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Allow me to go slightly off topic this afternoon.
I guess it’s both off topic and precisely on topic. It’s more about business than baseball, but it’s strictly about BaltimoreBaseball.
Today is the one-year anniversary of our launch at BaltimoreBaseball.com.
It was last March 31, a day before the Orioles’ exhibition game in Philadelphia, when Steve Cockey and I decided to make our idea a reality and submit our introductory blog.
It was a leap of faith, and we had no idea whether the people who read me for all those years at The Baltimore Sun would care what I had to say now that I wasn’t with the city’s newspaper of record. Let’s just say this little project of ours has surpassed all expectations in one year.
We were pleased that we had 150,000 page views in April, our first month. We tripled that in May. By July, we had hit one million in a month and by September, in the midst of a pennant race, more than two million.
In our first full year, we’ve approached nearly 14 million page views. We have gone from a partnership of two to a staff that includes four more writers, a broadcaster/podcaster, a photographer and an advertising executive.
We’ve quickly expanded our coverage from Orioles and their minor league affiliates to also include local high schools and colleges. We’re trying to become your one-stop shopping for all things baseball in the Baltimore area.
In one year, we’ve submitted nearly 700 posts. And, so far, we’ve kept it all free. The initial thought was to solicit subscriptions; in fact, I wrote about that intent in our first entry. Instead, we’re trying to make this work by landing advertising (of the Internet and local variety), so if you’re in the market to advertise your business with a growing site, well, we have a suggestion.
What we want most from you is to continue giving us a chance – whether it is reading our stories or commenting on our blogs or downloading our app or subscribing to our newsletter or listening to our podcasts or liking us on Facebook or following us on Twitter or watching our videos or visiting our advertisers or advertising with us, if you have that capability. You get the point.
And, please, let other Orioles fans and baseball fans, in general, know that we exist. There are plenty of good Orioles/baseball sites around, but there’s definitely room for another. You showed us that throughout the past year.
Frankly, for us to expand on our first-year success and keep going, we need your continued support. In turn, we’ll try to keep giving you interesting and unique content.
On behalf of Steve and our other staff members, I want to thank you – our readers, listeners, viewers and advertisers – for making this first year happen.
Now, get ready for Year Two – and our second season covering the Orioles, and all things baseball in Baltimore.
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Congratulations! It's been great to watch the site grow over the past year.
Thanks so much, Karks. Regular readers/commenters like yourself really mean a lot to us.
You have really done a nice job with the optics of the site.
Ditto
First off, let me say that there are NOT a lot of good Oriole Web Sites ... but there is one.
Yours is without question the best. And frankly, I've never enjoyed reading Orioles news from any other writer more than I have yours Dan Connolly .. in my book, you're the best. (even if you claim to NOT be an O's fan)
One last thing .. and this is REALLY strange ... March 31st is my birthday. Powerful forces drive this universe of ours ... I call it Juju.
Thanks Steve and Dan, you're my first read every day of the year.
Hope that was a typo. I'm not a fan. But I'm a friend. Really have enjoyed your banter this year. Thanks for the kind words.
Congratulations. You have done a great job with some really great people.
Thanks Boog. Have loved having you as part of the community.
I couldn't be more excited for Oriole Baseball and for the continued success for the site. You guys did a great job in your first year, and I know the content will be just 'AS SPOT ON" in year two. Good luck and I know how much work this takes,let's hope the Orioles are as good as the two of you and the rest of the staff!
Thanks Brooks. Have appreciated your input.
Congatulations. I love this site. It's the first place I go to in the morning after checking the weather and my email (this is typically more rewarding than either). Keep up the great work.
Appreciate it Major.
I love coming here for news and opinion--quicker and more reliable than looking around on Twitter. And having a few regulars who post, while avoiding the drama on some of the other sites, is a big plus. Glad you've made it this far--wishing you all more continued success!
Thanks a lot Enigma. Keep opining with us.
Really enjoy your work, congrats on year 1 here's to many more !
Thanks. Much appreciated.
Dan, Great. Site. I'm from CT so this the place I go. Perfect blend of wit, humor, and insight.
Thanks Hoodsie.
Dan,
There are three sites I check daily, every day of the year, and one of them is yours. I always feel that the Baltimore insights I get from your site are well thought out and valuable. Thanks!
Thank you Gee
Congrats and continued success. I can't help but sit here and wonder if Duquette said to Mr. Angelos, "Gimme Chris Sale and I'll give you a Series." I'm guessing Peter just got up and left.
They didn't have the minor league horses to get Sale. Nobody in system close to talent of Moncada. And they gave up more.