By Mike Sherman, APSE 1st Vice President
In the five years since Associated Press Sports Editors have judged websites, only six newspapers have earned top-10 distinction every year.
Those newspapers are the New York Daily News, The New York Times, The Oklahoman, The Tuscaloosa (Ala.) News, USA Today and The Washington Post. Those streaks were extended by their top-10 finishes in the 2013 APSE website contest.
The sites were judged over two dates, randomly selected by the contest chair. Judges selected a top 10 in each category as well as honorable mentions.
The contest is split into three categories: Over 2 million average monthly unique visitors, 500,000-1.9 million uniques and under 500,000 uniques.
Special thanks to category chairs Izzy Gould of al.com (over 2 million), Matt Pepin of boston.com (500,000 to 1.9 million) and Todd M. Adams of UT San Diego (under 500,000).
Also, many thanks to contest judges:
— Robert Gagliardi, WyoSports; Ben Brigandi, Williamsport (Pa.) Sun-Gazette; Monica Holland, The Fayetteville (N.C.) Observer; Andrea Petrini, Newports News (Va.) Daily Press; Lyons Yellin, Tuscaloosa.com; Johanna Huybers, Reno (Nev.) Gazette Journal; John Boyle, Dayton (Ohio) Daily News; Pierce W. Huff, Baton Rouge Advocate in over 2 million.
— Mark La Monica, Newsday; Ed Guzman, Seattle Times; Roger Simmons, Orlando Sentinel; Howard Sinker, Minneapolis Star Tribune; Dana Sulonen, Tribune Chronicle; Ross Jacobsen, DeKalb (Ill.) Daily Chronicle; D.C. Reeves, Tidesports.com; Ryan Sharp, The Oklahoman; Tim Trower, Mail Tribune (Medford, Ore.); Dave Ruthenberg, Enid (Okla.) News in 500,000 to 1.9 million.
— Scott Monserud, Denver Post; Gene Warnick, Los Angeles Daily News; Nicole Poell, Kansas City Star; Angel Rodriguez, Cincinnati Enquirer; Victor Mather, New York Times; Mike Davis, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; Jason Levine, Wilmington (Del.) News Journal; Paul Skrbina, Chicago Tribune; Mike Persinger, Charlotte Observer in under 500,000.
Here’s the top 10 and honorable mention in each division:
OVER 2 MILLION MONTHLY — USERS
TOP 10
Boston Globe
Cincinnati Enquirer
Detroit Free Press
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
New York Daily News
New York Times
The Oklahoman
USA Today
U-T San Diego
Washington Post
HONORABLE MENTION
Chicago Tribune
The Denver Post
Indianapolis Star
Kansas City Star
Lincoln Journal Star
Newsday
Orlando Sentinel
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
The Star Tribune (Minneapolis)
Sun Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
500,000-1.9 MILLION — USERS
TOP 10
Baton Rouge (La.) Advocate
Boulder (Colo.) Daily Camera
Buffalo (N.Y.) News
Charlotte (N.C.) Observer
Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch
The Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, Ill.)
The Oakland (Mich.) Press
The State (Columbia, SC)
The Tennessean (Nashville)
Tulsa (Okla.) World
HONORABLE MENTION
The Clarion-Ledger (Jackson, Miss.)
The Commercial Appeal (Memphis, Tenn.)
The Desert Sun (Palm Springs, Calif.)
Knoxville (Tenn.) News-Sentinel
Omaha (Neb.) World-Herald
St. Paul (Minn.) Pioneer Press
Spartanburg (S.C.) Herald-Journal
The Telegraph (Macon, Ga.)
The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk)
The News Journal (Wilmington, Del.)
UNDER 500,000 MONTHLY — USERS
TOP 10
Daytona Beach (Fla.) News-Journal
Gainesville (Fla.) Sun
Lawrence (Kan.) Journal-World
Daily Press (Newport News, Va.)
Opelika-Auburn (Ala.) News
Roanoke (Va.) Times
Santa Cruz (Calif.) Sentinel
The Tuscaloosa (Ala.) News
Wisconsin State Journal
Wyoming Tribune Eagle (Cheyenne)
HONORABLE MENTION
The Herald-Times (Bloomington, Ind.)
The News-Gazette (Champaign, Ill.)
Northwest-Herald (Crystal Lake, Ill.)
Sauk Valley (Ill.) Media
Yakima (Wash.) Herald-Republic
(Mike Sherman is sports editor of The Oklahoman in Oklahoma City).
