Pay-per-view

[yyz]

Here's another idea I've kicked around for a while, that I want feedback on:

What if Jack had a section here that you needed to be a paying member to view?

Would you get in?

Think about it.....only the paid members could read and reply to the threads. It would most certainly cut down on a shitload of fuss.

I know that I would do it!

 

[crazyjoe]

that sounds like it could be a good idea. maybe there already is a pay per view sports forum if not maybe someone should start one and only the good guys would go there. if you find one let me know.

 

[sweatbet]

A tout forum? I know you would lose most of the wacko's, but you would also lose some that have something to add to the forum. This site has some of the best cappers and info. on the net. Why change it, if ain't broke?

 

[SixFive]

agree with pmj. I don't know of a successful pay forum. I like this one a bunch just the way it is.

------------------
It's far better to be LUCKY than good.

 

[yyz]

sixfive, do you know of any pay sites? I don't, so clue me in.

My point is, if you have to pay $25 a year to post/see posts, you will get rid of the shit. Of course, there will still be rules, and you would still be subject to getting the "boot" for being a dick.

pjm, this is already a "tout" forum. People come here, tout their plays, and go about their day. You don't have to have a 900 number, or other service to be a "tout".

The vote stands at 2-2 for now......

[This message has been edited by yyz (edited 08-07-2001).]

 

[Rama]

No pay site, what is going to stop the troublemakers from paying? It might prevent a lot of new cappers from joining in if they have to pay. No guarantee that if one has to pay the site will have any less disagreements. If I'm an advertiser, I want as many hits as possible, not fewer.

 

[katts]

I don't like the idea of paying, but like many of you, I too have noticed the degradation of the quality vs quantity ratio in the last few months.

Not pointing anybody in particular but you know what I'm talking about. This place is becoming a real jungle and it gets harder to recognize the "serious" cappers since there's so many members and so much stuff to read. Many minutes lost.

Jack you should try to do something about it because you're slowly gonna lose many of your respected "senior" members if it continues like this. Strictly business speaking, I guess it's probably great for you. But the point is, many "know-it-all" juniors make this place less attractive and less serious. How many times have you seen cappers like Fletcher and RAYMOND being bashed in the last few weeks? Nothing to make them feel @ home. A member here has this signature: "A group is better than the individual". I'm not sure how true this is anymore. I actually learn more from 1 quality post than 10 non-quality ones.

Maybe a private section strictly reserved for senior members (senior membership being gained by, for example, cumulating a total of 500 posts AND 1 full year of membership) could be something to consider... Just a suggestion.

 

[yyz]

Who would pay for the chance to bash someone, be an ass, or just post shit in general?

That makes no sense. Besides, Jack would be at liberty to squash anyone who broke the forum rules.

I am not suggesting the whole site be a pay site. Only a new area created just for those people.

You want to know why I think it would not work, or be welcomed by most people here?

Because I beieve a lot of you are full of shit! People who supposedly wager thousands of dollars a year on sports, yet paying $25 a year to be a member of a club is like asking you to cut off your dick!

It would not surprise me one bit to learn that most of you don't even wager! That's fine. No law says you have to bet to post plays. I want a group of people who know what they are doing, instead of a bunch of guys trying to impress people by hitting 4 out of 5 games twice a month.

I am obviously wasting both my time and yours by preaching this, so I will end now.

 

[MadJack]

i think you make a lot of sense, yyz, and i don't think you're wasting your breath.

this is something that pepin has been trying to get off the ground for some time.

(pep- sorry i didn't answer your post in the football forum yet but i haven't been on here too much the last few days.)

maybe we can have a forum where only certain individuals are invited to post. that forum can be set so that ALL can read but NOT post or it can be set so that only invited people can post AND view.

the only problem is; who gets invited and who doesn't? I guess that's why you put a price tag on it?

if only invited handicappers can post, there won't be any bashing (pay OR free), or, at least the bashing will be between the invited handicappers and not a newbie or someone with an agenda.

keep talking and i'll keep listening. maybe we all can up with something that makes EVERYBODY happy.

 

[katts]

the only problem is; who gets invited and who doesn't? I guess that's why you put a price tag on it?

Jack - did you take the time to read what I had to say? Or maybe you just don't like the idea?

 

[katts]

BTW - If it only cost 25$ a year, I'd be willing to pay.

 

[buddy]

I remember, not so very long ago, when I was a newbie...

I did stupid shit.

Was never much for bashing, but I did make some moronic posts...."Hey, I'd be careful with that pick. I think the Service Academies play Notre Dame real tough."

Notre Dame 75....Service Academy 0

From stickin' my foot in my mouth once too often, I learned to control my replies.

Plus, I watched what others posted and realized if you can't make a worthwhile contribution, just lurk.

If you feel the need to talk, there's always the General Discussion Forum.

But, the bottom line is, gambling is serious stuff.

We are approaching a MADDENING time of the year....and this IS a VERY POPULAR site.

Hoardes of newbies will need reprimanded, but I don't think it will take much to get them to understand what Jack is trying to accomplish here.

 

[MadJack]

Jack - did you take the time to read what I had to say? Or maybe you just don't like the idea?

katts- what the hell are you talking about? i thought i was replying to you and everybody else.

???

don't like what idea? what am i missing here??? you made a suggestion. it's up for discussion.

 

[MadJack]

katts- i know of some members that have less than 100 posts that i respect more than some with a thousand. i know of some on the internet that aren't members that deserve to be invited. my question was how to decide who is invited. no, i don't like your idea of inviting someone just because they have 500 posts. but, that's just my opinion. i like how it is now where everybody is invited, but i can also understand why some people would prefer a more private and less crowded area to discuss the games.

[This message has been edited by MadJack (edited 08-07-2001).]

 

[katts]

Sorry Jack. The way I read your response was like you were trying to figure out how this could be done. I came out with a suggestion (senior membership) and since you didn't bring any comment on it I figured out that you didn't read it (can't blame you, you have many things to read here) or just didn't like it. I'd just like to know what you think, that's it.

The point is, if a private section is *only* reserved to those with a full year (or whatever it is) of membership + other basic requirements (# of posts), you put the odds in your favor and in most of the cases you know that these guys are serious about sports handicapping in general. You were asking "who gets invited and who doesn't".. I think this would be a good way to avoid any discrimination, plus it would be automated.

 

[MadJack]

katts- i'm just trying to join in and help provide whatever you guys want. i'll do what i can to help make everybody happy here. i never thought having too many posts or too much traffic would pose a problem.

i don't think $25 a year would stop the BS and non-serious posters. i don't even think $25 a MONTH would do that. who knows? i'm open-minded. keep the suggestions rollin' in.

thanks

 

[yyz]

Jack,

You greatly overestimate you audience. I would be willing to guess that no more than 25 current posters would kick in that $25 a year to see a private forum. That is a very generous total, too.

I love this forum, and if it stays this way, it is still far and away the best one I have seen.

 

[MadJack]

I would be willing to guess that no more than 25 current posters would kick in that $25 a year to see a private forum.

come on, yyz! for one thing, people always want what they can't have and that alone would get more than 25. $25 is cheap today..... that's lunch money

you'd be surprised how many customers some of these services get.

there's no way to determine how many would actually pay but there are probably about 250 people lurking for every one posting. if Nolan only posted his NFL plays in that forum and the fee to view was $500 a year, I bet over 1000 would sign up. well, 500 anyway.

maybe i am way off base. who knows?

 

[SixFive]

to answer your question, yyz, I can't think of any pay forums right now that are successful either. New ones in this mold are springing up all the time, however. I would agree with Jack that folks would probably pay for Mr. Dalla.

DTB, if u read this, what was that website (u had the T-shirt on when we were flooded out at Hartland) we were talking about that was free but went pay? I can't think of it now.

yyz, lastly, i c u live in Fon du Lac. My better half is from Sheboygan, and I have been there several times. I thought that UK basketball fans were the best in the world until I visited Wisconsin. Now I know the Packers are. I have never seen anything like Packer mania. Even in the off season and not game day, people are nuts about them. 1 out of every 3 people u see is wearing Packer gear. I thought that was rather amazing.

 

[yyz]

The folks up here are, by and large, decent. When they aren't out hunting or fishing, the bumkins like to wear their Packer gear.

I see a lot of gals up here wearing team jerseys of their favorite players, and I ask one question:

"How do they make jerseys that BIG!?!

Look for me in the stands on the Monday night game in a couple of weeks!

Of course, you have no idea what I look like, and the camera won't pan as high as my seats!

(My tix are 1 row from the top in the south endzone.)