The fourth tab, Play, is a big point of emphasis for the editorial brand, according to Baldwin.
Front Office Sports currently has two games on offer, Factle and Factle Sports trivia, neither of which will open natively in the app—interested players will be directed to the browser. The publisher plans to eventually offer players in-app functionality, as well as introduce more games.
Finally, the fifth tab, For You, will let people customize their app experience, like by following specific authors and topics.
Newsletters will not be available to read in the mobile app, as the publisher wanted to respect users’ preference to read emails in their inbox, but people can sign up from the app.
In addition to its enhanced video footprint, the publisher is running events, like the annual Huddle in the Hamptons event it hosts in July.
This expansion, although driven by necessity, is vital, according to Eisenband.
“The lines between a publisher, entertainment product, and digital platform continue to blur,” Eisenband said. “They are competing with social media, streaming, podcasts, and every other experience on a user’s phone, forcing publishers to think much more broadly about what their product actually is.”
