We would like the Fastpitch people in the mid-west the south and the east coast to contribute more to this site.
Let me give you my perspective as a resident of Virginia. First, the fact that Heybucket created this thread makes it highly unique. As Skarp would say, you actually care about your clientele and open yourself up to criticism from it. Very refreshing, that.
I have a couple of recommendations, but first let me tell you what does/does not draw me to the site:
- I'm not terribly interested in the comings and goings in the SoCal or Texas scenes. Most of the drama and issues about which teams are collapsing, who is qualifying where, etc... either goes over my head (never heard of half these teams/places/people) or is completely irrelevant to anyone not personally involved. It also gives the board too much of a "local" flavor, IMHO. I am much more interested in topics the entire community can relate to, such as:
- National news/events (National Tourneys, Olympics, LLWS, NPF, WCWS) and the various issues that surround them (strategies, rules issues, "bear and pretzels" commentary, etc...).
- Discussions on practices, strategies, fundraising, rules, etc... that can apply to most teams in most places. Obviously, the rest of the country is keen to get input from the "hotbeds" of Cali and Texas, especially when it is given in an informative/entertaining/edgy manner that doesn't leave some participants feeling like 2nd-Class citizens. Believe me, I can handle the heat, but if you're interested in growing participation from other regions this is something to ponder.
- The Pub!
Recommendations:
- Current News. I don't know if a partnership with somebody like SPY is possible, but it would be great to have a forum where current news is posted (like SPY does) and discussed (like we do). This can range from scores at NPF, NCAA, Olympics, Nationals and other tourneys to results from ASA Annual Meetings to Lord Knows What. Post the score/news item and let everyone kick it around.
- Policing. This is always a thorny issue and I don't have a good recommendation. A few people have already commented that the civility on this board has crossed the line in places and we already have one or two people whose sole purpose is to lurk on the site and deride people. A discussion board clearly needs to have a very liberal attitude towards dissenting opinions but at some point a guest shouldn't be welcome as he/she offers nothing and turns away viewers (your clientele). This is how other sites have died. There are any number of ways to provide a little bit of monitoring (simply deleting posts would be helpful - there's one on this thread I would nominate!). I do believe, however, that if the site goes from "edgy" to "vicious," your total hits will decrease and people will go elsewhere.
That's my two cents. Congratulations on a great start!
). There are only so many things you can say about how many pitches should be thrown in a week or whether the Techzilla is still hot (for instance)--and there are numerous other (mostly dead) boards already filling the "informative softball subjects only" niche.
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