Medium Large Sports Media Creates a "Baked-In" Presence for Sports Fans

Medium Large Sports Media, a mid-sized digital sports publisher covering teams like the Lakers, Dodgers, and also the NHL, had wanted to launch mobile apps for years. They struggled with resource constraints and technical complexity, putting the project consistently on the back burner.

With 70-80% of their traffic coming from mobile users, they knew apps were essential for user retention and engagement. MobiLoud helped them finally achieve this long-desired goal with minimal operational overhead.

Snapshot

Vertical: Sports media/digital publishing

Platform: WordPress

Key Metrics:

• ~10 minutes average engagement time
• ~6 sessions per month per user
• 4.9/5 app rating with no negative user feedback

Business Impact:

• Launched apps after years of delays due to resource constraints
• Eliminated the need for an in-house development team or costly contractors
• Created a "baked-in" presence on users' phones for better retention
• Seamless WordPress integration with push notifications

"MobiLoud did the heavy lifting, from build to launch, so we got a lightning-fast app without slowing our newsroom down. Fans love it; we’ve had zero complaints since day one."
- Ian Chin, Co-Founder & Managing Director

The Roadblock

Medium Large Sports Media had been wanting to launch mobile apps for 4-5 years, but faced multiple barriers that kept the project on the back burner. As Ian Chin, founder and managing director, explained: 

"We're a medium-sized company. So our resources are limited, and our time is limited. And we've got 17 full-time guys and three part-time guys. And 18 of them create content. And then me, my bookkeeper, and my ad guy run the entire business."

The challenges were clear: limited budget, no in-house app development expertise, and the overwhelming technical complexity of building and maintaining native apps. 

The cost of custom development at $150-300 per hour wasn't feasible for a sports media business with tight margins. And internally, all their team was focused on content and business operations. Ian himself had to handle server management and web development in the early days of the business.

Yet 70-80% of their audience was on mobile. And Ian recognized (drawing from his own habits), that people preferred to get their sports news and content from apps. So they needed to find a solution for the technical roadblock.

Why They Chose MobiLoud

MobiLoud solved the core issues that had prevented Medium Large Sports Media from launching apps for years. 

As Ian put it: 

"When we first thought about apps, they didn't have companies like yours, right? So there was no ‘app out of a box’ or stuff like that. You had to hire a developer, right? And you had to put your trust in a developer."

The key advantages MobiLoud provided:

• Eliminated technical complexity: "You guys take all that heavy lifting off my plate. And Diego goes, Ian, I need this from you. And I go, here you go."
• No need to hire developers: Removed the need to vet contractors or manage a development team
• Turnkey solution: Complete handling of app submission and technical requirements
• WordPress integration: Seamless synchronization with their existing content management system

"It really made it easy. And that's what’s needed for someone like me, where technologically, I get it, but I don't have the time to do it myself, or vet people and hire people. That’s a lot of work."

Launch & Results

The app launches exceeded expectations, with the Lakers Nation app achieving solid adoption out of the gate, with strong engagement metrics from app users.

Users are spending approximately 10 minutes per session and returning about 6 times per month - impressive numbers for a sports media app.

Most importantly, the user feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Ian noted:

"I haven't heard anything negative. Generally speaking, with our usership, you only hear bad things... I haven’t heard one bad thing about the app. So that, to me, is a success."

The WordPress integration with push notifications has been particularly effective at driving engagement, with relevant updates sent throughout the day bringing users back to fresh content.

The Takeaway

For content publishers, especially those with high mobile traffic, apps provide crucial user retention benefits that mobile web simply can't match. 

As Ian explained: 

"There are too many steps to get to your site on mobile. But if you get this person to download your app, it's baked into the phone, they will go to it. Like I go to MLB.com, I go to ESPN.com on the app."

The key insight is that most publishers don't need complex custom features. They need a clean, fast way to deliver their existing content in an app format. 

MobiLoud made this possible for Medium Large Sports Media without the technical overhead that had prevented them from launching for years. They could focus on what they do best – content.

Ready to launch your mobile app without the technical complexity? 

Get a free preview of your site as an app with MobiLoud and see how we can help you reach your mobile audience more effectively