Roll Tide for $10/month?

Image by smile4camera via Flickr

   I made a promise to myself to not spend anymore time lamenting the pay wall issue, but the Alabama Daily launching the the TideSportsExtra.com site makes me want to illustrate a point.  For $10 a month or $59.95 per year, you get “photos, blogs, video and extensive coverage, the site will offer an unparalleled fan experience.”  Somehow, the Alabama Daily believes they have a monopoly on pictures, videos, blogs and stories on Alabama sports.  I fail to see how you can demand a ransom unless you actually have a hostage!  So…let’s see if this prospective “hostage” can escape.

Generic Alabama sports sites:
- http://www.rolltide.com/
- http://www.al.com/sports/
- http://msn.foxsports.com/cfb/team/alabama-crimson-tide-football
- http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/teams/aad

Alabama football sites:
- http://www.rolltide.com/sports/m-footbl/alab-m-footbl-body.html
- http://www.al.com/alabamafootball/
- http://bamaonline.com/
- http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/clubhouse?teamId=333
- http://www.bamapride.com/
- http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/teams/alabama-crimson_tide/

I guess 5 minutes is enough Googling, cutting and pasting to make the point.  C’mon, $10 a month?  I’m not even remotely interested in Alabama sports or even Alabama football, so starting from a dead stop I was able to find more sources of content in 5 minutes than I could read in a day.  Gee, I feel awfully free, unencumbered and potentially informed.

If you don’t actually have a hostage, don’t demand a ransom.  

” We do not negotiate with terrorists. We put them out of business.” – Scott McClellan

P.S.  Look closely at that photo – AALABALMAA?  Should have gone for “RETARDS”. Oh, somebody please explain the backwards “B” for me. Sheez!