Website: MoonDog Sports

Interview With: Fred Vannucci

When did you start your blog?

I began blogging in late October posting at Fox Sports Blogs. I got my current site off the ground on January 13 of this year.

What made you start it?

I read several blogs regarding college football and felt some of the opinions being expressed were off-base. Having played football I believed I could offer an insight into the game. Beyond that, I viewed blogging as I would any hobby.

What is your background?

After six years in the military, I went back to school and completed my degree. I’ve been in the transportation industry for nearly 16 years and I currently have my own business which I run from home.

Do you blog for fun or are you trying to make it a career? What is your goal with this blog?

I do blog for the sheer enjoyment of it but transportation will always be primary focus. However, the site has done well and I see the potential for it becoming one of the most viewed sports blogs on the Internet. Ultimately, that’s what I want this site to be – THE destination for readers that want a mix of sports, politics, social views, opinion, analysis and of course, half-naked chicks. You’ve got to have half-naked chicks.

What was your tipping point? What put you on the map? (if you bring in more the 5,000 uniques a month)

Several of the large blog sites (Losers with Socks, Epic Carnival, Awful Announcing) have linked to many of my posts. Sites like SI and Real Clear Sports have linked to a few of my articles as well. Ball Hype has been a great source for bringing attention to my content. I visited a ton of sites and began to post comments, especially those that were similar to my site. Eventually you begin to build relationships and share information.

But the most important aspect of growing my site is writing – not just any writing but writing well-researched, thought-provoking content. I stay true to myself and make every effort to provide the reader with an honest and insightful opinion.

What type of blogging software do you use?

WordPress.

What ad network(s) do you use?

Adify, Google AdSense. I’ve negotiated independent ad sales recently too. At some point I’d like to eliminate Adify and Google and run ads that are exclusively negotiated between me and an advertiser.

How much money do you make off your site monthly?

Without getting into specifics, I generate more in one month than it costs me to run the site annually.

If you could get something for free to help you out with your blog, what would it be? (Ex: design, marketing, ad optimization, etc)

SEO. I’m not embarrassed to admit that meta tags, keywords, robots, etc. aren’t my forte. I scour through my Google Webmaster Tools and do the best I can with it, but I know it could be much better.

What are some of your favorite blogs?

Losers with Socks, Gate 21, Fulmer’s Belly, Epic Carnival, Awful Announcing, Your Mother Slept with Wilt Chamberlain, Crash Burn Alley, Picture Me Rollin’, The Nasty Boys, Mean Dovine, Football News From a Chick, NESW Sports. Look, if you’re in my blog roll, you’re one of my favorites. Check out my site’s blog roll for links to all of my friends.

Any bold predictions for the future of sports on the internet?

You can see the future of the sports-related blogosphere today. You’ve got sites dedicated to a particular team or sport. There are sites that post a lot of content everyday on a variety of subjects. You’ve got the bigger sites that have multiple writers and small sites like mine that are a one-man show. Each niche has a place in the sports blogosphere, with each site independently identifying what segment they choose to position themselves.

Over the next 10 years or so, you’ll see a continued decline of newspaper and magazine subscriptions. I base that on current data but also the generation proceeding me will begin to pass into history. That generation was raised with limited options. The younger generations that have used the Internet almost exclusively for its intended purpose will expand and thus, the need for immediate access to information will bolster those of us that have established a foothold in the blogosphere.