Comcast SportsNet purchases sports blog The700level

Comcast SportsNet has purchased The700level.com for an undisclosed sum, the popular sports blog announced on its site today.
Launching in January 2004, the blog will become a CSN property, though founder Enrico Campitelli Jr., 29, will be brought on as a full-time employee to edit and oversee the product. The site’s other contributors will be used as freelancers.
“We’ve been doing it a long time and I like to think we do it pretty well. But there were maybe two or three other Philly sports blogs in existence when I started. Now there are hundreds,” Campitelli says in his announcement. “This move allows us to not only differentiate, but to also put my undivided attention and effort into making this site a must visit destination for Philly sports fans.

The blog averages 100,000 unique monthly visitors, according to the founder. The site surpasses 500,000 page views each month, he says, peaking at more than three-quarters of a million views during peak traffic, like during recent Phillies playoff runs. While Compete is known to underestimate traffic, the public analytic site does put The700level heads and shoulders above other sports blogs in the region.
Talks with CSN began more than a year ago, says the Media native who recently completed an MBA from George Washington University. The site will retain its own domain — though a redesign may be imminent — but its content will be fed onto CSNPhilly.com, according to Sports Business Daily.
“Not a whole lot will change right away besides me probably having to work a lot harder. But that’s a good thing. It gets lonely in my parents’ basement,” he says.
Campitelli said the first noticeable change will be increased access to games and players. Tonight, he says, he is flying to Clearwater, Florida to add coverage to Phillies spring training.