Community Guidelines
Bleacher Report Community Guidelines
Sustaining an energetic yet respectful community is the backbone of Bleacher Report's Open Source Sports Network.
Since its inception, a vast array of sports fanatics have flocked to Bleacher Report with a single goal in mind: to build a community around their passion for sports. They debate with one another in a thoughtful and analytical manner; they discuss their favorite teams and players in earnest.
The following guidelines are intended to make your experience at Bleacher Report more enjoyable and to outline what being a member of the network entails. Please keep in mind that as a member of the Bleacher Report community, you are expected to abide by both these guidelines and our Terms of Use.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding community guidelines, please do not hesitate to contact Zander Freund, Community GM, at zander@bleacherreport.com.
Encouraged Bleacher Conduct
You are strongly encouraged to participate in the following activities on the Bleacher Report network:
•Write thoughtful, analytical articles about your favorite sports, teams, and players.
•Read any and all articles on the network.
•Use comment threads to show your support for the writer or offer a rebuttal to the argument he or she presents (please note that a rebuttal is different from a personal attack).
•Post links in comment threads that are relevant to the topic at hand.
•Give writers necessary props by adding them to My B/R and voting for their articles as Pick of the Day.
•Use the Play-by-Play feature to keep track of articles you've written, discussions you've joined, and more.
•Stay in touch with other members by posting shout-outs on their bulletin boards.
•Be respectful, courteous, and supportive of your fellow B/R members at all times.
Discouraged Bleacher Conduct
You should not participate in any of the following activities on the network at any time. If there is evidence suggesting that you are doing any of the following, you will receive a warning. Should you be found committing a second such offense, your account will be put on probation. When you have adequately demonstrated a willingness to play by the rules, you will be given one final chance and your account will be reinstated—should you commit any offenses after your probation, your account will be terminated.
•Make vehement personal attacks on articles, comment threads, or bulletin boards posts against members whose opinions you disagree with.
•Use language or make allusions anywhere on the site that the average Bleacher Report member finds offensive.
•Demean or humiliate a writer for giving their best effort.
•Intentionally annoy other members or disrupt the general conversation in the comment threads.
•Drastically impede upon the positive Bleacher Report experience of another member in any way, shape, or form.
Prohibited Bleacher Conduct
Your account will be immediately terminated and the proper authorities may be contacted if it is believed beyond a reasonable doubt that you have done any of the following on the network:
•Harassed other members via threat of physical, mental, emotional, or sexual harm.
•Made other members feel unwelcome because of their gender, culture, race, ethnic background, or sexual preferences.
•Uploaded photos onto the network that are pornographic, copyrighted, or illegal in nature.
•Used Bleacher Report for commercial use without permission.
What to Do if you See Misconduct on the Network
If someone on the network is interfering with your Bleacher Report experience, making you feel uncomfortable in any way, or acting in a manner inconsistent with Bleacher Report's Community Guidelines or Terms of Use, please contact Dave Morrison, Community Coordinator, at davemorrison@bleacherreport.com.
What to Do if you See Brilliance on the Network
One of the ways Bleacher Report is able to sustain itself as a comprehensive open source sports community is through the positive contributions of its members. If another member has done something on the network that you find noteworthy or deserving of commendation, feel free to point it out to other members in the comment threads, or share your praises with our Community Team.
