Citing "mounting competition for Internet readers,"
SportsLine USA will introduce a system that "rewards"
browsers for spending time on its Web sites, according to
David Poppe of the MIAMI HERALD. SportsLine currently has
60,000 paying subscribers but will now ask readers to
register for free on the site. Registered users will
receive points for each site page visited, which can then be
redeemed for "sports gear, tickets, memorabilia and online
chats with sports celebrities." With SportsLine Rewards,
SportsLine hopes to "build loyalty" and to "warm up
consumers to the idea of buying merchandise" on the Web
sites. To keep its base of paying subscribers, SportsLine
will still require a paid subscription for access to its
columnists and fantasy sports info. Poppe writes that
"lately" SportsLine has been "falling behind" ESPN.com in
audience numbers, while CNN/SI.com "has been gaining."
SportsLine will "look for its rewards program to jumpstart
growth" (MIAMI HERALD, 1/20). On THESTREET.com, Eric
Moskowitz writes that the program "comes at a crucial time"
as SportsLine "is gradually losing ground" to ESPN.com.
SportsLine members pay $4.95 a month (THESTREET.com, 1/20).
