The Identity Tampa Bay launches as a sports and entertainment hub for the Tampa Bay region

Another media hub online for the Tampa Bay area has launched. Seeing it’s a newborn, it’s going to take a while before it takes a hold in the marketplace.

The Tampa Bay Entertainment Properties LLC, a company founded by Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik, announced Tuesday the launch of The Identity (www.TheIdentityTB.com), what is pegged to become a hub for sports and lifestyle. The site is pegged to be in phase one at the moment… Of course, it’s just starting out. From the press release:

“We’re excited to announce the launch of The Identity Tampa Bay,” said TBEP Chief Executive Officer, Steve Griggs.  “While surveying the digital landscape of the Tampa Bay region, we believed the market lacked a hub for sports and lifestyle content.  It is our goal for The Identity Tampa Bay to fill that void, becoming the authentic voice for the future of Tampa Bay sports and lifestyle content. Tampa Bay needs an authentic, community-driven home and The Identity Tampa Bay will fit that need.”

The fact of the matter is that the two other “hub” sites online – TBO/Tampa Bay Online and Creative Loafing Tampa Bay are not true hub websites. TBO is just an extension of the Tampa Bay Times, presenting news in a more online-tabloid format. Creative Loafing is much keener on entertainment and lifestyle than sports in and around Tampa Bay. It also may touch on politics but the “hub” moniker just seems wrong to identify it.

 “The Identity Tampa Bay will provide Tampa Bay and its residents with digital content from around the region,” said Derrick Brooks, Ambassador for The Identity Tampa Bay.  “It will be driven by the community, providing a voice for all things Tampa Bay.”

That’s one hell of a linebacking ambassador, now isn’t it folks? Yes, that is #55 and you can see his video speech on TheIdentityTB.com for more from him. The site is truly bare bones at the moment, taking sign-ups for e-mail based newsletters. That, the bare bones aspect, will change shortly.