A new media platform, The Messenger, has added two new basketball insiders ahead of the 2023 regular season. Seth Davis and Jeff Goodman have both announced that they will be joining the new outlet to cover all levels of basketball – high school; college; and the National Basketball Association. Both hires bring years of reporting experience and professionalism to the outlet and debuted a new column where they elaborated on what they perceive to be the biggest storylines heading into the new year.
Davis enters the role after reporting for The Athletic over the last six years and was one of the company’s earliest hires. The Athletic is set to serve as the primary vertical for sports coverage within The New York Times Company as it slowly disbands its sports department. While the newspaper laid off 4% of its newsroom earlier this year, Davis was not among those and is instead leaving the company on his own terms. Within his announcement, he expressed that he is “incredibly excited to get a chance to write consistently again,” and is doing so alongside someone he considers a friend.
Goodman served as a basketball insider for Stadium since 2018 after stints working at ESPN, CBS Sports and FOX Sports among other outlets. He appeared across Stadium’s content and multiplatform programming, frequently breaking news pertaining to the sport. The enterprising ability he has fostered over the years is part of the role he is commencing today with The Messenger.
The platform launched in May and initially focused on covering general news and politics. This startup company, funded by media entrepreneur Jimmy Finkelstein, has gradually expanded and is now making inroads in the sports space. The outlet has a goal of bringing in $100 million in revenue during its first year, primarily attributed to digital advertising that is being sold directly to marketers through automation. Moreover, the company aspires to host nearly 40 events next year as it looks to subsidize its work available outside of a paywall.
