The day we choose to stop covering the Steelers, Penguins or Pirates on the road, we'll either fold the business or morph into something else entirely. Like ditch-digging.
What we won't do is pretend we're there when we're not.
Don't laugh. That's becoming increasingly common, not just with Pittsburgh's two newspapers -- neither of which is traveling to cover the Penguins -- but across the U.S. and Canada. Oh, they don't tell anyone that. They just manufacture an article, or even put updates on social media, as if they're there ... when they're actually on their couch watching on TV. They'll then cull quotes from whatever a coach or athlete gets shown on a given postgame show.
I've got examples galore. Don't make me link to them.
Maybe there are readers who can't discern the difference. Maybe there are some who can, but who really don't care about genuine journalism. It's not like I've done some scientific research on the subject, so I can't know for sure.
But I'll ask you: We spend $125,000 a year to travel, and this year it'll be that much more because the Steelers are playing in Ireland and the Penguins are playing in Sweden.
Do you value that we're getting you stuff straight from the scene? And not just the articles but also the photos, videos and -- gasp! -- first-hand reporting?
Do you know, within this, that we couldn't do that without your subscription dollars? Meaning that your support is the literal separator between us and the newspapers in this regard?
Do you know, on top of all of this, that we're the only outlet in the market still doing this for all three of Pittsburgh's teams?
I'm VERY eager for feedback on this. Because I mean what I wrote up there at the top. I won't oversee an editorial operation that's sitting on its collective rear end. Not now. Not any point in the future. I'd rather ... I don't know, I've been told we have a shovel somewhere.
THE DRIVE'S REIGNITED
We added 34 contributions this week to our special-worker drive, raising our total to 453.
Thank you so much.
If you missed it, we're seeking reader help building a fund from which we can offer 3,000 massively discounted subscriptions for teachers, police, fire, nurses, other emergency workers and volunteers. They're $20 per contribution. We'll then sell these at two-thirds off the full annual price, and that'll remain their price forever.
• We're hiring again. Aiming high again. Hoping to add a terrific reporter to a terrific staff. No beat in mind. No template in mind. Just always looking to get better.
• I won't go too far with this, since it's not imminent, but I had a terrific talk this week with our friends at BoomPress, and they've come up with a concept for a live game-center presentation that'd take our live files to another level. And yeah, that'd make it possible for our live reporting and your live comments to be on the same screen. Again, though, it's a ways off.
• The NFL Draft's coming up in less than three weeks. We'll be all over the actual event, obviously, but there'll also be advance material galore, most of it from Chris Halicke.
• On the travel front, Taylor' Haase has the Penguins' final road game Friday in Newark, N.J., José Negron's got the Pirates' trip to Cincinnati, and Greg Macafee's got their next one to Los Angeles and Anaheim, Calif.
• Be sure to check out our new Images feed, where we try to take you along with us to the cool places we go, and where our subscribers send their own Snaps from all over the world. (Taylor's got some terrific ones up right now from Dealey Plaza in Dallas.) It's got a box on the home page now under Coverage That Connects.
• Everyone loving being ad-free? If you're not there yet, it's only for paying subscribers. If you aren't subscribed yet or if your subscription's expired: This is our subscribe page. From there, make sure you're logged in, tap on the link, and thumb down to the bottom for the SUBSCRIBE button to buy/renew at the monthly or annual level. We also offer mega-discounts, as ever, for student subscriptions and senior subscriptions.
• Grateful that so many are leaving us good reviews on other platforms. Feel free to add your own on our Google business listing, our Appleand Spotify podcast channels and, arguably most important, our own app, whether it's the Apple or Android version.
BACK TO BUSINESS
• Our page-view numbers were 988,958, with 30,352 unique users over the most recent full seven-day span, March 28-April 3. Our most-read original piece was my column from Penguins-Senators at PPG Paints Arena, at 17,795. That's the one that compared their plan favorably to that of the other two teams in town.
• On the multimedia front, our video views for the past week were 236,407, and our podcast downloads were 89,723.
• Thanks for reading and, as ever, for your support of this proud independent venture.
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THE ASYLUM
Dejan Kovacevic
1:07 am - 04.06.2025DowntownSite Stuff: Do you value our travel?
The day we choose to stop covering the Steelers, Penguins or Pirates on the road, we'll either fold the business or morph into something else entirely. Like ditch-digging.
What we won't do is pretend we're there when we're not.
Don't laugh. That's becoming increasingly common, not just with Pittsburgh's two newspapers -- neither of which is traveling to cover the Penguins -- but across the U.S. and Canada. Oh, they don't tell anyone that. They just manufacture an article, or even put updates on social media, as if they're there ... when they're actually on their couch watching on TV. They'll then cull quotes from whatever a coach or athlete gets shown on a given postgame show.
I've got examples galore. Don't make me link to them.
Maybe there are readers who can't discern the difference. Maybe there are some who can, but who really don't care about genuine journalism. It's not like I've done some scientific research on the subject, so I can't know for sure.
But I'll ask you: We spend $125,000 a year to travel, and this year it'll be that much more because the Steelers are playing in Ireland and the Penguins are playing in Sweden.
Do you value that we're getting you stuff straight from the scene? And not just the articles but also the photos, videos and -- gasp! -- first-hand reporting?
Do you know, within this, that we couldn't do that without your subscription dollars? Meaning that your support is the literal separator between us and the newspapers in this regard?
Do you know, on top of all of this, that we're the only outlet in the market still doing this for all three of Pittsburgh's teams?
I'm VERY eager for feedback on this. Because I mean what I wrote up there at the top. I won't oversee an editorial operation that's sitting on its collective rear end. Not now. Not any point in the future. I'd rather ... I don't know, I've been told we have a shovel somewhere.
THE DRIVE'S REIGNITED
We added 34 contributions this week to our special-worker drive, raising our total to 453.
Thank you so much.
If you missed it, we're seeking reader help building a fund from which we can offer 3,000 massively discounted subscriptions for teachers, police, fire, nurses, other emergency workers and volunteers. They're $20 per contribution. We'll then sell these at two-thirds off the full annual price, and that'll remain their price forever.
If interested: DK@DKPittsburghSports.com
INSIDE THE WORKS
• We're hiring again. Aiming high again. Hoping to add a terrific reporter to a terrific staff. No beat in mind. No template in mind. Just always looking to get better.
• I won't go too far with this, since it's not imminent, but I had a terrific talk this week with our friends at BoomPress, and they've come up with a concept for a live game-center presentation that'd take our live files to another level. And yeah, that'd make it possible for our live reporting and your live comments to be on the same screen. Again, though, it's a ways off.
• The NFL Draft's coming up in less than three weeks. We'll be all over the actual event, obviously, but there'll also be advance material galore, most of it from Chris Halicke.
• On the travel front, Taylor' Haase has the Penguins' final road game Friday in Newark, N.J., José Negron's got the Pirates' trip to Cincinnati, and Greg Macafee's got their next one to Los Angeles and Anaheim, Calif.
• Be sure to check out our new Images feed, where we try to take you along with us to the cool places we go, and where our subscribers send their own Snaps from all over the world. (Taylor's got some terrific ones up right now from Dealey Plaza in Dallas.) It's got a box on the home page now under Coverage That Connects.
• Everyone loving being ad-free? If you're not there yet, it's only for paying subscribers. If you aren't subscribed yet or if your subscription's expired: This is our subscribe page. From there, make sure you're logged in, tap on the link, and thumb down to the bottom for the SUBSCRIBE button to buy/renew at the monthly or annual level. We also offer mega-discounts, as ever, for student subscriptions and senior subscriptions.
• Grateful that so many are leaving us good reviews on other platforms. Feel free to add your own on our Google business listing, our Apple and Spotify podcast channels and, arguably most important, our own app, whether it's the Apple or Android version.
BACK TO BUSINESS
• Our page-view numbers were 988,958, with 30,352 unique users over the most recent full seven-day span, March 28-April 3. Our most-read original piece was my column from Penguins-Senators at PPG Paints Arena, at 17,795. That's the one that compared their plan favorably to that of the other two teams in town.
• On the multimedia front, our video views for the past week were 236,407, and our podcast downloads were 89,723.
• Our company social media: 59,655 followers on Facebook, 57,773 on X, 47,582 on YouTube, 16,692 on Instagram, 5,934 on Threads, 4,890 on TikTok, 2,623 on Bluesky
• We make mistakes. If you see one, email: Typos@DKPittsburghSports.com
• The Downtown HQ/shop's open Tuesday-Saturday, 12-6 p.m., and our company merch can all be had in our online store.
• Anything you need, email: Help@DKPittsburghSports.com
• Thanks for reading and, as ever, for your support of this proud independent venture.
Want to participate in our comments?
Want an ad-free experience?
Become a member, and enjoy premium benefits! Make your voice heard on the Steelers, Penguins and Pirates, and hear right back from tens of thousands of fellow Pittsburgh sports fans worldwide! Plus, access all our premium content, including Dejan Kovacevic columns, Friday Insider, daily Live Qs with the staff, more! And yeah, that's right, no ads at all!
We’d love to have you!