Ayrton Oneill
City of Basketball Love, also known as CoBL, is a basketball news website that was founded in 2012 by Josh Verlin and Andy Edwards. The website covers the high school and college basketball scene in southeastern Pennsylvania. In 2018, there were speculations about the website shutting down due to a tweet posted by Josh, who was dealing with personal issues at the time. However, it appears that the website did not end, and CoBL continues to operate as a nonprofit corporation incorporated in Pennsylvania, covering boys', girls', women's, and men's basketball.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Website | City of Basketball Love |
| Founder | Josh Verlin |
| Co-founder | Andy Edwards |
| Year | 2012 |
| Focus | High school and college basketball scene of southeastern Pennsylvania |
| Current Status | Active, now a non-profit corporation incorporated in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |
| Address | 614 Fairview Road, Philadelphia, PA, United States, Pennsylvania |
| [email protected] |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
City of Basketball Love's founder, Josh Verlin, started the website in 2012
City of Basketball Love, or CoBL, was founded by Josh Verlin in 2012, along with co-founder Andy Edwards. The website was started after Verlin's one-year stint at PhilaHoops, a small blog covering college basketball. Verlin, a law student at the time, created the website as a creative outlet for his writing and his love of basketball. He recruited around 13 to 15 friends from various college journalism programs to volunteer their time and contribute content to the site.
The website quickly gained traction and, using connections made during his time at PhilaHoops, Verlin and his team secured the credentials needed to cover NCAA games. Despite this, the website remained true to its original mission of covering Philly-centric basketball events, with a primary focus on high school basketball and college recruitment. Journalists from CoBL would fan out across the city and surrounding counties, bringing readers scores, highlights, player profiles, and the latest recruiting news.
Over the years, CoBL's coverage expanded to include girls' and women's games, including college recruitment, which was well-received by its readers. The website also began running one-day basketball camps, providing a platform for high school players to showcase their talents to college recruiters. Today, CoBL has established itself as a non-profit entity and is recognised as the premier voice for amateur basketball in the region.
In 2018, there were concerns about the website's future as some interpreted a message on social media as a "thanks and good bye" note. Additionally, the website's homepage was not functioning properly, and only some articles were accessible via Twitter. However, it appears that these issues were temporary, and CoBL continues to operate and provide coverage of basketball in the Philadelphia area.
Spalding Basketballs: Are 5 Below Balls the Real Deal?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
CoBL's focus is on high school and college basketball in Philadelphia
City of Basketball Love (CoBL) is a digital news site dedicated to the high school and college basketball scene in southeastern Pennsylvania. Founded in 2012 by Josh Verlin and Andy Edwards, the website has become the premier voice for amateur basketball in the region.
CoBL's focus on high school and college basketball in Philadelphia fills a unique niche in the market. The website provides in-depth coverage of scores, highlights, player profiles, and recruiting news for both boys' and girls' teams. Journalists fan out across the city and surrounding counties to bring readers the latest updates and insights.
One of the key aspects of CoBL's coverage is its dedication to high school basketball and college recruitment. The website organises one-day basketball camps, providing a platform for promising young high school players to showcase their talents to college recruiters. This aspect of the website has been well-received, with 43% of the articles posted last year covering some aspect of the women's game and contributing to increased traffic to the site.
In addition to its online presence, CoBL has also forged partnerships with local organisations to further promote and develop basketball in the region. The website has collaborated with entities like PhilaHoops and the Philadelphia Inquirer to strengthen its coverage and reach a wider audience.
CoBL's journey has not been without challenges. In 2018, there were concerns about the website's future as founder Josh Verlin faced personal struggles. However, the site persevered, and today, it continues to thrive as a non-profit entity, providing comprehensive coverage of high school and college basketball in Philadelphia and the surrounding areas.
Understanding Badminton: A Beginner's Guide to the Sport
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The website is a non-profit incorporated in Pennsylvania
The website City of Basketball Love, or CoBL, is a non-profit incorporated in Pennsylvania. It was founded in 2012 by Josh Verlin and Andy Edwards, who started the website after a one-year stint at PhilaHoops, a small blog covering college basketball.
CoBL is dedicated to covering the high school and college basketball scene in southeastern Pennsylvania. It has become the premier voice for amateur basketball in the region, providing in-depth player profiles, recruiting news, and scores and highlights from games. The website has expanded its coverage to include girls' and women's basketball, increasing overall traffic to the site.
In addition to its digital presence, CoBL also runs one-day basketball camps, giving college recruiters the opportunity to scout promising young high school players. The website has gained a significant following, with over 17.5K followers on Twitter as of 2021.
In 2018, there were concerns that the website might be shutting down, with founder Josh Verlin facing personal challenges and taking a step back from the business. However, CoBL continued to operate and transitioned to become a non-profit corporation incorporated in Pennsylvania. This transition occurred in 2021, and the website now operates as City of Basketball Love, covering basketball for boys, girls, women, and men.
Basketball Goals for Young Players: How High is Too High?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
CoBL runs one-day basketball camps for college recruiters
City of Basketball Love (CoBL) is a basketball-focused website that covers high school and college basketball in the greater Philadelphia area. The website was founded in 2012 by Josh Verlin and Andy Edwards, and it has since become a prominent voice for amateur basketball in the region.
CoBL runs one-day basketball camps that provide college recruiters with an opportunity to scout prospective players from local high schools. These camps are a valuable addition to CoBL's primary focus of covering high school and college basketball games and recruitment. By organising these camps, CoBL creates a platform for young players to showcase their skills and gain exposure to college recruiters.
The one-day camps are intensive and fast-paced, providing recruiters with a snapshot of each player's skills and potential. College recruiters can observe players' performance in drills and scrimmages, assess their athletic abilities, and identify those who stand out. These camps are particularly beneficial for high school players aspiring to continue their basketball careers at the collegiate level.
CoBL's camps are typically held during the off-season or at key intervals throughout the year when college recruiters are actively scouting. The camps are well-publicised within the local basketball community and are often attended by a diverse range of high school players, including those from smaller schools who may not usually receive the same level of exposure as their counterparts from larger schools.
By organising these camps, CoBL reinforces its commitment to promoting and elevating the basketball talent in the region. The website's coverage of these camps includes player profiles, performance analyses, and updates on recruitment developments. This comprehensive approach has contributed to CoBL's reputation as a trusted source for basketball news and analysis in Philadelphia and southeastern Pennsylvania.
Body Composition: Basketball's Secret Weapon
You may want to see also
Explore related products
In 2018, CoBL's future was uncertain
In 2018, the future of City of Basketball Love (CoBL) was uncertain. The website, which was started in 2012 by Josh Verlin and co-founder Andy Edwards, covers the high school and college basketball scene in southeastern Pennsylvania. Verlin, who started the site while he was a law student, had dealt with chronic depression since his early teens. In the spring of 2018, he experienced a combination of personal and professional stressors that led him to step back from the site.
In an update posted to the Crossing Broad website in October 2018, Verlin shared that he had been going through a challenging time in his personal life, which had impacted his ability to run CoBL. He wrote, "I've learned enough about myself over the years to know when I need to take a couple of steps back and let things settle out. So that's what I did." At the time, the CoBL website homepage was not functioning properly, and some users were greeted with a SportsEngine login page instead of the usual sections and articles. However, some articles were still accessible via Twitter.
The potential end of CoBL sparked concern and disappointment among its fans and followers. One fan, who had been reading the site since his junior year at La Salle College High School, expressed his support for Verlin and the site, saying, "I'll miss the site, and so will the local college hoops scene." Another person, Mike Jensen, tweeted, "Best sport-specific site Philly has had in my 30 years here."
Despite the uncertainty in 2018, CoBL appears to have persevered and continued its coverage of basketball in the Philadelphia area. As of 2024, the site has expanded its focus to include girls' and women's games, in addition to its traditional coverage of boys' and men's basketball. CoBL has also extended its reach beyond just news and analysis, running one-day basketball camps that give college recruiters the opportunity to scout promising high school players.
Understanding Basketball's Restricted Area
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
The City of Basketball Love is a digital news site dedicated to covering the high school and college basketball scene in southeastern Pennsylvania. It was founded in 2012 by Josh Verlin and Andy Edwards.
In 2018, there were concerns that the website was shutting down. The homepage was replaced with a SportsEngine login page, and some sections became inaccessible. However, it appears that the website continued to operate, and as of 2024, it is still active.
The City of Basketball Love now operates as a nonprofit corporation incorporated in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It covers boys', girls', women's, and men's basketball and has expanded its coverage to include girls' and women's games, including college recruitment.
