Blogs with Balls and ESPN

September 21, 2009 by Kyle. Average Reading Time: about 2 minutes.

Big news out of Blogs with Balls land this week. The Worldwide Leader has gotten involved and provided a ball subsidy: From now through 9/28, if you visit blogswithballs.com/2/espn you can request a free discount code that brings the price of BwB 2.0 in Las Vegas down to $100.

Full details after the jump.

Blogs with Balls is proud to collaborate with ESPN to offer a special discounted rate for Blogs with Balls 2.0 in Las Vegas. Simply provide your name and email address via the link below, and you will receive in the mail a discount code to receive $100 tickets to BwB at Blog World Expo.

http://blogswithballs.com/2/espn/

With the ticket, in addition to the panels and speakers listed below, you will also receive an invite to a VIP after party at the ESPN Zone. Other great events will be announced soon, but don’t miss out on this limited-time ticket special.

Special Featured Speaker: Jalen Rose

PANEL 1: CONNECTING DIRECTLY

A discussion about what athletes being able to speak directly to their fanbase via blogs & Twitter means to sports media, bloggers, and fans.

Mike Germano (President, Carrot Creative)
Pete Vlastelica (CEO, Yardbarker.com)
Ron Wechsler (VP Series Production and Development, ESPN)
John Thornton (NCAA All-American, Cincinnati Bengal, Founder & Co-CEO: JockBiz.com)

Moderator: Matt Sebek (JoeSportsFan.com)

PANEL 2: THE FUTURE OF SPORTS MEDIA

A discussion between traditional journalists and bloggers about the rise in prominence of sports blogs as members of the media and how the two parties can work together to compliment one another instead of taking an adversarial tone.

Bethlehem Shoals (FreeDarko, Bloomsbury USA, The Sporting News’ The Baseline)
Matt Ufford (WithLeather/Kissing Suzy Kolber/Warming Glow)
Kevin Blackistone (Around the Horn/FanHouse/Shirley Povich Chair in Sports Journalism at the Univ. of Maryland)
Amy K. Nelson (ESPN.com)

Moderator: Dan Shanoff (DanShanoff.com)

PANEL 3: ACCESS

Certain teams and leagues have embraced bloggers and recognized their value in promoting their respective brands. Several have allotted bloggers many of the same privileges they do member of the traditional media. Many, however, are still guarded and protective of their product in this regard. We discuss the pros and cons of the various policies.

Mitch Germann (VP Communications, Sacramento Kings)
Patrick Wixted (New Media Strategies)
John Karalis (RedsArmy.com)
Greg Wyshynski (Puck Daddy)

Moderator: Dan Levy (OnTheDL Podcast, The Sporting Blog)

PRESENTATION 1: BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT: BUILDING YOUR BRAND & GROWING YOUR BOTTOM LINE

A presentation from the Sports Illustrated Group on strategies you can use to leverage your voice and your audience to reach marketers, advertisers and editors.

Jeff Griffing, VP of Ad Sales for the Sports Illustrated Group
Paul Fichtenbaum, Managing Editor SI.com
Ken Fuchs, VP SI Digital

PRESENTATION/Q & A: STATE OF THE UNION

3 of the top sports bloggers on the web talk about the direction the genre has taken, the direction it’s headed, and answer questions from attendees.

Jamie Mottram (Yahoo!/Mr. Irrelevant)
JE Skeets (Ball Dont Lie/The Basketball Jones)
AJ Daulerio (Deadspin)

Moderator: Spencer Hall (EDSBS, SB Nation)