Question

[RichardGraham]

Hi Folks,

I have my own opinion on the following questions, but I'd like to hear yours:

1. Are message boards like IHC's good or bad for the sport, or a combination of the two? Why?

2. If a company stops advertising on Inline Hockey Central because a couple of people hammer their product or event, what's to blame -- IHC, or a thin skin? Explain.

3. IHC has been free for readers since day one. How much would you pay per year, as a reader, to keep IHC alive, if anything?

Thanks.

Sincerely,

Richard Graham
Editor
Inline Hockey Central

[boardman]

Answer Q1; As a national official in my country I read a lot of forums to get the feel of members and I see groups or types of messages, 1, which are the supporters of the sport trying to inform and improve the sport. 2, The glory seekers who shout off on any thing to suggest they know all or are the best at their sport. 3, The seekers who want genuine information. The first and last groups are good for the sport and the second infuriate but all have a right to speak and all give insight as to how the sports are developing, some site try to restrict comments to single items but new ideas or understanding comes from these diversions.
Please don't charge as this will restrict the input.
Answer 3. If advertisers can't except critical comments then their company will lose market share as they need to listen to their buying public to understand their needs and desires as its their money they desire to be spent on their products and roller sports are a select group of people.

[MDE3]

To question (1)

..definitely good for the sport....as a growing sport..long term anyway.... boards like these are invaluable tools for player/club/league communication and for raising the awareness of the sport.

To question (2)

on other boards specifically geared towards equipment commentary, such as "Mod Squad Hockey", negative and positive comments on various pieces of equipment, or specific manufacturers appear with regularity. Many of the manufacturers reps or even product managers will appear on the boards to address these negative issues directly.

Product commentary is one of the primary draws for boards like these, and participation on the boards is greatly enhanced when product information/discussion is a key element..positive or negative....particularily for the younger participants, and people new to the sport.

One of the major issues, is having enough moderators on board so that someone is always monitoring these discussions, and policing the tone if not the content of these discussions. Having moderators who run large inline hockey proshops on board would be a big help. Overly biased negative or positive commentary is almost always challenged from the readership, if not from the moderators, when enough well informed equipment officianado's frequent the site. Making the board a "hotbed" of product debate and information, would enhance your reader base, and should make selling space to manufacturers more feasible.


To Question (3):

Would readers pay?...I do not believe so...none of the other boards have enforced fees for their membership, so I am afraid this would be received with all the popularity of the proverbial skunk at a wedding.

Maybe a voluntary "paypal" contibution link could be provided as is done for other boards where the information services provided are free. They do however ask for recognition that someone has to help pay to keep the operation running...such recogniton is done via a voluntary "paypal" contribution.

[NLane]

I sent 20 bucks one time and I'd do it again. Give me the address again.

[DannyG]

without reading anybody else's reply first:

1. only good: sharing information educates, eliminates bad information...

2. A quality organization welcomes criticism in any form...if the criticism is inaccurate, then airing it gives the company/organization a chance to correct inaccuracies by providing additional, correct information. If the criticism is accurate, then it is the company/organization who becomes educated...

As an event programmer myself, I can tell you that, for every event component I have found that works well, I have found literally dozens of things that don't work...finding the things that fail is just as important as the things that do work well for everybody.

3. I would pay that cliche $19.95 per annum to subscribe...yeah, I know, then why haven't I made that as a donation up to now???

Okay, In the month of March, I will send in a check for $19.95; Rich, please publish the address for the check...I sincerely feel that this board is a great service, and would ike to see Rich maybe barely make it out of penury sometime in his life, he's a good guy, eh?

<font color=purple>DannyG</font color=purple>

[CoachFoo]

Thats it Danny! If your going to give 19.95, I'll give 20.

[MartyAlexander]

Richard:

Here are my answers:

1) Yes, definitely, although some of the discussions on some of the boards are not good for the sport. IHC is in my opinion the main mechanism by which to sense the "pulse" of the inline hockey community. We need a forum to express ideas, ask questions, etc. Plain and simple.

2) It shouldn't be IHC's fault for heavens sake. As a colleague of mine recently stated, "if you aren't man enough to understand this then you don't belong in the sport" (or something to that affect).

3) On a personal basis -- about the same as a coach membership with USAHIL which is I believe around $US25 (which is like $CAN50!!!). I think we need to start seeing various inline organizations step up to the plate and support you, including individual leagues. For example, it's good to see the likes of USAHIL and the National Inline Hockey Association-Canada supporting you.

IHC is the single most influential source for inline hockey on the internet. It would be a blow to the entire inline hockey community if IHC were to fold (in my humble opinion anyway).

Take care and all the very best.

Marty Alexander
Communications & Promotions Coordinator
Hockey Alberta In Line Committee

[ma9lwr]

Thin Skin. If someone is in Business they have to be prepared and allready accepted the idea they will upset someone. When someone gets upset, they get hammered. If they feel they were unjustly critisized then they could reply with their side or blow it off.

[RichardGraham]

Hi ma9lwr,

Thanks for your post.

I agree with you. It surprises me that some people in high profile positions find it so difficult to take criticism. What's that old cliche about staying out of the kitchen? I figure if someone complains about something I do, then there's either merit to the complaint, or there isn't. If there is, then it behooves me to do something to fix the problem. If there isn't, then I can simply ignore it (many complainers, it seems, just want attention), or I can stand up and say, "You're wrong, and here's why."

Then, the readership can make a determination on their own, using their own good sense, as to whether the complaint or my response to it has any merit.

Thanks again for your response to my questions.

Sincerely,

Richard Graham
Editor
Inline Hockey Central

[RichardGraham]

Hi Boardman,

Thank you for your post.

I won't start restricting topics any time soon. As long as people are civil, and don't make personal attacks, I value contrary opinions on this site. Fortunately, over the past couple of years, thanks to the IHC message board function that allows me to ban spammers and yahoos who can't follow the rules, things have run fairly smoothly. I am always open to hearing from readers who feel they've been unfairly attacked, and will gladly delete posts that are beyond the pale.

Thanks again!

Sincerely,

Richard Graham
Editor
Inline Hockey Central

[RichardGraham]

Hi Mike,

Thanks for your response. I do appreciate it.

&gt;&gt;....definitely good for the sport....as a growing sport..long term anyway.... boards like these are invaluable tools for player/club/league communication and for raising the awareness of the sport.&lt;&lt;

That's my belief, and it's also why I've been dumfounded by a few of this sports's administrators who decline to answer complaints or charges posted on the board. What are they afraid of? Most people have decent built-in "B.S. Detectors" and can easily see through a self-serving or unfair post. I always wanted IHC to be a place where everyone, from players to coaches to referees to parents to team owners to league executives to the sport's administrators and equipment producers could have their say. Unfortunately, for the most part, the administrators and equipment producers have chosen not to participate. I think that's bad for the sport -- and for their businesses as well.

&gt;&gt;Making the board a "hotbed" of product debate and information, would enhance your reader base, and should make selling space to manufacturers more feasible.&lt;&lt;

Let's go. The message boards are open to one and all.

&gt;&gt;Would readers pay?...I do not believe so...none of the other boards have enforced fees for their membership, so I am afraid this would be received with all the popularity of the proverbial skunk at a wedding.&lt;&lt;

What if the skunk was well behaved? /wtimages/icons/wink.gif. I agree. That won't be happening.

&gt;&gt;Maybe a voluntary "paypal" contibution link could be provided as is done for other boards where the information services provided are free. They do however ask for recognition that someone has to help pay to keep the operation running...such recogniton is done via a voluntary "paypal" contribution.&lt;&lt;

I am leaning toward that, as I can't afford to keep IHC running unless I'm fairly recompensed for my time and effort. I appreciate the companies and individuals who have supported IHC financially since January 1, 1998, and I hope that the occasional PayPal contribution and/or advertising payment will enable me to keep IHC going indefinitely. This great sport deserves no less.

Sincerely,

Richard Graham
Editor
Inline Hockey Central

[RichardGraham]

Hi Nancy,

It's no fair to ask you to pony up again when some cheapskates never have. /wtimages/icons/shocked.gif

Maybe next year! /wtimages/icons/wink.gif

Thanks for your support!

Sincerely,

Richard Graham
Editor
Inline Hockey Central