Content at eUmpire

[Carl Childress]

]Jim Simms wrote:

I would also ask RightSports to communicate with us about the overall content and stagnancy of some of the content. I took the chance of becoming a member figuring I spend a couple hundred dollars every year on equipment, videos, and books. I realize some attention has been turned toward legal challenges but I would like to see more substantive interviews and more submissions from the various staff. Jim Simms/NY

Jim: We have six staff writers and an editor. We produce 4 to 6 (on the average) articles each week. Just in February, members of eumpire read pieces on:

1. RULES
1. New major league strike zone (series by Benham);
2. New FED pitching rule (Jenkins);
3. Leaving early in Little League (Porter).

2. MECHANICS
1. Working the middle in B or C (Fronheiser);
2. Three-man mechanics (series by Childress);
3. GAME CONTROL
1. Supporting your partner (Childress);
4. ADVANCED TECHNIQUES
1. Getting ready for the season (Lockhart);
2. Choosing an umpire career (Willson);
3. How an official changes (series by Fronheiser);
4. Umpire bloopers (Willson);
5. Abuse of officials (Porter)

That's 15 articles on 11 topics in 4 weeks by 7 authors. I have 2 questions:

1. Where else could you get that much information about baseball?
2. Where else could you get that much information about baseball twelve months out of the year?

We are aware that we need more interviews. There's a paper magazine that interviews 12 officials a year. But they are not all baseball umpires by any means. In the last seven months we've had only 4 interviews, but remember: That was all during the off-season. I suspect we'd be 4 ahead of anyone else.

By all means, we are trying to improve. We've been at this business since the middle of August. We've produced nearly 150 articles authored by 10 different Internet writers. We think that's about four times as many articles as an average print source would produce in five years.

Imagine what we will look like five years from now, even this time next year. Just think about the archived information available at any member's beck and call. All pieces will be on database: You want to read about getting hit by the pitch (rules/mechanics), we'll have a search engine to find everything that's been posted about that subject. Millions of words, all on baseball, all written by writers of proven worth and ability, all available at a moment's notice.

Jim: I am certain there is nowhere on earth, in or out of cyberspace, where you can get even 10% of the amount and quality of baseball material you receive at eUmpire.

And remember: We're just seven months old!

[Edited by Carl Childress on Feb 21st, 2001 at 09:38 PM]

[Ump20]

I think I linked my upset at unfulfilled promise of the Forum with the article content. I gave it a bit of a broad brush. I did not do a careful analysis of the articles and I have to admit that most of my time has been spent in the Baseball Forum rather than the members only area.

Even though I get the e-mail update on new material my initial reaction is the "new stuff" doesn't jump out at you.

I promise to give a little more attention to the "members only" area and let you, Warren and Jim Porter know when and where I think you can improve the content.

The concept of paying for this product does not trouble me. This year I purchased 51 Ways To Ruin a Baseball Game by an infamous author. Last year I purchased the Jim Evans pitching video and the Gerry Davis video series. Jim/NY

[Patrick Szalapski]

Originally posted by Carl Childress

And remember: We're just seven months old!

I just really hope we're around in seven more months. If amazon.com can't make a profit, how can RightSports?

P-Sz

[GarthB]

Right Sports isn't trying to support a zillion employees in a lifestyle to which they'd like to become accustomed.

RightSports works to control overhead, one of the big failings of the dot.coms. Most of them become so concerned about revenue they ignore the other side of the ledger.

I'm not privy to all the interworkings of Right Sports, but from what I have seen, I'll lay odds, and a couple of bucks that you'll see us here for some time, Patrick.

And as note to all: I believe that not only do we produce more in a week on a variety of sports than any traditional magazine does in a month (less the ad pages), but we will be more responsive as well.

For starters, I know there are a number of interviews in the works. But if anyone has other desires, please, let us know. We all provide our email addresses with our articles. I know I appreciate the many folks who write me after reading my articles. I'm sure the other writers feel the same.

[bob jenkins]

Originally posted by Ump20
I think I linked my upset at unfulfilled promise of the Forum with the article content. I gave it a bit of a broad brush.

Okay -- which article?

If it was one of mine, let me know that you'd like more detail.

It's tough to know exactly who our audience is -- what you perceive as a "broad brush" may be viewed as "too much detail" by another.

I echo the thoughts of my fellow writers that we appreciate all feedback -- good and, umm, "constructive".

[Patrick Szalapski]

Originally posted by GarthB
Right Sports isn't trying to support a zillion employees in a lifestyle to which they'd like to become accustomed.

RightSports works to control overhead, one of the big failings of the dot.coms. Most of them become so concerned about revenue they ignore the other side of the ledger.

I'm not privy to all the interworkings of Right Sports, but from what I have seen, I'll lay odds, and a couple of bucks that you'll see us here for some time, Patrick.

To slip into the dot-com-employee speak for a moment,

"That would rock, dude."

P-Sz

[PeteBooth]

Originally posted by Carl Childress


Papa C, any talk about Eumpire contracting with NASO for insurance? Presently, if you subscribe to referee, you get a discount. For $79.00 per year, you get a full year of referee and an insurance policy - coverage amount $3 million. There are also some other perks as well.

It would be nice to get our insurance and also articles through one source.

You mentioned Jon Bible in one of your threads below. Since you know him on a personal level, any chance he might join Eumpire or at least write an article or 2?

Thanks

Pete Booth

[bob jenkins]

Originally posted by PeteBooth
Originally posted by Carl Childress


Papa C, any talk about Eumpire contracting with NASO for insurance? Presently, if you subscribe to referee, you get a discount. For $79.00 per year, you get a full year of referee and an insurance policy - coverage amount $3 million. There are also some other perks as well.

Let's see -- RefMag and NASO are joined at the hip. Ditto RightSports and eUmpire. (I don't claim that the relationship is exactly the same -- only that they are both very close relationships). RefMag and RightSports are in a legal battle. Assuming both groups want to remain independent, do you really think it's worth the phone call to see if NASO will arrange insurance for RightSports?

[PeteBooth]

Originally posted by bob jenkins
Do you really think it's worth the phone call to see if NASO will arrange insurance for RightSports?

Bob I was thinking more in line with RightSports offereing their own insurance coverage for officials. Does NASO have a monopoly on insurance coverage for officials?

I can by life insurance from numerous places. We have Prudential / All State / State Farm etc. So why is our only source of officals insurance have to be with NASO?

The only reason I purchase my insurance through them in the first place, is it is relatively cheap - $79.00 and I get a magazine to boot.

Perhaps after the legal battle is over, RightSports can look into it.


Pete Booth

[Jim Porter]

Originally posted by Jim Mills
The raves I have heard about eUmpire have been exclusively from its contributing authors, and mostly trumpet how prolific eUmpire is. Testimonials from customers carry far more weight than those from company salespeople.

Here's a "testimonial" found under the comments at the ZDNet news story regarding the lawsuit: http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/ne...686828,00.html

(Thanks Gary, if you are listening!)

Name: Gary L. Piker
Location: Madison, Ohio 44057

I have been a member of e-umpire.com since last Sept. and enjoy reading the articles and the forumn on umpiring. I have received Referee Magazine since it was first published. Both sources of officiating news and information are just great. Why the big deal with the word "Referee?" It is nice to have both a monthly magazine and weekly internet - e-mail updates.

G.L.P.


So, Jim, now you've seen at least one testimonial that has come outside of the contributing authors, and it even came on a web site not at all affiliated with eUmpire.com. That should carry some extra weight, woudn't you think?

[Warren Willson]

Originally posted by Jim Mills
eUmpire ... Indispensible weapon, or just another pistol in the arsenal?

IMO it's a .44 Magnum at a water pistol price! How's that for controlling the expense side of YOUR budget, Jim? (grin) Getting real "bang for your buck" is what cost accounting lives by, isn't it?

What's more, if you subscribe now you will have more than 70 articles immediately at your disposal. Even if you don't renew, wouldn't that existing content be worth the price of the initial subscription? If you need to check them for relevance, all of the articles are listed by title and include a precis of their content, even for non-members. Simply go to the site and click on "baseball" in the left margin, where the specific sports available are detailed.

Cheers,

[Warren Willson]

Originally posted by bob jenkins

Okay -- which article?

If it was one of mine, let me know that you'd like more detail.

It's tough to know exactly who our audience is -- what you perceive as a "broad brush" may be viewed as "too much detail" by another.

I echo the thoughts of my fellow writers that we appreciate all feedback -- good and, umm, "constructive".

Bob, I don't believe Jim was making a comparison with a single specific article. He was unhappy with the Forum not being abuse free as the guidelines promised and allowed that to color his view of article content as well - IOW he used a broad brush and so inappropriately tarred all of the RightSports product, by his own admission.

Cheers,

[Ump20]

Originally posted by Warren Willson

Bob, I don't believe Jim was making a comparison with a single specific article. He was unhappy with the Forum not being abuse free as the guidelines promised and allowed that to color his view of article content as well - IOW he used a broad brush and so inappropriately tarred all of the RightSports product, by his own admission.

Cheers,

We speak a different brand of English in the States. The translation by Warren is "right on". I meant to convey that my distaste for some of the problems I see in the Forum carried over to my opining about the site as a whole. I appreciate the input and would have responded to Bob Jenkins earlier but my cable was down! I had to watch Survivor for only the second time ever - talking about watching grass grow! Jim Simms/NYC The Big Apple

P.S. I hope "Aussie" is not consdiered offensive