Writer RankingsThe Bleacher Report Writer Ranking system is designed to help B/R authors track their career progress relative to their peers in the B/R Writer Program. To that end, B/R recognizes and rewards authorial excellence with two related species of spoils:
In sum, B/R's Writer Rankings incentivize behavior consistent with the principles of genuinely "great" sports journalism: Authors are encouraged (1) to do their best work every time they publish and (2) to sustain that effort over the long run. It's by no means an easily-achieved ideal—but then again greatness wouldn't be greatness if it were easy to do.
The thrill of publishing a singularly exceptional article is every great sportswriter's favorite feeling—which is why B/R rewards the one-time successes of its authors with three distinct classes of medals:
As you accumulate medals during your B/R career, the hardware will be prominently displayed on your B/R Profile. Depending on the extent of your achievements, you'll be eligible to obtain ascending "gem levels" of each medal class per the terms of the following scale:
| Medal | Hot ReadsArticle has... | Great DebateArticle has... | Lead StoryWriter has written... |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bronze | 1,000 reads | 25 comments | 1 lead story |
| Silver | 2,000 reads | 50 comments | 10 lead stories |
| Gold | 5,000 reads | 100 comments | 25 lead stories |
| Platinum | 10,000 reads | 200 comments | 50 lead stories |
| Sapphire | 25,000 reads | 300 comments | 100 lead stories |
| Ruby | 50,000 reads | 400 comments | 250 lead stories |
| Diamond | 100,000 reads | 500 comments | 500 lead stories |
In addition to single-article medals, all B/R authors can earn badges for their exploits in B/R's monthly Top Writer competitions. Top Writer competitions are open to all authors covering the various news topics showcased by the network, and Top Writer badges are awarded to competitors who place first, second, or third (on the basis of article visits) in any sport-, league-, or team-specific contest.
It's one thing to make a splash with a single stellar article. It's quite another thing, though, to maintain superior quality standards on a day-in, day-out basis—and B/R goes to great lengths to recognize and reward its most consistent authors with a comprehensive system of author points and reputation levels.
In the coming months and years, you'll collect small bounties of B/R author points for your various one-time publishing accomplishments. If you approach your work with skill and diligence, you'll ascend through the hierarchical reputation levels of the B/R Writer Rankings, eventually establishing yourself among the network's highest-profile publishers. Even better, your trip up the ladder of success will make you eligible for an increasingly tempting variety of perks and privileges.
At present, B/R doles out author points and assigns author reputation levels per the terms of the following scales:
| Winning a Hot Read, Great Debate, or Lead Story medal | 10 points per "gem level" | Each successive medal "gem level" earns 10 additional points for the recipient author. For example, a Gold Hot Read medal is worth 30 total points, because Gold is the third "gem level" in the medal hierarchy (after Bronze and Silver). |
| Publishing at least one article a day for 5 consecutive days | 50 points | |
| Winning a first-place Top Writer badge in a league-wide competition | 300 points | At present, B/R conducts monthly league-wide Top Writer competitions for the following leagues: NFL, CFB, NBA, NHL, MLB, MMA, World Football, Pro Wrestling |
| Winning a second-place Top Writer badge in a league-wide competition | 150 points | |
| Winning a third-place Top Writer badge in a league-wide competition | 100 points | |
| Winning a first-place Top Writer badge in a team-specific competition | 150 points | At present, B/R conducts monthly team specific Top Writer competitions for teams that have an active writer base in the following leagues: NFL, CFB, NBA, NHL, MLB |
| Winning a second-place Top Writer badge in a team-specific competition | 100 points | |
| Winning a third-place Top Writer badge in a team-specific competition | 50 points | |
| Contributing to an invitation-only B/R Event Coverage Team for a showcased event | 50 points | B/R Event Coverage Teams are periodically assembled to cover major sporting events. Team members are selected on the basis of the proficiency they've demonstrated in covering the event-related league or sport during the course of their B/R careers. |
| Writer Level | Points Threshold | Perks |
|---|---|---|
| Chief Writer III | 12,000 points | Automatic review for admission to B/R's exclusive Featured Columnist program |
| Chief Writer II | 10,000 points | |
| Chief Writer I | 8,000 points | A free B/R Writer Sweatshirt |
| Senior Writer III | 6,000 points | |
| Senior Writer II | 5,000 points | |
| Senior Writer I | 4,000 points | Access to a special Author Module to be displayed on all published articles |
| Senior Analyst III | 3,000 points | |
| Senior Analyst II | 2,500 points | |
| Senior Analyst I | 2,100 points | Eligibility for inclusion on B/R's invitation-only Event Coverage Teams |
| Analyst III | 1,600 points | |
| Analyst II | 1,300 points | |
| Analyst I | 1,000 points | Eligibility for placement on the Web sites of B/R's major media partners |
| Correspondent III | 700 points | |
| Correspondent II | 500 points | |
| Correspondent I | 300 points | Eligibility for placement in B/R newsletters; Access to B/R's special Video Article tools |
| Contributor III | 100 points | |
| Contributor II | 50 points | |
| Contributor I | 0 points |
Upon achieving Featured Columnist status, an author enters the "Columnist Level" hierarchy as a "Featured Columnist I" with 0 Featured Columnist author points.
| Columnist Level | Points Threshold | Perks |
|---|---|---|
| Featured Columnist IV | 14,000 points | Access to a custom-built, author-specific publishing template for all articles |
| Featured Columnist III | 8,000 points | |
| Featured Columnist II | 2,000 points | A free B/R Featured Columnist hooded sweatshirt |
| Featured Columnist I | 0 points | Featured placement on B/R Team pages; Eligibility for media interviews and credentials for major events |
The points-and-levels formula of the B/R Writer Ranking system was conceived with the ultimate aim of allowing every author to chart a unique course on his or her road to the top. As you pursue your B/R career, your personal point total and reputation level will give you all the information you need, first, to gauge exactly where you stand among your peers; and, second, to determine exactly what steps you can take to get ahead of the pack. After that, all you'll have to do is sit down at the keyboard and rise to the occasion.
