I want to be completely honest. This site could very well become the best sports forum on the internet. You've spent enough money buying out other places for that title. But, it's not happening and activity is not as high as it could be. Why? Because the site still looks unattractive. Yes IPB was a good adjustment but it's still the same cluttered mess. The banner is ridiculously boring. Too many sports sections and buttons on homepage. It's nice when you go to a page and it's a bit more simple. Please don't hate on me, or call me a jerk. Because I really am just trying to help.
I agree. There's still too much stuff. Too many forums. Why not get rid of some inactive forums and just clean up this place? Also, will there ever be a new layout? I thought you guys said we were going to get new banners and stuff. And as for the activity, no offense, but whenever I'm on, I always see about 20-30 members online. Back on JBB, we'd use to have like 40-50+ members online during peak time. I just don't see it here. I thought this place was supposed to be a bigger community
I still think you guys should consider the idea I proposed before, by making a separate "home page" for each sport. Like have an "NBA forum" page, where you get the list off all the teams and forums on one page. Because I rarely find myself going into the forums, I usually only use the front page
We do appreciate the feedback. Especially because people view the site in different ways. As an example, I basically stick to the view new posts link. As far as the visuals on the site, because of the many parts (functions) of the site, making a cohesive skin has proven problematic for the couple that have attempted it. In addition to the forums, we have blogs, news, custom articles and a wiki. Skinning across all of that for a consistent look and feel is unfortunately, a large challenge. I know for many, the forums are the most important part of the site, but I also know that our bloggers don't want their work left off the homepage. Because of that, deciding what to change it to isn't easy. I'm not saying any of this to make excuses, because believe me, I'd like it to be better. Oh Brian, as far as users online, the biggest thing I've seen is that a fair number of people are browsing as guests instead of logging in. I don't believe the number of eyeballs viewing the site is any less than it has been.
I'd say, at least have "News" on bottom. And possibly have the Forum links a bit bigger. I honestly can't remember the last time I've actually looked at the news on this site. And before I started looking around the home page, I didn't even realize there were Forum links.
And btw, here's an example of what I'm talking about with the whole forum layout thing: http://www.realgm.com/boards/index.php Instead of having to click through all the divisions just to find the team forum, why not have everything just layed out? That way, when someone clicks on the NBA forum, or NFL forum, everything will be there. I think it will make the forums more attractive and easier/better to use then they are now. And also, clean up the forums. What's the point of having so many when nobody posts in them? An example being the autoracing/minor league forums
just a thought maybe a sick home page that says just sportstwo, with a big logo and a link to every section, blogs, forums, news, portal, so on and maybe condense the forums is coo too, just a small idea
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Brian @ Apr 26 2008, 10:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>And btw, here's an example of what I'm talking about with the whole forum layout thing: http://www.realgm.com/boards/index.php Instead of having to click through all the divisions just to find the team forum, why not have everything just layed out? That way, when someone clicks on the NBA forum, or NFL forum, everything will be there. I think it will make the forums more attractive and easier/better to use then they are now. And also, clean up the forums. What's the point of having so many when nobody posts in them? An example being the autoracing/minor league forums</div> I can't begin to explain how much I detest realBM We do have things such as http://sportstwo.com/NBA/ and http://sportstwo.com/NBA/Standings/Full that are underdeveloped right now
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Brian @ Apr 26 2008, 07:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>And btw, here's an example of what I'm talking about with the whole forum layout thing: http://www.realgm.com/boards/index.php Instead of having to click through all the divisions just to find the team forum, why not have everything just layed out? That way, when someone clicks on the NBA forum, or NFL forum, everything will be there. I think it will make the forums more attractive and easier/better to use then they are now. And also, clean up the forums. What's the point of having so many when nobody posts in them? An example being the autoracing/minor league forums</div> Exactly. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (cpawfan @ Apr 26 2008, 07:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Brian @ Apr 26 2008, 10:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>And btw, here's an example of what I'm talking about with the whole forum layout thing: http://www.realgm.com/boards/index.php Instead of having to click through all the divisions just to find the team forum, why not have everything just layed out? That way, when someone clicks on the NBA forum, or NFL forum, everything will be there. I think it will make the forums more attractive and easier/better to use then they are now. And also, clean up the forums. What's the point of having so many when nobody posts in them? An example being the autoracing/minor league forums</div> I can't begin to explain how much I detest realBM We do have things such as http://sportstwo.com/NBA/ and http://sportstwo.com/NBA/Standings/Full that are underdeveloped right now </div> As much as you probably disguise realgm. I don't like their members either. They are better organized and have it down.
I'm not saying turn this forum into RealGM, I'm just saying, I think this site would look a lot more organized and that the forums would be a lot more user friendly if it followed that layout. What's the point of having to click through all the divisions just to get to a team? I think it would be better just to lay it all out on one page
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Brian @ Apr 26 2008, 10:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I'm not saying turn this forum into RealGM, I'm just saying, I think this site would look a lot more organized and that the forums would be a lot more user friendly if it followed that layout. What's the point of having to click through all the divisions just to get to a team? I think it would be better just to lay it all out on one page</div> We are covering far more sports than they are, so there are extra things that we need to consider as our goal is to treat all the sports equally. I do want to see a home spot for each of the sports. The NBA standings link I posted earlier is an early attempt such a thing. Right now, that is where you go if you click on the NBA link under Welcome to SportsTwo! on the home page. In most cases, there are multiple ways to get team forums (some of which are pretty easy), but we haven't done a good job of explaining the multiple paths.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (cpawfan @ Apr 26 2008, 08:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Brian @ Apr 26 2008, 10:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I'm not saying turn this forum into RealGM, I'm just saying, I think this site would look a lot more organized and that the forums would be a lot more user friendly if it followed that layout. What's the point of having to click through all the divisions just to get to a team? I think it would be better just to lay it all out on one page</div> We are covering far more sports than they are, so there are extra things that we need to consider as our goal is to treat all the sports equally. I do want to see a home spot for each of the sports. The NBA standings link I posted earlier is an early attempt such a thing. Right now, that is where you go if you click on the NBA link under Welcome to SportsTwo! on the home page. In most cases, there are multiple ways to get team forums (some of which are pretty easy), but we haven't done a good job of explaining the multiple paths. </div> Don't even make it so you have to explain it. Make it so people that come here can figure it out on their own without thinking. Seriously...treating all sports equally? Kind of ridiculous. Why not get rid of Poker, nascar...all the unpopular stuff. There is no rule that it has to be every sport imaginable. I've seen make sports sites only do the common four of Basketball, Baseball, football, Soccer, and then "other sports."
