Where Did All The Posters Go?

[Upstream]

A big question is how valuable the free board is.

I'm sure there are some metrics around it - but the only financial value I can see in the free board is as a means to entice people into the premium board and to a lesser extent as a platform for advertising.

If the metrics show that you don't really get many premium memberships out of the free board, or if the free board members join for a short period of time then cancel their subscriptions, then it makes sense to focus on the premium board without having to deal with the headaches of maintaining/moderating a free community that isn't contributing much to the bottom line.

Of course, if the metrics show that the primary driver of premium subscriptions is a thriving free board, then it makes sense to focus on building up a free board community to lure new subscribers in.

I don't know what the metrics are (or if the staff of the other site is even using metrics to determine their strategy), but it seems they are (at least initially) focusing on the premium board at the expense of building a free board experience.

Your post is only valid if the only revenue stream is subscriptions. Certainly advertising is also a revenue stream, and there may be other revenue streams as well.

If the revenue from subscriptions doesn't cover, or barely covers, the cost of providing premium content (e.g., the cost of staff writers and their expenses), then the other revenue streams become even more important to subsidize the premium content, cover the costs of running the site (both the local costs plus the costs incurred by Yahoo or CBS), and providing a profit.

 

[RUChoppin]

Your post is only valid if the only revenue stream is subscriptions. Certainly advertising is also a revenue stream, and there may be other revenue streams as well.

If the revenue from subscriptions doesn't cover, or barely covers, the cost of providing premium content (e.g., the cost of staff writers and their expenses), then the other revenue streams become even more important to subsidize the premium content, cover the costs of running the site (both the local costs plus the costs incurred by Yahoo or CBS), and providing a profit.

It's true we don't know the breakdown of revenue streams, and I did mention advertising. But, given that most other teams don't support a free board, I can't imagine it's considered the primary revenue driver, though.

 

[Knightmoves]

It reminds me of the saying from the immigrants at Ellis island. They learned 3 things:
1) the streets weren’t paved with gold.
2) the streets weren’t paved at all.
3) they were going to be the ones to pave it.

Great post IMO. When my Mom’s dad and mom came to the USA in the early 1920’s from Northern Ireland my grandad always repeated those very words to his family. “ In the USA the streets are paved with gold.” As a 37 year old farmer from Ireland with an 18 year old wife he was rolling the dice in the new world. But the dream was much better than the life they had in Ireland, so they took a chance.

I now understand very well why we call them the Greatest Generation. Because they rose above tremendous challenges to sustain a country that we are fortunate to live in today.

Thank you for your post RUJohnny. Brings back memories for me.

 

[sunsetregret]

*** Schadenfreude *** LMAO