Bleacher Report - Articles by Community Matters

New Team Pages Have Arrived, New User Rankings Coming Soon

Community Matters — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 18:57:22 -0400

Hey everyone,

It's Bryan from Bleacher Report here.

There are two important announcements for me to make today.

First, you have probably noticed the new Team Pages that we just pushed to the site. As many of you know, we have really focused on building our team-by-team communities. The Featured Columnist program is a big step in that direction. This new design is another big one.

Second, you guys may have noticed that the new design did not incorporate our User Rankings for the teams.

This is because we are doing a huge (and awesome) revamping of the team rankings. We have received a TON of feedback from the community on what the current rankings do right, and what they do wrong.

Given all of this, we felt that it was necessary to hold off on incorporating user rankings into the new team pages until a new user rankings system is established.

As far as our best contributors are concerned, don't worry about "losing" all your progress to date. You won't. We still have all our records intact, and contributions that you make today will still help your forthcoming ranking.

I'll be writing a follow-up post soon with some information on how the new rankings will be better than the old ones.

Where Did Pick Of The Day Go?

Community Matters — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 18:41:13 -0400

Pick of the Day is not going away.

Not even close.

We have gotten several emails from users asking about this very important part of Bleacher Report, and the founding team wants to make sure that people are on the same page.

We will continue to recognize a great article every day as our "Pick of the Day."

But we have changed the voting button to say "Like" rather than call the button the "Pick of the Day" button.

Why did we make this change?

Two reasons, both of which are a positive step for the company.

1) We have listened to lots of user feedback, and many people have requested that each League and Team have a similar system of recognizing great articles. To that end, we will soon be rolling out "Community Picks" to every team and league.

Though we are not quite ready to push out this important change, we did have to make some preparations in advance. One such preparation was to change the "Pick of the Day" wording. After all, it is our hope that people will make several picks each day, and do so for every league and team that they care about.

2) Many websites in recent months have begun to adopt the term "Like" to describe a voting system where users control which articles receive distinction.

Does this mean that we will adopt every trend that hits the internet? Heck no. But we also recognize the value of using language that new visitors can understand.

Remember that every single Bleacher Report user was brand new at one point. Everyone has a "first ever visit" to the site. As more and more new people show up every day, we want to make sure that the interface is easy to embrace.

So, the short story: Pick of the Day is staying put, even if we are making some changes to the language.

We hope that people will understand the benefits, and we look forward to having reader feedback become an even bigger part of our Community in the months to come.

Introducing B/R's New Comment Rating System

Community Matters — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 18:10:48 -0400

As we continue to spend our days mapping out the new Rewards and Reputations system on Bleacher Report (along with the various pages and features the new system will affect), we've come to an important realization:

This Community needs a new comment rating system.

I've explained in a previous post that going forward, we will be rewarding quality above all else on Bleacher Report.

There are two primary ways by which Bleacher Creatures can contribute quality analysis to the Community: article writing and comment posting.

We currently have a variety of both internal and Community metrics to gauge quality article writing. Every article submission on Bleacher Report is screened for quality by our editorial staff; things like POTD votes and number of reads generated will also prove useful in designing a Writer Ranking system where our most talented authors are given top honors.

Comments, however, are another story entirely. Right now we have poor metrics for determining quality analysis in the threads.

After a series of discussions on the matter, we've concluded that the current rating system is being overlooked by the Community because it's too complex and time consuming. With such a vast amount of discussions to participate in on B/R, it seems unreasonable to expect you guys to carefully evaluate each and every comment in a thread as "Funny," "Insightful," and "Spot On."

We know you guys want to spend the vast majority of your time writing comments, not rating them. So we've unveiled a new system that will allow you to rate comments with ease and be on your way to the next debate!

From here on out, if you stumble across a high-quality comment, please click "Great Comment" underneath it before moving on.

That's all you have to do. If the comment is crappy, bad, or okay, just move on without clicking anything.

This is the most simple system we could possibly think of and we're confident that it will give us reliable data on who the most thoughtful commenters in the Community are.

I am writing this Community Matters post as a rallying cry of sorts; I cannot stress how essential it is that everyone make an effort to use the new system!

Please spread the word and do your part to help out in the cause to pave the way for the new Rewards and Reputations system to value quality above all else. Like most things around here, this is truly a team effort.

Thank as always to everyone for your help. Please speak up with questions, comments, or concerns in the threads below.

Private Messaging Has Arrived!

Community Matters — Fri, 29 May 2009 18:14:22 -0400

You asked for it—you got it.

Introducing Bleacher Report Private Messaging, for any and all Creature-to-Creature exchanges that don’t need to be publicly broadcasted.

You can access the messaging interface by clicking the “Inbox” button on the top right hand side of the home page (next to “Profile”).

Our messaging system is virtually identical to that of standard email, so things should be fairly self-explanatory. That said, don’t hesitate to speak up in the threads below if you have questions of any kind.

A major upgrade to the site to the say the least. Remember to play nice, guys—the Terms of Use still apply in private conversations!

MyB/R Gets a Facelift

Community Matters — Fri, 29 May 2009 13:57:52 -0400

Some of you may have noticed the new and improved MyB/R and the “Track Article” button that is now beneath each and every Bleacher Report article.

I thought this might be a good time to take a step back and explain the advantages of this amazing feature and its improved functionality.

All of your favorite writers are now in one place: your MyB/R page. You can get there by clicking the “MyB/R” button on the top left hand side of the front page.

The purpose of MyBR is to highlight the articles that matter to you, while also providing insights into what's happening on the site. Whether you are following your favorite writers' articles, seeing a list of all your favorite teams and topics, or tracking the articles you want to come back to at a later time, MyB/R can make your daily Bleacher routine all the easier.

Now let’s shift gears to tracking articles.

Going forward, if there is an article that you want to revisit at a later time—or a debate in the comment threads that just keeps on sizzling—just click the “Track Article on MyB/R” button and it will automatically be stored in the MyArticles tab on the MyB/R page.

Your MyArticles tab on MyBR will keep your list of articles current, so that you can bookmark the stories and debates that matter to you.

As we continue to find new and better ways to highlight what's happening on Bleacher Report, the enhanced MyBR feature is a major step forward.

We encourage you to provide feedback for us in the comment threads below. Enjoy!

Please Donate To The Josiah Herring Funeral Fund

Community Matters — Thu, 28 May 2009 19:04:04 -0400

This post is a follow-up to the tragedy I spoke of last week which befell upon the family of beloved Bleacher Creature Gray Ghost (Dean Herring).

When our fellow Community members get knocked down, it's our responsibility to help them get back on their feet. You guys did just that by sending thoughtful notes to Dean in private, publishing articles that alerted the Community to the situation, and signing on in mass numbers for a gift from Bleacher Report to the Herring family.

The Herring family has set up a fund for Josiah's funeral—Bleacher Report will be making a contribution, as will I personally. I encourage any of you who have the means to extend your financial support to the Herring family as they honor the life of a lost child.

Checks should be made out to the following address (all donations are tax deductible):

South Valley Baptist Church
P.O. Box 338
Kuna, Idaho 83634

I also ask that you consider donating to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, who made Josiah's final days truly special. In Gray Ghost's words:

[The Make-A-Wish Fund] picked Josiah's family up at their house, drove them to the airport, flew them to Orlando, gave them a rental car, provided all tickets for Disney World, put them in a $645 a night Disney hotel room, gave them food, passes to the front of the lines, set up breakfast with Disney characters - and treated them like they were the most special people in the world.

When Josiah lapsed into his coma on his 5th day there, they did everything they could to help, and after a week in the hospital there in Orlando, they flew the little guy home in an air ambulance so that the family could be in familiar surroundings. We will never forget what they did for him.

Charities like this that help families in need cannot exist without our support—to donate, please visit their site and make sure that the contribution is in honor of Josiah Herring.

Thanks again to all in the Bleacher Report family for coming to Dean's aid during such a difficult time.

Bleacher Report Introduces Its New Front Page

Community Matters — Tue, 26 May 2009 21:28:18 -0400

Hey everyone,

You might have noticed that the front page has been redesigned. This is yet another exciting step for the Open Source Network in solidifying Bleacher Report’s position as the web’s home for fan-generated sports content.

Here are the highlights as to what’s been changed and why.

1. More featured content

This one should be simple enough: We’re featuring more content on the front page for the benefit of writers and readers alike.

Writers now have a better chance of their work being displayed on the front page.

Readers now have a wider selection of compelling sports articles to choose from.

It’s a win-win situation for everybody!

2. Sleek professional look

As Bleacher Report has grown, our amazing writers have started to write at an increasingly professional-caliber level.

We thought it was due time to give the Bleacher Report writer base a professional-looking site to complement their stellar work.

3. Content Channels

I mentioned this in a previous post, and now you know I wasn’t lying: Bleacher Report now has channels to feature different types of content.

For those of you who want to read articles of players and teams of ancient lore, check out the “All Time Greatest” channel.

For those who want to scroll through sports-themed slideshows featuring alluring cheerleaders or attractive athletes, the “Guilty Pleasures” channel is for you.

I’d like to point out that this is merely a starting point—we’ve got many more channels coming soon...

...including the "B/R Hall of Fame" channel, which will showcase a selection of the site’s finest content, chosen by our editorial team.

As always, your feedback is incredibly important to us. The current plan (subject to change) is to redesign the front page again in the fall, so please use the comment threads below to let us know what you like and what you don’t like about the latest rollout.

Mourning a Loss in the B/R Family

Community Matters — Thu, 21 May 2009 15:43:12 -0400

Yesterday, May 20, at 12:22 a.m., Josiah Herring walked through the gates of heaven. He died painlessly of a malignant brain tumor that was diagnosed about a month ago. He was four years of age.

Josiah was the grandson of Bleacher Report's very own Gray Ghost—aka Dean Herring, lifelong Georgia Bulldogs fan, teacher, and minister.

Ghost is one of our most special Bleacher Creatures. His credentials speak for themselves: Of the 23 articles he's written, 15 of them have been elected Pick of the Day by this Community. He took second place in the B/RCS, our season-long writing contest spanning the length of last year's college football season. He has 198 fans.

But numbers simply do not tell the whole story with Dean. He is the epitome of a Creature who goes above and beyond to make Bleacher Report's community a true family.

Dean is one of the most talented writers on the site, but he never turns his nose up at anybody. In fact, it's exactly the opposite—he always takes the time to offer support and encouragement to his fellow contributors, responding to every comment that he receives on his articles and taking full advantage of bulletin boards and private email exchanges to build online friendships.

I've never met Dean in person, but I can attest to the fact that he has a gift with people. He knows how to reach through the computer screen and brighten your day with his words; his genuine selflessness and eagerness to help others is truly commendable.

The tragedy that has been delivered to the Herring family has made this Community GM shed tears in Bleacher Report's San Francisco office. It is the kind of story that makes you want to give up on the world—a four-year-old boy, suddenly snatched away from all of us for what appears to be no good reason.

In Dean's eyes, however, this is all part of God's master plan. I suppose if that's good enough for him, then it's good enough for me.

As saddened as I am by Josiah's death, I am deeply encouraged by the response of the Bleacher Report community. It assures me once again that we have a true family here on this Open Source Sports Network of ours.

As the news of Josiah began to spread, there was an outpouring of support from Ghost's fellow Creatures. For those of you who missed Cameon Shiflett's heartfelt tribute to Dean and his grandson—and the absolutely wonderful comments that followed—I ask you now to take a look.

In addition, I am also requesting that those of you who have been touched by Dean go a step further in your support. Upon the suggestion of the always thoughtful Mary Jo Buchanan, NASCAR Community Leader and a close friend of Ghost, I am organizing a gift to send to the Herring family on behalf of the Bleacher Report family to express our condolences.

I have Dean's address, so all I need are the names of those of you who would like to be included on the card. Simply respond to this post with "please include me" by Monday of next week, and I'll make sure you're on there.

Mary Jo has also suggested that I reach out to Dean and see if there are any charities he is aware of to help kids like Josiah—I know I am not alone when I say that I'd love to donate to such a cause. I will discuss this with Dean whenever he is back online and keep all of you posted in the comment threads below.

To Gray Ghost: From your entire Bleacher Report family, our thoughts and prayers are with you and your loved ones. Thank you again for helping to make this Community the special place that it is—we are always here for you.

Community Matters: Cheerleaders and "Sexy Slideshows"

Community Matters — Wed, 13 May 2009 22:34:05 -0400

In recent months, we’ve started seeing increasingly more pop culture oriented content on Bleacher Report. The articles that have gotten by far the most attention are the Sweet Mo Slideshows.

"Sweet Mo" has carved out a rather unique niche for himself on the Open Source Sports Network. His slideshows are generally an excuse to showcase a variety of pretty gals to the Bleacher Community, equipped with a one liner here and there about why readers should care about Jane-random-cheerleader.

While many in the Community have enjoyed what to them appears to be some harmless fun, others have taken serious offense to these articles. With every “sexy” slideshow that gets published, I’ve seen those opposed becoming increasingly outraged.

Everything hit a boiling point last week when Sweet Mo published this article. The comment threads, as you will see, are not pretty.

From what I can tell, a significant portion of our most loyal Creatures believe these slideshows are pure and utter crap and do not belong on Bleacher Report. Their argument seems to rest upon three premises:

These slideshows are pornographic and violate the site’s Terms of Use.
These slideshows do not constitute sports related content and thus violate the site's Content Standards.
The attention these slideshows receive detracts from the attention that higher quality pieces receive.

I’ve taken this argument to Bleacher Report management, and we’ve since discussed the issue at length. What we’ve concluded is that while we disagree with premises one and two of the argument, we agree whole-heartedly with premise three.

I’ll go through these points one by one:

1. These slideshows are pornographic and violate the site’s Terms of Use.

Something you should know about the B/R founding team is that we’re generally opposed to censorship. We believe that the free flow of information on the internet and in media is generally a good thing; we’re the kind of guys who are inclined to recommend that someone change the channel rather than lobbying congress to take a television show off the airwaves.

That said, when initially building the site, we quickly saw the need to draw some line of common decency in the sand for the sake of our readers. We thus whipped up a legal document that prohibited anything that we believed the average person would find “highly offensive.”

The relevant section of Bleacher Report’s Terms of Use reads as follows:

“By way of example, and not as a limitation, you agree not to use the Service:

…2. to contribute any Content that is infringing, libelous, defamatory, obscene, pornographic, abusive, or offensive; that you know to be false, misleading, or untrue; or that otherwise violates any law or right of any third party.”

The key phrase in this case is “pornographic.” Is Sweet Mo violating the site’s Terms of Use by contributing pornographic content?

In our opinion, he is not. And this is pure and simply because the women featured in his slideshows are clothed.

2. These slideshows do not constitute sports related content.

We disagree.

There are millions of sports fans out there that enjoy this type of content. And from what’s been published thus far, there’s always a theme to the slideshows that ties it all back to the sporting world.

In our eyes, that constitutes “sports content” as defined by our Content Standards.

3. The attention these slideshows receive detracts from the attention that higher quality pieces receive.

As frustrating as it was for me to see everybody in such an uproar, I was incredibly proud of those who had the guts to voice this concern to the Community.

I know for a fact that the folks who brought this up have no trouble reaching the front page. They were raising the point not out of self-interest, but because they care about other writers in the Community who may not get a chance to have their article read.

This once again shows the unique camaraderie that makes Bleacher Report so special. (For more on this, check out Kara Martin's piece on paying it forward).

It is indeed a concern that I—and the rest of our management team—truly sympathize with.

With the current way our article algorithms and product are configured, a Sweet Mo slideshow can attract massive referral traffic and end up replacing an article on the front page that contains genuine sporting analysis that someone worked their butt off to research and produce.

And, no offense to Sweet Mo: but that just ain’t right.

I’ve talked with various members of the team at length about this concern, and we’ve come up with a solution that I think is pretty damn solid.

One thing we’ve wanted to do for a long time is segment our content more effectively.

Instead of every article being in contention for a few key slots on the front page, there will instead be a variety of “channels” readers can tune into on Bleacher Report which allow them to find precisely what they’re looking for.

So if fantasy junkies want the latest analysis of who to pick up and who to drop, they can tune into the fantasy sports channel.

People like myself, who crave sports history and debate, will spend their lives on the “Greatest Ever” channel.

Meanwhile, those who want to scroll through slideshows of cheerleaders can check out the pop culture channel.

And because it’s not our bag, Sarah and I can avoid this area entirely :)

The bottom line gang, is as follows:

Going forward, we’ll be featuring a lot more content on the front page, while at the same time giving people control over what they read.

Channels on Bleacher Report will segment the content in a fashion where those who don’t want to see “Sexy Slideshows” won’t be forced too. What this does in addition to improving the reader experience is offer writers a direct way to connect with audiences who will find their content compelling, thus developing communities of mutual interest.

While I’m confident that these changes will remedy the vast majority of the disputes over “Sexy Slideshows,” the unfortunate reality is that it's going to take time to create these channels and reconfigure the site to properly support them.

So in the meantime, I’m asking the members of our community to be as respectful as possible about this.

Sweet Mo is entitled to publish his slideshows. And others are welcome to follow in his foosteps—though be forewarned that you may lose popularity in the Community as a result.

Sarah and co. meanwhile should feel free to promote the content they think most deserves attention, and to rally others around their cause. I see nothing wrong with L.J. or Leroy cautioning readers to “think twice” before giving a slideshow, that took very little effort to create, a Pick of the Day vote.

We’ll continue to work hard to get the channels rolled out as soon as humanly possible. Till then, let’s be as courteous as we can towards each other.

Writer Rankings: The Community Speaks Out, The Company Responds

Community Matters — Mon, 11 May 2009 22:36:16 -0400

Unless you've been living in a hole for the past few weeks, you've surely seen the debate raging on about our Community's Writer Rankings.

In case you missed it: check out this, this, this, this, this, and this.

OK, Community, it's time for some recognition. You've spoken out, and we've heard you loud and clear: The current writer rankings are far from ideal.

And you know something? We agree.

It's become abundantly obvious as of late that quality is not being rewarded nearly to the degree it should be on the Web's premiere destination for citizen sports journalism.

This is a major problem from where we're sitting, and we're thrilled to hear you guys feel the same way.

Bleacher Report cannot compete with the big boys if our content isn't top of the line. Thus, the writers given the most exposure on the site must be the best—and not just because they contribute like fiends, but because they churn out incredibly thought-provoking articles that sports readers everywhere go bonkers for.

"OK, Zander," you say. "We all agree the Writer Rankings need to change.

"But what are you gonna do about it?"

Well, gang, we're making big plans. The changes aren't going to come overnight, but when they do come, they will be very noticeable.

We're in the process of revamping our entire Rewards and Reputation system on Bleacher Report. This includes everything from Pick of the Day votes to Top Writers to a bundle of new features that will reward the site's best contributors with deserving honors and accolades.

There are some incredibly talented people working with us on this project to ensure that the product we deliver far exceeds industry standards. I, meanwhile, will be representing you guys in the discussions, seeing to it that all of your needs are met.

I can say with confidence that I know this Community pretty well by now. I know what makes you guys tick and I know what ticks you guys off.

And I'm going to make damn sure that the animal we create here is one that you'd want to have live in your home.

It's often said that the best things in life are worth waiting for. There's a lot of work to be done before the new system will be ready for prime time, but in the end we'll all have something truly special to share.

Meanwhile, feel free to proceed with the B/R chatter. You know I'll be listening.

An Introduction to Community Matters

Community Matters — Mon, 11 May 2009 22:03:13 -0400

As online communities expand, prevailing site cultures that once seemed immovable are increasingly put at risk.

The bigger the Community gets, the harder it becomes to both maintain order and serve each and every user in an individual sense. This reduction in personal attention can be devastating for a user base, no matter how positive and nurturing the site culture once was. It leaves room for tensions to erupt and valuable contributors to get discouraged and pack their bags.

Like many things in life, success on the Web has its consequences—and indeed, Bleacher Report has had more than its fair share of good news of late.

We were able to raise cash in the middle of an economic crisis, allowing us to more than double our staff of uber-talented employees and providing plenty of breathing room to sustain the operation well into the future.

We’ve just launched an exciting new partnership with CBS Sports that will bring the lifelong dreams of 32 of our best NFL writers to fruition.

Site readership continues to flourish, and new members are signing up for Bleacher Report accounts at a record pace.

The list goes on. It’s been one helluva ride, and the craziest part is that the journey has only just begun...

And yet, despite how well things are going on the surface, I’d be a liar if I didn’t admit that lately, deep down, something just hasn’t felt right.

As I said: With success come consequences.

Bleacher Report, as awesome and revolutionary as it may be, is no exception.

When my friends and I first started the site a little over three years ago, we had no writers. We sought out to find them, and, soon enough, we did.

But in the very beginning, the benefits B/R presented to sports writers hadn’t yet been proven. So we wrote the articles ourselves to build a foundation that others like us would find attractive.

Debating sports issues was a lifelong passion for the four Founders of this Web site. In Bleacher Report, we had created a product that, among other things, we loved using.

We knew others would love it, too. And they did. It’s since been our pleasure to embark on this journey with an army of contributors far more knowledgeable and skilled than us.

Nowadays, the four of us spend nearly all of our efforts and energies advancing the business itself, publishing articles sparingly. While this may be unavoidable given the rate at which the site has grown, it’s important to recognize the implications of such a trend.

Early last week, my good friend Saraswathi Sirgina wrote me an email titled “You.”

“You.”

I mean, who wouldn’t want to open up an email like that? It made me feel special, as her emails often do.

But on this day, Sarah wasn’t in the mood to shower me with compliments. Rather, she had a serious Community matter to discuss with me.

I’ve reprinted the message here:

Zan,

This is a personal request. Among the four of you (B, 2Ds) you are the most visible person. Please can you get back up in the front page on the writer rankings and stay there. It is important for the site and for people like us who need to show what is quality.

This is not just a request, it is more than that. Though I don’t have a right with regards to BR to give you an order, as a friend I can certainly do so, and if I have to plead with you, request you, yell at you, I will do it.

It seems like you’ve become a very selective writer, no way! The whole point of the site, in a back ended way is that you write, so please could you stop being just an owner, site admin, Community GM and just be a writer.

Don the robes Z, as that is no mean talent to shelve and I need you to show the way.

Cheers,
Sar

This truly struck me. I couldn't sleep all of Monday night.

My inclination wasn’t to whip up a new MLB history piece. That may have been Sarah’s intention, but my thoughts were, in fact, in a different place entirely.

I spent a long time reflecting on the entity that is Bleacher Report, and finally recognized that I’ve been getting the sense more and more of a divide growing between the Company and the Community. Sometimes it seems like the two operate in completely separate silos from one another.

This didn’t use to be the case—and I actually always thought of it as something that set Bleacher Report apart from other online communities.

Once upon a time, I made it my business to get to know each and every writer on the site. In those days, keeping the Founders up to speed with the pulse of the Community was easy enough, and letting the Community know where the four of us saw things heading was equally simple.

After all: we were all just writers at that point.

Things have changed. The site is a lot bigger now than it was 18, 12, or even six months ago.

To the great credit of all the Bleacher Creatures who have worked tirelessly to create a home for the aspiring sportswriters of the world, the cultural foundation of our Community remains strong today.

I see senior contributors going out of their way to lend a hand to new contributors every day.

Our writers generally conduct themselves with professionalism and integrity at all times.

Conversation in the comment threads, by and large, is characterized by intelligent debate and passionate camaraderie.

The notion that we’re all in this together—united by a common goal to prove to the naysayers that citizen journalism has a permanent home in the world of sports media—still exists.

These are the things that make our community so special. We lived by this code of conduct when the site was first getting started, and we continue to pay tribute to these ideals today.

But we’re at a crossroads right now. This puppy is growing into a dog right before our eyes—and that dog can either end up frolicking with its fellow canines in green pastures with plenty of clean water, or end up at Michael Vick’s house.

We cannot afford to take anything for granted. This culture that we’ve worked so hard to create is not a given, by any means.

All of us need to step up to the plate right now at this crucial time in the history of Bleacher Report. The site cannot continue to grow at the rate that it has if the community falls by the wayside.

It all begins with communication. Bleacher Report, like any venture, may fall short of all of our ambitious expectations in the long run.

But I’ll be damned if it does so because we didn’t find the time to sit down and talk.

Hence why I started this column, Community Matters. This is where the intersection between "Bleacher Report: The Company," and "Bleacher Report: The Community" shall occur.

The Founders—along with the rest of those lucky enough to work full time in this office—spend a good portion of our lives figuring out how to improve BleacherReport.com.

Going forward, I plan to write posts on a regular basis that keep all of you in the loop with where we’re spending our time and energy. We’ll be more transparent about what Community behaviors we want to encourage, what new features are coming, and how existing features are being improved.

I want to tell you about the amazing people we’ve hired, and why you should care.

I want to give you the Company take on the major issues affecting the Community.

I want us get to a point where you guys trust that, even when it appears we’re sitting on our laurels and not dealing with a pressing problem, we’re in fact working our butts off and using all of our resources to find the best possible solution.

Please use the comment threads below my posts to share your thoughts. I should be up-front with the fact that, in all likelihood, I’m not necessarily going to be able to respond to every comment.

But you have my word that I will read every comment—and not for my own personal amusement, but because your feedback is essential to the business decisions we make each and every day.

The future of Bleacher Report looks to be an amazingly bright one, but we have zero chance of realizing our potential without a full commitment from the members of our staff and Community alike.

It’s time for us to talk, gang. Let’s rock ’n’ roll.