CSN Philly Looks to Expand with BeerLeaguer.com, SB Nation Agreements

Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia has announced two new content agreements regarding its digital platform CSNPhilly.com. The deals come on the heals of significant year-over-year increases in traffic to CSNPhilly.com, according to CSN Philadelphia.

“Over the past year, we have made significant investments to CSNPhilly.com to develop the region’s leading source for multi-platform sports coverage, including the additions of our team of Insider correspondents, bolstered sports blogs, new interactive elements and additional social media tools,” says Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia SVP and GM Brian Monihan.

BEERLEAGUER.COM

CSN Philadelphia has acquired the popular local Phillies blog, Beerleaguer.com. The site’s founder Jason Weitzel launched Beerleaguer.com in 2005 and will continue to be the site’s primary content author. As part of the acquisition Weitzel assumes the newly created position of content manager with Comcast Sports Group. Weitzel, a 2000 graduate of Penn State University, was named “Best Sportswriter 2008” by Philadelphia Magazine and previously worked for the Reading Eagle as a web design editor where he managed news and content updates on the newspaper’s website.

This is the second blog acquisition for Comcast SportsNet this year. In March, CSNPhilly.com also added the popular local sports blog, the700level.com. Both blogs will look to take advantage of CSN Philadlphia’s technological resources, including traffic management, video and social application integration, and cross-platform content exposure.

SB NATION PARTNERSHIP

CSNPhilly.com has also engineered a content-sharing and cross-promotional partnership with local SB Nation sports blogs. Philadelphia sports fans will be able to access featured breaking news, analysis, and other local sports content from both CSNPhilly.com and local SB Nation outlets on each other’s sites. Local SB Nation sites include TheGoodFight (Phillies), BroadStreetHockey (Flyers), LibertyBallers (Sixers), and BleedingGreenNation (Eagles).

CSNPHILLY.COM TRAFFIC INCREASE

CSNPhilly.com has seen significant growth in the site’s traffic numbers in 2010. From January to May 2010, page visits have increased 165%, page views have increased 149% and the number of unique visitors has jumped 190% over the same time period last year.

In addition to added blog content, CSNPhilly.com is expanding the amount of live online video and social media including, Twitter content, live game chats, integrated fan content and exclusive Stanley Cup coverage. This past NBA season, CSNPhilly.com became the first regional sports network to stream online live local NBA coverage of Philadelphia 76ers games.