USA TODAY Sports Media Group Rises to Number Four Among All Digital Sports Properties in Latest comScore Rankings

MCLEAN, Va., March 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The USA TODAY Sports Media Group has risen to number four overall among the most visited digital sports entities according to the most recent comScore rankings released today measuring traffic for the month of February 2012.

The ranking moves the USA TODAY Sports Media Group sites into comScore's top five for sports properties for the first time since the group's launch in late 2011.

The USA TODAY Sports Media Group digital properties, which include USATODAY.com/sports, the online outlets for more than 100 local market Gannett media properties, and each of the Big Lead Sports and BNQT (Banquet) digital groups, collectively attracted more than 24 million unique visitors during the month of February, its highest total to date.

"This is an important step in what has been a rapid evolution of our business over the past few months, but by no means does this mean we've arrived at our destination," said Tom Beusse, president, USA TODAY Sports Media Group. "What this clearly shows though, is that we're already providing the kind of digital scale that resonates with advertisers and marketers who are trying to engage passionate sports fans wherever they are consuming sports information."

In addition to its January acquisition of The Big Lead sites, which had previously been the largest independent online sports property, the USA TODAY Sports Media Group also grew its footprint with the acquisition of leading mixed martial arts outlet MMAjunkie.com in November 2011.

In late February, the group also announced a joint venture with MLB Advanced Media, L.P. (MLBAM), the interactive media and Internet company of Major League Baseball, to develop and produce new content and products for sports fans across all digital and mobile platforms beginning as soon as this summer.

The USA TODAY Sports Media Group encompasses all sports initiatives across USA TODAY, as well as Gannett Co. Inc.'s 81 community newspaper properties and 23 broadcast television stations. It also includes the sports photography service U.S. Presswire, the Big Lead Sports digital properties, HighSchoolSports.net, BNQT.com and MMAjunkie.com. USA TODAY is owned by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI).

SOURCE USA TODAY