Blazers Plan To Revamp Online Strategy After Restructuring Marketing & Digital Department

Back in March, Portland Trail Blazers president Chris McGowan said that he was "not happy" with his organization's websites, promising to "redesign and relaunch" the sites with the goal of making them "more functional" for users.

Blazersedge has learned that the Blazers are now in the process of revamping their online strategy after restructuring their marketing and digital department. Multiple digital employees have left the organization -- either by their own choice or in the most recent round of layoffs -- and the remaining group now reports to new Vice President of Marketing & Digital Dewayne Hankins, who was brought to Portland from the NHL's L.A. Kings back in March.

Here's a summary of the organization's new digital strategy courtesy of Hankins.

We will be wiping the slate completely clean as it relates to our websites and mobile apps. We've already taken our mobile app off the Google Play and App Store markets, an enhanced tablet/mobile app will be re-introduced by the time the season starts. All of the fragmented web experiences that currently exist: IAmATrailBlazersFan, TrailBlazers.TV, blogs, etc. are going away and we'll have one website for our fans to consume content. That will also be ready by the time the season starts.

In social media, you will begin to notice our accounts taking on a personality that will be more informal, edgy and entertaining. We'll be talking with our fans rather than at them.

Here's a truncated version of an inter-office memo that lays out the new roles and responsibilities for some names that should be very familiar to you.

Casey Holdahl will transition to a more traditional Beat Writer role for the Trail Blazers digital team. In Casey's new role, he will be focused on written coverage of the team on and off the court while providing inside access for our fans. Casey will become the written authority on all Trail Blazers digital content and will be focused on building credibility and trust with our fan base.

Dustin Hawes will take on the role of Managing Editor, Digital Media and will supervise content operations for all Trail Blazers and Rose Quarter digital assets including web sites, social media and mobile. Dustin will continue to serve as the voice of Trail Blazers social media and will be responsible for syndicating all of our content via our social media outlets.

Sarah Hecht is being named Digital Host / Editor and will be responsible for driving original content programming to our digital platforms. In her new role, she will harvest story ideas regularly from all departments within the organization.

Justin Molter will have a new role and title as Digital Video Producer and will shift to Broadcasting... In Justin's new role he will be responsible for helping coordinate all video project elements and assist in overall production with a focus on Trail Blazers and Rose Quarter digital properties and work closely with Sarah Hecht on improving the quality of videos and overall viewership of content published to TB.TV.

The organization also has plans to hire a "new digital director" and perhaps another tech-focused employee.

-- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com | Twitter