Just in time for the end of the olympics, the team at sports focused social networking platform, 3eep, have launched their own sports community social networking site, SportsPassion.

Powered by 3eep, SportsPassion will provide sporting teams with access to a free social network designed specifically to offer them a range of online team management and collaboration tools.

3eep’s traditional distribution model has been to partner with organisations such as media companies, advertisers and sporting codes. This has already seen them strike deals with distribution partners in Europe, North America and Australia.

SportsPassion complements 3eep’s existing distribution partnerships, and will enhance future partnerships, by acting as an innovation lab for new technologies and learnings, the most successful of which will be built back into the 3eep platform’s offerings.

In announcing the launch, 3eep’s COO, Nick Gonios said that SportsPassion will remain in beta for the foreseeable future and demonstrates 3eep’s support of local sporting communities around the world

Rob Antulov, CEO of 3eep, believes SportsPassion extends the company’s global distribution model and will assist 3eep to build on its capabilities in servicing grass roots sports communities via social media technology.

3eep’s business model centres on the distribution partnerships we put in place with a range of organisations who engage directly with their local sports communities.  Launching this new site on 3eep’s technology platform will enhance the services, insights and expertise we offer to all of our distribution partners, and to local sports participants

3eep already has distribution partners in Europe, North America and Australia and the SportsPassion brand will complement these and accelerate the acquisition of members and distribution partners in other geographies.”

I like this move a lot. First of all it shows that 3eep are willing to put their money where their mouth is. Secondly, by testing the waters for new initiatives they remove a lot of the adoption risk for their more traditional B2B partners. Thirdly, by doing what their partners will be doing they’re getting a first hand look at the issues their customers face on a daily basis.

As long as they’re able to ensure they don’t cannibalise their existing partners’ markets it’s a move that will only result in more growth for this already fast growing startup. Smart move from a really smart bunch of guys. Probably explains why they were named in the top 5 Aussie web 2.0 apps recently.

You can check out the site yourself at www.sportspassion.com