APBA site

[HRTV]

Crown is doing the work for a substanial discount if memory serves. To provide the services they are contracted, for any other company, would be I think someone said double or triple the cost ? It would be in the millions. Maybe APBA should raise dues and charge a fee at every race entry to cover the costs. After all, they want to have a neat and expensive corporate website.

What I like about Hydroracer is the fact it brings most all categories of boat racing under one roof, and all sanctioning bodies. So the APBA websit, just in my opinion only, is simply a spinoff of this site. It is not a competing website. They can't offer what Hydroracer does.

I have read the social section on the APBA website, but could not find a reason to sign up. And I am a person they are marketing for. I hope all these baby steps lead up to one gigantic leap for boatracing kind. There is not a lot of time left.

Dave,

Honestly there was not a need or demand for APBA to start a social forum of its own given the resources that were already in place and available. The association could have achieved the very same objective by hiring a single full time Facebook/Twitter adimn.

If you want to engage the masses this is where they are, Nascar has even gone the extra mile along with other sports implementing a live Facebook / Twitter tent at the races where fans can interact live via Facebook and Twitter directly with the track.

All the tools needed to interact with the fans and drivers are already in place thanks to multi billion dollar companies like Facebook, Pintrest, Twitter, Instagram and Youtube.

This whole notion of launching an APBA social forum in my opinion was a feeble attempt at best to enter an arena where all the tools were readily available. A stronger YouTube and Facebook presences in my opinion would have been a much wiser investment.

Its all about Fan engagement!

http://www.speedtv.com/programs/nascar-raceday/

The APBA needs fans not some silly social forum, you could have 300 powerboat drivers show up to a race but what good is it without the fans?

[Howie Nichols]

If you want to engage the masses this is where they are, Nascar has even gone the extra mile along with other sports implementing a live Facebook / Twitter tent at the races where fans can interact live via Facebook and Twitter directly with the track.

If someone has enough time on their hands to post on Facebook and/or Twitter, then I and every other official sure could use their help running the races off at each event or pick one and they can do it for a change.......

[Dave M]

Howie

If someone has enough time on their hands to post on Facebook and/or Twitter, then I and every other official sure could use their help running the races off at each event or pick one and they can do it for a change.......

Great point. I think some of the funds they are raising should be put towards exactly that. Or cheaper yet, get some of the racers kids to blog about it all day...

I also think APBA should have 2 sites. One for racers and one for the public. The public should be like Dan's page. Lets face it, the general public could care less about a social forrum, or all those stats on a spreadsheet. They wants pics, stories, videos, and in general race event schedules, times the races are, admission fees, directions to lake, etc. All you would need is a button to click if they want to gather more info on how to become a racer.

Dan has it figured out with his HRTV Magazine. I love it, quick and easy to scan, I don't have to search for 10 minutes to find something specific. If I want specifics, I can go to the organizations website, or here. Thank GOD Dan is doing what he is with that HRTV Magazine.

[HRTV]

If someone has enough time on their hands to post on Facebook and/or Twitter, then I and every other official sure could use their help running the races off at each event or pick one and they can do it for a change.......

Howie

First and foremost I respect you and the work that you have done across the entire spectrum for powerboat racing. It is a thankless job that usually gives nothing back at the end of the day. That being said please do not reference the use of Facebook or Twitter as time spent slacking off. They are both high profile communications tools used by every major brand in the world today. Many high profile corporations have hired full time staff to maintain these mediums in an effort to engage customers and fans using this latest technology.

It is vital that the association spend more time and effort focusing on fan engagement. As Dave pointed out there should be two separate sites. There is not a single piece of information on the new APBA site that would spark the attention of an enthusiast.

Fans need drama, gossip and engagement, vibrant colors and visual stimulants is what sparks the attention of viewers. Once fan participation picks up sponsors become interested.

Be safe!

[bill hoctor]

Apba social site

If i could type.. kudos to Dan for his new site & Daves remarks...SPOT ON

[csh12M]

Agree

I also agree with Dave and Dan on the last two posts. It would of been cheaper also.

Dean
12M

[ZUL8TR]

APBA answers me

Why is the new APBA web site void of the speed records that were on the old site?

To follow up on my original question at the start of this thread I sent a direct email to APBA and they answered as follows:

------------------------------------------------------------
Pete,

The old speed records are currently being converted to a nicer format and will be loaded on the site in that format as the site is developed more. In the mean time you can go here

https://www.apba-racing.com/resource...d-records-2780

to download the PDF version.

Thanks

-----Original Message-----
From: psushinsky@cfl.rr.com [psushinsky@cfl.rr.com]
Sent: Saturday, April 07, 2012 10:23 AM
To: apbahq@apba-racing.com
Subject: APBA site info

APBA web site manager

Why were the speed records not included in the present web site, they were
available on the old site?
Personally I thought the old site was easier to use.

Thank you

Pete

[blueskyracer]

I think they would of avoided a lot of complaints and headaches if they would of had the whole new web site ready to go before they put it up on the internet..They should of stuck with the old site till then..

[bill van steenwyk]

I think they would of avoided a lot of complaints and headaches if they would of had the whole new web site ready to go before they put it up on the internet..They should of stuck with the old site till then..

But then it would not have been put up by Hamburger eaters at Filet prices.

I know nothing about building a web site, other than viewing others already constructed, but it looks like grammer schoolers with no idea of what the site was intended for, or who, put it together, compared to the other sites devoted to this sport.

The first rule of building anything, whether in wood, metal or cyberspace, should be know what you want and need, and who the target customer is, and then construct it.

I can't honestly see where any of that was figured out beforehand. If this is the quality expected, then management is lacking. Hopefully the folks it it being built for will continue to tell them what is needed or a lot of money is down the hole.

[Smitty]

If anybody from THERE is following the discussion/critique HERE, please note that I tried again to sign up with the APBA forum, and again it kicked out my app because I had not properly filled out the "reCaptcha," which again was nowhere to be seen.

Also, I was looking to see what a racing membership costs these days; they list the cost of some of the cheaper non-racing memberships, but coyly(?) avoid stating the price of racing memberships up-front, . . . (embarrassingly high, perhaps??).

I do understand that new sites will have glitches, and do not doubt that dealing with them must be an almighty PITA. But if the new site won't let new people sign up, how do they expect to return racing to the days of 12-boat fields, as they say they intend to do? I'll check the site again and see if I can communicate the problem directly, but meanwhile, if any of you following this thread knows Dan Wiener, you might tell him to come here and read about the sign-up hang-up.

[thepiranhabros]

Question for you...

If anybody from THERE is following the discussion/critique HERE, please note that I tried again to sign up with the APBA forum, and again it kicked out my app because I had not properly filled out the "reCaptcha," which again was nowhere to be seen.

Also, I was looking to see what a racing membership costs these days; they list the cost of some of the cheaper non-racing memberships, but coyly(?) avoid stating the price of racing memberships up-front, . . . (embarrassingly high, perhaps??).

I do understand that new sites will have glitches, and do not doubt that dealing with them must be an almighty PITA. But if the new site won't let new people sign up, how do they expect to return racing to the days of 12-boat fields, as they say they intend to do? I'll check the site again and see if I can communicate the problem directly, but meanwhile, if any of you following this thread knows Dan Wiener, you might tell him to come here and read about the sign-up hang-up.

What browser are you using? (Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, etc.) What version of the browser are you using?

I just looked at the site in Chrome 18.0.1025.162 m and Firefox 11.0, and can see the ReCaptcha security check. However, in IE 9, the entire site fails to load correctly; it refreshes in Compatibility Mode.

It's no secret to anyone who knows me that I dislike IE with a passion, and the APBA site is one of many that do not function correctly under IE's archaic architecture. If you are using the latest version of Chrome or Firefox and are still not seeing the ReCaptcha information, I recommend you try a different computer. If you are using IE, I recommend you try a different browser.

Let us know what happens. If you're still having trouble, I will happily post to the APBA social site on your behalf and hopefully get some resolution.

Thanks!

[John Schubert]

reCaptha

If anybody from THERE is following the discussion/critique HERE, please note that I tried again to sign up with the APBA forum, and again it kicked out my app because I had not properly filled out the "reCaptcha," which again was nowhere to be seen.

Also, I was looking to see what a racing membership costs these days; they list the cost of some of the cheaper non-racing memberships, but coyly(?) avoid stating the price of racing memberships up-front, . . . (embarrassingly high, perhaps??).

I do understand that new sites will have glitches, and do not doubt that dealing with them must be an almighty PITA. But if the new site won't let new people sign up, how do they expect to return racing to the days of 12-boat fields, as they say they intend to do? I'll check the site again and see if I can communicate the problem directly, but meanwhile, if any of you following this thread knows Dan Wiener, you might tell him to come here and read about the sign-up hang-up.

I experienced the same problem & was told by HQ that it was a browser but I use Roadrunner. Still never was able to sign up for the same as your Smitty. They just don't give a ****!!!!!!!!

[ronronx]

internet explorer

I hadn't signed up to the APBA site so I took this opportunity to try and sign in. With Google Chrome everything worked fine but I hadn't used IE in so long that I forgot how cumbersome it really is. Anyway, if you are using IE, you have to go to the bottom of the page and click show all content to get the recapwhatever you call it to show up. Even at that, it took me several times to be able to read the text. Guess I'm going blind or forgot how to read or something.

Good luck.
Cheers,
Ron

[Smitty]

Well, thanks Michael; if I were a little sharper on computers, I'd have tried that. OTOH, since I have never had this situation occur on any other site, it looks like something that the site needs to correct rather than having the person trying to join that site jump through hoops . . .

[thepiranhabros]

True.

Well, thanks Michael; if I were a little sharper on computers, I'd have tried that. OTOH, since I have never had this situation occur on any other site, it looks like something that the site needs to correct rather than having the person trying to join that site jump through hoops . . .

So I assume you were successful in using a browser other than IE? After more thought and re-reading your reply, I am going to post to the APBA social site about IE issues anyway (and I probably am not the first). Hopefully their IT Administrator can sort this out as I would bet they are many more known (and unknown) issues with IE.