BLOG ANALYSIS: THE LOS ANGELES LAKERS Ranggin Hedayat March 08, 2014
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Blogs are an interactive platform to share your ideas amongst people who have common interests. A blog can be used to establish oneself as an expert on a certain topic. Sharing both sides of latest developments surrounding the Lakers and the NBA helps build credibility as a leader in the blogosphere. You are able to communicate with other fans and gain uncensored feedback, reviews and commentary. As a Laker fan, I visit such blogs frequently. Not only are they informative but they are also a fun and interactive platform. I am able to vent with other fans regarding a loss or be the first to know of any rumors about the team. One of the most successful Laker blogs is called Laker Nation. It is a blog for fans by fans. LakerNation.com is in no way affiliated with the Los Angeles Lakers, National Basketball Association (NBA), or National Basketball Players Association (NBPA). It contains news, game previews, post-game reviews, opinion articles, media and a fan forum. I will be assessing how Laker Nation functions and whether or not the blog is successful in interacting and sharing information to fans.
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KAM PASHAI
Founder Privately Held; 11-50 employees May 2007 – Present (6 years 11 months) Created one of the most rapidly growing sports sites on the net. From a grassroots blog to a content king, driving millions in traffic. Worked on establishment, design and maintenance. Overlooking virtually all aspects of the site. Helped strike a partnership with Fox Sports Radio L.A. (a Clear Channel subsidiary), one of the first fan site/media relationships of its kind. Helped manage a large fan community built into the website.
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KAM'S ONLINE PRESENCE His Blog The Focus: He claims that the blog is committed to bringing Lakers fans up-to-theminute news as it breaks and keeping them updated with the latest in the (always busy) world of the Los Angeles Lakers. I personally know Kam Pashai and follow him on social media, therefore I know his position. However, if I did not know him and were looking to find out more about Laker Nation, I would have to turn to Google to find out more about him.
social media
Kam is active on nearly all social media platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, Vine and LinkedIn. He updates all his accounts frequently and always engages with his followers.
Kam is constantly updating his social media with posts, tweets, and retweets. 3
WRITING STAFF
By knowing Kam personally, I was able to interview him regarding the writing process. There is a lack of information about this on blog so I had to reach out to him to learn more.
How does the writing staff work? Are they employed with certain qualification or is anyone free to write for the blog? “We have about 10 people on the writing staff. Seven writers, two lead writers and one editor. We prefer writers to be college students working towards a journalism degree -- for the most part so that they can gain experience while getting college credit, since they are not compensated. There are obviously exceptions; we will bring in a good writer regardless of whether or not they are a student.” What is the process of writing as article? “The editor assigns a news topic to the writers. The news comes through either direct press releases we get from the Lakers or things we see floating around the internet. We also have dedicated pre and post-game writers.”
This short writer bio, along with social media links is always featured at the end of each post. 4
WRITING STYLE
There are two different sections of this blog with two very different writing styles. The first is the “News” section, which is very straight-forward, fact-based and informative. This section is unbiased and fair. The second is the “Opinion” section. This section is where the writing staff vents their feeling, shares their opinions and has a very biased voice. Both sections are very well-written with no grammar errors. The blog posts are very professionally written. It is rare that the writing within a post is interactive with the reader. This is done more so in the forum section, the comments, on social media and in the “Voice of the Nation” fan section. The writing style of this blog helps add credibility to the site. The content is very relevant and informative. The blog site saves their fun and humorous personality for their social media platforms as opposed to their blog posts.
Kobe Byrant and Steve Nash have had quite the tumultuous injury-filled season to say the least. Bryant has been out since December with his fractured knee and Nash attempted to return a couple weeks ago but has since found his way off the court again due to chronic nerve and back pain. “The doctors haven’t cleared Kobe so it’s a non-issue right now,” D’Antoni said. “The thing is, does he get back and play some games to get his rhythm back for next year or just wait? So I don’t know.”
With this season almost halfway over, I am beginning to see the rainbow, even though it continues to rain on the Lakers. There will be a day when the Lakers will stop being a tryout camp for players looking to catch the eye of another team to play for next year. The Lakers will once again find value in playing team defense, and fighting for the cause. Players will want to be Lakers, because they want to win rings, and carry on the traditions of the champions that played before them. The head coach will be someone who has championship pedigree, and a hunger to teach the fundamentals of this great game of basketball. For now, it is what it is. Will someone please wake me when it’s over?
On the right is an example of a news post and on the left is an opinion post.
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HOW POSTS LOOK ON THE WEBSITE
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INTEGRATION OF INFOGRAPHICS
Infographics can be very useful when it comes to sports. The blog does a great job of integrating them within select posts. 7
POSTS The Laker Nation blog has multiple types of posts. The two main ones are news and opinions, which i mentioned on page 4. The other types of posts include game reports, media posts (videos) and a “Voice of the Nation” section where the blog interacts with fans and helps answer their questions. I think this blog is segmented in a very effective manner. Each section is clear and conveys a certain message. LakerNation.com provides me with everything I need as a fan. I can get my information from the news or game reports section. As a Laker fan I am always interested in the biased opinion posts and enjoy their candor. I like watching videos sometimes with interviews of player and coaches or highlights of a game, which can be found in the media section. My favorite is the “Voice of the Nation” section which allows fans and readers to have a voice as well. We can ask questions or share our thoughts. There is always something interesting to read.
Q: Are we going to re-sign Nick Young next year? - Jacob A: If the Lakers are serious about contending immediately, they must re-sign Nick Young. Swaggy P has been one of the few bright spots this year for the Lakers as he earned the respect of Kobe and the rest of Laker Nation by competing every night. There are very few teams in this league that have a 6th man as effective as Nick Young. He is instant offense and his ability to draw foul calls on 3-pointers is uncanny. Young has always been capable of scoring, but he has an added intensity in his game since joining the Lakers this season. He knows what it takes to deliver for the Purple and Gold. On the leftis a Q & A with a fan (Voice of the Nation) and on the right is a video post in the media section.
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PHOTOS
Each post on the Laker Nation blog includes a photo. These photos are high quality and professionally taken. The photos on this blog help distinguish the mood of the post. For example, if the opinion post is about the recent troubles of the Lakers, the photo will be of Kobe Bryant will his head down in despair and his hands over his face as he watches his teammates lose again. The news posts will include a photo that is related to the topic of the post. If the Lakers signed a new player, the photo will be of this new player acquisition. If the post is about Mike D’Antoni’s great coaching in last night’s game, there will be a photo of the coach in action. The photos make the blog visually appealing and act as a visual aid to help tell the stories in the posts. Infographics are also a great form of sharing information through visual means.
These photos are included in the blog post. They are high quality and serve as a visual aid to the text.
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VIDEOS
There is a specific section og the blog where videos can be found. They are under the “Media” section. These videos are usually accompanied ith text. The videos include anything from game recaps, pre-game or post-game interviews with players and coaches, game highlights, fan-made videos or minidocumentary series by the players. The videos are used very effectively and enhance the fan’s presence on the blog site. It is simply another way for fans to feel closer to the team.
These high quality videos are featured in the “media” section. They are accompanied by text.
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FORUM
A forum is a place, meeting, or medium where ideas and views on a particular issue can be exchanged. LakerNation.com includes a forum section for all Laker fans and readers of the blog. It is a place for fans to share their thoughts, opinions and ideas. Readers are able to interact with other fans. This forum feature creates a Laker fan community within the blog. It is a go-to place to discuss sports with other fans who share common interests.
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LINKS
The blog posts on Laker Nation sometimes contain links. These links can be to the NBA homepage where a box score of the game is available with stats. The links can also redirect a reader to the source where the information came from. Other links direct the reader to the Laker Nation home page or other pages within the blog. Social media links are also available throughout. There are also links that redirect you to the writer’s page where you can learn more about their credentials and view their post history.
A show of hands, Laker Nation: Who would like to see Carmelo Anthony in a Lakers uniform next season? According to Michael Scotto of SheridanHoops.com, Carmelo Anthony will either play in New
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ARCHIVES
Laker Nation has a decent archive system. They have purple tags at the top of a post, just under the title. These tags have to do with what the post is about. For example the tags could be about rumors, injury updates or news. There are also tags on the bottom on posts. These tags are of prominent names mentioned in the post. If the article is talking about a certain player, their tame will appear in a tag at the bottom. There is also a helpful search box, where any post can be tracked down with a description.
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DIALOGUE
Laker Nation provides multiple opportunities for dialogue. Readers can leave comments on each post. They can submit questions to the Laker Nation Mailbag in the “Voice of the Nation� section. They can also follow Laker Nation itself on social media, which is highly encouraged throughout the site, or fans can follow the writers themselves on social media. The forum section is constant communication and dialogue. Fans are able to engage with the blog and other fans in a convenient and accessible manner. There are also contests and giveaways where fans are asked to submit writing to win a prize. The posts themselves do not do much to engage the reader and get them to reply.
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Love (5)
BLOG RATINGS
Hate (1)
Satisfaction
In my opinion all aspects of this site are very well done. It is very interactive and professional. As part of the appearance of the blog, I wish there was a staff section where a reader could find out more information on the founder and the writers.
Writing Style
Photos
Dialogue
Appearance
Content
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CONCLUSION
Laker Nation is an exceptional blog that is always up-to-date on all aspects of the Los Angeles Lakers. By not being affiliated with the Lakers themselves, Laker Nation has more freedom to voice their suggestions and opinions, which makes the blog fun to read. The content is informative and the writing style is professional. It is easy to tell from the appearance of the website that this blog is the real deal. The blog is not controversial in any way. They do share their opinions at times but in a respectful way. There are no references to other blogs. Laker Nation does not have any main incentives except for the occasional contests and giveaways. The blog provides all the information one would need about the Lakers. Kam Pashai has done a great job overlooking the site and maintaining it the way he has. I wish he would take more credit for his successful blog and dedicate a page to his information and Laker Nation accomplishments. In addition to this, I think the blog would benefit from a staff page.
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