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The Players' Tribune

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By Stan
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Stan

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44709136

Has anyone else read stuff on here? I've found it very interesting and at times, encapsulating. Getting in to the minds of the footballer's from their very own accounts. It's a fresh take in total contrast to the scare-mongering, scapegoating, cut-throat media that we have in this country, anyway.

They're really good reads once you get stuck in. I think Ranieri and Fuchs have done one which first piqued my interest in to the site.

As the site exec says, it's raw. Straight from the heart of the player/athlete. 

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"Athletes are often defined by what we do on the pitch, but there's so much more to us."

Dani Alves was one of the best defenders in the world and his achievements are well documented. A three-time Champions League winner, who has won league titles in three countries with Barcelona, Juventus and current club Paris St-Germain, plus 107 caps for Brazil.

In his 17 years as a professional footballer, Alves says he never really felt he could tell his life story, the one beyond the public image, until he took matters into his own hands.

He is one of more than 2,000 athletes to contribute to the The Players' Tribune (TPT) website.

You may have seen Romelu Lukaku and Raheem Sterling do the same during the World Cup. They addressed controversies in their life, hit back at critics and gave raw, honest accounts of their upbringings.

The articles helped change some of the public's perception and attitude towards them.

It's a new form of journalism that is becoming more and more prevalent, from social media posts and retirement announcements to Manchester City's 'All or Nothing' documentary. Players are "taking control" of the narrative.

"It is as if you have dropped in on a conversation", says TPT's New York-based executive editor Sean Conboy. "How they would talk with their friends or family."

Written in the first person and in their own words, including their mannerisms and colloquialisms - each article is sealed with the player's signature.

Athletes are treated like writers and are involved in the whole editorial process, right up until publication and Conboy dismisses the notion that the articles are ghost written. They are a collaboration and athletes need to be contactable at all times as they take a "considerable amount of time".

Alves has written two articles. His first, called The Secret, told his life story and he contacted TPT about it. The second, From My Soul, covered the knee injury that ended his World Cup hopes in Russia and allowed him to "get a message" to his Brazilian fans.

"I was very involved, from the very beginning, till the moment we published," Alves told BBC Sport.

"My editor came to where I was playing at the time, in Turin. We spent hours together, talking about my life and this piece. We were in constant contact throughout the entire process, right up until we published.

"Not until I knew it was perfect did we post. It was a great process, even cathartic for me. A piece I am very proud of."

TPT contacted Sterling for his story, but in America some athletes have pitched their own stories and essays, while NFL and NBA stars have announced big transfers on the site.

Some athletes are so invested in the process they are constantly jumping into the shared Google document to make changes and alterations.

Conboy flew over to Manchester and spent hours working with Sterling before the 23-year-old England forward left for the World Cup.

Sterling wanted his story to inspire children from a similar background and the player worked with an editor all the way up to the publication date.

He addressed criticism of his lifestyle and the media "picking on him" because of a perceived love of "bling". It came after criticism of a gun tattoo, purchasing clothes at high-street chain Primark, and even for buying his mother a house.

Sterling also opened up about his father's murder and life growing up in London with his mother and sister.

"You just stay out of the way and listen, let them talk through their life experiences," says Conboy. "We do not want this to be something polished, but be raw."

"These are not made-up stories, not fluff or to sell something," says TPT chief executive Jeff Levick. "Sterling was not PR, that was his story. It is hard to argue when someone puts themselves out there, lets people see their own trials and adversities."

TPT was founded by US baseball legend Derek Jeter and backed by athlete investors including NBA legend Kobe Bryant, who announced his retirement with a poem on the site.

Alves in an ambassador, as is Barcelona defender Gerard Pique, who has helped grow the business in Europe.

One reason Alves decided to publish his stories was the chance to show a side to him that fans don't see on the pitch.

"My life story, growing up, had never been told, not in my words," he continued.

"Fans are limited to what they consume from traditional media or social media - I wanted to go deeper and take fans on my journey.

"As footballers, we are more than just athletes. We are people, we have families, we have stories, we come from somewhere. It's being able to show that side. It's about what you don't see on the pitch, or hear in a news conference."

Levick says the site removes the "intermediary" between fans and an athlete and lets them speak in an "unfiltered way, telling the stories they want to tell".

Conboy adds: "You find they go through so many things in life you can't capture on Wikipedia or Twitter.

"We are trying to provide a level of empathy and curiosity about their superheroes, for them to be seen as human beings and not just the guy you see on TV. There are only so many things they can say about football."

Another reason Alves got involved was "control and trust".

"I was able to be completely honest, to be myself and not worry about anything being taken out of context," he adds.

"It's a nice change when you can control the story and make sure the truth and facts are actually what people will read."

Conboy expands further, saying the players find it a "safe environment" to tell their story.

"For some of these players, English is not their first language," he says. "It is their second or third language and they feel vulnerable and worried their words will be taken out of context."

"What we do is help the athlete not let the press control their persona," adds Levick. "We remove the click-bait headlines and spin."

Levick was the former chief revenue officer at Spotify and he sees parallels between TPT and the music streaming service. He says the site is a "disruptor" to the news industry, adding: "Traditional journalism covers sports, we cover athletes."

But Conboy says it complements traditional media rather than replaces it and is "authentic storytelling", while Alves says journalists are "important to the game of football".

"Sometimes you want to speak directly to your fans, versus telling your story through a third party," he adds.

"We speak to the media every day, too, so it's not like TPT is a replacement for that. But it's a great platform because it allows us the freedom to be transparent and to not let the message be taken in a way that wasn't intended."

"When the stories come out they are genuinely happy," concludes Conboy. "They feel they have made a connection and created something their kids or grandkids will read."

 

 

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Stan

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15 minutes ago, Marc said:

The Sterling one was fantastic. I'll have a look at a few more tonight. Any other English players on there? The likes of Fuchs obviously doesn't interest me!

Harry Kane has done one but can't remember what it was called. Zero to Hero or something like that. Rio Ferdinand & Jordan Henderson has as well. 

Schmeichel is another one I forgot to mention with a Leicester link.

@Eco may be interested in Miguel Almiron's contributions.

Juan Mata's is really good. There really is a vast selection and that's just the football ones. Managers have their say too; Allegri, Tite. 

I know my feelings on the guy aren't that strong, but I actually found Cristiano Ronaldo's one a good read, @Teso dos Bichos will like it if he hasn't read it already. 

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I have read a few of these. There have been a few from (American) football players that I grew up watching that were poor and made a lot of money from the sport, and reading about their hard ships is really eye opening. 

I haven't read the Almiron one, but I'll be sure to do it. 

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Viva la FCB+

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Ill have to check out the KDB one. Ive posted a few throughout the years a couple I remember sticking out; Kimmich - talked about growing up and rising up through his system and meeting Pep, Robben - covered a bit of everything, even his time at Chelsea and The Ranieri one as well. Generally some great reads.

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Smiley Culture

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On 15/04/2019 at 16:18, Stan said:

Yep, not too time-consuming but can be quite deep and personal. I think the KDB one is one of my favourites so far. 

Heard it talked about on Talksport so give it a read. Very good. 

“Coaches Voice” is also a very good website with a similar style to the Players Tribune. 

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1 minute ago, Smiley Culture said:

Heard it talked about on Talksport so give it a read. Very good. 

“Coaches Voice” is also a very good website with a similar style to the Players Tribune. 

I just like that it's a grounded, down-to-earth outlet for player's to talk about the game they love and to downplay any presumptions or pure shite that media might spout about them. It's their story. 

Their take on it, right from the heart and you sense it in the way that it's portrayed. It's just raw and passionate.

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Another couple of enjoyable reads.

Liverpools fans might want to read the Andy Robertson one:

https://www.theplayerstribune.com/en-us/articles/andy-robertson-liverpool-champions-league

@Dr. Gonzo @Dr Boris Gobshite @LFCMike @LFCMadLad @YNWA @Burning Gold @Mel81x @Harry

Dortmund/Bundesliga fans - Gotze's story.

https://www.theplayerstribune.com/en-us/articles/mario-gotze-danke-dortmund

@BartraPique1932 

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3 minutes ago, Stan said:

Another couple of enjoyable reads.

Liverpools fans might want to read the Andy Robertson one:

https://www.theplayerstribune.com/en-us/articles/andy-robertson-liverpool-champions-league

@Dr. Gonzo @Dr Boris Gobshite @LFCMike @LFCMadLad @YNWA @Burning Gold @Mel81x @Harry

Dortmund/Bundesliga fans - Gotze's story.

https://www.theplayerstribune.com/en-us/articles/mario-gotze-danke-dortmund

@BartraPique1932 

Didn't know there was a thread for them, I posted the Robertson one in the Liverpool thread!

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I actually teared up a bit at the end of the story they have a fantastic picture of the brothers holding the CL trophy and one of them is in tears. Fantastic read, check it out. Ill post it in the Liverpool thread as well as this is one of the best Ive read in awhile. 

https://www.theplayerstribune.com/en-us/articles/trent-alexander-arnold-liverpool-football-club

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23 minutes ago, Viva la FCB said:

Not football related but an excellent read for anyone interested; Blake Bolden is a black female scout for the Los Angeles Kings (NHL)

https://www.theplayerstribune.com/posts/blake-bolden-los-angeles-kings-nhl-hockey

Well the LA Kings sure as shit aren't taking her advice with the team they have put together, maybe they should be because I can guarantee her scout report said 'don't sign Athanasiou'  xD Well, I can't complain too much they did take Olli Maata off my team's hands.

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