BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 26, 2004--Boston.com has acquired Boston Dirt Dogs (www.bostondirtdogs.com), a popular Red Sox fan Web site, and will incorporate its content into Boston.com's award-winning sports section in June. The announcement was made by Lisa M. DeSisto, general manager, and Teresa M. Hanafin, editor in chief, Boston.com.

As part of the deal, Steven Silva, founder of Boston Dirt Dogs, will join Boston.com starting June 7 as a sports producer. Later in June, Boston Dirt Dogs will relaunch as a feature within the Boston.com sports section.

Ms. Hanafin said, "We want to give Red Sox fans as many opportunities to talk and debate about sports as possible, and Boston Dirt Dogs is the perfect forum for that. Our users love joining the conversation about sports online every day, whether it's sending us photos for a Johnny Damon look-alikes gallery, creating party recipes for the Patriots' Super Bowl run or ranting about a managerial move in the previous night's game."

Mr. Silva said, "I am thrilled to be a part of Boston.com's sports section. Boston Dirt Dogs struck a chord among Red Sox fans with its sometimes serious, sometimes light, sometimes like Don Rickles at a Friar's Club roast tone, and I'm happy that the site's features will now reach an even larger audience."

Boston.com, the exclusive online home of the Boston Globe, has created and carried original content generated by Boston.com staffers and many of its 3.4 million monthly users since its inception in 1995. The sports section drives approximately 20 percent of traffic on Boston.com each month.

About Boston Dirt Dogs

Boston Dirt Dogs (www.bostondirtdogs.com), a Red Sox fan Web site, was launched in July 2001. The site, which takes its name from a nickname for the Boston Red Sox, is known for its clever headlines and exhaustive coverage from a fan's perspective. Updated daily with original content, the site offers game summaries, articles, photo captions, polls, song parodies and irreverent bits.

About Boston.com

Boston.com is one of the most visited regional portals in the U.S. and is part of New York Times Digital, the digital business unit of The New York Times Company (NYSE: NYT). The mission of NYTD, which also comprises market leader NYTimes.com and an archive distribution business, is to provide a high-quality, worldwide online audience with trusted editorial content from The New York Times and The Boston Globe.

This press release may be found at www.nytdigital.com and www.nytco.com