For anyone who cares, I thought I'd share my thoughts on all of this stuff going on between the different boards. I think I come at it with a bit of a different perspective since I haven't been a poster on the DeaconSports boards for 2+ years now. I'm sure I'll get plenty of "TLDR" for this post, but I guess that's the way it goes sometimes.
Over the last couple of days I've read a lot, both here and on DS, about everything that's been going on, and I think the real situation is probably a bit more complicated than people realize it is.
Consider the business model of DeaconSports, DeaconsIllustrated, or any other website dedicated to charging a subscription fee for insider recruiting information. That information has to come from somewhere, and most of it comes from off-the-record tips and conversations with coaches.
Now, we all love the idea of free and open discussion, but that could never really work at a site like DeaconSports. That inside information only gets passed along because the staff of those sites develop relationships with athletic departments and those relationships survive on mutual trust. Whether it is fair or not, that trust is going to be based somewhat on what is posted on their message boards, even if it isn't posted by them. By allowing it to be on their boards they are, to some extent, tacitly approving it.
I do not know (or care) whether or not DeaconSports has started moderating with such a heavy hand by their own choice in attempt to preserve their relationship, or whether members of the athletic department have asked them to do so. Either way, I have trouble blaming them for doing it. They have a business to support, and their business comes almost entirely from people paying them for their basketball recruiting info, not from people having discussions on their free board.
What does all this mean? That the creation of this board was an EXCELLENT idea. This board doesn't have any relationships to preserve or people to keep happy. There's no need to moderate because there's nothing to lose. It's like the Deadspin model of "sports news without access, favor, or discretion."
Let DeaconSports continue to exist to serve those who are willing to pay for basketball recruiting information. Let DeaconsIllustrated continue to exist for those willing to pay for football recruiting information. That information has value, as is clear based on the subscriber bases both of those sites maintain.
For everything else - your daily banter about Wake sports - come here and have at it without worrying about it. I truly believe that once everything settles down these three sites can coexist peacefully, each serving its purpose and doing so better than any one site ever did all three before.
I know many of you have legitimate beefs with the way things were handled over there. I think that's totally fair and you have every right to vent/make fun/poster poach as you see fit. In the end I expect that Wake fans will be much better off in general, I just don't see any of these sites disappearing entirely.
Over the last couple of days I've read a lot, both here and on DS, about everything that's been going on, and I think the real situation is probably a bit more complicated than people realize it is.
Consider the business model of DeaconSports, DeaconsIllustrated, or any other website dedicated to charging a subscription fee for insider recruiting information. That information has to come from somewhere, and most of it comes from off-the-record tips and conversations with coaches.
Now, we all love the idea of free and open discussion, but that could never really work at a site like DeaconSports. That inside information only gets passed along because the staff of those sites develop relationships with athletic departments and those relationships survive on mutual trust. Whether it is fair or not, that trust is going to be based somewhat on what is posted on their message boards, even if it isn't posted by them. By allowing it to be on their boards they are, to some extent, tacitly approving it.
I do not know (or care) whether or not DeaconSports has started moderating with such a heavy hand by their own choice in attempt to preserve their relationship, or whether members of the athletic department have asked them to do so. Either way, I have trouble blaming them for doing it. They have a business to support, and their business comes almost entirely from people paying them for their basketball recruiting info, not from people having discussions on their free board.
What does all this mean? That the creation of this board was an EXCELLENT idea. This board doesn't have any relationships to preserve or people to keep happy. There's no need to moderate because there's nothing to lose. It's like the Deadspin model of "sports news without access, favor, or discretion."
Let DeaconSports continue to exist to serve those who are willing to pay for basketball recruiting information. Let DeaconsIllustrated continue to exist for those willing to pay for football recruiting information. That information has value, as is clear based on the subscriber bases both of those sites maintain.
For everything else - your daily banter about Wake sports - come here and have at it without worrying about it. I truly believe that once everything settles down these three sites can coexist peacefully, each serving its purpose and doing so better than any one site ever did all three before.
I know many of you have legitimate beefs with the way things were handled over there. I think that's totally fair and you have every right to vent/make fun/poster poach as you see fit. In the end I expect that Wake fans will be much better off in general, I just don't see any of these sites disappearing entirely.