Fan Guide Update: Plan of Attack.
Okay kids, here's the plan. We'd like to get a document finished and ready to be distributed before the home opener of April 14. Which means we really should have something done by April 7. So, here's the plan.
First, a draft outline of the overall document was created. Read it, and think about what parts you might be interested in writing, or if we missed anything.
Tomorrow we hope to have a Wiki based system coming online for purpose of writing the individual sections. Feel free to start contributing your writing to any of the articles, which should resemble the outline posted above. You'll have to register with the Wiki to contribute (so as to avoid anonymous drive by vandalism that seems to plague Wiki projects), but we won't sell or turn over any data. It's just a way of protecting the project from annoying jerks.
Around April 3-5, we'll grab all the articles that people have written, perform an editing pass (and maybe add some graphics and the like), and then PDF a document. We'll post that for public copyediting, and once that's done, we'll try and present the finished product to United.
A few guidelines and notes: Do not contribute any copyrighted material. We will be transferring all copyrights to D.C. United if they choose to run the guide at their place, which means anything you contribute you agree to turn over. We'll try and keep everyone credited though. Remember our target audience is new fans, so don't write overly complex but don't patronize either. Cover the basics in clear detail, but leave the complexities for another time. Also, we're not out to slam any other teams or supporters. Hell, if this project works we can see that perhaps others might want to do the same thing we are.
posted by D @ 1:43 PM
7 Comments:
You might want to have a short history of DC United. "Tradition" is part of the FO's marketing strategy, so we might want to give a little run down of DCU lore. Perhaps explain the trophies that are on the DC United banner.
Maybe a mention of what this whole Concacaf Champions Cup is... explaining what these "pre-season" matches are and why they're important.
Both good suggestions. I think Oscar is thinking of a "Beyond the Game" (ie: The larger world of soccer) section in addition to the three sections I had, and both ideas could play into this area.
Yeah, maybe not Concacaf Champions Cup specifically, mostly because the chance that we have another game this year is slim. But explaining all of the different tournaments would be important, CCC, US Open Cup, Superliga, Supporters Shield, and MLS Cup.
You might want to consider, under loud side versus quiet side, that 100 and 200 sections stand during the game.
I'm up in 232, and every game I see a family walk in with small kids, and others who want to sit, who get angry that people are standing in front of them.
(I once said something to a United front office person suggesting they tell the ticket sellers at walk-up to let people know what sections stand and sit, but he said the sellers could care less.)
Looks good so far. I'm trying to imagine what I would be confused about if I were new to the game. Maybe substitution rules, all the lines and dots and arcs on the field, when the keeper can handle the ball and when he can't, stoppage time, why the coach doesn't call a time out.
It's going to be tough to keep this brief.
This PDF is a great idea! I have $.02 for anyone who wants it...
I'm a new DCU fan, but I've played/watched soccer most of my life (NY Cosmos fan as a kid). But I kinda slipped out of it after college.
I got back into the game just last year (thanks, "Anonymous K"), and already I'm going to off-season games, following blogs, and going horse shouting "Emilioooooo!" in the rain...
FWIW, the biggest hook for me is getting to know the players. Name, number, skills, weaknesses, personality, age, history -- not just the 'official' bio, but all the quirks. I'd suggest a focus on that section. Also, knowing which opposing teams are rivals, and which opposing players to watch out for.
That's a survey of one, but I think there are others like me out there who know the game, but not the team. We'll be easier to win over than people who are completely new to soccer.
(Oh, and mention that the good beer is on level 3.)
Thanks for the great blog. Cheers!
-R
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