I have worked with the Web 3.0 framework for months now, and taken a crack at defining how the web is likely to evolve in the future. So here’s a recap of the thesis so far. I will be adding a dimension to this framework shortly, so it is a good time to stop and
M&A and VC activity In February 2007, Sports Illustrated bought a 40% stake in the social networking site FanNation for $25 million, valuing the sports social network at $60 million. FanNation aggregates, filters, and customizes all the relevant player and team content available at any time on the Internet. Sports Illustrated has also entered into
If you have the problem of head lice or are looking for some of the best diet tips ever, chances are that you would head to WebMD’s (NASDAQ: WBMD) health portal to find your answers. More serious illnesses like Diabetes and Cancer drive tremendous traffic on health portals, WebMD being one of the largest in
Web 3.0 formula discussion Context Most of the sports sites that I went through have very good contextual nuances. These sites have something for every sports fan. I liked the way sites like NBA.com, MLB.com and NFL.com have covered the respective sports. If you love Basketball and want to check out on some stat or
Early this month, in the space of a week, two things happened at Blockbuster (NYSE: BBI). First, on August 8 it announced acquiring Movielink for a price that later came to light to be a measly $6.6 million. 10 days later on August 17, COO Nicholas Shepherd and outgoing CFO Larry Zine both unloaded a
Business Model Most online sports sites earn money from advertisements, subscriptions, retailing of sports equipments and merchandising. They have also realized the need for convergence with other media and mobile network for better broadcast and more ad dollars. The popularity of fantasy sports leagues has also drawn advertiser attention, as the fantasy games bring in
February 25, 2007 was a red-letter day for Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX). It marked its one billionth DVD delivery since the service was launched in September 23, 1999. The happy NFLX top brass decided that the lucky recipient from Helotes, Texas would be a free lifetime member. The occasion also had NFLX changing its TV advertising
Overview So, you thought Sports was all about watching games and cheering your favorite team? Think again. It is big business on the Internet and is all set to win the game with live streaming, match highlights, scores, bulletin boards, fan blogs, social networks and fantasy sports services. According to MediaPost, more than 35% of