Roughly one year ago, I approached SportsNet New York (SNY) to talk about how they could potentially benefit from the success of MetsBlog.com, and how MetsBlog could benefit from being associated with them.
SNY is New York’s newest sports and entertainment 
television network, and ‘home of the Mets, Jets and all things New York sports.’
Last week, following several month’s worth of phone calls and meetings, MetsBlog.com and SNY officially agreed to a partnership.
For the most part, according to our agreement, very little will change, in that SNY will have no editorial control – nor will they be able to directly alter how the site looks and feels. Without that assurance, I never would have entered into this arrangement.
At the same time, I intend to write MetsBlog.com as it has always been written. I will continue to appear on SNY programming – giving my opinion on the team and also promoting MetsBlog – and we will work together to create original online-video content that will appear on both of our sites. Additionally, I will help SNY develop new team-specific blogs for their website.
Furthermore, MetsBlog.com will have better access to the team, players, and information, which will make for far more original content then ever before.
Like you, my biggest concern had been that SNY will try to alter the site’s voice. However, and I cannot reiterate this point enough, it is still Matthew Cerrone’s MetsBlog.com – in every way, shape and form. From this point forward, though, in addition to writing MetsBlog in the exact same way you have come to trust, I now have better access to the team; better access to video content, and top-of-the-line equipment and producers to help create it; and, most important, you will get better and more original material to read and watch throughout the day.
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Congrats Matt! Keep up the good work………
Much Respect, Matt! Keep up the good work!
Great News!!! Hope there are no censorship issues… like not being able to discuss how horrible the Omar Minaya is doing this offseason (so far)… Milledge for a bag of chips… Omar, you can do better…
Way to go Matt, keep up the good work man!
Way to go Matt!!
Great job on your entrepreneurial venture. Really is outstanding, I’m sure a dream come true for you.
hahaha
love the name.
Now if you could just keep the damn site from crashing…you may be on your way
Congrats, Matt. I’m glad you’re getting more widely supported and recognized by others in the Mets universe. You deserve it and I don’t worry about Metsblog losing it’s identity or autonomy.
Matt, you are a god among men. Congrats.
I couldn’t be any happier for you Matt. I’ve been with this site all the way… and find great pleasure in it’s success.
wow … congratulations buddy .. the big time!! I look forward to seeing what this partnership will bring!
great job man….that is awesome
Wow! That’s awesome, Matt! Congrats, you deserve it.
Don’t forget us little guys on your way to the top…:-)
Congrats Matt…As one of the first members here it is great to see this happen.
Hey Matt,
You are truly living every Mets fans dream…good for you, you earned it, keep up the great work.
Way to go Matt! Metsblog is the class of baseball fans sites, to my eyes.
I guess it took a year to nail down that agreement that you get to work as closely as possible with Julie Donaldson.
Congrats, Matt…def a step up…
However, I’m of two minds about this. There is value to being an outsider, with no (however subconcious) need/desire to please the object of your opinions.
Of course, I’m too cynical, and there are certainly hundreds of other ‘outsider’ blogs to read if this gets too cozy with the good soldier routine.
Matt – as much as I am thrilled for you, and I sincerely mean that, there is no way on earth that this will not change the blog. It has been proven a million times over that once a writer is eating at the team trough, that the attitude changes.
It is kind of like in Cool Hand Luke, after his escape the bossman has Luke get his “Mind Right”……
The good news though is that in the end Luke remains true to himself and busts out again (of course he ends up dead with is a decidedly inconvenient thing for him)….. and so maybe it will be with you. A period of time enjoying the insider serenity with your “Mind Right” – and then a bust out back to private entrapeneurship where you are free to write as a fan.
HAH. Thats an excellent reference. I’m really happy for you Matt. There is not a person that reads this site that wouldn’t want to be in your shoes or a person who reads this site who would fault you for taking this opportunity. With that said, dap260 is correct. No matter how hard you try, whether you realize it or not, this will have an effect on the level of open criticism and completely unbiased attitude towards the organization on this site.
Congrats, Cerrone…
Well deserved.
You continue to keep me sane while at work. Congrats and lets go mets
Matt, you’re doing a great job, congratulations! you deserve it! I would never think of packaging you in a deal for an ace…
Maybe….
I don’t seem to remember any good Orioles blogs…..
….just saying. lol
Congrats Mat! I am excited and eager to read/see the new content in the upcoming months!
Congratulations! MetsBlog is always the best site for Mets+Baseball information.
Congrats Matt!
Congratulations Matt. You’re fantastic at this, and it’s been great witnessing the growing success of this business… while getting the best Mets’ info around. And I have absolutely no doubt about your ability to keep an unbiased tone. One need only read this site for a while to appreciate your integrity.
congrats matt, well-deserved!
All the best Matt, well deserved.
Congratulations big dog.
everybody get in your anti-willie and omar comments before the takeover!!
BRAVO!!!! Well done Matt. Best of luck!!
Great News! Congratulations!
Great work and congrats!
Congratulations.
As a Met fan, I think nothing but good can come from this. This site is far and away my #1 source for Mets news and with better access to various team components, it can only improve.
SNY is a pretty solid entity as well, I’ve been (for the most part) surprisingly impressed with the quality of their gamecasts / news shows since they started up a couple years ago and, judging by the quality so far, I’d say its a pretty good horse to bet on.
Good for you, you’ve earned it.
Congrats!
Congrats Matt. So when are you going to incorporate and go to public sharing. lol .
congrats
Congratulations. I wish our team was as good as this blog.
great Matt. Hope this sets them in the right programming direction cause they have some catching up to (YES)do
Congratulations, Matt. We all love the site, and we wouldn’t continue to come back if it weren’t for your personal voice. One request: I would guess I’m not alone in reading the site mostly at school, or work, or generally in situations that don’t allow me to play video with sound. Since this deal is going to result in a lot of exciting original video content, I think it’d be a good idea to accompany videos with a text transcript, or at least a text summary of what’s being said. Either way, it must be gratifying to have reached this level. Congratulations again.
good point.
Matt,
I think that this could really be a major positive development for Mets coverage. From everything I’ve seen of your work on this blog and in your podcast work, you’re a person of integrity and someone with imagination. I’m hoping that this partnership is a sign that the Mets and SNY are willing to encourage coverage that isn’t just PR, that can be critical, and that isn’t just run-of-the-mill sports analysis. I hope this also means that they are willing to get a little more creative and forward-looking in their coverage. SNY has a great team of broadcasters but they need to offer more in the way of Mets coverage than what they’ve given us so far. You could be the bridge between the organization and the vital world of the blogs and the real fans. I am very happy for you and I’m very excited by this.
Congratulations, Matt- you and this great site you’ve made deserve all the access you can get. This partnership can only mean good things for us Mets fans.
Hey Matt! Congartulations Dude! Looking forward to the partnership.
Way to go Matt. You have earned all your success.
Congrats!
Wow!!!
Way to go Matt!!!
Congrats. Great accomplishment. Thanks for everything.
Can you get them to fire Ferrell? Damn skank fan.
This is a great oppurtunity and well deserved. Congrats.
Congratulations Matthew – you and the Mets are true partners now!
I think this a lopsided deal, what are they really getting? you to help them blog? hehe. Congrats
Congrats Matt
All I ask is that you include in your contract with SNY that under no circumstances will SNY ever hire Fran Healy. That’s all I ask.
Congrat, Matt. Well deserved. Hopped over to SNY’s site and what is the first thing I see: Update on winter meetings. Click on it and it brings you to metsblog. Hope they are paying you handsomly.
Congrats, Matt! That’s great news. Good luck.
Simply awesome, Matt.
Nobody has worked harder at this than you have.
Continued success…
Matt,
A million congrats to you. This is something your hard work and dedication deserve. The whole gang at THR is pumped for you and wish you nothing but the best in this endeavor.
(Now any chance you can do something about Maz in the pre-game)
Congartulations Matt. I hope Omar has at least a little of your negotiating skills…lol.
I’m a newbie here but I’m a long time Mets fan.
Congrats from a big fan of the site
Matt. Congrats! This is big news for you. You worked hard at it and definatly deserve it. Hope more good things come for Metsblog and yourself
Miz
Matt,
Great for you! I hope this partnership blossoms into more exposure and success for you. You’ve created something truly unique here and I know you’ll be great with SNY, too.
As I’ve said many times….
Thanks for doing what you do!
Charlie
Wow. You are quite the business man.
Didn’t you say you were into politics? Man. You could probably get there after this business gets REALLY big.
Well done, just make sure to keep doing what you’re dong, that’s why we come back!
Hope you can keep up the good work and stay relatively independent. The Daily News turned turtle to the Mets since they have a financial relationship [sponsorship] with SNY … in fact their alleged sports media reporter Bob Raissman hasn’t said anything nasty about SNY or the Mets since the relationship begun — after all the mustachioed one gave Fred Wilpon the nickname “Skill Sets” … a nickname that disappeared from the DN archives almost 2 years ago.
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