I've been watching the water try to boil and figured I'd crank up the heat. TKP has published some excellent content this season, on par with that's been produced for nearly the last ten years. Hit that join button and get fully dipped.
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What's the net gain this year? I seem to remember we were stuck around 650 for a long time, and it seems like membership increases have been gaining a bit of momentum lately.
I'll crunch it after 2019, but it's a steady upward trend. Becoming more member centric — content, tools, experience — has been good for business though. That will continue.
Excellent work Joe and Co!
I agree with the bizness model. Happy to pay that price for excellent content and fruitful discussion.
While I 100% understand your need to charge for your product as a means to allow future production, I do think that the About Us information should be updated.
The Key Play is no longer free and does not offer free
TKP is free.
There is a charge to join the Key Players Club, which offers additional articles from time to time as I understand it. I'm not entirely sure, as it's seamless if you're a member.
I believe that you get insightful coverage here even without being a member.
On TheKeyPlay.com, there are 20 articles published by the site on the initial landing page.
14 are behind a pay wall. This includes articles on opponents, advance #s, recruits, coaches, film analysis, etc.
6 are free. This includes 2 Giftory, 2 game threads, 1 games photos, & 1 Chase Mummau (I presume this author's content will be behind the paywall after this initial article).
There is much user generated content but TheKeyPlay.com does not produce free content and is not a free site. When I first joined, the above referenced content was free and the description of a free site was correct.
I am in no way indicating that the content should be free; I am articulating my opinion that TheKeyPlay.com should not continue to describe itself as a free site.
Nothing is free. The things you cited cost, money, time and effort to produce, whether or not you paid to read them. That holds true for the previous 9 seasons too.
I understand that operating this site and producing content cost money and have not ask for you to give anything away. The contention is in the claim to be operating a free site.
I own a business and charge customers for services but the free content on TheKeyPlay.com is analogous to a discussion in the lobby of my business by my customers.
It would be more analogous if you didn't charge customers for a variety of services from time to time.
Not trying to be a dick but I don't understand the refusal to admit that it has been impossible to operate TKP as a free site to users with operating cost being offset by ad revenue and donations as originally constructed.
A vast majority (14 out of the 15 on the TKP home page) of articles are published by TKP are behind the paywall, not "from time to time".
I do appreciate that you are proud of this site as a venue for Hokie fans to come for info and dialogue without profits being a driving factor. In that aspect, well done.
Is language on the "About Us" page out of date? Yes. Hell, Jeff Beyer is still listed as a contributor and Sam is not. It's not a page I have time to look at often. Honestly, this is something you have thought about more than I have. Any extra bandwidth I have is devoted to editing and publishing content (which is time consuming!).
The marketing and messaging can be better too, but again time. After the initial version of TKPC failed, the 'everything is still free, but join TKPC if you can model', I communicated TKP would run more business focused. Now it's really easy for me to draw a line between work, family, and TKP. I focus on supporting the value prop — excellent content. If people want to pay for it they do, if they don't, they don't. It's simple and clean. On top of that, I still give away the community platform (which plenty of other website monetize), and some content for free to end users, but at a substantial cost (time and money) for me and the business.
Instead of talking down to a user and potential customer on your site, maybe a better way to handle this would have been to respond initially with:
That is a good catch. It has been awhile since I have reviewed that part of the website and you're right it does not really reflect the current form of TKP.
Its not like tdhokies was being a jerk about the issue.
I don't think so either and I wasn't trying to talk down to them. My bad if that's how it came across. I was trying to provide a thorough and thoughtful response back.
I actually appreciate the candor of the response and didn't feel demeaned. If this was the answer to my original post, I would have understood and appreciated Joe's perspective.
Now I understand why there is verbiage discrepancy; it is not a priority to change due to time (I am 100% fine with this answer) and this effort would be non-revenue generating (I am 100% fine with this answer).
"Nothing is free. The things you cited cost, money, time and effort to produce, whether or not you paid to read them. That holds true for the previous 9 seasons too."
"It would be more analogous if you didn't charge customers for a variety of services from time to time."
Those were both your replies. You've always gotten your panties in a bunch when people ask questions about the pay model.
I don't think you were trying to provide a thorough or thoughtful response at all, and saying you were is not true.
You are now a pay site, embrace it instead of pretending to not be a pay site.
How much did you pay to post this?
It's probably most accurate to say that the community is free but there is paid premium content. There's nothing wrong with that.
I agree and wrote above.
Most of the content has been exclusive for TKPC, that's why I added the "Access Exclusive Content" in the right sidebar. I iterate through changes and the marketing and messaging needs a refresh.
But saying "You are now a pay site" as kicaboojooce did, overlooks some free content, and on top of that, A LOT of engineering that went into the software stack that powers the community element.
You still run a pay site.
I paid nothing, because I have chosen to not be a club member.
The vast majority of the articles on your site are behind a paywall, which kinda means you are a subscription site. And as I said in my last comment, every time this comes up you get your panties in a bunch.
If TKP is a pay site how much will you be paying me for my yearly Hokies in the NFL content I spend time working on? How much will you be paying LA for his recruiting news? How much is esiben (spelling) getting for weather reports?
We are a community that Joe gives us the free space to meet and talk while ALSO giving out premium content only some of which has to be paid for.
FIRE UP THOSE CREDIT CARDS, FAM!
Maybe our poor luck in the 757 has been linked to being under the 757 TKPC member count on here, and once we hit it and surpass it we will start recruiting that area better.. Seems plausible.
Are you actually at 756? Paying for internet stuff is against my principles, HOWEVER... I could be swayed if I am the certified 757th member to join. If that's not possible, hit me up when you are at 776. I could also be swayed to become the certified 777th member.
yes, you can see the lil counter on the top right in desktop mode
Mine is honesty to a detriment, apparently. Technically you would not be the 757th member to join, because there is churn (people who didn't renew).
I'll bet it's that damn portal takin' TKP members away.....
It would have to be technically. 757 is a powerful number in my universe, and I would have to own it. Thank you for your honesty. Carry on.
Not possible (see other posts), but if you timed it perfectly, you may be able to be member #999, #1,000, or #1001.
All decent numbers.
I don't even know what number I was. If I had pulled off 686 that would've been cool.
Same question here - how do I know what number I was.......just curious-
Used to be able to check in your profile I think?
Thought so too....but don't see anything there-
https://www.thekeyplay.com/the-key-players-club-members
So, someone could be member #1000. Is that enough bait for Leonard?
So not only do we now know who the latest member is, ergo #757, but the person also threw down the gauntlet at eshiben
Oh its so on
Santy don't visit those who aren't in TKPC
via GIPHY
I felt that this was my destiny but I joined much earlier.
According to the counter, we are there fam! Keep the ball rolling, some excellent content is being posted!
So I have to ask: Who was TKPC member #69?
Hello. 69th Member of The Key Players Club, reporting as ordered.
Nice
I'm 669 which is x6 nicer.
based on this, #669 is me? and you're #823
What is this sorcery? I waited until the TKP meter was at 668 specifically just I could be #669.
I...I don't even know who I am anymore.
Your number is the number you get for joining during the life of TKPC. The meter is total people who are currently enrolled.
How come in chump's link it says there are 1,000 TKPC members while the bar in the upper right of the home page says there are 764 members?
Like Fireman was explaining:
current enrollment vs unique enrollment (everyone who ever signed up).
Got it, I misread what Fireman posted.
i hereby bestow on you honorary #669 status
Joe writing this article, knowing full well all of us in the 757 love the moniker:
I swear I didn't see this article before finally signing up to TKPC today...I was gunning for 1000
Just ponied up. I'm going to need that bonus content for the Clemson preview.
Finally got around to joining up after more than 6 years browsing as a guest always loved the community and the content is too notch keep up the good work guys.
Dude, you're getting some French! Enjoy!
26 keychain bottle openers hit the mail today.
next up 804!!
Dang. I was going to donate mine back to save money for the TKP Bowl game sponsorship.
one is mine!!
TKPCer #1000 is Jakesnake42
Link
I Am Number 4
We are 138
What happened to #25?
It was retired in honor of Frank.
I'm #99! Hope it stays there. Liking it!!!
So what happens when we hit 1,000 active TKPers?
yep
(emphasis added)
I'm number 765...sorry it took so long!
Finally made the jump. No 768 and 1004.