New York Islanders Allow Bloggers Into Press Corps

The Islanders on Saturday became “the first professional sports franchise to credential a permanent group of bloggers as part of its press corps,” with 11 bloggers in attendance. Islanders PR Dir Chris Botta "admits that he is making up much of this on the fly," he "says that many of his colleagues around the NHL think he has lost his marbles.” Botta added, “The only censorship is nothing profane. If they want to go off on a trade or a signing we make, they will.” Botta said Owner Charles Wang and GM Garth Snow are “enlightened enough to understand this is a good thing.” Botta said Wang told him, “We’ll get beat up in Newsday and by Larry Brooks in the New York Post, anyway, so what’s the difference if we get beat up by another 12 people?” Deitsch wrote on Saturday,“Every blogger outwardly cheered or clapped for Islanders goals except for [B.D.] Gallof, who offered slight fist pumps.”
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/richard_deitsch/10/08/islanders.bloggers/index.html