I know that many of us Rapids fans can agree that their webapge is the thing people go to for the latest news, and for people like me to want to learn more about soccer. Alongside, Many of us have complained that the Rapids website is not the best, but we have not done anything about it. I think now is a good time to put our ideas into this message borad. I'll be in contact with the PR department to see if they are up to using what we as a Soccer lover people know best - how to view a webpage and comment. I would like to add a few things though: 1. Please no "go to this page and see that they have" that does not help any of us reading your comment. What makes it a good or a bad page? it's just another page to look at for us readers. 2. Please say things such as: "look at the menu on this page, http://www.[fill in the blank].com, that would be nice to add to the Raps site." 3. Use this form to help better what we see fit, not to bash each other. 4. Agree that anyideas that are posted here, I can send to the PR guy to "push" him to add what we want. 5. be creative, and have fun! I think that we as a soccer lover can push to get what we want, and better things for soccer lovers to come.
Please don't read this as my jumping on a newbie post. I'm just expressing an opinion, I'd say the same thing no matter who posted the above questions Answering those questions is not the job of the fans. It's the job of the team and whatever person(s) designated to design, build and manage the website. Even if all of these answers were served up on a platter, a successful website cannot be built and managed by following a specific blueprint. Simply put, the Rapids need to put money and time into the website and specifically into a company that knows what they're doing. And until they do, it's likely we'll be left with an unsatisfactory product. Furthermore, I think the following statement is grossly inaccurate: Countless people on this website, myself included, have sent positive, constructive criticism to the Rapids both via email and in this forum. There has been little if any responses from the Rapids, let alone action, and in some cases fans have been directly insulted by the team. It should also be considered that a significant number of fans have for years attempted to do exactly what the first post calls for: being positive and proactive when making requests and suggestions, and not just about the website. Many fans have volunteered their time and services to the team, yet few have ever been taken up on the offer -- and many that have done so wind with a feeling of being used and abused.
We certainly agree on that. At some point, you'd think that it'd be a pride issue for the team management and marketing folks. While I'm sure there are plenty in the front office who (silently) agree with the sentiments expressed here, there's no denying that what's up there is an embarassment. I'd also argue that the company/team that manages the site should be fans of the team and/or otherwise passionate about the game. Given that the Rapids aren't likely to throw a lot of money at the project, then passion becomes a driving factor in making it something to be proud of.
obviously I am a newbie soccer lover wanna be, and want to see something that I want to learn about grow and not fade away, which can easily be done, What does it take to make the Rapids hire someone to take care of the page? Also, would anyone be able to help me out with what the Rapids budget is per year? What makes this sport different from say, baseball, where they have millions of dollars? Does anyone know the DL on AEG wanting to create a page for the AEG teams overall?
The organization can go get bent. I'm not about to give away free information. If my opinion is so valuable, they can show me the money. I'll just ramble on about the players and other nonsense. If they're website sucks, then it sucks. I don't go there for information anyway. I just look at the pictures of the girls in jerseys. If they can't figure out what they need to do, it should not be, nor will it be the responsibility of the people here to help them out. Phil has enough money to pay someone to maintain a website. In the grand scheem of things it really isn't that important. Put a good product on the pitch and everything else works out.
I agree that the product on the pitch is what matters... but I think the site should, at a minimum, not suck out loud (as it does now). Forget about the geeks who hang out here or are already fans of the team. Imagine you're either new to the area or new to the league/team and for some reason you've decided to look into catching a game. More than likely, it's 'cause your kid talked to some other kid at school or soccer practice and that other kid had just been to the game. Doing as most in that situation might do these days, you decide to hit www.coloradorapids.com. In that instant, you've been given your "first impression" of the league and the team... and what's that impression going to be right now? Two words: Amateur Hour
What does SSS mean? and What do people define as Amateur Hour? Is Amateur hour just the fact that the person taking care of the page is new? or has no experience?
Soccer-Specific Stadium I can't speak for others... but when I say "amateur hour" (as it relates to the Raps' web site), I mean that it doesn't look professional. It doesn't look like you'd expect from a soccer club in the US' top professional league. "Bush League" are two other words you could use, if that helps.
Amateur Hour is the fact that the website has become a joke and does not in any way reflect positively on what is otherwise a professional organization. Someone being new and/or inexperienced is no excuse. In fact at this point, there really can be no excuse for the condition of the Rapids website. We've heard excuses since mid-summer of 2002. The Crush and Mammoth are both new. Both inexperienced. Yet their website are at least professional in their approach. This is no dig on the front office staffer-of-the-moment who is suddenly responsible for the site. This is the responsibility of the top-level management of the Rapids, be it AEG or the team itself, in not spending the time nor the money to make sure things are done right. Am I bitter? You bet. As a professional in the web development and management business it's very disappointing to see what has become of the team's website. That this happens in one of the country's Internet hotspots is embarassing. As a fan of the team -- one who has for years attempted to do whatever it takes to get soccer neophytes sold on going to Rapids games -- it's downright insulting.
I'm reminded of the Sopranos episode with the all-night poker game... when Silvio says "Maybe I like cheese on my feet! Maybe I stick Provolone in my socks at night so they smell like your ... !!"
I think this is a good idea. We can all have preambles. He's in Fasion: Caution: Following post may contain explatives and lack of concern for your tender hearted feelings. May also be followed by Team USA post. JoeyClams: Following post contains inside information not available to you. Please don't feel too frustrated because I can't help knowing more than you. Worm Burner: Following post by well meaning fan. Go easy or I will get pissed. Me: Following post by thin skinned geek will beat this topic to death. If you become a premium member, you can get an ignore list and add me to it.
If they want to fix their site, all they need to do it keep the chicas on the front page all the time in the half jerseys. Hey Ingmar, I suspect that most members just ignore you anyway
You ruined it TeamUSA!!! I was supposed to post first with explitives, then followed by your post... TeamUSA you ******************in' F*g!!!!
Sure, if you're stingy that is the way to go. But someone contemplating membership might not know of this added advantage.
questions/suggestions A handful of questions and suggestions because I'm trying to avoid doing any work this a.m.: I have to say, I like the banner at the top of the website a lot more now---the cool black & silvery blue "Colorado Rapids" is a lot nicer looking than the watery, it's-washing-away "Colorado Rapids" they put up on the night of the unveiling. The black & blue photo of a soccer net is really nice, too. As much as I liked the green though, it looks really out of place on the black & blue page now. I think they should ween us off the token squares of green really quickly and just get rid of it on the page. On the first page you get to when you go to the website, the one w/Pablo that says "game on" (the one my browser registers as "frongpage" [sic])---is it just my screen, or does the edge of Pablo's nose look sliced off? And something about the shadows and the black background, but it looks like his left leg has been amputated into a pointy stump. Many of the photos that are posted on the site look stretched vertically. Is that a function of the way the photo was taken or the way it was posted? Can any of you tell what the difference is supposed to be between "Latest News" and "News Archives"? The "latest" news goes all the way back to last June, and the archives start w/last June but contains different pieces... The differences between "Community" and "Foundation" are not intuitive either. I always go to "Community" when I'm trying to find out about gatherings, which is under "Schedules" actually. "Community" sounds like "fan community" to me. I think it would be cool if you could access the "Bodies" video they show before games on the Multimedia page. On the gameday info page they say that sections 126 and 129 are the supporter sections. It also doesn't mention that umbrellas with pointy tips are basically confiscated at the gate.
Re: questions/suggestions You're lucky I didn't go to work today. http://www.coloradorapids.com/multimedia/video/commercials.asp
hmmm Well, I can get to it by following the link you posted, but I can't figure out how to access it using the new website. Maybe I'm just url-ly challenged.
Re: questions/suggestions It's not your screen... his nose does look like it's had some work done. I hope it doesn't look like that when they hang those banners all over town. As far as the pictures being stretched, it's probably the latter reason. I think they're trying to get some of the pictures to work vertically within the stripes that are in the background now, so they've resized them... but in such a way that they're sort of fun-house looking. It's good that they're at least working on the content now (there's some info on the pre-season matchups), but I still find it hard to look at. I think the black and blue striped background would work better if the blue were less harsh (I'm no graphic designer, but I think that's the "saturation"). Also if the blue in the left margin where the navigation is sort of matched the blue in the background. I gotta give them credit for getting some content going in the last week or so, but the whole front page (as opposed to the splash page, or "frongpage" ) still has a sort of piece-meal "ransom note" layout to it.
Ha. I've never even see the Oakland Raiders site. I will pass your quip on to Matt though. ( He isn't chilistrider; he just uses my account when he needs to post about the pickup game.)
I know, I was refering to Mr. Dan "I have no fucking clue" Counce's reference to the change of colors. "When people see our shitty website in Black and Blue and it's missing most of the old content; people will know we came to play physically. Just like the Oakland Raiders."