Looting the competition: MD versus AMI/Weider

[lil mama]

This story gets better and better every day. How many snakes are in this pit? These two seem like strange bedfellows. One you say is clueless and the other has been around the industry for years. Weird scenario. Do they also trash talk behind the other's back?

Just curious ... Joe, did you have access to MD's analytics? Does "Chris Hoebrecker, aka FLEX double agent-boy" have access to their analytics? If he does, I'm wondering if the clueless guy thinks he can trust someone with a track record like Hoebrecker. If so, he truly must be clueless.

Another question.

Why is Muscular Development fixated on RxMuscle and FlexOnline when NPC News appears to be the biggest player in the game? Did anyone ever mention NPC's numbers while you were there? If they are serious about their competition, why ignore NPC Online?

[JohnnyStyles]

It would be cool of NPC News hooked RxMuscle as their TV/Radio team lol

This all reminds me off old school WWE / WCW / ECW rivalries . . .

[Joe Pietaro]

This story gets better and better every day. How many snakes are in this pit? These two seem like strange bedfellows. One you say is clueless and the other has been around the industry for years. Weird scenario. Do they also trash talk behind the other's back?

Just curious ... Joe, did you have access to MD's analytics? Does "Chris Hoebrecker, aka FLEX double agent-boy" have access to their analytics? If he does, I'm wondering if the clueless guy thinks he can trust someone with a track record like Hoebrecker. If so, he truly must be clueless.

Thy pit run deep...

I personally didn't have access to MD's analytics, just FRX Men's. And, yes, Hoebrecker had access to MD's analytics.

Perhaps my "double agent" remark was more than that. And that is just a guess; no smoking gun present.

[Octavius]

Thy pit run deep...

I personally didn't have access to MD's analytics, just FRX Men's. And, yes, Hoebrecker had access to MD's analytics.

Perhaps my "double agent" remark was more than that. And that is just a guess; no smoking gun present.

Come to think of it, any competing bodybuilding contest reporting website would be happy as hell to hire a guy who has sensitive statistical information about Flex and Muscular Development and not afraid to reveal it.

If things go South at Muscular Development, with the information he has access to, that guy would be a great catch for RxMuscle, NPC News or heck, even Joe's musclesportsmag.com.

Well, that's only if any of those sites want to go about business in a particularly sleazy fashion.

[Joe Pietaro]

Come to think of it, any competing bodybuilding contest reporting website would be happy as hell to hire a guy who has sensitive statistical information about Flex and Muscular Development and not afraid to reveal it.

If things go South at Muscular Development, with the information he has access to, that guy would be a great catch for RxMuscle, NPC News or heck, even Joe's musclesportsmag.com.

Well, that's only if any of those sites want to go about business in a particularly sleazy fashion.

I want absolutely nothing to do with him at all. Honestly, I don't give a fuck what the other sites are doing. If I'm putting out material that is interesting, I'll get the views.

[Sandwich]

People talk ..but i see more movement here than in MD . . .things have slowed down over there.

Nothing personal, JS, but both properties have slowed down to a crawl. This is the last gasp for breath before it's all over unless Dave/Steve inject some cash and fresh ideas.

[Joe Pietaro]

Dave & Chris are crucifying Blechy in the first few minutes of this Heavy Muscle Radio episode & Gregg Valentino isn't even on yet! #WhyCutBack is my new favorite hashtag.

[Musclepapa John]

It would be cool of NPC News hooked RxMuscle as their TV/Radio team lol

This all reminds me off old school WWE / WCW / ECW rivalries . . .

I remember in Pittsburgh Dave interviewing JM for what must have been more than an hour about old times in the NPC. It was pretty cool. Dave is passionate and treats all the competitors in all divisions with the same high regard in interviews and NPC News has access to everybody. Would be nice to see you and Dave work out some live content to augment what both are doing separately now.

[Musclepapa John]

People talk ..but i see more movement here than in MD . . .things have slowed down over there.

What they have:
-print and tear workouts with athletes they liked so much they dropped.
-Peter McGough remastered stories from his dusty old file cabinet.
-Workout vid part 16 with the same Texas athlete.
-forum goodbyes to ex-MD athletes & berating by usual suspects of various NPC/IFBB divisions
-reposting the IFBB 2015 schedule
-posting of videos sponsors sent in.

Plus they've got analytics. Do you know where your analytics are tonight?

[Joe Pietaro]

You guys have to check out the new Heavy Muscle Radio. Even more signs of the sinking ship formerly known as MD with Blechy reaching out wooing Aceto and having the balls to say they're still number one and not cutting back while the competition is cutting back to 8 issues a year (FLEX).

No free pass given here, as the recent cuts by MD are mentioned, including Gregg Valentino, who is oddly enough a guest on the very same episode.

Dead-on impersonation of Blechy by Dave & I think I shot a load in my sweats enjoying the airing of further dirty laundry in the MD camp.

[Sandwich]

^^ Joe is right. Dynamite interview. Best I've heard in years.

[Admin]

Come to think of it, any competing bodybuilding contest reporting website would be happy as hell to hire a guy who has sensitive statistical information about Flex and Muscular Development and not afraid to reveal it.

If things go South at Muscular Development, with the information he has access to, that guy would be a great catch for RxMuscle, NPC News or heck, even Joe's musclesportsmag.com.

Well, that's only if any of those sites want to go about business in a particularly sleazy fashion.

Chris Hobrecker is the Digital Creative Director at Muscular Development/FitnessRx and he also works for NPC News Online.

He is a talented graphic artist and his work is found on the front page of the MD/FRx websites as well as the NPC News Online website.

[Octavius]

Chris Hobrecker is the Digital Creative Director at Muscular Development/FitnessRx and he also works for NPC News Online.

He is a talented graphic artist and his work is found on the front page of the MD/FRx websites as well as the NPC News Online website.

Really??????

Can anyone confirm that Chris Hobrecker, the guy supplying FlexOnline's statistical information to Steve Blechman, also works for NPC News Online???

Is this true? Joe? Musclepapa?

Who can confirm that Chris Hobrecker works for MD and NPC Online? Is there any proof? If no one talks, perhaps we will need to call in the Mayor! If MOB can't get to the bottom of this, who can?

Sandwich, perhaps next time you and Steve Blechman talk into the wee hours of the night "about sports," maybe you can ask him? Yeah, I'm sure lots of guys talk "about sports," into the wee hours of the night with Denise Masino too. LOL. Please change your avatar so people will take you seriously.

[Musclepapa John]

If the Admin here says its so then that's good enough for me. Fact is most all of us likewise work for the federation website in one way or another. While others claim to be #1 in multi-media coverage etc they are the 80,000 lb gorilla in the room. No other site has as much access, can generate content more cost effectively, etc than them. The NFL, MLB, NBA, etc dole out contracts to networks for coverage, but at this stage in development of our industry the federation itself has taken over as the leading media provider. Its part of the culling process I think that will be good for everyone in the long run bringing higher end media outlets hopefully television into the mix and more media professionalism. Where Chris has a part in that progression with his artistic skills its a good thing.

Really??????

Can anyone confirm that Chris Hobrecker, the guy supplying FlexOnline's statistical information to Steve Blechman, also works for NPC News Online???

Is this true? Joe? Musclepapa?

Who can confirm that Chris Hobrecker works for MD and NPC Online? Is there any proof? If no one talks, perhaps we will need to call in the Mayor! If MOB can't get to the bottom of this, who can?

Sandwich, perhaps next time you and Steve Blechman talk into the wee hours of the night "about sports," maybe you can ask him? Yeah, I'm sure lots of guys talk "about sports," into the wee hours of the night with Denise Masino too. LOL. Please change your avatar so people will take you seriously.

[JohnnyStyles]

Dave & Chris are crucifying Blechy in the first few minutes of this Heavy Muscle Radio episode & Gregg Valentino isn't even on yet! #WhyCutBack is my new favorite hashtag.

HAHA

#WhyCutBack !!!

I remember in Pittsburgh Dave interviewing JM for what must have been more than an hour about old times in the NPC. It was pretty cool. Dave is passionate and treats all the competitors in all divisions with the same high regard in interviews and NPC News has access to everybody. Would be nice to see you and Dave work out some live content to augment what both are doing separately now.

I remember that!