As The Crows Fly 2006

[arrowman]

G'day all. I'd like to ask your help in getting www.asthecrowsfly.com off to a good start in 2006. In 2005 we made good progress but really started a little late and by the time we had momentum, the season was over. Now is the time for a concerted effort to get the site really firing.

We have had some positive discussions with the Club, they know about the site and view it regularly. Now it's up to us, the supporters, to keep things moving.

I know that many of you are not interested in leaving BigFooty or dividing your time between two sites, and that's fair enough. But I hope that as Adelaide supporters you will want to see a supporters' site be successful.

So if you have a good post to make, please take a few minutes and put it on ATCF as well. It will be very helpful to "seed" the discussion forum with some of the quality stuff that you guys produce.

Also, remember that ATCF is oriented towards the "online supporters' newspaper" format, and that you can write articles for the site - match reviews, previews, training reports, general opinion pieces etc. What is an opening post on BigFooty could be a lead article on the home page of ATCF. And we need help in this area, there's only so many articles that the current small group of contributors can come up with.

Oh - and tell your friends

So what do you say? Let's make 2006 the breakthrough year for the Adelaide Football Club independent supporters' web site.

 

[Nacho]

Like I once wrote on ATCF, even though it has all the material, it lacks a professional look to it. The top banner/buttons etc just look shabby.

My other idea I had for it way back was to include a list, updated daily, of all the news articles about the Crows online. From sources such as The Advertiser, The Age, AFC website, AFL website, SportsAustralia.com.au etc etc.

 

[portentous]

I'm there-even though I'm not a Crows' supporter (or am I???)

 

[NikkiNoo]

I'm there-even though I'm not a Crows' supporter (or am I???)

and we are happy to see you there too - even starting threads about the crows, we have nearly turned you from the dark side!

 

[outback jack]

agree nacho, as has been said a million times at the moment in its current format asthecrowsfly serves no purpose at all really. Just dilutes this board really. Ideas brought up by 'nick' were said they were being looked at, but nothing happened. So its left with no point of difference. Atleast if it had a central point for all crows articles before this portal thing came out on bigfooty it would offer something new. And publicity wise it is doomed, it comes up something like 200ish in the google ranking, no one is going to find that. The owner takes forever to reply, no links were set up between other sites. Word of mouth only goes so far really arrowman. Bigfooty as it is would tap into .01% of the footy market, so asthecrowsfly has to look at alternative ways to get numbers, through members or the club maybe. Its up to the ppl running to really have a go at getting the site top notch with more input and with some new ideas. With respect to johnk no-one wants to read his very long articles with continual babble that he started up with either, articles only serve their purpose if they are good and hold your imagination, so that is the wrong path to go down imo. The lack of responses to this thread show the amount of interest in the site, its almost a taboo topic now.

 

[Alex99]

I'm there-even though I'm not a Crows' supporter (or am I???)

You talk about the Crows more than you do about your so-called beloved Power.

But you’re more than welcome to support the AFC vicariously through www.asthecrowsfly.com or big footy

 

[portentous]

You talk about the Crows more than you do about your so-called beloved Power.

But you’re more than welcome to support the AFC vicariously through www.asthecrowsfly.com or big footy

I DO love the Power, it's the supporters I have trouble coping with....

 

[portentous]

and we are happy to see you there too - even starting threads about the crows, we have nearly turned you from the dark side!

Pure Evil will always belong to the dark side.

 

[arrowman]

agree nacho, as has been said a million times at the moment in its current format asthecrowsfly serves no purpose at all really....

Thanks for your input Jack, positive and constructive comments as always

 

[outback jack]

Thanks for your input Jack, positive and constructive comments as always

sure thats ok arrowman and again no need to be nasty, i have always hoped that the site would do well as i remember the enthusiasm SBR showed initially and have probably tried harder than most to make it do well. If you read more you would see the constructive points. Atm, its true though asthecrowsfly simply dilutes this board and you are here begging for members for a reason. Its not really a one off either, its a consistent theme. Perhaps, you would like to point out what at this point in time, close to a yr after you're up and running, asthecrowsfly offers that bigfooty does not. Theres not enough of a difference. Why wasn’t the_rooch’s suggestions taken up? Also what have you done to get more publicity? Where can you see the growth coming from?

 

[Crow-mo]

I DO love the Power, it's the supporters I have trouble coping with....

welcome to our world

 

[Crow-mo]

sure thats ok arrowman and again no need to be nasty, i have always hoped that the site would do well as i remember the enthusiasm SBR showed initially and have probably tried harder than most to make it do well. If you read more you would see the constructive points. Atm, its true though asthecrowsfly simply dilutes this board and you are here begging for members for a reason. Its not really a one off either, its a consistent theme. Perhaps, you would like to point out what at this point in time, close to a yr after you're up and running, asthecrowsfly offers that bigfooty does not. Theres not enough of a difference. Why wasn’t the_rooch’s suggestions taken up? Also what have you done to get more publicity? Where can you see the growth coming from?

what would you do Jack?

 

[portentous]

welcome to our world

Nice to know that you love the Power too crow-mo

 

[outback jack]

what would you do Jack?

put you in charge cause you have an answer to everything.

i've already said my bit. i will post their occasionally and i hope the site succeeds.

 

[Damp Squarie]

I know that many of you are not interested in leaving BigFooty or dividing your time between two sites, and that's fair enough.

Thats good then

 

[Crow-mo]

Nice to know that you love the Power too crow-mo

damn!

 

[Mego Red]

Here's hint one. DON'T focus on the boards, as you're never going to get enough momentum to make them larger than bigfooty.

Focus on reports - training, SANFL, etc. Get images up there - players in action, as a lot us live a long way away. Look at the Crows AFL site and look at what they do terribly, due to politics. Pull in a TEAM of columnists, and instead of boards, give people the ability to add/reply to the articles. Do a podcast that we can download. Reach out to every site imaginable to exchange links. Steal the portal idea that Bigfooty has recently launched. And once you have yourself pulled together, contact the AFC marketing dept, because everyone is looking for way to reach out on a grass roots level. Keep John K. Do a redesign - you're working in phpnuke, and you can get better themes than the one you're using, especially if you're willing to download something and pay $40.

Look - I feel like I'm your definitive target audience, as is anyone that mostly comes to big footy to lurk and waste time at work, instead of posting every stupid opinion that pops into their mind. But I haven't visited in six months. The trouble you now have is that you won't ever again have the chance to make a first impression.

 

[crowsarethebest]

Here's hint one. DON'T focus on the boards, as you're never going to get enough momentum to make them larger than bigfooty.

Focus on reports - training, SANFL, etc. Get images up there - players in action, as a lot us live a long way away. Look at the Crows AFL site and look at what they do terribly, due to politics. Pull in a TEAM of columnists, and instead of boards, give people the ability to add/reply to the articles. Do a podcast that we can download. Reach out to every site imaginable to exchange links. Steal the portal idea that Bigfooty has recently launched. And once you have yourself pulled together, contact the AFC marketing dept, because everyone is looking for way to reach out on a grass roots level. Keep John K. Do a redesign - you're working in phpnuke, and you can get better themes than the one you're using, especially if you're willing to download something and pay $40.

Look - I feel like I'm your definitive target audience, as is anyone that mostly comes to big footy to lurk and waste time at work, instead of posting every stupid opinion that pops into their mind. But I haven't visited in six months. The trouble you now have is that you won't ever again have the chance to make a first impression.

Yeah I agree. Do something thats different to this bigfooty site. I don't post much on ATCF because theres no difference between bigfooty and ATCF. But keep up the good work guys your doing very well!

 

[arrowman]

Here's hint one. DON'T focus on the boards, as you're never going to get enough momentum to make them larger than bigfooty.

I completely agree - what the world needs now is not yet another discussion forum. I think the other ATCF mods will agree with me that a discussion forum is a necessary part of the site but is not its reason for being.

Focus on reports - training, SANFL, etc. Get images up there - players in action, as a lot us live a long way away. Look at the Crows AFL site and look at what they do terribly, due to politics. Pull in a TEAM of columnists, and instead of boards, give people the ability to add/reply to the articles. Do a podcast that we can download. Reach out to every site imaginable to exchange links. Steal the portal idea that Bigfooty has recently launched. And once you have yourself pulled together, contact the AFC marketing dept, because everyone is looking for way to reach out on a grass roots level. Keep John K. Do a redesign - you're working in phpnuke, and you can get better themes than the one you're using, especially if you're willing to download something and pay $40.

All good stuff and this is the sort of thing we want to build (albeit some of your suggestions are pretty ambitious and would take some time).

The key part of your post is TEAM. That is why I am posting here - not to solicit new members, but to encourage the many quality posters on BigFooty who clearly support their club with a passion, to contribute some of their energies to helping the site. We currently have four people who do the bulk of the work, writing articles etc. It would make a MASSIVE difference if a few more people jumped on board an contributed the sort of things you are suggesting; even if it's only one article a month or whatever. Many hands make light work and all that.

Re the Club - we have had discussions with the club, and their reaction has been essentially supportive but we need to get more substance and "track record" into the site. I'll say more (on ATCF) when I have permission from the club to talk publicly about what were at the time private discussions.*

Look - I feel like I'm your definitive target audience, as is anyone that mostly comes to big footy to lurk and waste time at work, instead of posting every stupid opinion that pops into their mind. But I haven't visited in six months. The trouble you now have is that you won't ever again have the chance to make a first impression.

I hope you'll give us a second chance

* Because we want to run the site in a professional and responsible manner

 

[arrowman]

sure thats ok arrowman and again no need to be nasty, i have always hoped that the site would do well as i remember the enthusiasm SBR showed initially and have probably tried harder than most to make it do well. If you read more you would see the constructive points.

Mate, compare and contrast your post with Kristof's. I haveno problem with critical comment, we certainly don't pretend that we have produced the perfect product. But positive suggestions (and hopefully a volunteer to contribute) are better than simply a litany of criticism, which is essentially what your post is. If you intended it to be more constructive, you need to work on your self-expression.

Atm, its true though asthecrowsfly simply dilutes this board and you are here begging for members for a reason. Its not really a one off either, its a consistent theme.

I don't think ATCF "dilutes" BigFooty at all - we haven't taken great numbers of discussion board participants away from BF, and the rest of what we offer does not overlap with BF at all.

And I'm not here "begging for members", I'm reminding fellow Crows supporters that we exist, and soliciting help with building the site.

Perhaps, you would like to point out what at this point in time, close to a yr after you're up and running, asthecrowsfly offers that bigfooty does not. Theres not enough of a difference.

I think it's pretty obvious what ATCF is vs, BF. One is a discussion board, the other is (intends to be) a more complete online resource for and by supporters.

Why wasn’t the_rooch’s suggestions taken up?

Um, time and resources. 4 people can't do it by themselves.

Also what have you done to get more publicity? Where can you see the growth coming from?

I am currently approaching all supporter groups and we as a group are working on various other channels. Is that enough by itself? Possibly not. But I'll welcome any other ideas.

The Club has 40,000+ members and a lot more supporters. There's maybe - what - 20? regular contributors on BF. I suspect there's a few people out there who will join a supporters' board who have never heard of BigFooty.

We started in May last year, only got seriously going in the second half of the season, and the off-season was essentially a write off of course. It was only a start. Let's see how far we can take it in 2006, starting from the very start of the season.

 

[Crowz Gal]

I think that people need to realise that the creators of ATCF are VOLUNTEERS and that one cannot expect a totally proffessional website. I would help out, but I have absolutely NO IDEA when it comes to web pages etc.

I think the site looks good and frequent often alhtough I dont post much. It is different to BF as the majority of posters are crows supporters therefore less trolls and more "crow"discussion. (yes even on teh Adelaide page on BF u get trolls)

Anyway my two cents worth.

Keep up the good work!

 

[Mego Red]

I completely agree - what the world needs now is not yet another discussion forum. I think the other ATCF mods will agree with me that a discussion forum is a necessary part of the site but is not its reason for being.

Probably true. I'd try to tie it into a slightly different model - something where an article provokes discussion instead of an open board, like (for example) on aintitcoolnews.com, the classic fan movie site. Instead of a bunch of "Bernie Vince is cute!" threads.

All good stuff and this is the sort of thing we want to build (albeit some of your suggestions are pretty ambitious and would take some time).

Some are a bit much. But you could probably find a module that would search and post all crows articles automatically. Every man and his dog is doing podcasting now, so that wouldn't be too hard. Maybe get some blogs set up? Stiffy seems to already be trying to grab content and upload it (hell, even Jack has been helpful on that regard!).

 

[Leigh Roy]

I reckon if you're able to get match reports up as quickly as possible after the final siren, you'd be a great alternative to the unuserfriendly official sites. I'm not saying I need to know all of Perrie's hard ball gets straight after full-time, but the major stats and a nice summary of the game would get your hits up heaps.

I couldn't find anything about the trial match anywhere on the web until today, now that's not ATCF's fault (trial game and all). It's something I asked for on the main board last year - the 'sem-live-update' threads that balloon to 5-10 pages over the course of a game are great, but they then go on for post-match discussion. If you want a quick score check, and can't wait for the official sites to update, ploughing through a forum thread is the last thing you want to do.

That said, good luck to the ATCF team for the 2006 season!

 

[Alex99]

Just an idea to help increase the awareness to Adelaide Crows fans who have never heard of www.asthecrowsfly.com

If you have paid your big footy membership and have the ability to have an avatar and signature, then how about simply adding www.asthecrowsfly.com to the bottom of your page.

A few already have done this already and few other have caught on but not everyone who can do this is doing this so the more posters who add this will ultimately increase the awareness of www.asthecrowsfly.com to new Internet users.

I don’t believe that by adding that to your signature that you’re being disloyal to big footy because your have paid your membership and not a free loader.

Share the wealth and spread the message of www.asthecrowsfly.com

 

[portentous]

How do you "shear" wealth? Love to see the shears you use for that one