Scout Sites

[scoutnwhoops]

For those of you over here that are subscribers to Scout sites and are used to Glenn and I dropping in and giving you our input on players and links to stories in your school's board this ability is being limited greatly by the network. Despite paying us nothing for any of the information for the last year and a half, many are choosing to ban us from their communities and we have made zero inappropriate posts.

Please don't take this as Glenn and I taking an exodus from your team's boards. We're not doing anything different than we always have, dropping in to discuss players with you and linking stories. Is linking our independent site any different than linking a story in a local paper? We're not on a competing network (like Rivals or MaxPreps) so this is very disappointing on the part of these publishers.

Please know you are free to pick our collective brains over here, although it was sometimes more convenient to have these team specific discussions on your team boards.

Take Care!

Chris Hansen

[ifyousayso]

Shoot, I got blocked on Fullcourt.com when the new site first got announced, I got banned because I mentioned the new site in a thread. No warning...just banned. Oh well. C'est La Vie

I have since been on several scout sites and they were talking about 2008 recruits and before I commented with a link to Hoopgurlz I asked permission from the board administrator and received it.

[connboy]

Chris, Why would these sies ban you and Glenn? It just doesn't make any sense! As you stated, you and Glenn are not getting paid for voicing your expert opinions. I've been to numerous sites such as ESPN, The Boneyard, Full Court, The Summitt among others, and Hoopgurlz is the best by far. Hoopgurlz gives me the most accurate information of any site. Keep up the good work.

[scoutnwhoops]

I don't know. I guess maybe they're angry that we left. The old site has only network news from other network sites and our old archives, nothing new so I really don't get it.

I'm glad most have made it over and we'll just keep doing what we're doing.

[acusefan4ever]

not to rain on anyones parade but its obvious why.

The two of you have your own site and when you post info on another board it comes across as trying to pull posters away from their board and to yours. I know thats not what your doing......but thats why they're banning you. Like if you say "we did an interview with caroline on our site".....while your not saying "leave scout and only read hoopgurlz because they won't have any new info on doty with us gone". Its all about subscribers, you don't think that scout has thought that your next move could be to start a few new boards...giving the BE, ACC, etc.... their own board, how many people would stay on scout?

I am not saying thats what your trying to do but thats what they are thinking.

[ifyousayso]

Playing devil's advocate here...


I can understand why Scout.com is upset in losing their primary focus of Girls High School Basketball Recruiting(ha), I am sure it is a real money maker for them. The time, effort and concentration of coverage for Girls High School Basketball must be incredible for Scout along with their dedication to bringing us up close and personal by going the big tourneys and get the news for us(ha).

I can see why they would want to ban folks from linking newsworthy topics about girls high school recruits from their boards(which can in turn generate posts on their boards about that topic) as opposed to banning posters that link "not so competitive sites(ha again)" like ESPN, Rivals, USA Today, CNN, etc that compete against Scout in every sport men and women head to head.

It is a wonderful thing when a lone Girls High School Recruiting Site can create such animosity from such a BIG business as Scout.

[glenn]

Just to clarify: It's the network, not individual publishers, that is banning us and deleting our posts or any posts referring to us. According to Scout publishers, they have told people that I am in violation of my contract, though they've not told me anything. The last discussion I had, we were trying to work out a way to keep working with Scout. Behind the scenes, they have transformed our old site - and taken the data they never paid us for - and, it appears, are creating the ruse of being in the girls basketball business so they can claim I am competing against them.

Regarding the "stealing users" reference that some have made, I understand that's how some people feel. The reality is, does anyone really stay on one site and one site only? Does anyone really rely on a single source of information on a subject that is important to them? No website "owns" its users. If the site wants the users to continue visiting, it's incumbent on that site to keep providing reasons to do so. People create their own networks - it's called bookmarks.