MTK
06-08-2007, 08:21 AM
Guest Blog - Message Board Equity? - Redskins Insider (http://blog.washingtonpost.com/redskinsinsider/2007/06/guest_blog_message_board_equit.html#more)
Got a submission from Matt for a guest blog, so here goes. He sent me a link to some articles done in Florida about how the Dolphins interact with the various passionate fans who put together websites and message boards geared to the Fins.
I know a lot of you guys frequent those types of sites when it comes to the Redskins (and pretty much any beat writer these days needs to check out the various locales as well to try to get a pulse of what the fans are thinking), so perhaps this will interest you.
Matt, who is from the site TheWarpath.net, makes a case for the Redskins embarcing all of the more prominent sites that devote hours and care to the team, and not just one. Also, as some of you may have heard, the league looks like it may be essentially taking over the maintenance of indivudual team official websites, so the there could also be ramifications from that on how clubs interact with fan sites and message boards in the future. The NFL is being militant on its rules and regulations for on-line coverage of its teams and at some point we all might have to go direct to a team's site to see any video coverage and clips of practices, etc. It's a strange new world out there.
Okay, I'll butt out now. Here's Matt's entry:
The emergence of fan run team websites over the years has presented an interesting dilemma to NFL teams. How should these fan sites be treated? Should they be treated as a legitimate organization on par with media sources? Or should they be ignored and brushed off as being rabid fans with nothing better to do with their time?
I think by now we're all aware that a couple of years ago the Redskins acquired Extremeskins.com and made them their official team message board. In the process, they effectively locked out the remaining fan sites including the likes of TheWarpath.net, TheHogs.net, and HailRedskins.com, to name a few of the major players. Whether this after effect was intentional or not by the Redskins organization, it left a bitter taste in the mouths of a lot of fans out there who felt snubbed by their beloved team.
Fast forward to the present. I was talking to a good friend recently who happens to be a big Miami Dolphins fan. He was asking me some questions about my site and we started discussing our individual teams' interactions with their fan sites. He started telling me how the Dolphins embrace their fan sites and even go as far has having an annual award ceremony called "The Webbies" where the best Dolphin fan sites are recognized by the team. The awards range from best overall site, to best news content, to the best message board design, etc.
Representatives from these sites are invited to the Dolphins' training facility in South Florida where they are treated to a tour of the facility and a special reception and dinner. The fan site representatives were then given tickets to the next day's game against the Titans.
That sound you just heard was my jaw hitting the floor. Needless to say I was astounded at the royal treatment the Dolphins give to their fan sites. It's really refreshing to hear that a NFL team appreciates their fan sites to that degree. I'm not sure if most people realize the time, money and effort that goes into building and maintaining these fan sites. We all have day jobs and/or school to compete with our valuable time. It's truly a labor of love when it comes to running a site.
I'm not sure if any other NFL teams roll out the red carpet in this fashion to their fan sites, but I do know the Redskins have been less than accommodating when it comes to any sites other than Extremeskins. A few years ago the Redskins were very gracious in granting several fan sites training camp credentials, and the behind the scenes access was exciting to say the least and it felt like some new ground was being broken as far as fan site access to their team was concerned. Immediately after the Redskins acquired the Extremeskins forums, the remaining fan sites weren't allowed to have training camp credentials anymore leaving these sites confused and frankly a little ticked off.
In conclusion, I'm not asking Mr. Snyder to roll out the red carpet and have their own "Webbies", but isn't there enough room to include all of the prominent Redskins fan sites at training camp? It would certainly be a nice gesture if fan sites other than Extremeskins would be allowed to attend training camp as "fan reporters" again. Then again, can Extremeskins even be labeled as a true fan site anymore since they are now officially a part of Redskins.com?
NFL teams are now realizing the importance and relevance of fan sites, I think it's time that Mr. Snyder re-evaluate the team's stance on allowing fan sites into training camp and embrace these other sites that are promoting the team with their own free time, hard work, and extreme love for the Washington Redskins.
Sincerely,
Matt Kyer
Redskins Warpath (http://www.TheWarpath.net)
Got a submission from Matt for a guest blog, so here goes. He sent me a link to some articles done in Florida about how the Dolphins interact with the various passionate fans who put together websites and message boards geared to the Fins.
I know a lot of you guys frequent those types of sites when it comes to the Redskins (and pretty much any beat writer these days needs to check out the various locales as well to try to get a pulse of what the fans are thinking), so perhaps this will interest you.
Matt, who is from the site TheWarpath.net, makes a case for the Redskins embarcing all of the more prominent sites that devote hours and care to the team, and not just one. Also, as some of you may have heard, the league looks like it may be essentially taking over the maintenance of indivudual team official websites, so the there could also be ramifications from that on how clubs interact with fan sites and message boards in the future. The NFL is being militant on its rules and regulations for on-line coverage of its teams and at some point we all might have to go direct to a team's site to see any video coverage and clips of practices, etc. It's a strange new world out there.
Okay, I'll butt out now. Here's Matt's entry:
The emergence of fan run team websites over the years has presented an interesting dilemma to NFL teams. How should these fan sites be treated? Should they be treated as a legitimate organization on par with media sources? Or should they be ignored and brushed off as being rabid fans with nothing better to do with their time?
I think by now we're all aware that a couple of years ago the Redskins acquired Extremeskins.com and made them their official team message board. In the process, they effectively locked out the remaining fan sites including the likes of TheWarpath.net, TheHogs.net, and HailRedskins.com, to name a few of the major players. Whether this after effect was intentional or not by the Redskins organization, it left a bitter taste in the mouths of a lot of fans out there who felt snubbed by their beloved team.
Fast forward to the present. I was talking to a good friend recently who happens to be a big Miami Dolphins fan. He was asking me some questions about my site and we started discussing our individual teams' interactions with their fan sites. He started telling me how the Dolphins embrace their fan sites and even go as far has having an annual award ceremony called "The Webbies" where the best Dolphin fan sites are recognized by the team. The awards range from best overall site, to best news content, to the best message board design, etc.
Representatives from these sites are invited to the Dolphins' training facility in South Florida where they are treated to a tour of the facility and a special reception and dinner. The fan site representatives were then given tickets to the next day's game against the Titans.
That sound you just heard was my jaw hitting the floor. Needless to say I was astounded at the royal treatment the Dolphins give to their fan sites. It's really refreshing to hear that a NFL team appreciates their fan sites to that degree. I'm not sure if most people realize the time, money and effort that goes into building and maintaining these fan sites. We all have day jobs and/or school to compete with our valuable time. It's truly a labor of love when it comes to running a site.
I'm not sure if any other NFL teams roll out the red carpet in this fashion to their fan sites, but I do know the Redskins have been less than accommodating when it comes to any sites other than Extremeskins. A few years ago the Redskins were very gracious in granting several fan sites training camp credentials, and the behind the scenes access was exciting to say the least and it felt like some new ground was being broken as far as fan site access to their team was concerned. Immediately after the Redskins acquired the Extremeskins forums, the remaining fan sites weren't allowed to have training camp credentials anymore leaving these sites confused and frankly a little ticked off.
In conclusion, I'm not asking Mr. Snyder to roll out the red carpet and have their own "Webbies", but isn't there enough room to include all of the prominent Redskins fan sites at training camp? It would certainly be a nice gesture if fan sites other than Extremeskins would be allowed to attend training camp as "fan reporters" again. Then again, can Extremeskins even be labeled as a true fan site anymore since they are now officially a part of Redskins.com?
NFL teams are now realizing the importance and relevance of fan sites, I think it's time that Mr. Snyder re-evaluate the team's stance on allowing fan sites into training camp and embrace these other sites that are promoting the team with their own free time, hard work, and extreme love for the Washington Redskins.
Sincerely,
Matt Kyer
Redskins Warpath (http://www.TheWarpath.net)