The International Business Times has created a new user-generated sports content platform called SportsNet. Similar in concept to Bleacher Report, SportsNet aggregates submissions from hundreds of contributors writing on a wide variety of sports topics, each of whom must apply to write for the site but come from various personal and professional backgrounds. But SportsNet, like IBT, will be more globally focused than Bleacher Report and feature content on European football, F1 and other sports with strong followings outside of the U.S. The genesis for SportsNet derived in part from the often-passionate user comments tagged to traditional sports coverage from IBT. "The volume and intensity of our comments really showed us there was a desire to further empower the fan base to express themselves," said IBT Chief Content Officer Johnathan Davis. "We think this is a way to drill down even further into our readers' passions and offer another level of analysis and commentary." A team of editors will screen and edit submissions, and writers will be segmented into three groups: untrusted for new writers to the platform, trusted for the vast majority of contributors and featured contributors for select writers who will receive compensation for their work. SportsNet is currently operating in beta mode, with full functionality slated for early '13.
