Remember the Building Bricks?
A lot of readers might not, because they sure came and went in a hurry.
Back in February, just after we'd announced our intent to open the HQ/shop Downtown, we jointly concocted with readers a drive to make sure the place was every bit as classy as we'd hoped it'd be. We sold what we were calling Building Bricks at three price levels -- $75, $250 and $1,000 -- and stacked them neatly and prominently on the right wall, above our podcasting table.
There was one catch, though: We really had to rush that process, partly because of the time and care it'd take to make these, partly because we wanted the wall to be ready for the April grand opening. As a result, some readers who later visited the HQ/shop and learned about the wall right then and there, complained that they never had a chance to be part of it. In turn, I vowed back then that we'd eventually have a second -- and final — drive to make up for it.
Well, here we are. Let's do it.
About a quarter of the display remains available, and we're allotting only this month of December to fill that up. That isn't much space, and it isn't much time, but Dali had the idea to do it over the holidays in case anyone might want one of these bricks as a gift for a family member or friend, bearing in mind that you additionally get a replica Brick at the top two price levels.
So, if you'd like one: Please email me directly at DK@DKPittsburghSports.com, and we'll make it happen. I'll walk you through it, and Dali will get your inscription for the Brick and close it out. That's it. Just email me, and we do all the lifting.
I just want to add here, too, that it's been a joy watching readers show up at the HQ/shop, go right back to the wall and find their Bricks. They'll often walk right past me to do it, which is that much neater. We've had readers arrive and find their Bricks from Estonia, Czechia, Russia, Vietnam, Singapore, China, lots from the U.K., and lots and lots from Canada, plus all of the readers spread across our own country. It's a part of what's already made our place feel special.
Thank you yet again so much to everyone from that first wave!
Now let's fill it up!
THE MILLION-DOLLAR MARK
I'd mentioned in this space a couple months ago that our company was headed for its first million-dollar revenue year, and that milepost was passed within the past week. We don't know exactly when because, well, that'd be kind of a weird thing to monitor live. But it definitely happened.
To be clear, that's not a million-dollar profit, or I'd already have built my summer chalet on one of Manitoba's many lakes, right?
Rather, it means exactly what it says, which is revenue, as in the total amount of money to come into the operation. Which can be from subscriptions (still No. 1 ... maybe!), podcast ads (getting close), direct sponsorships (steady as ever), video ads (fastest riser), website ads (fastest shrinker), and now the HQ/shop (already in the black).
On top of the revenue figure, we're also profitable. Enough so that we've got unprecedented flexibility when it comes to hiring, travel and other expenditures to keep upgrading every element of what we're doing. Including promoting the product so the growth continues.
Ultimately, though, this comes down to you. No B.S. It's always been about that, and that hasn't changed. No amount of automated advertising money could ever make up for what arrives directly from our subscribers and supporters, and I'm confident that formula won't ever change here.
Thank you.
INSIDE THE WORKS
• We're hiring. No ceilings. No limitations. That's pretty much the state of things at this point.
• Dali really loaded up the merch at the HQ/shop. If you've visited before and think it'd still be the same, it genuinely isn't. Boxes and boxes of new material just ... well, yesterday, in fact. We're stuffed up for the holiday shoppers.
• The app alerts should be in excellent working order again. Adam Bertram, our developer at BoomPress, made a sweeping adjustment that had them rolling back in for everyone I asked. (Myself included!)
• Be sure to set the alerts per your preference. Go to your profile (top left corner of app/site), thumb down to Notifications, tap Select, and toggle only the ones you want.
• Also, be sure customize the bottom bar on the app so that it shows the six buttons you want. For that, go to the profile again, find Customize App, then tap Edit, then choose the buttons.
• Travel on tap: Chris Halicke and I will be in Atlanta for the weekend to cover Steelers-Falcons, and the two of us will do all of the remaining football trips together. ... Alex Stumpf's flying out to San Diego to cover Major League Baseball's Winter Meetings that begin tomorrow. ... Taylor Haase will have the Penguins' trip to Buffalo, N.Y., later this week. ... Looking way ahead, Taylor and Danny Shirey will double-team the Penguins being in the Winter Classic in Boston. I'd go, too, except that I've got to be with the Steelers in Baltimore that weekend. ... Looking just as far ahead, Corey Crisan and Cory Giger will travel to wherever Pitt and Penn State, respectively, play in bowl games.
BACK TO BUSINESS
• Our page views for the week were 410,759, with our weekly goal being 500,000. Our most-read original piece was my Steelers-Colts game column from Indianapolis, at 10,682. Broken down by team traffic, articles on the Penguins brought 20.1% of our readership, the Steelers 14.8%, the Pirates 8.7%, Penn State 6.4%, and Pitt 2.7%.
• On the multimedia front, our podcast downloads for the past week were 111,065, with our weekly goal being 200,000, and our YouTube video views for the past week were 90,877, with our weekly goal being 150,000.
• Our company social media accounts are at 47,514 followers on Twitter, 37,932 on Facebook, 18,479 on YouTube, 14,616 on Instagram, 105 on TikTok.
• We make mistakes. If you see one, email: Typos@DKPittsburghSports.com
• Anything you need, including lost/forgotten passwords, email: Help@DKPittsburghSports.com