DriveTribe Shutting Down Permanently After 5 Years
Richard Hammond will carry on the spirit of DriveTribe on his social media channels.
DriveTribe, the automotive-focused social media site founded by Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May, is shutting down after five years. In a statement from the trio, they cite the "severe reductions in marketing budgets across the industry" because of the global microchip shortage causing a drop in revenue from advertising. The business closes at the end of the month.
"We’re all really disappointed that challenges in the industry - not in the least helped by the ongoing pandemic - have simply made it impossible to continue with the business in its current form," Clarkson said in the statement.
Gallery: The Grand Tour Drag Racing In Detroit
May was a bit less formal in his portion of the announcement. "But ultimately, this is a business, and businesses are being kicked in the nads by everything that’s going on in the world," he wrote.
Hammond will carry on the spirit of DriveTribe on his own social media channels. "Come and join me on the channels along with lots of familiar DriveTribe faces as we continue to keep the brand alive and the conversation going," he said in his portion of the statement.
If you're a Drive Tribe user, then there is a little good news. The site is making it possible to download all of your contributed content, so that knowledge doesn't disappear into the Internet black hole.
You Can Still Enjoy The Trio On The Grand Tour:
Clarkson, Hammond, May, and Grand Tour producer Andy Wilman created DriveTribe in 2016. Hammond described the origin of the idea as: "There’s no grand-scale online motoring community where people can meet and share video, comments, information, and opinion."
The site included a mix of news, reviews, automotive quizzes, and other editorial content. A variety of themed sections or "tribes" allowed enthusiastic users to post photos, videos, or other info to create a community of like-minded folks in a style similar to a sub-Reddit.
Source: DriveTribe
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