IC going to On3

[1moretimeagain]

Cancelled my 247 subscription and haven’t bothered setting up an account at On3 yet. I still enjoy IC and will probably hop back on the train during football season, but it also feels like a good chance to take a break from message boards for a bit. Wonder how many former IC users are in the same boat and if it’ll cause a significant hit to IC’s membership numbers.

Add in that following recruiting is quite different than it was for the prior 25 years, there is definitely a risk in having a hard reset of all paid subscriptions.

 

[CFordUNC]

I'm definitely a big fan of the work that folks like Greg Barnes, Adam Smith, Don Callahan, etc. do, and I thoroughly enjoyed being an IC subscriber for the years in which I was, but I just don't have any more desire to pay money- even something as trivial as $12 a month or whatever it is- for what it has become. I most enjoyed being an IC subscriber during the "old days" when high school recruiting was king, and also when the NCAA ordeal when IC had the absolute best and most legitimate inside scoops around. It lost a ton of its fun for me when the transfer portal became such a circus. I've just not got any interest in reading "inside scoops" about kids who can transfer into the program in January, have a cup of coffee, and transfer out after spring ball, nor do I have interest in reading about 17-year-olds asking for six- and seven-figures to play college ball. Just not my cup of tea. I'll cheer for whomever shows up on the roster on opening day each year representing my alma mater, and not give it another thought beyond that.

From a message board standpoint, I'm not sure what changed or when it changed, but somewhere along the way it became way less a bunch of Carolina fans analyzing recruiting and X's and O's and discussing games, and way more straight up pissing matches between "sunshine pumpers" (such a cringe moniker) and the "bitter bunch" on every single thread topic. The game threads especially became so off-putting.

Inside Carolina won't miss my $12/month by any means, but I feel a lot better using it for other things that give me more enjoyment.

 

[NOVAHEEL13]

I'm definitely a big fan of the work that folks like Greg Barnes, Adam Smith, Don Callahan, etc. do, and I thoroughly enjoyed being an IC subscriber for the years in which I was, but I just don't have any more desire to pay money- even something as trivial as $12 a month or whatever it is- for what it has become. I most enjoyed being an IC subscriber during the "old days" when high school recruiting was king, and also when the NCAA ordeal when IC had the absolute best and most legitimate inside scoops around. It lost a ton of its fun for me when the transfer portal became such a circus. I've just not got any interest in reading "inside scoops" about kids who can transfer into the program in January, have a cup of coffee, and transfer out after spring ball, nor do I have interest in reading about 17-year-olds asking for six- and seven-figures to play college ball. Just not my cup of tea. I'll cheer for whomever shows up on the roster on opening day each year representing my alma mater, and not give it another thought beyond that.

From a message board standpoint, I'm not sure what changed or when it changed, but somewhere along the way it became way less a bunch of Carolina fans analyzing recruiting and X's and O's and discussing games, and way more straight up pissing matches between "sunshine pumpers" (such a cringe moniker) and the "bitter bunch" on every single thread topic. The game threads especially became so off-putting.

Inside Carolina won't miss my $12/month by any means, but I feel a lot better using it for other things that give me more enjoyment.

this except I've never paid

 

[Calheel]

I'm definitely a big fan of the work that folks like Greg Barnes, Adam Smith, Don Callahan, etc. do, and I thoroughly enjoyed being an IC subscriber for the years in which I was, but I just don't have any more desire to pay money- even something as trivial as $12 a month or whatever it is- for what it has become. I most enjoyed being an IC subscriber during the "old days" when high school recruiting was king, and also when the NCAA ordeal when IC had the absolute best and most legitimate inside scoops around. It lost a ton of its fun for me when the transfer portal became such a circus. I've just not got any interest in reading "inside scoops" about kids who can transfer into the program in January, have a cup of coffee, and transfer out after spring ball, nor do I have interest in reading about 17-year-olds asking for six- and seven-figures to play college ball. Just not my cup of tea. I'll cheer for whomever shows up on the roster on opening day each year representing my alma mater, and not give it another thought beyond that.

From a message board standpoint, I'm not sure what changed or when it changed, but somewhere along the way it became way less a bunch of Carolina fans analyzing recruiting and X's and O's and discussing games, and way more straight up pissing matches between "sunshine pumpers" (such a cringe moniker) and the "bitter bunch" on every single thread topic. The game threads especially became so off-putting.

Inside Carolina won't miss my $12/month by any means, but I feel a lot better using it for other things that give me more enjoyment.

IC has pretty much been the same since 2000. As has pretty much every other fan message board on the internet.

Here is how it goes:
New coach comes in -- lots of excitement
New coach starts to falter eventually -- grumbling begins
New coach fired -- the masses rejoice and then form factions as to who should be next coach
New coach hired -- excitement begins again.

And repeat ad infinitum.

 

[NYCBlueBlood]

IC has pretty much been the same since 2000. As has pretty much every other fan message board on the internet.

Here is how it goes:
New coach comes in -- lots of excitement
New coach starts to falter eventually -- grumbling begins
New coach fired -- the masses rejoice and then form factions as to who should be next coach
New coach hired -- excitement begins again.

And repeat ad infinitum.

IC has quality reporting/ analysis very specifically focused on UNC. Without IC, nobody else is going to care enough to do it at the same level. My interest level def waxes and wanes... probably more or less along the lines of what is outlined here... but probably more aligned to when we play well vs poorly than coaching changes.

But I like to know IC will be there whenever my interest is on the rise... and for that, the annual subscription is worth me giving my support even when they don't have my interest. But that's just me.

 

[SnoopRob]

From a message board standpoint, I'm not sure what changed or when it changed, but somewhere along the way it became way less a bunch of Carolina fans analyzing recruiting and X's and O's and discussing games, and way more straight up pissing matches between "sunshine pumpers" (such a cringe moniker) and the "bitter bunch" on every single thread topic. The game threads especially became so off-putting.

The biggest problem for IC is that the basketball program is in an extended down period (relative to its historical success). Message boards have always been rough places a team isn't doing well, but at Carolina you could almost always expect the basketball team to be reasonably successful and therefore the basketball board to be reasonably positive. But since we've not be been consistently good at basketball over the last 6 or so seasons, that has not been the case any longer.

Crummy teams make for crummy message boards.

 

[NYCBlueBlood]

The biggest problem for IC is that the basketball program is in an extended down period (relative to its historical success). Message boards have always been rough places a team isn't doing well, but at Carolina you could almost always expect the basketball team to be reasonably successful and therefore the basketball board to be reasonably positive. But since we've not be been consistently good at basketball over the last 6 or so seasons, that has not been the case any longer.

Crummy teams make for crummy message boards.

Especially when you have a spoiled fan base, not accustomed to prolonged down periods.

 

[CFordUNC]

IC has pretty much been the same since 2000. As has pretty much every other fan message board on the internet.

Here is how it goes:
New coach comes in -- lots of excitement
New coach starts to falter eventually -- grumbling begins
New coach fired -- the masses rejoice and then form factions as to who should be next coach
New coach hired -- excitement begins again.

And repeat ad infinitum.

Yeah that's a great point, for sure. I do think for me the ultimate decision-maker was not that I was *that* turned off by the message board environment over there and more so that I just no longer value paying for whatever "inside scoops" people think that IC gets anymore as it pertains to UNC athletics or UNC football/basketball recruiting. There was a point in time where I enjoyed feeling like I "knew" some bit of info before "the masses" but now I'm just as happy finding out with everyone else on Twitter, or on one of several group text threads I'm on with buddies of mine from college.

 

[hedge]

Crummy teams make for crummy message boards.

Maybe b/c crummy teams make for crummy fans, although every program (some more than others - see UK hoops) has some crummy fans who are never happy no matter how well the team is doing..

 

[Rock]

I know nothing but if Hubert doesn’t have a great season, I’m not sure he survives. If that’s the case, message board interest would skyrocket because nothing gets the people going quite like a head coaching search.

So, I’d say there’s a coin flips chance that IC will have a major traffic driver in ~7 months.

 

[Calheel]

Yeah that's a great point, for sure. I do think for me the ultimate decision-maker was not that I was *that* turned off by the message board environment over there and more so that I just no longer value paying for whatever "inside scoops" people think that IC gets anymore as it pertains to UNC athletics or UNC football/basketball recruiting. There was a point in time where I enjoyed feeling like I "knew" some bit of info before "the masses" but now I'm just as happy finding out with everyone else on Twitter, or on one of several group text threads I'm on with buddies of mine from college.

That Xander dude on 247 (who appears to be an IC or On3 insider) said as much the other day. That college fan sites all across the internet are in an industrywide downturn. I assume that the transfer portal has made recruiting information less valuable and less interesting - despite @snooprob’s somewhat contra position on the importance of recruiting.

 

[NYCBlueBlood]

That Xander dude on 247 (who appears to be an IC or On3 insider) said as much the other day. That college fan sites all across the internet are in an industrywide downturn. I assume that the transfer portal has made recruiting information less valuable and less interesting - despite @snooprob’s somewhat contra position on the importance of recruiting.

The transfer portal certainly is impacting things, including the value of recruiting info. But to me the biggest impact it has on fans is the watering down of connection to the team. With 75% to 90% of your team turning over each season, you spend all of November and December just trying to remember the names of the people on your own team. It's hard to connect to a team when you don't recognize half the guys on the court for the first third of the season

 

[Bigs23]

The transfer portal certainly is impacting things, including the value of recruiting info. But to me the biggest impact it has on fans is the watering down of connection to the team. With 75% to 90% of your team turning over each season, you spend all of November and December just trying to remember the names of the people on your own team. It's hard to connect to a team when you don't recognize half the guys on the court for the first third of the season

Cheer for the name on the front not the one on the back.

 

[superrific]

The transfer portal certainly is impacting things, including the value of recruiting info. But to me the biggest impact it has on fans is the watering down of connection to the team. With 75% to 90% of your team turning over each season, you spend all of November and December just trying to remember the names of the people on your own team. It's hard to connect to a team when you don't recognize half the guys on the court for the first third of the season

Yes, and I would add that it is not worth investing time if the player is only going to stick around one year before taking off. And also, the fact that commitments aren't really commitments because someone can swoop in last minute and grab a commit.

 

[Calheel]

With 75% to 90% of your team turning over each season

While that is true for UNC football and basketball this year (well, technically we only have 70% new in football), that is atypical. In a normal year, you should expect less than 50% changeover -- with maybe 2-3 new starters in basketball and maybe 8-12 new starters in football.

I guess we could ask our resident Duke board members what it is like to follow basketball with 5 new starters every year, as they have been doing largely that for over a decade now.

 

[farce©]

While that is true for UNC football and basketball this year (well, technically we only have 70% new in football), that is atypical. In a normal year, you should expect less than 50% changeover -- with maybe 2-3 new starters in basketball and maybe 8-12 new starters in football.

I guess we could ask our resident Duke board members what it is like to follow basketball with 5 new starters every year, as they have been doing largely that for over a decade now.

Cheer for the name on the front not the one on the back.

 

[SnoopRob]

That Xander dude on 247 (who appears to be an IC or On3 insider) said as much the other day. That college fan sites all across the internet are in an industrywide downturn. I assume that the transfer portal has made recruiting information less valuable and less interesting […]

I think a lot of that downturn comes from 2 things…

1) There’s no way for a team site to keep info within the site for any real amount of time any longer. Folks have always shared accounts & information, but with FB groups, X, Reddit, etc., any new info is available in 10 places for free within 15 minutes of being posted. There’s just no real advantage in paying for the info.

2. Very connected to 1, there are now a lot more places for fans to connect with other fans beyond team site message boards. FB groups & subreddits are huge now, plus following teams/players/team sites on a variety of social media. Paying to be part of a team fan community is just not necessary any longer to be part of a fan community.

IMHO, the transfer portal has likely increased the reason to be part of a fan community that shares info. It’s traditional recruiting on steroids and is certainly full of twists and turns. But paid team sites message boards no longer have any kind of significant advantage in catering to that interest.

 

[Calheel]

but with FB groups, X, Reddit, etc., any new info is available in 10 places for free within 15 minutes of being posted.

I wouldn't say any new information. Commits, injuries, visa issuances -- yeah those get out pretty quickly. But there are insider drivebys that you only get on a message board with substantial readership. For example, you have a UNC board of trustee member (meekheel) posting his thoughts and opinions on TTP. That is not something that makes it to other sites generally.

I personally have never placed any value on the "vibes" articles that were the stock and trade of these sites for much of the 2000s. So and so 5 star recruit visited and here is what we think he will do, etc. But my sense is that fewer and fewer people care about that kind of stuff.

 

[gregh1]

Cancelled my 247 subscription and haven’t bothered setting up an account at On3 yet. I still enjoy IC and will probably hop back on the train during football season, but it also feels like a good chance to take a break from message boards for a bit. Wonder how many former IC users are in the same boat and if it’ll cause a significant hit to IC’s membership numbers.

I'm not going to move to on3, but if i re-up a subscription it sure isn't 247. I like AJ, but he's it, while 247 has Vip, Barnes, posters like MacTTP, parheel, Sherrel, etc. So i'll be freeboarding with you.

 

[Carolina Fever]

I'm not going to move to on3, but if i re-up a subscription it sure isn't 247. I like AJ, but he's it, while 247 has Vip, Barnes, posters like MacTTP, parheel, Sherrel, etc. So i'll be freeboarding with you.

What are those posters like?