Shapiro: DLLS actually cares about Dallas Stars fans

I’ve actually struggled with how to open this column.

At first, I wanted to simply write, “I did it for the money,” and leave it at that.

I’d point out how too many times we read romanticized stories about why a writer joined an outlet. All of that beautiful prose and ideological praise for an outlet that claims to be here to save sports journalism or re-invent the user experience.

I’ve grown sick of those stories, written too many of them myself, only to see them end in heartbreak for writers and readers.

Consider what’s happened to Dallas Stars fans in recent years. The team has been one of the NHL’s standard bearers over the past five years, reaching the Western Conference Final, or further, in three of the past five seasons and is well positioned to contend this season.

Despite the on-ice success, coverage of the Stars has slowly eroded and in some cases been eliminated.

At one point, not too long ago, there were two full-time independent beat writers covering the Stars. One outlet eliminated the Stars beat, despite making other promises, while the other downgraded the Stars from a full-time role into a combo position with high schools and now colleges. For other outlets, in Dallas, hockey isn’t a “major” sport based on their staffing decisions.

To be clear, this is a commentary pointed at publishers and financial decisions makers. Not the individuals who were asked to do the impossible task of covering something full-time without a full-time allotment of hours or resources.

That’s why I was extremely skeptical when I first heard about ALLCITY and their plans for DLLS. I’ve heard energetic pitches before. The promises an outlet will make, only to leave the content producers grossly underpaid for their work. Eventually hockey coverage is stripped down or scrapped completely because the talented people in place were never given a fighting chance to bring back a return on investment.

And, so, yeah, I’m joining DLLS and ALLCITY because of the money.

I’m joining DLLS because they are investing the money to bring in Owen Newkirk, Sam Nestler, and Craig Ludwig full-time for daily Stars coverage. No independent outlet, and I mean no one, has ever dedicated this much money to covering the Stars regularly.

DLLS also doesn’t need me, the coverage would have been great with just that trio. But, ALLCITY was adamant about involving me in the coverage, even though early on I told them that I no longer live in Texas. It was important for ALLCITY to bring in voices that mattered to Stars fans and that DLLS understood the Stars fanbase and the passion of a group that other outlets have grossly underserved.

So ALLCITY hired me, remotely, to write and talk about the Stars. They found a spot outside the typical budget to make it happen, and it was important for them to prove to me, and Stars fans, that they are serious about covering a team that is a serious contender.

Believe me, I pushed and prodded ALLCITY CEO Brandon Spano during our conversations about their plans. I wasn’t going to lend my name to an outlet covering the Stars, unless they were going to do it right.

I’ll still be writing about the Stars in other places, including my substack, Shap Shots, but one of the things that Brandon made clear to me was that a rising tide with Stars coverage lifts all boats.

So, in plain English, what does this all mean?

Starting this week, I’ll be regularly covering the Stars here at DLLS. That includes two weekly podcast appearances and two columns. I’ll also be acting as a sounding board and ardent supporter of Sam, who is going to grow into a better Stars beat writer than I ever was.

I’ll also get to re-connect with my good friend Owen. Some of you may remember our old #Carcasts. I’m excited to finally get to work with him, officially, for the first time in my career. Owen and I talk on the phone multiples times per week, now we’ll get to do it live on DLLS airways.

Honestly, I’m really excited about this opportunity. But I’m more excited that an outlet, in a non-traditional hockey market, is willing to invest and grow coverage for a fanbase that I’ve personally grown to love way more than I should.

Crude, yes, but money talks and right now ALLCITY is sending the message that others won’t in Dallas — Stars fans actually matter.