USA TODAY Acquires Action Sports Network: Banquet
According to a press release, USA TODAY has acquired Banquet - an action sports digital network that covers skateboarding, surfboarding, motocross, bmx, mountain biking, wakeboarding, snowboarding, skiing and lifestyle. The move is meant to increase USAT’s reach with the youth audience:
USA TODAY’s acquisition of Banquet is another example of the innovative ways we are trying to diversify our audience,” said Craig Moon, president and publisher of USA TODAY. “We believe that action sports are a dynamic and exciting category and that we have found an excellent stand alone brand which truly resonates with the youth audience.
Banquet also offers a social networking platform for action sports enthusiasts:
Its content forges connections between users who can contribute and upload their video, photos, blogs and more. User generated content as well as professionally produced media comprise BNQT.com’s video offerings. BNQT.com also plans to fully integrate eCommerce abilities into the user experience, letting users purchase select items in the content they watch and the ability to purchase downloadable segments from leading action sports films.
How is USAT going to use this reach to the youth audience to their advantage? Through its affiliated advertising network of more than 20 affiliated action sports sites, communities, video sites and blogs (Cold War Collective). They are reaching more than a million highly engaged action sports enthusiasts per month, and offer the premium solution for advertisers and brands to reach this audience in a relevant context.
Filed under: Acquisitions, Tech News | Tagged: action sports, banquet, usa today
Thats not quite the best fit but certainly not the end of Action Sports. Look at Transworld, VANS, REEF and ASR. All gobbled up by the main stream monsters yet still producing good product.