Question: Would you be willing to chip in for a "Broncos Fans Only" premium forum?

[Taco John]

I've had some people bring up this idea before, and I've been against it due to the fact that I haven't liked the idea of splitting the community like this based on who pays and who doesn't. That said I recognize that this community is growing beyond anything I've ever imagined, and I am a little distressed at the fact that some of the better posters have gotten drowned out due to the amount of traffic we get. The signal to noise ration might not be right anymore, and I want to do what I can to improve that.

So my idea is to create a subscription based forum using PayPal, where only Broncos fans could post. It would be only accessible by bonafide broncos fans, and you couldn't even get access to it until you had a certain amount of posts in the main forum... I'm thinking anywhere from 500 to 1000 posts (or some sort of date/quiz qualification form where long time readers could gain access if they could pass the test), just to make certain the users are bonafide broncos fans... and to make it exclusive to established members of the community.

The cost would be something like $5 bucks a month if you pay monthly, or $35 bucks per year if you paid by the year. I'd then upgrade the forum to the high end server available through our current host. As part of the membership, Google banner ads would be disabled for your account, so you don't have to see them.

This forum wouldn't change. It would operate the way it is operating now... It would be available to one and everybody, just as it is now. The other forum, of course, would have less traffic, no rival fans, and a core of the community who is into this site and into the Broncos so much that they're willing to contribute a little bit of their hard earned for this exclusive access, so you know the quality of poster would be high.

This is an idea I'm kicking around. If there is enough support for the idea, I'll move on it.

I just see this site growing and have heard some horror stories recently about how communities are getting lost because of the growth of the boards, and I want to do what I can to prevent that.

What do you think?

[Pezman]

TJ, the price of disabling ads, and adding personalized things like siggys are benifits that we could really use to progress the site forward into becoming a major sports online source, without losing the base of visiting posters as a whole.

Personally, I love the idea since it gives everyone the option to see a bonus of their subscription by being able to disable ads and maybe get even more benefits. There will always be those who wont ever pay to visit a message board, but for those who do, at least they know the money is well spent on a beloved site that we've all grown to use regularly.

If the option comes between losing the site, and having a premium membership to keep the Mane running smooth, I dont see any other choice that would make as good of a decision as this.

[Blueflame]

My thought? Anyone who decided to forego the premium forum would feel "left out" within a very short time... there would be "inside jokes" and references that only the ones with access would understand. I sure wouldn't want to miss out on the full access option.

[Pezman]

Of course, it dawns on me that perhaps certain forums here could be restricted access as well unless you are a paid member (War and Politics) cough cough

[Blueflame]

Originally Posted by Pezman

Of course, it dawns on me that perhaps certain forums here could be restricted access as well unless you are a paid member (War and Politics) cough cough

Hehehe...

[ZachKC]

Even though it wouldn't be available to me I think this would be a good idea for this community. I have never been a fan of such a thing until TJ made the case for OM.

You can easily drop 35 dollars going out to some casual dining place or a night out at a bar. For anyone who spends a lot of time here it seems like a small price.

There are a lot of users on here where the value for your dollar would be quite good.

[Taco John]

Originally Posted by Pezman

Of course, it dawns on me that perhaps certain forums here could be restricted access as well unless you are a paid member (War and Politics) cough cough

I don't want to get too carried away. I just want to address the issue of making certain the core of this community is kept in tact while keeping a steady stream of revenue coming in to address server growth.

And, I'll tell you what. My long term vision of this site is to have our own exclusive reporting staff (brought up through our own ranks). I'd even our own photographer on the sidelines during home games (also brought up through our own ranks). Currently, the only way to do that is to sell out to a network site with press access , as the Broncos wont grant online sites press credentials. I've tried to get credentials. They practically laughed in my face. I'll admit, It was a demoralizing blow that sent me reeling and made me consider what the hell I'm doing here. I've since recovered and have come to grips once again with my dream for this place. Screw the front office's silly policies. If they don't want to work with us, we'll just have to work around them in whatever ways we can.

The other obstacle, of course, is the ability to pay writers. But before I get too far down that path, I want get the server square... I've got other ideas brewing to cover the writers. This is a long term vision anyway. First things first, and what's important to me right now is community dynamics.

...and save the "sell shirts" idea folks. I love the idea, but it's naive to come at me with that idea as the solution to all of our problems. Shirts aren't a big money maker, and they have a limited run. I've done the research and I know what I'm getting into there. I like the idea, but it's a small potoatoes idea in my mind, and I'm a big picture guy with only so much time to dedicate to this hobby (I have a career, and have been struggling with some other issues, but that's neither here nor there right now ). We will have shirts and hats at some point in time, but not until we get this other stuff worked out. I'm more concerned about long term solvency issues of the community, and the idea for shirts and hats is like putting a fan out your front door to blow away a weather pattern. I need to find something steady that can be forecasted and counted on without having to ask for donations again and again and again (I hate doing that, I hate it, I hate it, I hate it).

Anyway, I'm rambling now. This is the idea that's on my mind right now. I think it would solve a lot of headaches for a lot of people, myself included. I'd like to get more feedback on this idea.

[Rock Chalk]

Pay to get rid of non-Bronco fans?

Fan ****ing tastic where do I sign up and how much is it>

[Rock Chalk]

Originally Posted by Blueflame

My thought? Anyone who decided to forego the premium forum would feel "left out" within a very short time... there would be "inside jokes" and references that only the ones with access would understand. I sure wouldn't want to miss out on the full access option.

So what.

[Sir Mawn]

It makes perfect sense to me. I'm pretty sure "premium" posters wouldn't shy away from the main board anyway.

It's about time we chip in, Taco, and if we can do it for even more stuff in return then I'm all for it.

What occurs to me is that we could start with a core of quality, oldtime posters. And then nominate new candidates twice a year or something. How's THAT for a rep system?

[ludo21]

My only thing with it is, you dont want to make it too much money or too little. Either money will be an issue and people (quality OM posters) will not get the invite due to funds, and if its too little money posters will drop the dough with ease and the traffic will be the same.

ideas there TJ

[mattleecrew]

I dont mind kicking in a little money for something like this but I wouldnt be as big on restricting who can and cant join the premium section based on posts, etc... Being a limited poster myself it would be something I would take issue with, why would I need to prove myself if Im already showing a commitment by paying for the service. I may not post alot but get just as much from this site as those who post just to see their numbers and rep climb. If I have something to say or contribute I say it and if not I just read what others have to say. Being a Broncos fan outside the denver area, this site has become a great place to connect with other fans, get quality info from week to week as well as the offseason. I think of the two times I have had a chance to meet other Omaners, at the HOF last summer and a couple months back at the Giants game. It was an open and friendly atmosphere, "Oh your a Broncos fan? Great, join the party, have a drink, enjoy!" It has been the same here, if your a broncos fan, then welcome and join the party. I wouldnt want to ruin that atmosphere by having a disconnect between "premium" and regular users because they dont post every day or dont know enough history to prove they bleed orange and blue.
Yes I would contribute to help you build what has become a great board and to keep it going strong as long as there arent strong restrictions on who can and cannot join.

[Dagmar]

Premium, $35 a year seems fair, especially if it keeps the trolls away.

As long as it didn't become an elitest snobbish area where rookies and n00bs were scoffed at by 'senior/older' members.

[Dagmar]

Originally Posted by mattleecrew

I dont mind kicking in a little money for something like this but I wouldnt be as big on restricting who can and cant join the premium section based on posts, etc... Being a limited poster myself it would be something I would take issue with, why would I need to prove myself if Im already showing a commitment by paying for the service. I may not post alot but get just as much from this site as those who post just to see their numbers and rep climb. If I have something to say or contribute I say it and if not I just read what others have to say. Being a Broncos fan outside the denver area, this site has become a great place to connect with other fans, get quality info from week to week as well as the offseason. I think of the two times I have had a chance to meet other Omaners, at the HOF last summer and a couple months back at the Giants game. It was an open and friendly atmosphere, "Oh your a Broncos fan? Great, join the party, have a drink, enjoy!" It has been the same here, if your a broncos fan, then welcome and join the party. I wouldnt want to ruin that atmosphere by having a disconnect between "premium" and regular users because they dont post every day or dont know enough history to prove they bleed orange and blue.
Yes I would contribute to help you build what has become a great board and to keep it going strong as long as there arent strong restrictions on who can and cannot join.

Good post.

[Blueflame]

Originally Posted by AlecRaenos

So what.

While some posters might not feel the same as I do, I'd want to be "in the loop" on everything the Mane has to offer. You bet I'd want the premium access... and the fact that the $$ would be helping TJ just makes the deal more attractive to me.

[Rock Chalk]

Originally Posted by Dagmar

Premium, $35 a year seems fair, especially if it keeps the trolls away.

As long as it didn't become an elitest snobbish area where rookies and n00bs were scoffed at by 'senior/older' members.

Thats what its for.

So we old timers can sit back and clown on you newbs.

[Bronx33]

I find this offensive!

[Blueflame]

Originally Posted by Bronx33

I find this offensive!

I'd find it offensive too if it were Chefs week (too much red! )

[Goobzilla]

$35 to be troll-free is a bargain at twice the price.

[dbroncos31]

that sounds great

[Bronx33]

Originally Posted by Blueflame

I'd find it offensive too if it were Chefs week (too much red! )

You can almost see her buttocks.....

[Dagmar]

Originally Posted by Goobzilla

$35 to be troll-free is a bargain at twice the price.

Don't give anyone any ideas about it being more expensive!!

Where would the money go TJ?

i'm just interested in if anything will be better, except the barring of the trolls?
You wouldn't accept money from Boob surely(I could see him paying!), there'd be uproar!

[Dagmar]

Originally Posted by Bronx33

You can almost see her buttocks.....

I, for one, am utterly disgusted.

[iforgotmypassword]

well mostly all I do on this board is look around and view it, maybe as non premium members we could still view the thread of the premium members but just not post on it? just an idea

[-Slap-]

JetsInsider.com employs a similar format. There is an inescapably elitist air about the place, but such is life. People are people and attitudes of that nature are normal. I will do my best to distance myself from that type of situation, as I feel its entirely counterintuitive to what I believe is the function of boards such as this one. More on that later.

I know one thing that has really bothered some posters on this board is the intrusive ad placement. The idea of charging money not to have ads in the middle of the page is analogous to paying some company who infected you with adware for their removal program. Its a somewhat extortive method of doing business.

I would assume that having advertisment placed less promimently would be part of the service provided, and most likely, the only one I would consider particularly useful.

The whole idea of some Bronco Fans Only Club strikes me as sort of a dreary proposition. Does that mean that posters like Patswin and TheNextStep will be excluded from that board because they're not Bronco fans? The poster who's had Bronco season tickets for 30 years will be left out because they have a personal or professional life that only allows them to post here sporadically? Don't even get me started about a requisite number of posts or some kind of stupid quiz. That's an idea that's both unwieldy and rather insulting.

Anyway, if I haven't made myself crystal clear on the topic, I'll pay to remove the ads, but I will studiously avoid any kind of elitist, members only, homer camp for board approved Bronco fans.

I like slugging it out with the riffraff and I like diversity of opinions (although, I admit, that's not readily apparent). I know what most of the Regulars here think about a lot of issues already. There's no need for me to dissect that information any finer than its already been presented. I'm interested in what the football fans who don't live on this board think about things, too. The person with five posts is just as capable of putting up a solid football take as some dork who has 17,334 posts. Only a very arrogant and misguided person would believe otherwise.

Perhaps the Broncos Only board can be refuge where people can hide after a disappointing loss and the trolls are running loose through the streets. I find the natural evolution of things more satisfying, though. Shanahan and Company sent the trolls packing this season and their humble silence and jealous loser talk is music to my ears.

Hopefully no one's feelings were hurt by anything I said, but honest opinions were solicited and this is mine.