UtahBMX.com MAJOR Changes

[J Gallo]

So, in case you haven't noticed, the amount of traffic and activity on this site is pretty much non-existent. Posts in the forums are few and far between, and the visits to the site are down over 75% from last year, and even more than that from 2009. It concerns me because as people visit the site, they are not getting the most current info as to happenings around the state at our BMX tracks.

Part of this is my fault since I haven't been able to make it out to the track much in the last couple years, so I can't drive the traffic with pictures, posts, etc. But a big part of it is the reliance on Facebook by the tracks and users. Which isn't an entirely bad thing since Facebook is so much easier to use, and can provide communication to a lot more people quickly and easily. Especially with our ever growing dependence on mobile phones and apps.

So with that said, UtahBMX.com as we've known it will pretty much be going away. Over the next few weeks the site will become just a display of the various feeds of the Utah BMX tracks' Facebook sites and links to their web sites. I think this will be the best way to provide up to date information to the visitors to the site.

As always, comments and suggestions are always welcome.

[b2]

Facebook feeds; yes.

UtahBMX.com forums going away? No.

[Wild Bills BMX]

Facebook feeds; yes.

UtahBMX.com forums going away? No.

Plus 1 on what Barton said !

I think we need more of the tracks to promote it . I never here any track announce UTAHBMX.COM any more .

I was just talking to some new riders last night and they was asking about different track and when they race I told them go to UTAHBMX.COM for info .

Got to get the word out .

[McCauley]

I have to agree going away is Not the best option,This is the first place I look for BMX News.
I view the posts on Utah bmx daily to see news or changes. I have to agree we need to let people know its here.

McCauley

[b2]

ABC 4 news story on Legacy references the site. And I tell people to go to UtahBMX.com, too. I think it's a great place to send people who are "investigating" the sport and it's an easy name to remember.

Related Links:

http://www.abc4.com/content/about_4/bio ... 92R8g.cspx

[mackdaddy]

I check this site Daily, so it cant go away. Also there are alot og folks at the track who dont Facebook, so they need the site.
LAstly as for not pumping up utahbmx.com, I announce the site every race day. And that is all I got to say bout that!

[J Gallo]

The site is definitely DEFINITELY NOT going away. I just want to make it more useful. I've put a ton of time and effort (and a good amount of money) into this site so I have every intention of keeping it around. I just think it needs to be restructured to provide the Utah BMX community (both current and new) with the most up to date information about whats happening around our tracks.

I've been thinking about this for the past 6 months or so, as I've been watching the traffics and number of posts in the forums decrease.

That ABC4 video is actually what kind of kicked this into gear. I put myself in the shoes of a "newbie" to BMX. Let's say I just watched the video, saw the link to UtahBMX.com and went there. And what information did I find about Legacy? A link to the track website, and a post which includes a question about whether practice is being held with no response. The vast majority of their information is being posted to Facebook. When people come to the site, I want them to see up to the minute info, not posts from weeks ago. I think the Facebook feeds will replace the forums (to a point) because that is where all the info is getting posted.

Obviously the Classifieds forum gets quite a bit of activity so I don't want that to completely go away. And there are topics (like Heather's clinics) that I would love to keep on the site, just maybe restructured into a blog style format, instead of forums. I still need to test some things and work out more details.

This isn't something that is going to happen overnight, and I apologize if my post read like the site was shutting down. If anything, I think this will make the site even better, and Bruce and I have some stuff we are working on to add even MORE history to the site.

I'll take the site in any direction the community wants it to go; I love doing this site. If you truly believe that forums are providing the community with the most up to date info, we'll keep them and add the Facebook feeds to a separate page.

Thanks for the comments and suggestions!!

[crash]

A little friendly smack talk and controversy wont hurt either.

Melton you need to polish those yellow shoes? Or
Kiss needs a better dew rag? OR
Steve O' needs to not ride in the wind?Or
28 and over novice class is a bunch of squirrels?
Jack Kelly is really a 28 and over little person pretending to be 8.(good rumor?)

Make up your own or reply just keep it nice (sort of).

[bnd]

Wow.
I just got home ready to break some news & saw this.........thanks so much for the feedback guys, it means ALOT to Gallo & myself. I think what your going to see (or might not) is just the evolution of the site. I also feel bad because I'm basically semi-retired & have been for the past 3 years. I'm pretty much out of the loop when it comes to the local race scene. Example, Melton texted me that he's racing an OS legend in his class one Saturday afternoon & I said "Oh, there's a race on at RC?" & he said he was in New Mexico at the national. I didn't have a clue.
I still have a passion for the sport & the history of it in our State. I am also damn proud of this site. Jason Gallo has been one of the most important BMXers of our generation because of this site & all of his hard work put forth all of these years. We both agree it just won't "go away" but maybe just in a different direction. Like he said we are working on a few things that might be debuted in the future.

Anyways, thanks for the support & we'll keep you updated.

Bruce

[mackdaddy]

BND, if you would quit painting the fence, repainting the fence or building chicken coups, you could come out to the track and enjoy the scene!

[bnd]

Oh yeah, the breaking news........we are going to Legacy tonight!
The fences are mended & the coop has been cleaned.



b.

[joker75]

Hopefully things won't change too much Jason. I usually check the site at least a couple of times a day to see what's up, and would hate to see things change for the worse. I'm sure you will make the best decision for the site and all of us that love to race our bikes here in Utah. Thanks for all of the work you have done, past, present and future, to help keep us informed, and give us a place to chat when we are not riding our bikes.

I do think that adding info from facebook updates of tracks would help keep everyone informed about up to the minute status changes at the tracks, but this place is so much better for us to chat, BS or ask questions, or find info regardless of whether we have added someone as a friend. I can come here and argue with Bnd about the finer points of BMX. Something I could never do on Facebook. The other nice thing is that anyone can come see our discussions and participate. This lets people that I may never see on Facebook add information to a thread which I would never have a chance to hear if I was limited to facebook update.

Keep up the great work and keep us updated on the future of Utahbmx.com.

Hal

[jacsonwall]

There are a few of us from Idaho that use utahbmx.com for up to date info too. Please keep it going for sure! Thanks for all you do!