The Future of the Hangout

[paulcoates]

I think they're tidying up finances in preparation for sale of the team.

Please sweet baby jesus be true. I'll even kick in some money that goes DIRECTLY to King Pete himself, Greg

[tilgaham]

I read the thread in the other section, but perhaps I'm missing something. I don't quite understand what all the uproar is about. Without any sort of financial details, it's pretty unreasonable to crucify the orioles on this one. What exactly are the expenses of this website? Sure there are a ton of hits on a daily basis, but there isn't a ton of high data content, anywhere.

The Orioles shouldn't be expected to subsidize a fan website. Give us perks, protect the logo from being taken down, etc is all good, but cash subsidies?

What do they go to?

Edit: I very much would like to not be flamed for this. I love this board. I'm just curious what the expenses are.

[CA-ORIOLE]

What do they even go to?

Edit: I very much would like to not be flamed for this. I love this board. I'm just curious what the expenses are.

Nobody's business but Tony's. It's a business, don't like the site go somewhere else. It's really as simple as that. Disclosing the sites financials/financial discussions by Mr. Bader (especially the way he did it) was low and unprofessional. That's the only point that's really important here imo.

[tilgaham]

Nobody's business but Tony's. It's a business, don't like the site go somewhere else. It's really as simple as that. Disclosing the sites financials/financial discussions by Mr. Bader (especially the way he did it) was low and unprofessional. That's the only point that's really important here imo.

Do you really have to say that? I asked a reasonable question. I know I don't have four birds or anything like that, but I want to be part of the community just like everyone else. I don't think asking for some sort of explanation is unreasonable. A core value of this site proposes to be open discourse. The opposing opinion can't be openly discussed without complete (or at least reasonable) information.

[CA-ORIOLE]

Do you really have to say that? I asked a reasonable question. I know I don't have four birds or anything like that, but I want to be part of the community just like everyone else. I don't think asking for some sort of explanation is unreasonable. A core value of this site proposes to be open discourse. The opposing opinion can't be openly discussed without complete (or at least reasonable) information.

Yeah, I really do think I need to say it. When you ask questions as you have and are doing now, it's obvious you've lost sight of it. So yes, it's a pretty critical concept that is easily lost. You're not owed an explanation and it's unreasonable of you to ask or even think you're entitled to one. That's part of what actually pisses me off about Bader's comments and exactly what you've played into.

[sangar]

I read the thread in the other section, but perhaps I'm missing something. I don't quite understand what all the uproar is about. Without any sort of financial details, it's pretty unreasonable to crucify the orioles on this one. What exactly are the expenses of this website? Sure there are a ton of hits on a daily basis, but there isn't a ton of high data content, anywhere.

The Orioles shouldn't be expected to subsidize a fan website. Give us perks, protect the logo from being taken down, etc is all good, but cash subsidies?

What do they go to?

Edit: I very much would like to not be flamed for this. I love this board. I'm just curious what the expenses are.

It costs ten times as much to attract a new customer as it does to keep an existing customer. Supporting an existing customer base is simply good business. Offending an existing customer base isn't. Normally I buy new Oriole gear every year and attend all of their games in the southland. This year I will boycott simply because of their poor attitude toward this site. And do you know what? I'll bet the Oriole front office couldn't care less.

[jjdman]

I couldn't imagine anything more boring than an Ask Greg section!

Try paying to watch this team.

[Tony-OH]

I read the thread in the other section, but perhaps I'm missing something. I don't quite understand what all the uproar is about. Without any sort of financial details, it's pretty unreasonable to crucify the orioles on this one. What exactly are the expenses of this website? Sure there are a ton of hits on a daily basis, but there isn't a ton of high data content, anywhere.

The Orioles shouldn't be expected to subsidize a fan website. Give us perks, protect the logo from being taken down, etc is all good, but cash subsidies?

What do they go to?

Edit: I very much would like to not be flamed for this. I love this board. I'm just curious what the expenses are.

I've explained in the past that the money went towards server costs, IT support, site design/redesign, game reporters, equipment, editor support, and paying for the time I put into this site. Maybe you don't find value in that, but others do. As others have explained, no one is looking for handout, and no one is looking for subsidy. Orioles Hangout has value to the Orioles and has for many years as they've advertised, not subsidized with this site. No one is looking for a handout. The Hangout earned it's advertisement money and as you can see by how many people that are not going to be spending as much money or no money there this year, it looks like a bad decision. They decided to go into a different direction and the fans around here have let them know how they feel.

For a guy who claims to love this board, you sure do have an interesting way of showing it. No one is forced to support this community and if you feel I don't deserve any financial incentive to produce this website and community then that's up to you. I disagree and I think a whole lot of other people would as well.

[canonfaz]

It amazes me that people just think this site magically exists and nothing is needed in order to keep it up. Heck, I can remember at least 2 major site redesigns since I've been a member of the boards. Not to mention all of the various minor site and database improvements - remember when the boards used to go down every time the Orioles signed or didn't sign somebody?

[Satyr3206]

It amazes me that people just think this site magically exists and nothing is needed in order to keep it up. Heck, I can remember at least 2 major site redesigns since I've been a member of the boards. Not to mention all of the various minor site and database improvements - remember when the boards used to go down every time the Orioles signed or didn't sign somebody?

All you have to do is go to a site like Tiger Direct and look up the cost of servers, they're not cheap. And that's the tip of the iceberg.

[weams]

It costs ten times as much to attract a new customer as it does to keep an existing customer. Supporting an existing customer base is simply good business. Offending an existing customer base isn't. Normally I buy new Oriole gear every year and attend all of their games in the southland. This year I will boycott simply because of their poor attitude toward this site. And do you know what? I'll bet the Oriole front office couldn't care less.

I think that they only valued their advertising here based on click through of the links/ads they paid for. Real poor way to evaluate presence advertising dollars spent.

[Sports Guy]

Just to put my 2 cents out there...Tony deserves to make money off of this site for all the time he puts into it and even more than that, all the time he did put into it to make it successful.

People complaining about that are clueless.

That being said, Tony isn't making anyone pay to post here, so if you don't want to do it, you can choose to move on.

[weams]

I've explained in the past that the money went towards server costs, IT support, site design/redesign, game reporters, equipment, editor support, and paying for the time I put into this site. Maybe you don't find value in that, but others do. As others have explained, no one is looking for handout, and no one is looking for subsidy. Orioles Hangout has value to the Orioles and has for many years as they've advertised, not subsidized with this site. No one is looking for a handout. The Hangout earned it's advertisement money and as you can see by how many people that are not going to be spending as much money or no money there this year, it looks like a bad decision. They decided to go into a different direction and the fans around here have let them know how they feel.

For a guy who claims to love this board, you sure do have an interesting way of showing it. No one is forced to support this community and if you feel I don't deserve any financial incentive to produce this website and community then that's up to you. I disagree and I think a whole lot of other people would as well.

You never need to defend your costs to me T. This place has been worth every penny I have ever spent here. The Orioles obviously did not understand the concept of keeping a line of support and communication open with the last of the guerrilla Oriole fan encampments.

[Slappy]

There is such a large freeloader culture that has built up around the Internet. It takes time, effort, and money to build, maintain, and moderate something as useful as OH, and those things deserve adequate compensation.

[olehippi]

You never need to defend your costs to me T. This place has been worth every penny I have ever spent here. The Orioles obviously did not understand the concept of keeping a line of support and communication open with the last of the guerrilla Oriole fan encampments.

This was a magnificent post!