.com and the simulcast of Dan's radio show collectively represent engaging platforms to both sports fans and the advertisers looking to connect with them."
SI will serve as the sales agent for DANPATRICK.com, allowing advertisers to continue to reach consumers on a multi-platform level. In addition, DANPATRICK.com traffic will be rolled-up into the SI Digital Network.
"Our partnership with Sports Illustrated is a tangible manifestation of the vision we had when we founded The Content Factory - to establish partnerships that will maximize an individual's brand," said Jimmy de Castro, The Content Factory Founder and Managing Partner. Dan's unique brand of humor and wit can now be heard nationwide on the Dan Patrick radio show and be enjoyed by millions of loyal Sports Illustrated and SI.com readers."
Patrick worked for ESPN from 1989 - 2007 and in 1999, he began hosting "The Dan Patrick Show," which was heard on ESPN radio and carried on 325 national affiliates. He is also the author of a book entitled "Outtakes," based on his no-holds-barred question-and-answer interviews in ESPN The Magazine. Prior to joining ESPN, Patrick was a sports anchor/reporter for CNN for six years.
In 2000, Patrick was named the National Sportscaster of the Year from the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association; he is only the second cable commentator to receive this honor. In 1998, he received a Sports Emmy Award in the Studio Host category. He received a CableACE Award in 1997 for his work on SportsCenter.
A graduate of the University of Dayton, Patrick earned his BA in broadcasting. In 1997, he received a Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Dayton.
-SI-
Contacts:
Robert Broderick for Sports Illustrated
Robert_Broderick@timeinc.com
212-522-7644 or 718-873-3635
Elevate Communications for Dan Patrick
Keith Gainsboro
keith@elevatecom.com
p.617-861-3650 / c.857-234-1481