The goal with our ongoing upgrade of the commenting platform is to offer -- no exaggeration -- the very best place to talk about the Steelers, Penguins, Pirates and our various colleges.
We couldn't pull that off, of course, without the community that we hope will be using it.
To that end, I'll share what's already in the works from our BoomPress developers, while stressing that nothing's even in the review stage yet:
• You'll be able to utilize pics, GIFs and other inserts. That can only occur now with considerable effort and minimal display. Even links are a challenge now. None of that'll be the case.
• You'll have a broad assortment of emojis and reactions beyond just the up-cups and down-cups. For example, if you find a comment funny, you can give it both an up-cup and a laugh emoji. We're also toying around with custom emojis like the ones Ramon Foster and I have been using -- of our cartoon selves -- on our YouTube channel. I'm insisting on a lot of fun with this thing while also being mindful of not junking it up. It'll stay clean.
• This might've been my favorite, and it was entirely BoomPress' concept (since they're readers here, too): Each individual full feed entry will have its own commenting thread. That way, if you're looking over an NHL Draft thread and you want to check out what everyone's saying -- but only about the third-rounder -- you don't have to slog through a slew of other comments. You just go to the entry on the third-rounder, open it up, and boom.
• You'll be notified when someone replies to your comment. And not the way it (sometimes) can happen now. It'll be a real, live notification (unless you decide you don't want it), and it'll work on desktop as well as any mobile device. This might be the most important facet of this entire production, to be honest. We want the community to have the option to be as connected as you'd like, without having to work for it.
• There'll be sorting options, so you can check comments in order of newest-to-oldest (which will remain the default), the most up-cups, the funniest (most laugh emojis) and so on.
• This one's nuts, but you'll have access to rankings of which commenters get the most up-cups, or are the funniest, and so on. Not sure about most down-cups, though I did mention to the developers that our very own 'Student of the Game' probably has that clinched already. (Sorry, Stu! I'll just blame Mike Sullivan for the broadside!)
• Swipe to the side, you've repeatedly requested? Swipe to the side! We want this whole thing to be super-fast, super-easy to use. And yeah, that means we'll want the comments to stop making your phone burn up from staying on them too long. The very best means the very best.
• There'll be an easy way to flag a comment that you'd legitimately feel violates our two simple community roles: 1. No politics. 2. Don't be a jagoff. From there, we'll moderate accordingly.
• I'm not sure if muting a commenter has made it onto the plan or not. Meaning that you do the muting, and that affects only what you see. Let's talk about it.
• Adding avatars will be easier than ever. Same goes for accessing username, profile, preferences, etc. Only downside is that I'll continue harassing everyone who doesn't have an avatar. The gray icons are just so boring. Don't be boring.
• You'll be able to add your location.
• We're weighing different ways to mark how long you've been with us as a subscriber.
OK, so it's your turn: Speak up in comments about other ideas you might have!
MILITARY DRIVE: 243
Our annual Military Drive, aimed at connecting 1,000 veterans of our Armed Forces to a one-year subscription, faded for the first time in its opening month, with 11 for the week leading into a new total of 243. We're still in good shape toward the goal of getting it done by Veterans Day Nov. 11.
Here's how it works: We sell a military subscription for $20, covering a full year for any veteran. That's one-third of the regular price. However many you'd wish to donate, even if it's just one, email me directly at DK@DKPittsburghSports.com, and Dali will do the processing.
Thanks to everyone so far!
NO ANNIVERSARY FUSS
We're two weeks away from our ninth anniversary -- I know, right? -- but we're deliberately not making any big deal out of it or anything. It falls on a Sunday, when the HQ/shop will be closed, and we'll just keep it to ourselves with maybe a nice dinner at home with the full family.
The reason: We'll make an obnoxiously massive deal out of the 10th anniversary next year. Kinda how we did for the fifth anniversary, only much bigger. Stay tuned.
YOU SET THE PRICE! ALWAYS!
Can't repeat this often enough: If your subscription's expiring and you don't think you'll be able to afford it ... you can, and I'll make sure of it personally. We'll work it out. No questions asked. Promise.
Just email me: DK@DKPittsburghSports.com
WEEKLY FUN APP HINT
This one isn't fun at all, but it's a hint: When you open the app and see that awful blank, black video player engulf the screen, just go to top left corner and X it out of existence. It goes away and stays away for that usage. I get it all the time and hate it more than anyone.
We have a solution, but it involves replacing our current ad server completely. That's not quick, though I also don't get the impression it'll take long. I'll keep you updated.
BACK TO BUSINESS
• Our page-view numbers for the past week were 764,672, with 35,354 different users over those seven days. Our most-read original piece was Alex Stump's coverage of Carlos Santana's epic walkoff at PNC Park, at 12,843. I don't have the team percentage breakdowns this week -- again -- because the new Google Analytics 4 system that was just installed ... it's a challenge.
• On the multimedia front, our podcast downloads for the past week were 92,111, and our YouTube video views for the past week were 56,640. Both of these figures are well down from the norm, as Ramon took a week's vacation, plus there was no programming on the Fourth of July.
• Our company social media accounts are at 49,925 followers on Twitter, 39,352 on Facebook, 23,233 on YouTube, 14,872 on Instagram ... and already 1,618 after just a couple days on the new Threads app!
• We make mistakes. If you see one, email: Typos@DKPittsburghSports.com
• We're often asked about our HQ/shop merch being available online, and yes, it's right here.
• Anything you need, including lost/forgotten passwords, email: Help@DKPittsburghSports.com