SFN is ‘Pulse of the Fan Base’

accsportslogo2SFN would like to thank the great folks from the ACC Sports Journal for inviting us to partner with them on their weekly ‘Pulse of the Fan Base’.

They posted the feature to their website last night and it can be read by clicking here.

Over the last 12 months the blog has generated more than 3.5 million page views from 1.5 million visits of over 280,000 unique visitors originating from 164 different countries and U.S. territories.

That includes 104 visits from Malawi. Yes, Malawi.

We are going to have more detail behind the Q&A here on the site in the coming days, so we hope that you keep checking in and share your thoughts with us.

Start by defining the ‘fan base’ as the fan base that actually forms opinions on these topics. Realize that a large majority of any fan base are just folks who went to school or like a team and all they want is for their team to be successful; they don’t really form opinions or take the time to educate themselves on ancillary issues.

The next level of fan is one that has a level of ‘vestedness’ that goes beyond just wanting the team to win. Here is a very general profile of some characteristics of a ‘vested’ fan.

1. Some form of membership and/or financial commitment such as the Wolfpack Club, Alumni Association, annual fund, etc.
2. If they don’t have season tickets or lifetime rights, then they attend at least a few games in person every now and then.
3. Take the time to generally know the football and basketball schedule and make time watch the majority of games when televised.
4. At least occasionally read articles and try to gather information from sources like the ACC Sports Journal, The Wolfpacker, the internet, etc.

The ACCSJ’s introduction mentions an article featuring SFN that ran in the NC State Alumni Magazine in late 2007/early 2008. Clicking here will take you to the original entry (written at the time of the article) that includes some interesting history of the site.

These recent developments and focus on SFN serve to be very timely as we are currently working on a site re-design on which we hope to flip the switch in the coming weeks. If you have any computer/creative skills we encourage you to check here for a request to contribute to our efforts. In addition to new banners for the site, we will happily accept any original/unique logos, pictures, graphics files that would be good fits for the next generation of the site.

About StateFans

'StateFansNation' is the shared profile used by any/all of the dozen or so authors that contribute to the blog. You may not always agree with us, but you will have little doubt about where we stand on most issues. Please follow us on Twitter and FaceBook

'09 Football 09-10 Basketball AD & Department Fans General On the Record Site News

117 Responses to SFN is ‘Pulse of the Fan Base’

  1. choppack1 05/05/2009 at 12:19 PM #

    “I’m surprised that you were the most “opinionated”; whom else were they interviewing, SID’s?”

    Ncsslim – I mentioned this too. I don’t know if they interviewed other blog contributors from other schools, but I think that NC State’s relative futility over the last 2 decades has created an environment where a) you just don’t have an opinion on good coach, bad coach, bad call, bad AD, good AD, etc – but we’ve also had to b) prove our case w/ a stubborn administration.

    In case you’ve forgotten – Les Robinson resigned – and he didn’t resign under pressure. Right now, Lee Fowler is presiding over a Robinson-esque athletic department.

    Right now, it’s very easy to argue that NC State has the worst overall athletic department in the ACC. Unfortunately, our leadership hasn’t reacted in a proactive fashion. As a result, it’s left to fans to argue or at least document the futility of a particular coach.

    In other words, I’d imagine that Brock wouldn’t be the most opinionated blogger he’d ever interviewed for this if a) NC State had won some championships the last couple of years b) there was clear evidence that the athletic department was headed in the right direction or c) the leadership at NC State responded in a proactive, constructive way that indicated that they appreciated the fans who have packed the RBC and Carter-Finley and given very generously to an athletic department that has asked for it, but hasn’t produced results im most areas.

  2. Sw0rdf1sh 05/05/2009 at 12:22 PM #

    I’m proud that I’m Vested in NCSU and my companies 401K. Hopefully we are witnessing some forward momentum with both of them.

  3. Keg Man 05/05/2009 at 1:38 PM #

    Just checked out ACC sports Journal. Like reading Wolfpack news no matter where it from?

    Whats up with the Fowler – Wolf Dude – SFN thing? Kinda like a World Wide Wrestling Match.

    The author at ACCSJ did put up the Pack Leader Fowler incident post that he says is on SFN. Whoops? No big deal to me but after that big speech above looks like someone got to back up some claims and issue an apology. Guess we won’t be seeing Pack Leader anymore.

    Ah well, but if Girlfriend in a Coma is still buying the beer count me in! whoo Hoooo!

  4. Wolfpack_1995 05/05/2009 at 1:40 PM #

    Very happy with this site.

    I used to visit the old statefans site and then that got commercialized IMO to become packpride.

    I am a paid member of the Wolfpacker site but visit this site just as frequently.

    In the future will there potentially be premium membership?

    All three sites are nice to reference.

  5. choppack1 05/05/2009 at 2:15 PM #

    Keg man – if you saw the original post – it was obvious that he just went up to Fowler and made a remark, like “get winning or get lost”. That’s a far cry from half a threat.

    Is it polite? Nope. It’s downright rude – but I don’t think it’s anything surprising or limited to this fanbase.

  6. mafpack 05/05/2009 at 2:16 PM #

    I do believe I’m with Bradley, and even when I’ve disagreed with Jeff and the guys, they’ve never ever backed down from giving well thought out and reasoned responses – which is why this site is still the first or second page I view each day from my home and work PCs.

    Keep up the awesome work SFN, et al, even when we over-opinionated commenters give you guys a hard time 🙂

  7. Cardiff Giant 05/05/2009 at 2:25 PM #

    Very well done, Brock, very. No one’s been able to lay a glove on this piece on PP, you’ll note. And “Wolfdog” sounds like a troll – or perhaps it’s Fowler himself. The poster above who likened this site to RFE is spot on.

    P.S. I am the guy posting from Malawi. It’s how I roll.

  8. Rick 05/05/2009 at 2:32 PM #

    I love this site.
    I wish I had time to contribute more than I do.
    If others think we are too opinionated they can go to the monkey boards.

  9. old13 05/05/2009 at 2:38 PM #

    Being an NCSU alum who is very interested in NCSU athletics, as well as other university aspects, and living many states distant from North Carolina, I get most of my related information from the internet. And while there are other sites from which to glean such information, I find that SFN provides much better depth with a much more knowledgeable (and mostly credible) community that facilitates good informative debate. It’s the first place I look!

  10. gopack05 05/05/2009 at 2:50 PM #

    absolutely the best place for NCSU sports news. the term “vested fan” is right on the money. thanks guys – you do a great job keeping us updated and informed.

  11. cWOhLFrPAiCKs 05/05/2009 at 3:28 PM #

    I for one appreciate everything you guys do here. You vastly improve my enjoyment of NC State sports and are my number one source for NC State news. Thanks for all your hard work and effort!

  12. Hoyawolf98 05/05/2009 at 4:42 PM #

    Great job and keep up the good work.

    Cardiff Giant, I work in Africa as well…

  13. b 05/05/2009 at 7:38 PM #

    I like how “JonJon” says all he sees are people arguing, and then others refute this statement unwittingly by saying the admins erase any post that doesn’t fall in line with their opinion.

    I have been posting for a few years here and have disagreed with the posters and other commenters on occasion, in some instances vehemently. But never had a comment of any substance (somethin other than a joke or quick off topic post) deleted. Even then it seemed they were only deleted to save bandwidth when the post moves on to archive. They want to push us back into the lunatic fringe it seems….

    I bet dimes for dollars peaches was Mrs. Fowler and Wolf Dog was Fowlup himself.

  14. tcthdi-tgsf-twhwtnc 05/05/2009 at 7:46 PM #

    I agree and SFN is a much needed place for fans of all ages to vent and praise Wolfpack athletics. Do we get carried away, act like experts, coaches and administrators, and point out mistakes made by all? Sure, and that is what makes this site great.

    Every State fan has a voice here and only because the folks that run this site let fans speak their voice. Well, unless you mention the Arizona State coach, formerly of NC State, in an inappropriate way.

    Great job and thanks for all the time and effort you guys put in just to let us speak. There was once a time when Carlton Tudor decided who could comment in writing about State sports.

  15. VaWolf82 05/05/2009 at 7:54 PM #

    I agree and SFN is a much needed place for fans of all ages to vent and praise

    I disagree. I come here for intelligent conversation and opinion. Personally, I wish that those that want to childishly vent would go somewhere else.

  16. tcthdi-tgsf-twhwtnc 05/05/2009 at 8:05 PM #

    ^^^Of course you do, which is your chance to vent.

    What I was saying is that this is a fantastic place for people to say what they want without being edited. If you want a site that moderated to eliminate the negative I’m sure you can find it but I enjoy the open and free exchange of ideas over censorship of opinions.

  17. graywolf 05/05/2009 at 8:20 PM #

    Is it just me or does it seem that the “lunatic fringe” has now evolved into the sane majority. Great work and my hat is off to Jeff Brock and all of statefansnations writers and staff.

  18. blpack 05/05/2009 at 8:41 PM #

    Good fair and balanced article. We have a long ways to go in so many sports and the last 9 years have not made up any ground. We are looking forward to football season and … the 2010 football season maybe?
    Good job Jeff.

  19. ChiefJoJo 05/05/2009 at 8:44 PM #

    Great blog, fellas. Keep up the good work.

  20. LRM 05/05/2009 at 10:16 PM #

    For those of you that want objectivity — there’s no such thing. Not at CNN, nor NBC or Fox, and especially not on a sports blog. There’s always an agenda.

    I come here — and contribute sporadically — because it’s an avenue for me to have an opinion and promote my perspective of being a loyal State fan, to a fault. I disagree with many of the opinions on here and I don’t expect everyone to agree with mine, but I don’t care, because no two people have the same State Experience. Besides, at the end of the day, we’re all cheering for the same team.

    The simple fact is, the dynamic nature of a blog like this renders traditional media outlets virtually impotent. And that in itself is pretty cool.

    Speaking for myself, and I am confident of for the other fellows here as well, our “agenda” is NC State sports succeeding. Me, I place NC State before any coach, AD, SID, and at times player. If that’s an agenda, then I am proud to push it. — Alpha

  21. Lunatic Fringe 05/05/2009 at 10:19 PM #

    The things I read on the blog were many of the same comments I have heard tailgating before a football game with my parents, having a beer with a couple friends at a local pub, or just in passing while watching a game with a group of Wolfpackers.

    The fact that they were expressed semi-anonymously online does not make them any less relevant. My father who has not blogged or posted on a message board a day in his life has many of the same frustrations. You risk alienating a lot of people when you just simply dismiss such comments as a couple lunatics with a keyboard.

    I do not agree with everything that I see on this blog and that is OK. In fact, I think SFN would probably have to shut it down if we all agreed with one another…too boring.

    SFN gives me another perspective that you cannot find anywhere else. I do thank them for that.

  22. Keg Man 05/06/2009 at 6:37 AM #

    SFN is a good reference for wolfpack news and links. They usually have news before The WolfPacker.com’s morning update. I blog sometimes but have no time to read everything on here and frankly care less about most other people’s opinion. Just amazes me how many people so full of themselves they feel the need to share their opinion thinking someone cares.

    I think if someone doesn’t like what is on here then don’t come on here. Don’t blog. Get over it. It is only someone’s opinion anyway.

    My only concern about this and other Wolfpack blogs is Where are the Students? Do the students care so little about sports anymore?

  23. hball57 05/06/2009 at 7:45 AM #

    Great interview. They have done this with the guys from the Wolfpacker in the past, and that was a great read as well.

    I enjoy the fact that we have three quality areas for Wolfpack information. I have thought (and posted) that I thought the mods on this board have a bit of an anti-Fowler agenda (and Alpha gave me a good response) and I sometimes thing people hijack threads to get their anti-Fowler rants in. But I find that the entries and comments generally are thoughtful on SFN.

    Each of the three major sites (SFN, the Wolfpacker and Pack Pride) have a little different theme. We are fortunate to have three quality sites with diverse views on our favorite school.

    While I don’t know of the situation mentioned in teh article with Fowler, I do remember the situation with Sendek after the last ACC tournament game that he coached where he and a fan got into a shouting match while leaving the floor after the game. Reflecting on my college basketball career (a long time ago) I always remember feeling the same way Sidney Lowe has mentioned a the Wake caravan stop – no matter how bad we feel after a loss, the guys in the locker room feel 100 times worse. Having people who love our university can make a big difference, and I believe we have that in our major sports. I believe also in our new WBB coach and I think our new Women’s Socer Coach is a good step in the right direction. i hope things turn around soon (and I believe they will) so that we can all be on the same page.

  24. Alpha Wolf 05/06/2009 at 7:52 AM #

    I blog sometimes but have no time to read everything on here and frankly care less about most other people’s opinion. Just amazes me how many people so full of themselves they feel the need to share their opinion thinking someone cares.

    This site is as much a discussion amongst passionate fans as it is a blog. In other words, an online community. I view my articles as a starting point for a discussion with people who share the same passion as myself, specifically, NC State sports. And there is no requirement for you to agree with my views. If you don’t, all you have to do is reply with your arguments to the contrary.

    Over time, this site has become a rolling time capsule of the views of fans at the time of events, for example, during a coaching search. That’s frankly invaluable because it can and has been used to debunk people who have made incorrect generalizations.

    And the address of your blog is?

    My only concern about this and other Wolfpack blogs is Where are the Students? Do the students care so little about sports anymore?

    They pop up from time to time, and then they tend to fall back. In my view the demands of student life and the pleasures it can bring are incompatible with blogging regularly.

    We do have current and recent students who post here, BTW.

  25. GAWolf 05/06/2009 at 7:56 AM #

    A lot of the students use http://www.brentroad.com still. It’s somewhat antiquated, but the number of students who use it is staggering. I check their sports pages pretty regularly as you’ll get glimpses into what students see on campus that you might not read on the more traditional blogs and message boards. It’s also fun to see what college kids are talking about on a regular basis. College kids, with their obvious intelligence and ample free time, are about the most entertaining cross section of society out there. Heed this warning though: there are no rules at brentroad.com so if you’re offended by obscenity, just don’t go there.

Leave a Reply