AccuRecruit shortcuts sports scouting

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by Paul Schreiber|ret||ret||tab|

SBJ Reporter|ret||ret||tab|

pschreiber@sbj.net|ret||ret||tab|

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Strafford-based AccuRecruit LLC is creating a recruiting shortcut for major athletic coaching departments that's catching on across the country.|ret||ret||tab|

Designed to get athletes exposure to talent scouts, athletic directors and coaches, Internet-based AccuRecruit LLC began a marketing push Aug. 1. Its Web site, www.accurecruit.com, features a growing inventory of filmed games and player profiles that college recruiters can view at the click of a button in their perpetual quest to fill rosters with up-and-coming talent.|ret||ret||tab|

"It's a way for (colleges and universities) to get access to good players without spending all the money. They can do it from the comfort of their office or home," said Brent Murray, Midwest area coordinator for marketing and sales, and one of the company's six employees.|ret||ret||tab|

Launched in October 2002, AccuRecruit is co-owned by Ryan Barnes and Sean Coughlin. Content was first downloaded onto AccuRecruit's Web site in October 2003, Barnes said, and until now, viewing games and players' bios had been free. AccuRecruits' Web site was developed by Victor Boc, author and talk show host of the nationally syndicated Victor Boc Radio Program.|ret||ret||tab|

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Getting the picture out|ret||ret||tab|

The Web site features 1,000 game and player profiles, with 300 yet to be added. Making those profiles available to the public requires a broadband Internet connection. To do this, AccuRecruit has a contract through February 2005 with Cimarron Broadband, a Ponca City, Okla.-based Internet provider, to host its Web site.|ret||ret||tab|

To upload all the games AccuRecruit wants to make available, the company has made a technology upgrade from its previous T1 service to the faster OC3, said Jerald Stone, executive director at Cimarron.|ret||ret||tab|

"I think they're putting up as many as 400 basketball games per week at times," he said.|ret||ret||tab|

AccuRecruit's server is located in office space it leases from Cimarron, Barnes said. For about $900 a month, AccuRecruit gets both Cimarron's Web hosting services and server space, he added.|ret||ret||tab|

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Revenue possibilities|ret||ret||tab|

Revenues are derived from institutions or individuals paying for the AccuRecruit service. Videotaped game footage sells for $14.99, Barnes said. The cost to view entire tournaments consisting of hundreds of games will vary between $200 and $300, depending on the number of games involved. An unlimited annual service contract is in the works.|ret||ret||tab|

Since tracking the number of hits began a year ago, Internet traffic has grown from 70 hits the first month to an average of about 1,500 per month. The site has seen up to 2,000 hits a month during peak basketball seasons, he added.|ret||ret||tab|

Barnes has invested about $200,000 into the company and forecasts about that much in first-year revenues. If current interest holds, however, that estimate might prove conservative. "We've just started tracking the money coming in. I'd say we're probably hitting about $7,500 a week in sales," he said.|ret||ret||tab|

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Marketing|ret||ret||tab|

Murray's job is to get the word out. His approach is to highlight the convenience and scope of the Web-based service, emphasizing cost savings and utility against the traditional method of sending scouts far and wide to scrutinize players.|ret||ret||tab|

Building relationships with school districts and major tournaments sponsored by companies like Nike, Reebok and Adidas is a continuing effort, Barnes said. One such arrangement is a three-year deal AccuRecruit has with the Kansas-based Jayhawk Community College Conference, a consortium of schools playing both men's and women's sports.|ret||ret||tab|

Getting the Jawhawk Conference schools on board to do the physical work of filming the games simplifies things immensely, Murray said. "We are providing them with a camera, a tripod, 50 tapes, and some flyers and some T-shirts each school. And they're going to film it themselves and send us the tapes," he said.|ret||ret||tab|

"Our marketing strategy is to let every college Division II school, or four-year college, let them know that we've got the Jayhawk Conference, and they can check it out online and buy the package from us," Barnes said.|ret||ret||tab|

Considering the thousands of high school and junior college games played annually in the United States, coupled with the quest by universities to secure the best talent they can, AccuRecruit has an enormous field in which to work, according to Cimarron's Stone.|ret||ret||tab|

"I think the concept of what they're trying to do is certainly an attractive one," Stone said. "If the business is managed properly, and they're able to get the games up on a timely basis, and they get enough coaches and interested parties out there looking at the product, I would think that it's going to make money for them."|ret||ret||tab|

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The decision|ret||ret||tab|

In addition to AccuRecruit, Barnes owns two local businesses, Barnes Residential Inc., a construction company, and Barnes Property LLC, a property leasing business.|ret||ret||tab|

Barnes's venture in marketing athletes to colleges was determined, in part, by a lackluster performance from his own high-school coach. "I went to college to be a coach," he said. "But, I didn't play (in) college because my coach wouldn't get off his duff and help scout me. That's one reason we started this company. Our main emphasis is to help these kids connect with the recruiters and the colleges so they have an easier access to be seen."|ret||ret||tab|

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