Hey Guys,
Headsup on something that is coming soon.
We recently signed an agreement to work with the folks at Fantasyplayers.com to be part of their advertising network.
Before something gets started, this is a deal for nothing more than advertising. Fantasyplayers.com has no ownership whatsoever in Footballguys. Zero. All we are doing is using their ad network to help us generate some money from advertising. There do own a few sites but the great majority of the sites in their network are just like us - using the network soley to sell ads.
We've done some ads in the past with limited success for us. The problem is always that we are not big enough to be able to secure an audience with the people that matter in the huge corporations when it comes to quality ads. Fantasyplayers.com has a very large network of sports specific sites (mostly football and mostly fantasy football) and they have been able to put enough sites together in a network that they have an attractive base of eyes to the huge advertisers.
So we're going to see how it goes here.
I realize full well that ads are not popular. But we're at a point in our business where we can't continue to operate the site and boards as we have been. They have to be able to generate some money. One alternative was to charge a subscription fee for the boards. Many have asked that we make the boards for paying subscribers only but you guys know I'm not a fan of that. Another option would be to dramatically raise the price of the premium FBG subscription in order to help offset the costs more. But that's not a very attractive option either.
What we settled on was offering ads on the pages. The pages here will have a banner at top and a taller skinny banner on the right side. Again, I realize that's not going to be popular, but that's the reality of where we are in that we have to be able to have the pages generate some money if we are going to continue offering free access to the boards.
You have my word (and I made them write it into the contract) that we would not have popup ads. I hate those as does everyone I know. I told them I'd shut the boards down before we had popups. If you ever see any popup ads, it's a mistake and please report it immediately.
All advertising is a trade. The viewer "pays" for the material (even when the material is free) by accepting ads being on the site. I realize that fully. So it's our job to help the free material be worth "paying for".
It's my hope that the quality material you guys continue to post on the boards will be enough to make the ads worthwhile. So I'm asking for your help there. Keep posting good stuff. I'm also asking for your patience there as I have no doubt there will be some that don't like this. This board has become what it is for one reason only - because guys like you provide great discussion. I contribute relatively nothing in the big picture of it. It's you guys. Thanks for your patience and making this place what it is.
Thanks.
J
Headsup on something that is coming soon.
We recently signed an agreement to work with the folks at Fantasyplayers.com to be part of their advertising network.
Before something gets started, this is a deal for nothing more than advertising. Fantasyplayers.com has no ownership whatsoever in Footballguys. Zero. All we are doing is using their ad network to help us generate some money from advertising. There do own a few sites but the great majority of the sites in their network are just like us - using the network soley to sell ads.
We've done some ads in the past with limited success for us. The problem is always that we are not big enough to be able to secure an audience with the people that matter in the huge corporations when it comes to quality ads. Fantasyplayers.com has a very large network of sports specific sites (mostly football and mostly fantasy football) and they have been able to put enough sites together in a network that they have an attractive base of eyes to the huge advertisers.
So we're going to see how it goes here.
I realize full well that ads are not popular. But we're at a point in our business where we can't continue to operate the site and boards as we have been. They have to be able to generate some money. One alternative was to charge a subscription fee for the boards. Many have asked that we make the boards for paying subscribers only but you guys know I'm not a fan of that. Another option would be to dramatically raise the price of the premium FBG subscription in order to help offset the costs more. But that's not a very attractive option either.
What we settled on was offering ads on the pages. The pages here will have a banner at top and a taller skinny banner on the right side. Again, I realize that's not going to be popular, but that's the reality of where we are in that we have to be able to have the pages generate some money if we are going to continue offering free access to the boards.
You have my word (and I made them write it into the contract) that we would not have popup ads. I hate those as does everyone I know. I told them I'd shut the boards down before we had popups. If you ever see any popup ads, it's a mistake and please report it immediately.
All advertising is a trade. The viewer "pays" for the material (even when the material is free) by accepting ads being on the site. I realize that fully. So it's our job to help the free material be worth "paying for".
It's my hope that the quality material you guys continue to post on the boards will be enough to make the ads worthwhile. So I'm asking for your help there. Keep posting good stuff. I'm also asking for your patience there as I have no doubt there will be some that don't like this. This board has become what it is for one reason only - because guys like you provide great discussion. I contribute relatively nothing in the big picture of it. It's you guys. Thanks for your patience and making this place what it is.
Thanks.
J
But agreed in that business is business and you've gotta whatever is necessary to survive.
Not to pile on, but that side ad is horrible. Especially when you have a laptop. Takes up a third of the screen.
