Details On New Rivals Format

[jason stamm]

Guys, after reading your comments in another thread, I wanted to shed more light on everything with the changes to Rivals.com and the front page.
Thanks for some very good suggestions on how we can make the front page better and improve the new content pages. We plan to pass these ideas on to Rivals. I can't promise all suggestions will be implemented but it sounds like several will happen.

Yes, we are aware that several people don't like the new look of the front page. PLEASE keep in mind that this was only version 1.0. It WILL be updated and needed changes will happen.

I know people generally don't like change and HokieHaven.com's front page has essentially been the same for 15 years. Like anyone, I was very used to the same look and comfortable navigating around it easily. However, it isn't a matter of just using the old format since it simply was no longer workable, especially on mobile devices, and liable to crash. There was a real fear that the old setup would not have held up on Signing Day so the changes had to take place now.

But again, and sorry for repeating this, some seem convinced that what they are currently seeing on the front page is the final version but that simply not the case. Everyone knew going in that some major changes would need to be made but the positive aspect is that many of those changes will be based on suggestions from the publishers (which is based in large part on input from our users).

Please be patient. This is just step one of some much needed changes. Trust me, things will get better because we have a direct voice in pushing for the necessary upgrades.
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Here's a quick FAQ on the changes:

Why are the changes being made?

• No. 1 - The Rivals network has essentially been unchanged for 15 years. Because the coding is so antiquated it's coming apart at the seems and was in desperate need of an update. As many probably remember, national signing day two years ago was an absolute disaster when the network crashed for several hours. That was a result of underlying problems with the network and having few people that could maintain antiquated code and software. The network has been held together by tape and string since then and it's a daily challenge to keep it up and running.

• No. 2 - Mobile! When Rivals was launched around 15 years ago there was no such thing as reading online content on a smart phone or tablet. Now, over 50% of people that are online are doing so from a mobile device! The old configuration (content and front page) was never designed for mobile and doesn't play nicely with it. We tried a workaround by developing an app, which was OK for a while but essentially hasn't worked since last summer. The new network is 100% mobile responsive and optimized for all devices.

What will the changes mean for Warchant users?

• For content pages, there is a slightly different look but more importantly they are optimized for mobile. Everything should be much easier to read on smart phones and tablets, and they should load faster. There will be no need to scroll from side to side or to increase the size of the page in order to read it. And because it's compatible with all devices and operating systems, every page should look fine whether you are using an iDevice, Android or Windows.

• With the network now stabilized and with everything compatible with mobile, it means we are one step closer to getting a working app that should be dramatically more functional than the old one (even when it was working). Please be patient but I plan to make getting a new app out a priority going forward.

• The front page of HokieHaven.com looks very different. Because there was a priority to make everything mobile friendly, we had to sacrifice some features that have been mainstays on the front page - Twitter feed, a video module, links to quick updates, and the look will be more streamlined (you will need to scroll down more to find recent features and stories).

What does this mean going forward?

• When we finally got approval for funding to design and launch a new network, one of the best things that happened was getting Rivals away from the constraints of being on Yahoo's servers. For all intents and purposes, Rivals is now independent (from a technical standpoint) from Yahoo and will no longer be constrained by having to go through 20 layers of bureaucracy to get an upgrade or something needed done. As a result, a lot of cool features and needed changes will come quickly over the coming months.

• The new leadership at Rivals is putting more of an emphasis on listening to the publishers which means we have more of say in the direction of the network. It also means we have a lot of input on needed changes. With a streamlined network away from Yahoo these changes can happen much faster.

• Yes, there will be some bugs. The new network been essentially running in the background for over a month to weed out as many bugs as possible. But with any major technological change/upgrade bugs, glitches and unforeseen setbacks are inevitable. We will work as quickly as possible to get through these problems so please be patient.

Questions, comments, suggestions and criticisms:

• This thread will be left open for a while to get feedback on the changes. We'll do what we can to answer any questions you might have and to consider any suggestions. However, if your goal is to troll, stir the pot or just or just complain without offering anything constructive your post will be removed. You are always welcomed to email me at jason.stamm@rocketmail.com

I can't thank all of our loyal subscribers enough. We realize the technological side of HokieHaven.com has been substandard the past few years and realize it's been frustrating for many of you. It's also been frustrating on our end which is why l led the charge to get Yahoo to get off their butts and fund these much needed changes. I'm confident in saying we have the best staff when it comes to covering Virginia Tech sports and recruiting and in the very near future we'll have the best technology as well.

 

[Mr Hokie To You]

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