Another Bucs Media Shakeup Today
August 20th, 2018
Less than 10 years ago, the Bradenton Herald, Lakeland Ledger, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, and Orlando Sentinel had writers and columnists covering the Buccaneers regularly. And the official newspaper of the Buccaneers, The Tampa Tribune, had a team of reporters on the beat.
Today, the Tribune is extinct and those other newspapers rarely give the Bucs a serious thought.
Times sure have changed for the largely inept and struggling mainstream sports media, and another shakeup in their ranks came today.
The Tampa Bay Times, an official marketing partner of the Buccaneers, waved goodbye to Greg Auman, who served as a full-time Bucs beat writer alongside Rick Stroud for the past five years.
The Times knew this was coming and no replacement for Auman was announced. Auman now works for the pay-to-read site TheAthletic.com, which is flush with investor cash but seriously lacking local readers.
Joe learned many months ago that the Times planned to scale back its in-person coverage of Buccaneers road games in 2018. That came as no surprise considering the Times is hemorrhaging red ink like Joe eliminates gas after mauling an all-you-can-eat taco bar. In April, former Lightning beat writer Joe Smith jumped from the Times to TheAthletic.com and he was not replaced.
Joe finds this all very interesting, especially considering local sports radio stations have nearly abandoned written coverage of the Bucs and the Buccaneers themselves pump a fat pile of cash into their own coverage of the team.
More media coverage of the Bucs is a good thing, not less. So Joe has mixed feelings about today’s shakeup at the Times.
Of course, the competitive side of Joe appreciates how so many high and mighty who mocked and ridiculed JoeBucsFan for years are enduring the inevitable reality of their stale coverage and poor business dealings.
Yes, Joe expects more Bucs media shakeups in the next year.
Don’t worry. Joe is on solid ground. Yes, even more solid than the mighty Ira Kaufman Podcast, which is now on a 10-month run on the Google Play podcast top charts (all subjects and genres across the United States).
One thing that would enhance coverage of the Bucs on all fronts would be something called a playoff berth.
Joe’s just guessing on that, though, since there have been no Bucs playoffs since JoeBucsFan.com launched in 2008.
August 20th, 2018 at 5:38 pm
“Who needs these old timers when you have 10-15 Celebrity Posters at JBF”
Kobe Faker
August 20th, 2018 at 5:43 pm
You have a strong following and have carved a niche in what you do.
August 20th, 2018 at 5:47 pm
Shocked that Greg Auman lasted as long as he did.
August 20th, 2018 at 5:49 pm
This is not really about “coverage” or the talent of the writers or the commitment of the papers.
It’s totally about technology. Newspapers have been dying for a long time now because of the internet and a gazillion cable sports and news outlets. Papers are no longer the “authoritative” or only loud voice covering news and sports.
We can bemoan the bad part of this or celebrate the evolution of technology. It all works out in the end.
I still get the Times but I read the WAPO and NYTimes online as much as I read the Times but I still like a local perspective for area news.
I love JBF for many reasons but one of the biggest is that even though the Joes are bloggers they still observe most of the journalistic conventions. I was a journalism major so I appreciate that.
The Joes are transparent and when they wish to cheerlead they don’t hide it. They are not simply homers who spin things at all times for the home team though. They do a great job of attribution I just find them to have credibility.
Opinions are great but when it comes to reporting facts I like credibility.
I like to read posters here who are credible and we have a LOT of them. This is largely a talented group of guys with interesting takes and facts. I learn a lot here.
August 20th, 2018 at 5:50 pm
@Kobe LOL
August 20th, 2018 at 5:53 pm
The times as a business is a long time out of touch mostly liberal rag. I hated it non sports coverage. I tip my hat to guy the Hubert Mizell and Greg auman who gave us Bucs coverage and were a nice read with a cup of coffee. I ageee I would never have taught when the music stopped Joe Bucs fan would be the last one standing but I know why. Hopefully the Athletic does not hire TJines
August 20th, 2018 at 5:55 pm
So Greg Auman got Fired by the St. Pete. He did not get fired. –Joe Oh Tampa Bay Slimes Dog Crap Ass Papar today, real rich Fat No Name Joe, a 3rd rate Sports Writer who couldn’t spell “CAT”? got fired by “THE TAMPA TRIBUNE” Himself! Joe did not get fired from The Tampa Tribune. –Joe You know folks, Yours truly, David Corcoran covered several Bucs games in 1988 for The Stanford Herald in Stanford, Fla. even did a big preview of the Bucs-Dolphins game that year, Ira Kaufman knows? because he covered that game for UPI., and the late Jerry Greene for The Orlando Sentieal as well. Bucs COO Brian Ford has copies of my stories, and when I see Ford at One Bucs Place on Wednesday, Ford will tell me, “ You know Dave, you need to get a Job Writing at the Times, maybe even at WDAE!”. That’s sounds good to me! Monday’s Best Bet, in MLB take Cleavland (Klubler on the mound) vs. the Boston Red Sox at even $ -105 at 7 PM on MLB Network. Thanks for the love folks, See all of my fans at Bucs Camp on Wednesday. David Corcoran, Winter Park, Florida.
August 20th, 2018 at 5:56 pm
When I imagine Rick Stoud at the Times, I picture him in a giant open room with desks and cubicles everywhere and he’s the only one there, with the only light on being a small one on his desk! Lol
August 20th, 2018 at 6:18 pm
This isn’t unique to Tampa…..newspapers all over the country are struggling….cutting staff….
It’s quite simple for JBF……..support Joe’s advertisers and let them know where you saw the ad and thank them for their support of the site.
I can’t express how important that is if you want a healthy JBF.
August 20th, 2018 at 6:25 pm
BE75 Lmfao 😂💥🧐
August 20th, 2018 at 6:48 pm
Kobe Faker Says:
November 20th, 2016 at 10:42 am
Yes, i will sacrifice myself in behalf the the tampa bay bucs.
If tampa wins i will not post here ever again
Lets go bucs!
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This is what you are famous for haha.
Oh and proclaiming to look like Chris Conte….naked.
This site does have some loons but you just got to laugh sometimes.
Whatever the formula, you guys had good foresight in designing this website and thank you for it. I won’t give the Times a single click the last 3 or 4 years other than to see what ridiculous article they spewed out next.
Keep up the great work!
Go BUCS!!
August 20th, 2018 at 6:52 pm
A real Yawner.
August 20th, 2018 at 7:04 pm
The funny thing in the journalism world is how these newspapers blame everything from tax laws to technology for their demise. Never do they say that they didn’t or don’t know how to adapt. Exhibit A is how the Times or any other outlet didn’t buy “Joe” when it became evident years ago that they were on to something here. I imagine those clowns would have jumped at the cash. Instead, they keep doing what’s not working.
The Athletic is out there spending millions before they earn a nickel of profit. They would have been better off opening a Chinese restaurant. That site will be a shell of itself in 2 years and Auman will be wondering what happened.
Strange world.
August 20th, 2018 at 7:04 pm
Joe
When are you gonna hire St. PeteBucsFan?
August 20th, 2018 at 7:05 pm
lmao Kobe
August 20th, 2018 at 7:09 pm
David Corcoran.
Hey Dave, where exactly is Stanford Florida?
I know where Sanford is, but for the life of meI have never heard of Stanford Florida.
Oh, and how much money did you lose by betting against the Bucs Saturday?
Don’t bother answering that question…you are a proven liar.
August 20th, 2018 at 7:24 pm
David Says:
August 18th, 2018 at 3:55 pm
I’ve been making $$$$$ Betting on NFL Preseason Games for over 26 Yrs. now folks! Have many contacts in Las Vegas, Including my good friend Dave Tully of VSIN. Taking The Titian’s +3 is a “Real Cheep Number “ for a team that should win at home by at least 14 Points. Final Score Titian’s 24- Tampa Bay 13. Good Luck YUCKS Fans Tonight, you need it. David Corcoran, Winter Park, Florida.
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Thanks David. Hope you get a job at the Times. You will fit in with the rest of the D Bag media.
Keep betting with those skills and you will be needing a job. Even a short temporary before the times go under.
August 20th, 2018 at 7:27 pm
Doosh
LMAO….thanks I think LOL. But I’m too old…too lacking in talent and Joe is too smart.
I’ve been through technological revolutions in my own broadcasting career.
In my 20’s I loved rock and roll so I was a morning “air personality” on a top rated AM station in Greenville SC. Bad timing on my part. FM radio was already wiping out AM music stations because of fidelity, stereo and strength of signal.
It wasn’t fun watching my ratings and those of my friends continue to sink. I joined the crowd and moved to FM and voila my ratings returned.
At the age of 32 I took my first sportscasting job. In 1981 I became the sports director to the top rated station in the Tri Cities of TN/VA. That was right when cable was starting to explode and ESPN came on the scene. TV news departments began cutting sports department’s air time and budget. Again that was technology not bad programming or journalistic decisions by the broadcasters.
Now AM and FM stations have trouble because again the satellite technology and music delivery on the internet have almost rendered them obsolete.
And so Margo with all due respect…hate to burst your bubble but TECHNOLOgY is the reason for all of this not because the papers weren’t trying or the writers and editors were too “librul” or out of touch. And in case you want to get it…think back before our time…the guys who made horse buggies went out of business after the automobile came on to the scene.
Was that because the buggy makers didn’t get it? Couldn’t figure it out?
St.PeteBucsFan, you need to broaden your mind and realize what a bad analogy the horse buggies one is. First, our newspaper friends decided years ago to give away a product free online but still expected people to still pay for it via a subscription. It was the epitome of ego and being disconnected from their consumers. Also, they failed to innovate while online car sales sites, employment sites and real estate sites, etc., sprung up and stole massive shares of their revenue. There was no reason that those newspapers couldn’t corner that online market 15 years ago with their incredible power, reach and pockets. Instead, they dug their heels in on a dying model and failed to diversify to match the times. There are so many examples. Joe could go on and on and on. Technology is not what crushed the newspaper business. News and commentary is still desired and consumed. –Joe
It’s why coal miner employment dropped dramatically and will never come back regardless of what our Dear Leader” tries to say. Renewables and natural gas have simply made coal a bad choice…nothing personal to coal miners…time marches on for everybody.
August 20th, 2018 at 7:38 pm
Remember when newspaper had a sports editor who was like the godfather of sports in an area? Hubert Mizell? Tom McEwen? They’d be Gone even if still aliove.
I once sat next to Tom McEwen on a team bus going to the stadium in Marquette Michigan for a game. It was like sitting next to a God. We chatted, but it was an out-of-body experience for me. No doubt he was impressed with awestruck monosyllabic answers from a sophomore.
Now everybody is a sports god…in their own eyes (not directed at JBF at all.)
August 20th, 2018 at 7:43 pm
Someone correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t Greg Auman the culprit who Justin exposed on Bucs Uncensored? For lying and misquoting people about the Bucs? Joe believes you are referring to a Martin Fennelly column. –Joe
August 20th, 2018 at 7:45 pm
David Corcoran , your prediction for last night’s game couldn’t have been more wrong.
August 20th, 2018 at 7:47 pm
Dooshlarue Says:
August 20th, 2018 at 7:04 pm
Joe
When are you gonna hire St. PeteBucsFan?
___________________
He is happily retired! 🙂
August 20th, 2018 at 8:10 pm
Joe do you plan to take your most fanatical readers/posters out of the cooler when the season starts? Am I correct in guessing that even SPBF is in the cooler? Which is just crey to me but wtfdik?!
Don’t make me change screen names, I’ve been a good boy ever since Roy T got bounced. What can I say? I get passionate at times but I’m as soft as a overpaid overhyped perennial pro-bowler DT with a superhero fetish. Lmao.
Commenters go in the cooler when they require babysitting (aka steer Joe’s precious time and attention away from the Bucs). This site is not better when Joe invests time filtering through published comments that check off the boxes that Joe cannot tolerate for various reasons. There is no shame in the cooler. It’s better than the street. –Joe
August 20th, 2018 at 8:26 pm
There is no shame in the cooler. It’s better than the street. –Joe
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Rodger that! I for one would need to got to the Betty Ford clinic if I ever got kicked to the streets.
August 20th, 2018 at 8:29 pm
My my how times have changed. By the time I have grandkids they won’t know what a newspaper is.
August 20th, 2018 at 8:59 pm
One of the problems that has always plagued newspapers is it’s distribution expense……(TBBF was once a District Circulation Manager for the Tampa Times) while a student at USF.
The cost of newsprint & distribution is high. Newspapers do have unlimited space but it costs to have more pages.
One of the problems for TV & Radio has always been limited commercial inventory…..only 24 hrs in the day.
The advent of Cable with multiple channels to sell & a dual revenue stream make it very profitable.
The Internet has no limits on time & space……
Joe can type away…..
IMO the difficulty for Newspapers is that their primary demographic is literally dying off…..younger readers are harder to find….and they will be mainly on their devices for news and entertainment.
If it weren’t for live sports and local news….local TV stations would struggle.
Other sources for entertainment like Netflix, Amazon & Pay Movie channels along with Kodi & Terrarium siphon off viewers…..but local TV still survives mainly by forming LMA’s (Local Market Agreements)….and merging into larger groups.
There……is my two cents worth for today….and thanks to JBF & the Internet, I could have even made it longer without expense.
August 20th, 2018 at 9:08 pm
I’ll add this. When is the last time you “let your fingers do the walking” in the Yellow Pages? Talk about being replaced by the smart phone & Google…..
August 20th, 2018 at 9:20 pm
@Joe
We’ll have to agree to disagree on this one….just as I pointed out with more than just the obvious horse and buggy example…I wasn’t there but I have to believe there were plenty of horse and buggy guys who wouldn’t face the technogical facts…when you’ve earned your living doing things a certain way it is HARD to change.
Then again perhaps we are actually agreeing.
“There was no reason that those newspapers couldn’t corner that online market 15 years ago with their incredible power, reach and pockets.”
Exactly…but then they wouldn’t be newspapers anymore but an online internet site. Nothing wrong with that but it is a different technology which is my point.
It’s adapt or die…this is why you have IRA…he saw the writing on the wall. This is why IRA and you guys are now spending effort on podcasts.
Technology is absolutely the driver of this. There is NOTHING the newspapers could have done other than move more quickly to the internet model and realize that was the future and print was the dinosaur.
If you’re point is that some people hung on to a dying model…print…yeah I agree…just as I hung on too long to AM Top 40 radio…just as I hung on too long to my TV Sportscaster gig. We won awards..did all that we could…the first station to let us cover the top sport there NASCAR by doing road trips Daytona and other races. For a few years that enabled us to hold off the new ESPN and cable competition. But then ESPN started doing the races live…when I started Daytona…Talladega..and Darlington were the only races covered…we went and shot the rest and came back and edited packages which were very popular in our market.
When cable and broadcast started covering EVERY race live there went our advantage and wasted efforts trying to hang on.
Did the St. Pete Times move to the internet fast enough…NO…I agree….but there is NO writer…NO editor..not even you two..who could or can save the Times or any print media that hasn’t adapted with a strong revenue stream from the internet.
When I first got into radio AM radio had over 90% of the audience compared to the 10% of the nascent FM stations. By the time I left that was reversed.
So what happened? Did all the AM people suddenly screw up? Nah…many times the EXACT same format and personalities simply moved to FM and recovered their audiences….UNTIL…satellite radio. I NEVER listen to broadcast radio anymore…it’s all Sirius whether it’s music, news or sports. It’s my preferred delivery system…the easiest TECHNOLOGY.
If you really think about what we’re talking about here is simply DELIVERY systems. People now days simply no longer enjoy getting their news delivered every morning in a printed form. They would just as soon access their info on the internet or TV/Cable.
So I stand by my point. I certainly concede the “business operators” of all these doomed industries whether horse buggies or coal or newspaper or broadcast radio hung on to their dying industries squeezing every last dollar they could.
Nobody ever walks away from $$$ even if it’s less than they used to make.
And as for their greed…NOBODY defends newspapers. They were charging my last business more than a hundred dollars for a simple three line employment ad that I could get on Craig’s List or Tampa Backpage for less than 5% of what the print people were still trying to charge. Since most of my potential employees were young and loved the internet I not only got it for a fraction of the cost of print but got far better results.
I’m no economist but I believe our Capitalist friends call this “creative destruction” the force of the free market at work.
Bottom line is there was nothing anybody in the newspaper industry could have done to save their “print” editions.
August 20th, 2018 at 9:22 pm
@SB
You are correct sir…very happily retired! 🙂
Perhaps in fairness Doosh was just snarking a bit because some here view my longer posting style as attempt to “audition”. Nah…again I’m retired so I have a lot more time than you working guys. LOL
BTW Doosh if you were teasing me sorry for misunderstanding.
August 20th, 2018 at 9:50 pm
Let’s see JBF was launched in 08 and the last time the Bucs made the playoffs was 08….. Jiminy Christmas I hope that Joe isn’t the reason we have sucked for so long!! (Just kidding Joe)
August 20th, 2018 at 10:05 pm
Joe your site is too good for the Bucs. You should demand a trade to Oakland so you can cover Chucky as he romps through the AFC this year
August 20th, 2018 at 10:06 pm
Ashame it wasn’t Tom Jones, just sayin’
August 20th, 2018 at 10:07 pm
^A shame- stupid autocorrect
August 20th, 2018 at 10:13 pm
Greg had done a great job reporting on either USF or the Bucs. He is a standup
guy and it is not a surprise that he ended up at a more worthy and lucrative situation.
August 20th, 2018 at 10:15 pm
JoeBucsFan……..the new bellcow (or cowbell?) of Buccaneer news!
August 20th, 2018 at 10:20 pm
WOW! Let’s see, This Morning, I gave out my Best Bet play with Cleavland +105 over the Boston Red Sox in MLB.! Just in, Cleavland wins 5-4 over Boston. Keep them Cards and Letters coming in. You all know that David Corcoran is 1000 times better than that “Febble Minded” Big Lard ASSSS, Looser, Pat Donovan and J P Peterson at 620 WDAE. Just like Elias, “ Who Wants To Walk With David Corcoran!” Now it’s time to Watch Cartoons Folks! David Corcoran, Winter Park, Florida.
August 20th, 2018 at 10:58 pm
I pulled a Times out of the dumpster to check out the write up on the Bucs vs Titans. Jones was comparing Winston vs Mariota as to who was the better pick when drafted. None of the above, what else.
August 20th, 2018 at 10:59 pm
David Corcoran= Boca Grande. Just saying.
August 20th, 2018 at 11:18 pm
I basically came to say what Buccfan37 said. Since I moved to Denver, I have had to depend on sites joebucsfan more and more for simple stuff that I would normally just hit up tampabay.com for. Case in point the recap of the game. As much as I like opinion pieces, I could not for the life of me find a simple recap; box score was hidden there somewhere, but otherwise I was left with more questions than answers because I was working during the game. Yes it is preseason, but that is what the paper of record for the Tampa Bay Area is for. If they can’t even get that right, they might as well turn into the local fishwrapper that they print all the legal notices in.
August 21st, 2018 at 12:23 am
St pete,
I have to believe you’re unaware of the 61% increase in coal exports last year. Similar growth is expected this year.
August 21st, 2018 at 2:48 am
Greg Auman worked hard, wrote really well and was very fair and conscientious. I wish him well, but I can’t see subscription model working in this space.
I don’t disagree with what St. Pete and a few others said about adapting to the new technology, but it’s more complicated than “They should have moved to the internet years ago.” You have to develop a whole new way of doing business. New methods for creating ad content, new formats (native ads), new systems for targeting ads (like Facebook and Google), new pricing models for ads, etc.
August 21st, 2018 at 4:17 am
Bucs fans need to band together and unsubscribe i from the Times…. Tom Jones and Co will have to pack up those shtick and leave town if we do that. I’d love nothing more.
August 21st, 2018 at 4:18 am
Their *
August 21st, 2018 at 5:53 am
In my restaurant daily people are sitting around reading that garbage newspaper… f tom Jones
August 21st, 2018 at 6:24 am
Why wasn’t it Tom Jones?
August 21st, 2018 at 7:03 am
I used to listen to WDAE a good bit and always subscribed to the Times 6 months of every year (during football season of course).
Haven’t done either in about 10 years now….
Yet I’m more informed than ever about ALL the details of “what’s happening” with the Buccaneers.
Online sites like JBF and PR and Buccaneers.com are totally dominating the Bucs “news” market now and rightfully so. Multimedia is a powerful tool – and the “instant gratification”aspect of the internet is the only viable medium for sports “reporting” moving forward.
In the old days I would listen to the after game radio show, watch news casts the night after a game for tidbits and any available TV shows like the one Rock Riley and Mark Robinson used to host (which were great) – then wait for the news paper on Monday morning and Monday’s radio shows to get ALL the details and “professional” takes about the previous day’s game.
Now, by the time Monday morning’s newspaper would have been delivered at 6 am – JBF has already published 16 articles about the game – and they start to appear just minutes after the game has ended….
Good riddance to the big dogs and Rick Strouds of the world I say!
Onward and upward!
August 21st, 2018 at 7:29 am
Corcoran must be an unglish majur he rote fer manee papurs en his carreeer in meediuh he nows the skore in thiss markut!!
August 21st, 2018 at 7:50 am
If you use the word looser, you better be talking about slot machines or women. If you are trying to say loser and spell it looser….you are a complete loser.
August 21st, 2018 at 8:59 am
sucks…..some of my favorite memories were sitting at the table in the kitchen with my grand dad reading the newspaper…..and there was 1 TV with 4channels with the phone being down the hall……
that was the life….
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!….#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!
August 21st, 2018 at 9:00 am
yeah, I think its a combo of technology and losing…..
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!….#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!
August 21st, 2018 at 9:05 am
Well, video killed the radio star i guess.
Personally I agree with most of the comments about how newspapers failed to innovate and ended up losing out on the internet market.
It also comes down to talent and competition.
I appreciate sites like JBF for cranking out content and allowing us to debate the issues of the day about our team.
Hats off to you JOE(s) !!!!
August 21st, 2018 at 9:17 am
Joe believes you are referring to a Martin Fennelly column. –Joe
Ahh. Thanks for clearing it up 🙂
August 21st, 2018 at 9:19 am
This story inspired me to investigate the possibility that reporters could individually publish articles on the internet, with pay to view payment options. On the surface, it looks like it would not work, but…Amazon has Kindle Unlimited, which allows people to read for free, and Amazon pays per page read.
Something along those lines might work.
August 21st, 2018 at 12:09 pm
“The FAILING Tampa Bay Times!”
August 21st, 2018 at 5:54 pm
Have they fired that slug Tom Jones yet?