I-AA websites

[SUjagTILLiDIE]

What 1-aa school has the best website. Im just asking because my school site is not up to par. Even though SU has way more resources than Alcorn State their site is super. here is a link.
http://www.alcornsports.com

[th0m]

I personally think JMUSports.com could use a lift, if not only to spice up something as simple as a font, but also maybe replace the navigation text with something more flashy for instance. I'm also personally not a fan of the pull-down menu, but it does save space. Overall a good enough site, plus I don't know how much resources there are for the site.

[ccujacket]

I just looked at every single one, I really have nothing to do at the moment. The answer is Yale, hands down. Some are very, very bad. Some are pretty good. A lot are cookie cutter.

[Tribe4SF]

I really like our site. Especially the photo galleries. Visually easy and straight forward. Archives of articles are as easy as the mainpage.


http://www.tribeathletics.com/sports.php/5/1/

[Kaduce]

goeags.com needs a huge facelift IMO, it is really old looking.

[Retro]

Mcneese's is terrible, but that changes soon as they launch a new one with CSTV.. Southern also has a new site to be launched via CSTV soon.

[CatFan22]

Montana State's would be awesome if they would update news a little more, and/or faster.

[chattanoogamocs]

etsubucs.com is killer (really)

...and they even have a nice memorial to the football program that they killed :mad:

[Josh]

www.goasu.com needs major work.

[polsongrizz]

I don't think ours is all that bad, it seems to be pretty up to date, but as with everything a little help could always be employed.

[Witter19]

I personally think JMUSports.com could use a lift, if not only to spice up something as simple as a font, but also maybe replace the navigation text with something more flashy for instance. I'm also personally not a fan of the pull-down menu, but it does save space. Overall a good enough site, plus I don't know how much resources there are for the site.

Exactly, our site is pretty freakin weak, I don' like the setup at all.

[ngineer]

I like ours at Lehigh. Easy to navigate. A lot of links to all the intercollegiate sports, statistics, rosters, etc. Sometimes I wish the articles would have a little more 'depth' , but I don't think a lot of that is expected on a website that is primarily to update the visitors as to what's going on.

[ncbears]

UNC's really blows. No one really posts anything. Very inactive.
:mad:

http://uncbears.proboards27.com/index.cgi

[Cocky]

Our's is slow with info and lacking info. But we are talking about a university that hasn't sent out the season ticket forms yet.

[Retro]

It doesn't matter what format or how snazzy the site looks, it matters how much content and how up to date the site is. Look at Yahoo.com and tell me you care that it has pull-down menus or plain graphics...

Actually it does matter if you want to attract more and regular viewers to your site.. If the information is not presented in a clean, user friendly easy to read design, people are less likely to stay long or come back. Internet sites are like storefronts these days.. Your not likely to go into a run down looking store vs. a brand new one thats clean and organized?

Yahoo.com is just a relay station for everything, it's not an individually run site trying to make a name for itself like universities are. Everyone knows what yahoo is and so their appearance is irrevelant at this late stage in the game.

It's all about the presentation IMO.. Content is very important, but doesn't matter if it's not presented properly.

[ccujacket]

Design does not trump content. Content, accessibility, usability are the three most important aspects of a web site. Of course you need a a good structured and intuitive design for the best usability. Some of the best web sites have very simple designs.

Not to mention there isn't any competition for official athletics web sites.

[chattanoogamocs]

Actually, I think it is a balance...it is ironic that this topic has come up, because with the new student athletics fee (that passed ysterday), one of the things Chattanooga is looking to (hopefully) add is someone directly in charge of the website (with some other media related duties...work with meda guide design and promotional materials...the lastr of which is primarily done voluntarily by a former UC Asst SID, or someone in the schools PR department).

If a position is created, I am vying for it and I have already put together an in-depth internet portofolio of what I would like to see changed/bettered/enhanced with GoMocs....which is a good site and is update in a timely matter, but still has some content shortcomings (mainly in the area of bios, photos, etc..stuff that gets forgotten when you only have a staff of 2 1/2 to handle 17 sports).

And while I like it (GoMocs.com) graphically overall, it is about 4 years old with no cosmetic updates...every once and a while you gotta changes some stuff around to keep it fresh...even if it is just as simple as new logo banner.

But, I got sidetracked...when officials sites started, they were basically a way for the SID to disseminate information easier...if you are a reporter, it was just as easy to pop over to the site for the stats, recap, etc (can you image how much time was spent when it was all typed out and faxed!). I think in the beginning, fans/alums were a bit of a second thought. Now, these sites have evolvde into a primary source of info for media AND fans.

...and with increasing fan usage, I think that official sites have become a marketing tool to either enhance public image...or in a worst case, harm the public image (a weak site makes people wonder if it is a weak program...or has an inefficient/lax department).

At major schools, you now constantly get hit up (sometimes to the point of annoyance, I admit) for you to to "buy"...official sites, if run properly, are now moneymakers. Buy media guides, buy posters...links to merchandise (many times now controlled by the department itself, not the school bookstores)...and the newest things at biggers school are subscripiton services for extended fan content (video, enhanced live stats, interviews, live chats, specials, etc, etc)...one example (of many out there) is Kentucky with its "Extreme Access" (part of the marketing department that is run by former Chattanooga Asst AD Rick Thompson) which costs $69.95 a year. Rick says that just the Extreme Access pays for the entire cost of running the website and the additional staff...not including hundreds of thousands of dollars of merchandise and media guide sales. I know that at Oklahoma State, for extra money, you can see archives of complete football, basketball (m/w) and even wrestling events...in as little as 12 hours after the game ends.

I agree that content is always the key...I think that is followed closely by good organization of content (if you can't easily access it, it might as well not be there)...but in this day and age, a close third is "style" with enhanced "fan content".

If elected, ahem, hired (sorry, it was starting to sound like a campaign speech), this is what I want to try to bring to Chattanooga...I see no reason why a IAA/mid major school can't provide just as much for their fans as a "major"...it really isn't as much about money...just creativity and the old cliche of "thinking outside the box" (or at least "stealing" good ideas from other schools sites).

You wanna make a site that will bring fans in check up every day...that will help build excitement and hopefully draw/keep more fans...this philosophy goes hand in hand with why fan sites and messageboards have become so popular. I have people on Mocfans that live out of town that are on the board every day...I have been told by many that while they might be 1,000 miles away, the interaction makes them feel almost as close as when they were in school. This is the same feeling official sites are now trying to capture.

:)

[OSRacer]

Racerinsider.com is a very good site....

[bobcatfan06]

www.txstatebobcats.com is a CSTV site. It is a HUGE upgrade from the old site.

www.bobcatfans.com is the message board for all things Texas State. I think we have somewhere around 600 members now.

[bluedog]

I think it's all subjective