Yet, Another Poll Thread!

[JAM]

In reading Jerry Forsyth's recent thread about the advertising that sometimes occurs on AzBilliards Discussion Forum, I began to think about the costs associated with running a website like this, keeping it up to date, the incredible picture galleries, changing servers, dealing with objectionable subject matters, getting the pool news on the Main Page, keeping the tournament news current, player profiles with pictures and other information, et cetera.

AzBilliards Discussion Forum is the premier website for most pool enthusiasts. Though many of us frequent other great websites from time to time, most of us keep coming back.

For me, posting on this forum is kind of like walking into my neighborhood tavern. I want to know what's happening and with who. Sometimes, if I do happen to miss a day or two of reading AzBilliards, I find it takes me a while to catch back up. Years ago, I read every single thread on this forum. Today, that is quite the impossibility.

So I decided to create a blind poll, just for fun. Your name will not be revealed. So all you lurkers can cast a vote with confidence that your identities will not be revealed.

Would you pay a nominal monthly fee to participate on AzBilliards forum? Let's say the hypothetical nominal monthly fee would be $5. Would it turn you off to pay for this forum, and you would then never come back? Would you gladly pay a mere 5 bucks? Are you uncertain about whether you would or would pay?

Remember, this is only hypothetical. Any and all thoughts are welcome if you would like to contribute to this thread, too. Thanks in advance to all respondents who cast a vote in this BLIND poll.

JAM

 

[bomber]

I think charging a nominal fee would be wrong. If it wasnt for the massive amount of posters on this board, the website would not have the amount of advertising revenue that it currently has. The forum users are a major part of why this website is a success. If you start charging people to use a public forum, then the number of users will go down. Therefore, the money acquired from the advertising will go down and I would venture to say that this amount would not be made up through the nominal fees from the posters.

I see this website the same way that I see talk radio on AM. We listen for free...advertisers advertise to us and pay the station...everyone wins.

I think that charging a nominal fee would be the demise of AZbilliards...it might be a slow demise...but I assume that:

1.number of posters would decrease
2.the number of website hits would decrease
3.advertisers would start to leave
4.the site would begin to take a heavier loss
5.no more azbilliards
6.people start using the CCB or another forum
7.it becomes a hit
8.they start to charge
9.the cycle continues

Just an opinion...i could be totally wrong on it.

 

[JAM]

...Just an opinion...i could be totally wrong on it.

Those are all very valid points. Thanks for coming up with those.

BTW, I want to state at the outset that I am in no way associated with AzBilliards and am not condoning the use of a monthly fee.

I was, however, curious. Most mornings, while my fresh ground coffee is brewing, I sign onto this Discussion Forum, just like most others do when they read the daily newspaper.

JAM

 

[bomber]

As do I...i normally get to my classroom with my coffee at 6:30 and check up on the pool world till about 7:00 before I start my day...hell, that reminds me, I have got copies to make. Later!

 

[bruin70]

there will always be a way to get whatever info you want for free. so no,,,i wouldn't pay.

there are sports sites that have free discussion boards, AND premium boards for a fee in which "exclusive" reports/interviews are offered. those tidbits of info are eventually filtered down to the free boards anyway, and it's only those exclusives you pay for. i have never seen a GENERAL discussion forum that charged a fee.

and there are no "exclusives" in pool worth paying for anyway.

 

[Varney Cues]

Or....you could do as Glocktalk.com has done. They are free like AZ but they now also offer "paid tier memberships". You have the option of being a free member or buying a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd level membership. They show a moneybag symbol with I, II, or III under your avatar so everyone can clearly see which option you've chosen. Yes, most choose the free option but there are many that have no problem purchasing a tier level to help Glocktalk ownership. Kind of the best of both worlds.

 

[JAM]

Or....you could do as Glocktalk.com has done. They are free like AZ but they now also offer "paid tier memberships". You have the option of being a free member or buying a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd level membership. They show a moneybag symbol with I, II, or III under your avatar so everyone can clearly see which option you've chosen. Yes, most choose the free option but there are many that have no problem purchasing a tier level to help Glocktalk ownership. Kind of the best of both worlds.

Glocktalk.com? As in Glock guns? OMG! LOL!

That is an interesting concept as well, Varney Cues. I know one other pool-related website which has a similar-type structure. There is, however, no advertising on this website, and those who do elect to have a "paid tier membership" is what keeps it advertisement-free, I guess you could say.

I wonder -- and again, this is strictly hypothetical -- if the Discussion Forum were to remain free, but if you desired to be a poster, then you would encounter a monthly fee.

A close friend of mine was approached by another player who thought about creating a professional pool player website, which would have numerous pro players as contributing members. Most proceeds collected by way of a nominal yearly membership fee were going to be cut up among the pro players for their participation.

The website, however, was only a pie-in-the-sky idea and never got off the ground. After seeing the results so far on this poll, I can understand why!

JAM

 

[Varney Cues]

Glocktalk.com? As in Glock guns? OMG! LOL!

JAM

Its about guns? I had no idea!

 

[bruin70]

Glocktalk.com? As in Glock guns? OMG! LOL!


A close friend of mine was approached by another player who thought about creating a professional pool player website, which would have numerous pro players as contributing members. Most proceeds collected by way of a nominal yearly membership fee were going to be cut up among the pro players for their participation.

The website, however, was only a pie-in-the-sky idea and never got off the ground. After seeing the results so far on this poll, I can understand why!

JAM

JAM,,,take a look at the free "pro players" forum here, and the # of threads compared to other forums, the only ones lagging being the tournament forums,,,for obvious reasons. note also, that the last post to that WHOLE forum was almost 3 weeks ago to barretta.

....and there's absolutely no way you're going to get pro players to give up their time to participate,,,not unless they were getting paid $50 per post. i think ginky's wife posts more than him..........i think tadd will post about religion for free, though.

 

[Blackjack]

I don't think "pay forums" work very well. I have been a member of Az since it was Arizona Billiards (it's funny how some people don't know that this started out as a regional website for the southwest). There have been many changes to this site over the years, all of them good (IMO). I remember when Mike switched over to the new site and we lost our post archive. Everything before 2003 is not available - but Az goes back a lot further than that, it has a long history. I have watched this site grow from its humble beginnings into the largest and most successful billiard related website in the world. I have always supported this website and the forum by contributing, and displaying a link to this webiste with a large Azbilliards logo on my website.

However... I do believe that if Mike was to add a link where we could make a donation to help cover costs of the site (for those who can afford to do so) on an anonymous basis, I would not have a problem with that at all.

 

[JAM]

JAM,,,take a look at the free "pro players" forum here, and the # of threads compared to other forums, the only ones lagging being the tournament forums,,,for obvious reasons. note also, that the last post to that WHOLE forum was almost 3 weeks ago to barretta.

....and there's absolutely no way you're going to get pro players to give up their time to participate,,,not unless they were getting paid $50 per post. i think ginky's wife posts more than him

I can't speak for other pro players, but I know the one in my household doesn't seem to have the affinity for discussion forums and newsgroups as much as I do.

I also think it speaks loud and clear about the makeup of the existing pool culture in that the mass members consist of pool enthusiasts, cue stick collectors and lovers, aspiring pro players, league members, amateurs, pool fans, and railbirds like me!

Pro players are in the minority in the pool culture. They don't seem to be interested in the pool smut, instructional posts, want ads, tournament results, and flame threads as much as others may enjoy from time to time.

JAM

 

[JAM]

Its about guns? I had no idea!

I never did like guns. I had one pulled on me in Dalton, Georgia, when I was on the road with a pool player, many moons ago.

Nothing happened, but at that time, it was legal to carry a gun on one's person in Georgia. I'll never forget what he looked like either. He was very tall, slim, with long brown hair, wearing a cowboy hat, a beige-colored jacket, a multi-colored plaid western shirt, neatly pressed jeans with creases, and high-grade leather pointed cowboy boots.

He was side-betting with me on a pool game. He was stuck some monies, too. At the conclusion of a game, he paid me off and then opened his jacket, stating, "What are you going to do now, sister?" There was a handle of a gun hanging out of his pants, right above the private parts area. Why any man would have a gun tucked in that region is beyond me. Maybe he should visit Glocktalk.com.

I cried and got scared. Thankfully, the bartender spoke up and said something like, "Aw, don't worry, lady. That's just Bobby Lee. We'll walk you out to your car when you're ready." As soon as the next pending pool game concluded, I demanded that me and mine exit the premises, pronto.

It's amazing to me how many internet discussion forums exist today and on such a wide variety of topics, too!


JAM

 

[JimS]

I"m stunned! I clicked on yes I"d pay and then I see that NO NEVER is winning by 5 to 1 in the poll. This forum is enough entertainment and especially provides enough important information that I'd gladly pay for it. In fact I think sometimes that I SHOULD be paying for it.

I get a LOT out of this site. More than from any web site or ph I've visited. Gained knowledge that's helped my game, made friends... several friends in fact and they are friends I'd never have been able to meet had it not been for this site.

Would I pay a small monthly fee. In a NY second.

(edit: After reading the other posts I'd have to agree that maybe charging a fee wouldn't work very well, and might not be a good idea... but I'm not against it from my viewpoint. )

 

[txspaderz]

As a forum owner myself I would never force my members to pay for posting. I don't allow advertising in signatures, however I do allow one free advertisement a week along with a the paying advertisers in a rotating banner on my forum.

I for one would be happy to be a "Subscriber" for AZ, if Mike turned on that option.

Only one forum I have successfully which shall remain nameless. They have a "No av no Care" rule in affect, to where if you are not a subscribing member you get less attention, and possibly ridiculed. It has honestly worked, because the Admistrator I know personally and he makes over $80,000 per month in revenue from this one forum, even though he does spend over $30,000 per month hosting this forum.

 

[JAM]

I"m stunned! I clicked on yes I"d pay and then I see that NO NEVER is winning by 5 to 1 in the poll. This forum is enough entertainment and especially provides enough important information that I'd gladly pay for it. In fact I think sometimes that I SHOULD be paying for it.

I get a LOT out of this site. More than from any web site or ph I've visited. Gained knowledge that's helped my game, made friends... several friends in fact and they are friends I'd never have been able to meet had it not been for this site.

Would I pay a small monthly fee. In a NY second.

Well, you're in great company, JimS. I'm in the minority, right there with you!

JAM

 

[Snap9]

JAM, I like your question, but I hope you realize that you are going to get the same negative responses about a fee to see format. I am one of them that will not pay a fee to browse this forum or another forum. Now if this site asked for donations I would be more apt to donate a fee in which my finances would allow, but that is all.

As for the people throwing ads on the bottom of every post I do agree that it is wrong. However, that is an easy fix for the mods if they so choose to remove Signatures, Avatars and Attachments.

 

[txspaderz]

I have different opinions on this...

If I was FORCED / Had to pay to participate I would not.
If I had the option to donate money / subscribe to the forum I would in a heartbeat.

 

[JAM]

As a forum owner myself I would never force my members to pay for posting. I don't allow advertising in signatures, however I do allow one free advertisement a week along with a the paying advertisers in a rotating banner on my forum.

I for one would be happy to be a "Subscriber" for AZ, if Mike turned on that option.

Only one forum I have successfully which shall remain nameless. They have a "No av no Care" rule in affect, to where if you are not a subscribing member you get less attention, and possibly ridiculed. It has honestly worked, because the Admistrator I know personally and he makes over $80,000 per month in revenue from this one forum, even though he does spend over $30,000 per month hosting this forum.

You know, I always desired a way to make a living where I would not ever have to leave the house. Having a forum that is popular, such as you describe above, is one way a person could work at home.

Of course, you'd have to come up with a subject matter that would attract a wide viewership.

I'm still cracking up over the Glocktalk.com website that Varney Cues mentioned. Then I read the front-page news on AOL this morning and saw this little nugget: The United States has 90 guns for every 100 citizens, making it the most heavily armed society in the world, a report released on Tuesday said... Only about 12 percent of civilian weapons are thought to be registered with authorities.

Check out this picture of a father-and-son outing!

My only expertise is typing. Unfortunately, I don't think a website on this topic would generate any income for me.

JAM

 

[jgpool]

Yes

I would pay a small fee if it was mandatory. This site offers so much inside info that it would be well worth it. I get so much entertainment out of it. JAM, your right it is like going to your neighborhood bar. The money I save from not going to a bar would more than offset a small monthly fee. Having said all that, just reading Smogasbored is worth 5 bucks a month!!

 

[Johnnyt]

You know, I always desired a way to make a living where I would not ever have to leave the house. Having a forum that is popular, such as you describe above, is one way a person could work at home.

Of course, you'd have to come up with a subject matter that would attract a wide viewership.

I'm still cracking up over the Glocktalk.com website that Varney Cues mentioned. Then I read the front-page news on AOL this morning and saw this little nugget: The United States has 90 guns for every 100 citizens, making it the most heavily armed society in the world, a report released on Tuesday said... Only about 12 percent of civilian weapons are thought to be registered with authorities.

Check out this picture of a father-and-son outing!

My only expertise is typing. Unfortunately, I don't think a website on this topic would generate any income for me.

JAM

90% of us are ready. The othe 10% are too. We will lend them some of ours Johnnyt