ChalkTalk (FanChalkTalk.com) Launches Today to Imp

Startup Expands Sports Media Universe to Reach Massive Audience of Casual Fans;

Veteran MarketWatch Columnist Jon Friedman Named Contributing Editor

NEW YORK, July 30, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ChalkTalk ( FanChalkTalk.com ), a destination designed to help the casual fan become more knowledgeable about baseball and to enhance their own fan experience, is launching today.

ChalkTalk will offer content that helps to explain core sports concepts, provide important context about games and matchups, and share insights to help fans better understand and enjoy their experience as a fan.  The site features a mix of original and curated content, including video commentary from expert voices - including coaches, current and former athletes, media/bloggers, and other fans.  Initially the project will focus on baseball, highlighting issues and topics that are frequently overlooked by traditional sports media.

The project is led by Brian Reich, who is editor and founder, and former MarketWatch columnist Jon Friedman, who was appointed contributing editor. 

"Sports -- and sports media -- is part of everyday life.  And almost everyone is a sports fan - but every fan has their own interests and questions, their fan experience is unique," said Reich. "Our goal is to help the fan develop a better appreciation for baseball - to give them the information they need to enjoy their own fan experience.

"Today's launch is a beta format, and fans are encouraged to not just visit, but also contribute their ideas and engage with the team," he continued.

ChalkTalk will feature information about sports that fans will enjoy, which will include:

• FanFood: The news and information that a fan needs to know to better understand and enjoy the game of baseball -- what's really happening on the field, what to watch for in a game, and more, featuring video commentary from experts.
   
• Lineup Card: A curated list of the must-read/watch items about what is happening in baseball - and the insights a fan needs to understand how to translate that knowledge into practice.
   
• ChalkTalk Q&A: A forum that invites fans to submit their questions about baseball and have them answered by an expert.

Content is based on original interviews with the people who understand and can explain sports best - the coaches, athletes, media and fans themselves. Content is packaged into modules featuring video, text, graphics, and curated articles that can be organized and distributed across a variety of channels and devices, shared, and discussed.

"We know that fans need more and better information to help support their interest in baseball.  Our focus is on serving the interests of the fans - so we are inviting fans to help guide and shape the content on the site, to tell us what they want to know, what they are curious about, and what they can't find elsewhere in sports media," explained Reich.

About the Sports Fan

There are 175+ million casual sports fans in the United States, and billions more worldwide, that are being left out of the sports conversation. All fans have greater access to sports than ever before, but the excellent coverage and analysis of major professional sports only serves the interests of die-hard fans. To more fully engage, casual fans want, and need, carefully curated expertise, drawn from trusted sources, organized and presented with the appropriate context and in thoughtful, entertaining ways. When casual fans become more educated and aware, their willingness to attend events, buy merchandise, consume media and share their sports experiences increases.

About Brian Reich

Brian Reich has spent nearly two decades providing digital and communications strategy, analysis, and support to brands, nonprofit organizations, political groups, media companies, and startups. He is the author of two books about the impact of technology and media on society. He lives in New York City with his wife, Karen Dahl, and their two children: Henry (age 5) and Lucy (age 3).

About Jon Friedman

Prior to MarketWatch, Jon wrote about Wall Street for Bloomberg News for six years. He also covered Wall Street for USA Today, Business Week and Investor's Business Daily. 

He authored "Forget About Today: Bob Dylan's Genius for (Re)Invention, Shunning the Naysayers, and Creating a Personal Revolution" (Penguin, 2012) and he is the co-author of "House of Cards: Inside the Troubled Empire of American Express" (Putnam, 1992). He is currently writing regularly about the media landscape for such online publications as Indiewire, Motley Fool and the Fiscal Times.

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