Basically that. All a bit odd I feel.
He tells basically the truth and gets slated for it if we don't buy anyone.
Interesting thread from Craig from TAW a few days ago showing how subscriptions and hits go way up when we make a signing vrs say interviewing Klopp.
Shows what sells and what a lot of fans want to pay for to listen to.
You can see why so many twitter accounts and podcasts etc push any random transfer rumour etc.
Also shits all over the point that TAW don't critique FSG as they get access.
In case it's of interest in here, the thread was quoting Neil's piece on the ownership here -
https://mailchi.mp/theanfieldwrap/taw-daily-run-down-smfjjjc1sc-1368756 and is copy and pasted below...
There is an idea that “access” is so valuable to fan media. What they mean is interviews with say the players/Jurgen. But Interviews don’t do subscriptions for us. They’re nice content for subscribers but they don’t add new ones…so what does?
It’s transfers. Our three best days over the past season and a half are the following…
1) Gakpo signing
2) Melo signing
3) Diaz signing
Signing Arthur Melo did more subscriptions than an interview with Klopp and interview with Jota did *combined*
The idea that fan media needs “access” misses the point of fan media. Our numbers tells us it’s about reacting to moments that we all get excited about - games, trophies, transfers etc and sharing what it was like in the stands when Liverpool for instance beat United 5-0.
To add to this in a way I couldn't on twitter - One look at mainstream sports media/content will tell you that access *is* definitely massive...What Formula One have done with Drive to Survive, the NFL's 'Helmets off' marketing strategy, even closer to home what LFC TV have done where we get to see the personalities of the footballers, behind the scenes at Anfield every game and regular interviews etc. What makes all of this brilliant is definitely access.
But from a business decision it would be a dreadful idea to make a decision to put interviews or 'access' at the centre of our offering or have them be so important because it isn't what you all bought into in the first place, it's not what makes The Anfield Wrap what it is and has always been (and they also don't help us grow).
What fan media has is authenticity, it has people you buy into, it has the ability to create content in its own way with very little constraints.
So it's mad to think a (small) corner of the internet think TAW would jeopardise that and throw its integrity out the window to cosy up with an ownership for interviews. As an aside it doesn't even work like that, the owners are in Boston, the club and the people at the club are in Liverpool - it's separate, would be surprised if FSG could pick any of us out of a line up.
For subscriptions, it would be far better if they stuck their hand in their pockets. Also it would make no sense to try to move towards what LFC TV do, or try to compete with them on that front when we can't win. We offer something completely different. And if anything the mainstream has moved towards what fan media does rather than the other way - you see that on Sky Sports, on BT, LFC's new podcast etc.
In my own opinion and without anyone ever saying it I've always thought a big part of my job is to understand all of the things that made people buy into TAW at the beginning and ensure it doesn't deviate away too much from that while it evolves. To centre everything around what subscriber surveys tell us to make sure we give you what you want while pushing us to be better. That is sharing the experience from inside the ground, making you feel closer to it all if you're far away, reacting as fans to everything LFC, celebrating the city, supporting initiatives and when necessary standing for fan causes etc etc etc. All that just my opinion.
