This forum not as popular?

A lot of us view whilst at work Harry and, if like myself, the bosses have installed a new filter, message boards and forums (fora?) are now also banned.
 
Do more people do this 'Twitter' thing instead? [which, like texting is beyond me].
 
Hmm, I think there's sometimes a lot of people perhaps lurking but not actually posting i.e. reading a lot of the threads but maybe not inputing anything or only contributing to certain threads. I've had a Twitter account for ages but never use it but a guy that comes in to work quite often keeps telling me about stuff he's heard from trainers on there and it's worth following so am thinking of giving it another go. This site is still the main racing forum I use though.
 
I don't know any forum that is as busy as it was 2-3 years ago. In fact I know other forums that 5 years ago were 20 times busier than us, that have now ceased to exist.

I know some on here used to use thedvdforums for example. You could post a topic on there before you went to work, and by the time you got in it would be on page 5 or 6, even having had a few dozen replies. Now looking at the first page, there are threads there that haven't been replied to for 4 days. That used to be one of the busiest UK forums.

TRF is the same, front page, 22 threads, some not replied to for a few days. We are just a few threads behind them, but they do a lot of marketing, and a lot to promote the site, as it makes money for them, so I would expect them to be busier. They aren't as busy as they were though.

Twitter and Facebook have pulled people away from forums. Even Digitalspy etc (which were massive!) seem less busy than before.

Plus people change, grow up etc. I know in the past we had members at uni, or single guys/girls, who might now have a family, have jobs and don't have the time to read/post anymore, and maybe don't have the disposable income to gamble with, and thats not taking into account the recession!

It's not that easy to attract new members either. People now grow up with facebook, not forums. Racing is also a minority sport, its not like football where you have 30000-100000 potential members in each town.

Having said that at some point this year I do intend changing a couple of things. Assuming no one has any objections I'll be changing the main forum so you can read it whilst not logged in, at the moment you have to sign up to read it, which can put people off. I also want to try and install http://www.vbadvanced.com/ which again, should have a positive effect on member numbers. Thats probably a couple of months away though.

Having said all that - I have never understood why Saturday's are so quiet. I always would have thought it would be the busiest day of the week, but it's always been about the quietest. Maybe 10 years ago when a lot only accessed the internet through work, but most people have it at home, on phones or mobile broadband for laptops now don't they?

I don't think we are do too bad TBH. We are less busy than we were 5 or 10 years ago, but so is everyone. I do nothing at all to attract new members, yet we do still get some. We are still busier than a lot of racing forums, and not far off the ones that are busier. Obviously betfair etc will have busier forums, but thats because they have other means of attracting members.
 
I think it's a good idea to access the forum without having to log in, because it's nice to be able to browse a forum to get a feel for what it's like. I got thrown off another forum because I didn't post enough, which seemed unfair! Having spent most of my life interested in racing but with no immediate friends or family to share that interest with, when I discovered racing forums I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. Even more so when I chanced upon this one and TRF. Chance being the operative word I suppose, because I stumbled across both of them by accident, previously being on one that had rather a lot of unsavoury characters, and not realising that better ones existed.
 
We should run a weekly weekend nap competition like the Irish Field competition - say the first thirty applicants - most posts on Todays Fancy - or some other criteria - the naps table in the Irish Field even has a book on it now run by Ladbrokes. I would put up a decent prize if somebody would run the tabulation bit. Say €200 first prize €100 second €50 third for twenty six weeks - naps to be posted by Friday 10:00 pm. This might help the traffic on Saturday.
My first choices for the tipsters panel would be
Trackside
Luke
Gearoid
EC1
Irish Stamp
Kauto
Del Boy
Pricewise2008
DavidJohnston
Swedish Chef
JohnDonoghue
Hammmmmmmmm?????
Aragorn
Arkwright
Roddy Owen
Shadow Leader
Bobbyjo
Gamla Stan
Bar The Bull
Grey - definitely
Cantoris - probably would call in the stewards???
Krizon - could be our Margie McLoone.

I am missing several others (please dont take exception).
Many people would pay good money to have the priveledge of hearing these people's views on weekend racing??
 
Great idea OTB. Twitter is fantastic for up to the second news but the forum is where opinions are expressed and tested. Twitter is far too gay with everyone drooling over Eddie the shne and Bruce Millingtons every word. I rather real forums with real people.
 
I agree. I think we have the numbers, it's just sometimes they don't show up on good Racing days.

Facebook has a Cheltenham Festival Group that I post in but that isn't overburdened either. Trf had virtually no activity in it's Cheltenham sub-forum yesterday.
 
I'm probably flattered to be Margie McLoone - although I've no idea who she is, apart from sounding like someone guesting on The Simpsons as an Irish cousin. Close enough for me, then.
 
I would love to post more regarding racing topics but feel a little intimidated sometimes by the much more knowledgable people on here! I am sure that is not how they are but I am a weekend punter at best and have no acces to racing insiders on a day to day basis.

I enjoy the banter on the forum (most of the time!) although the passion that some members show can be a little off putting as typing a response doesnt always come across in the right way compared to saying it face to face.

I must remember to link the site on my iPhone but Twitter is beyond even me! Although I am an avid Facebooker ;)
 
I think viewing without log in would be a very good idea.

I think Saturdays are quiet because we talk about the main races throughout the week..then are all talked out come Saturday.

Racing forums used to be so popular when i first started looking at the internet..11 years ago...many of those forums have gone...so TH is doing well imo.

I do know from past experience..that actual race analysis..does interest people...particularly successful analysis :)

we already have threads where we view our opinions..but i think people want to learn a bit..spot plays..angles..methodolgy etc

this is a problem area though isn't it?..people don't want to show too much of their hand..which is a pity but is how this game is.

I think it would be nice to have "sticky" thread for LAY of the day...and one for PLAY of the day. Where if any of us wants to post a lay or play they think looks good they could do so..each day then you could go straight to that thread and read someone's view on a horse running that day. Obviously you would need to give reason for the selection...or you just end up with lists. I know we have the daily thread at the moment..but a thread just devoted to actual selections would be an easy access point.

A sticky thread with horse form breaking would be cool too..you know the type of thing..Imperial Commander..needs a break between races. Just an easy break of a horse's form if one has really particular conditions. A thread like that could be a nice reference library for us.

I think that type of thing..would interest people..and might encourage others to take part.

There is nothing brings people to a racing board more than ..winning selections being posted..I know some of you don't want that type of board but what would harm would two threads do?

just a few thoughts anyway
 
Ballydoyle said:
I would love to post more regarding racing topics but feel a little intimidated sometimes by the much more knowledgable people on here! I am sure that is not how they are but I am a weekend punter at best and have no acces to racing insiders on a day to day basis.

I enjoy the banter on the forum (most of the time!) although the passion that some members show can be a little off putting as typing a response doesnt always come across in the right way compared to saying it face to face.

I must remember to link the site on my iPhone but Twitter is beyond even me! Although I am an avid Facebooker ;)
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Never feel intimidated on a racing forum Ballydoyle..there are no such things as experts on this game..no matter what some people might think..everyones view is valid.

Just join in
 
Yes, please don't feel that way, Ballydoyle. There's room for every type of interest on here. If it was a betting-only site, I'd be off. Thank goodness it's not - there's the chat area for a bit of light (well, usually!) relief, plus the Other Sports, Photography, etc. and all kinds of interests are covered. I like the Bloodstock section, I like having discussions about aspects of horses not purely related to their use as a betting medium, and so on. So please, do join in.

I've also met some fine folk through the forum and continue to do so, follow particular horses with a bit more interest as they're bred or owned by forum members, and over the years the banter develops in tune with what you hope you've learned about co-members. So, please don't hold back.
 
Why not have a Facebook page only viewable by members where plays and lays can be put? Its a much quicker medium than the forum. It could also be a way to bring in new members?
 
I like the idea of not having to join until you've had a look at us - a bit like try before you buy.

One other very good thing about the forum is the lack of trolls. I don't know what examples have been set in eradicating them (presumably Col would have to kill me if he told me) but it's very pleasant to login and not find yourself beset by the lunatic fringe. If you're Facebooked, can any nutter join in?
 
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Euronymous said:
I agree. I think we have the numbers, it's just sometimes they don't show up on good Racing days.

Facebook has a Cheltenham Festival Group that I post in but that isn't overburdened either. Trf had virtually no activity in it's Cheltenham sub-forum yesterday.
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you would be an automatic top 20 tipsters - apols - by listing names above I now realise I have left out some serious judges - would thirty tipsters be too many??
 
On The Bridle said:
SteveM ballydoyle Galileo ........ Aligupter ... Simon... Still missing loads Gearoid could price up a book on it?:ninja:
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I can make the flat pay but this jumping lark is an enigma to me.
Mind you my biggest winner ever was at Cheltenham and I do fine there but others do better.
 
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krizon said:
I like the idea of not having to join until you've had a look at us - a bit like try before you buy.

One other very good thing about the forum is the lack of trolls. I don't know what examples have been set in eradicating them (presumably Col would have to kill me if he told me) but it's very pleasant to login and not find yourself beset by the lunatic fringe. If you're Facebooked, can any nutter join in?
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Facebook can be as open or limited as you need. If anyone wants to do a trail I could set up a "group" and then put the link on here?
 
krizon said:
I like the idea of not having to join until you've had a look at us - a bit like try before you buy.

One other very good thing about the forum is the lack of trolls. I don't know what examples have been set in eradicating them (presumably Col would have to kill me if he told me) but it's very pleasant to login and not find yourself beset by the lunatic fringe. If you're Facebooked, can any nutter join in?
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There were reasons for doing that at the time, people were posting information and views that could identify them to people like employers, but that seems to have stopped so can change that.

Thanks for the idea's people, keep them coming, and extra thanks to OTB for the offer of the prizes. I'll kep an eye on the thread and chat with the mods over the next few days.
 
ok regarding facebook etc, at the top of threads you will see like buttons, click them and it will say you like the thread on facebook, and do stuff on twitter - maybe someone can try it with a twitter account and let me know what it does lol?

The share button adds loads of other places
 
OTB - I think we have to get the NAPS idea off the ground. Best to do it right and not rush into it for the sake of it. I had been playing around with the idea myself and would add to the prize fund. Maybe run it on the flat?
 
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