On3.com well-positioned to become preeminent source for college sports

August 16, 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NASHVILLE — With the goal of becoming the preeminent source for college sports coverage and recruiting news, On3.com debuts today. On3 will cover college sports in an expansive fashion, with national voices such as Ivan Maisel, local team sites like KSR and Inside Texas and a first-of-its-kind player database in the works.

“Over the next several months, we will be launching various aspects and features of what will be the next-generation college sports media and data company,” On3 CEO Shannon Terry said. “Today is just the beginning.”

Terry knows of what he speaks. He and his team are the founders and creators of Rivals.com (acquired by Yahoo! Sports in 2007) and 247Sports (acquired by CBS in 2016). 

On3 will be composed of three primary pillars: stellar national college football, basketball and recruiting coverage; iconic fan publications that cover individual teams; and a recruiting and player database, replete with features that never have been seen before.

College sports has undergone a tremendous transformation in the past few months — from the introduction of NIL to the proposed expansion of the College Football Playoff to what looks to be another round of realignment — and On3 is well-positioned to be a primary news source in an ever-changing landscape.

Maisel has covered college football for the likes of Sports Illustrated and ESPN.com for more than three decades, and he will be joined on the national team by writers Matt Zenitz and Eric Prisbell and editor Mike Huguenin. Prisbell will specialize in the coverage of college sports business. Other notable hires will follow.

Recruiting is the lifeblood of college sports, and Terry has plucked former Rivals.com national recruiting analyst Chad Simmons for a similar role at On3. Joining Simmons are former 247Sports scout Charles Power and former ESPN and 247Sports analyst Gerry Hamilton. Terry also hired social media influencers Hayes Fawcett (football) and Joe Tipton (basketball) to bolster On3’s social media efforts.

And as any college sports fan can attest, one never can get enough news about their favorite team. That’s why On3 licenses and acquires team sites that provide comprehensive, team-based coverage while capturing the passion of college sports. More than 20 fan sites have already agreed to terms to join On3.

On3 also hopes to transform a stale industry with a revolutionary database (“On3 db”) designed not only with fans and media in mind, but also players and coaches. “On3 db” will do more than just display photos, videos and rankings; it will allow players to upload their own content to the pages; provide NIL data directly to players, fans and coaches; and house an exclusive education section for players and their parents, among other features. On3 recently announced the hiring of Grant Frerking, a current University of Tennessee football player and entrepreneur, to lead the company’s NIL education efforts.

“We see these three components — national news from respected and seasoned writers, local team sites that provide comprehensive coverage, and a next-gen player database — as core to what college sports fans want and deserve,” Terry said. “I’m happy today is finally here, but there is so much more to come. I think college sports fans are going to eat this up.”

Media contact: 

Will Crall
615-969-5983
[email protected]

Twitter: @On3Sports @On3Recruits @On3NILU

Instagram: @On3 @On3Recruits @On3Coms