Story Poster

SicEm365.com, BaylorFans.com reach merger agreement

August 3, 2017
42,361
TWO LEADERS IN BAYLOR SPORTS INFORMATION MERGE TO BRING FANS, ALUMNI THE BEST OF FREE AND PREMIUM INFORMATION TOGETHER IN ONE SITE
WACO, Texas— The two leaders in coverage of Baylor athletics, SicEm365.com and BaylorFans.com, are joining together in order to bring fans, students, and alumni the best of both premium content and free access message boards in one place. The merger will see BaylorFans.com become part of the SicEm365.com domain. The new site will play host to close to six million views a month by members of Baylor Nation who are both interested in the latest and most in-depth recruiting coverage and athletics analysis, as well as a place to chat and virtually hang out with other fans of the world’s largest Baptist university.

Since launching March 1, 1999, BaylorFans.com has created a user-driven community with more than four million page views per month. The community has provided an outlet for fans during two decades of athletics highs and lows for Baylor. While newer to the market, the almost-one-year-old SicEm365.com has quickly established itself as the largest subscription-based online publication covering Baylor sports. Owned jointly by Colt Barber, Ashley Hodge, and Brian Ethridge—three of the best-known names in the world of Baylor sports coverage—the site features eight content contributors who bring members in-depth coverage of football and basketball recruiting and more, as well as coverage of other sports such as baseball, softball, track and field, and equestrian.

Both sites offer users a message board-based experience, but BaylorFans.com owner Jason Stewart said that merging with SicEm365.com was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up for his subscribers. Not only will it give them a more advanced platform, but it will provide users with direct technology support and an original, dedicated content team.

“I am excited to merge with a great group,” Stewart said. “Colt, Brian and Ashley at SicEm365.com have a vision for the future that I like.”

SicEm365.com will gain a much-needed layer to their site by welcoming the members of the BaylorFans.com and integrating them to the site’s current free message board structure. Such a move will expedite growth of SicEm365.com as excitement heading into Coach Matt Rhule’s inaugural season at Baylor is at an all-time high.

“BaylorFans.com has nearly 20 years of building community.” Barber said. “As we get ready for the 2017 football season, fans who don’t care to pay for the premium content are still going to receive the best new and original content on the internet with regard to Baylor athletics. And those who are interested in premium content can join us behind the paywall and broaden the SicEm365 community. This is a win for fans because they won’t have to jump between multiple sites for the discussions and information they’re interested in. Baylor Nation now has a one-stop-shop for both news and camaraderie on a platform which is easy to use, filled with other Baylor fans, built on the latest technology, and driven by the best and most original content out there. This merger is our way of making sure all Baylor fans can fling their green and gold afar and support their favorite team anytime they’re online.”
Discussion from...

SicEm365.com, BaylorFans.com reach merger agreement

24,907 Views | 23 Replies | Last: 6 yr ago by McCavebear
Brian Ethridge
User Profile
Private Message
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
1:58p, 8/3/17
Picatinny Rails
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
2:35p, 8/3/17
can i still post pics?
Reply Quote
1
Brian Ethridge
User Profile
Private Message
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to Picatinny Rails • 2:55p, 8/3/17
Staff
Picatinny Rails said:
can i still post pics?
If they are hosted somewhere and not obscene you can link them with the blue square in the post.
Reply Quote Next Staff
Picatinny Rails
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to Brian Ethridge • 3:00p, 8/3/17
Excellent. C'mon football season!
Reply Quote
1
3ptSpecialist
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to Picatinny Rails • 3:00p, 8/3/17
Picatinny Rails said:
can i still post pics?
and to add to what Brian said, you can just drop the link in the thread. Just has to end in .png, .jpg or .gif
Ashley Hodge
Reply Quote
Doc Holliday
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
3:19p, 8/3/17
At first I was in shock, but coming from bf.com I can see the appeal of 365.

You guys have a clean design and its fairly responsive.

Suggestions:

1.) Notifications - At bf.com had no way to tell if your comments or posts were responded to. I'm seeing the same thing here at 365. You have to go to the thread and dig through to see if someone has responded or quoted you.

If you could build a notification system, that would be super helpful!

2.) We want Rep! It lets the user know how he or she is received, if they are trustworthy and it just makes you feel good!
Reply Quote
1
3ptSpecialist
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to Doc Holliday • 3:24p, 8/3/17
BEAR RAMMAGE said:
At first I was in shock, but coming from bf.com I can see the appeal of 365.

You guys have a clean design and its fairly responsive.

Suggestions:

1.) Notifications - At bf.com had no way to tell if your comments or posts were responded to. I'm seeing the same thing here at 365. You have to go to the thread and dig through to see if someone has responded or quoted you.

If you could build a notification system, that would be super helpful!

2.) We want Rep! It lets the user know how he or she is received, if they are trustworthy and it just makes you feel good!
thanks- and do me a favor if you don't mind. Put any suggestions in this thread that Jason started.

https://sicem365.com/forums/8/topics/11062
Ashley Hodge
Reply Quote
Brian Ethridge
User Profile
Private Message
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to Doc Holliday • 3:45p, 8/3/17
Staff
BEAR RAMMAGE said:
At first I was in shock, but coming from bf.com I can see the appeal of 365.

You guys have a clean design and its fairly responsive.

Suggestions:

1.) Notifications - At bf.com had no way to tell if your comments or posts were responded to. I'm seeing the same thing here at 365. You have to go to the thread and dig through to see if someone has responded or quoted you.

If you could build a notification system, that would be super helpful!

2.) We want Rep! It lets the user know how he or she is received, if they are trustworthy and it just makes you feel good!
Actually, if someone responds or quotes you there will be a blue box next to the total amount of posts, or at least there is on premium. It should be the same for free as well.
Reply Quote Next Staff
Courtesy_Flush
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
6:04p, 8/3/17
Will you be merging the BaylorFans dial-up internet website layout as well? Or are yall leaving that in 1999?
Reply Quote
2
Brian Ethridge
User Profile
Private Message
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to Courtesy_Flush • 6:34p, 8/3/17
Staff
Courteous_Flush said:
Will you be merging the BaylorFans dial-up internet website layout as well? Or are yall leaving that in 1999?


VBB is gone and appreciate the courteous question.
Reply Quote Next Staff
hodedofome
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
7:33p, 8/3/17
Have we gotten regulatory approval from the Trump administration that this merger won't be blocked for anti-trust concerns? As I see it there's really nothing else, 247 is a UT site and Rivals is dead.
Reply Quote
Dia del DougO
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
7:49p, 8/3/17
I could deal with this much easier if I could have an avatar. I'm a visual oriented kind of guy.
Reply Quote
1
Brian Ethridge
User Profile
Private Message
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to Dia del DougO • 7:57p, 8/3/17
Staff
Dia del DougO said:
I could deal with this much easier if I could have an avatar. I'm a visual oriented kind of guy.


Working on this as well, plus a way to identify users coming from BF.
Reply Quote Next Staff
Ludwig von Missi
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
8:01p, 8/3/17
NM
Reply Quote
1
1 edit
HalibutRetro
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to Doc Holliday • 9:25p, 8/3/17
BEAR RAMMAGE said:
At first I was in shock, but coming from bf.com I can see the appeal of 365.

You guys have a clean design and its fairly responsive.

Suggestions:

1.) Notifications - At bf.com had no way to tell if your comments or posts were responded to. I'm seeing the same thing here at 365. You have to go to the thread and dig through to see if someone has responded or quoted you.

If you could build a notification system, that would be super helpful!

2.) We want Rep! It lets the user know how he or she is received, if they are trustworthy and it just makes you feel good!
1. In the upper right you'll see a binoculars icon up by your screenname. That turns blue when there's been a response to a thread you commented in. When you comment in a thread or start a thread you automatically are watching it. You click on that icon, and it will drop down to show you which threads you're watching have been responded to and how many have responded since you last visited each thread. If that number is in a blue box, you've been quoted or directly responded to.

You can stop watching by clicking on the Watching Topic icon at the top of each thread if you decide you're no longer interested in that thread or hit the X next to the thread in the binocular icon drop down.

2. Actually, the absence of rep points is a plus to most of us. The rep doesn't really tell you who is the best poster or most reliable. I used to have a ton of rep points on Bfans, and I assure you I had a TON of people who hated me. It wasn't an accurate representation of the quality of poster I was. We prefer to keep it simple and just allow members to like posts. It gets way too dramatic with the pos/neg reps and distracts. It was odd at first, but I've come to love the way 365 does it.

The 365 crew can inform better on it that I can though.
Reply Quote
2 edits
Dia del DougO
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to SucemBears • 9:38p, 8/3/17
SucemBears said:
But was the merger consensual?

Reply Quote
3ptSpecialist
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to HalibutRetro • 9:42p, 8/3/17
HalibutRetro said:
BEAR RAMMAGE said:
At first I was in shock, but coming from bf.com I can see the appeal of 365.

You guys have a clean design and its fairly responsive.

Suggestions:

1.) Notifications - At bf.com had no way to tell if your comments or posts were responded to. I'm seeing the same thing here at 365. You have to go to the thread and dig through to see if someone has responded or quoted you.

If you could build a notification system, that would be super helpful!

2.) We want Rep! It lets the user know how he or she is received, if they are trustworthy and it just makes you feel good!
1. In the upper right you'll see a binoculars icon up by your screenname. That turns blue when there's been a response to a thread you commented in. When you comment in a thread or start a thread you automatically are watching it. You click on that icon, and it will drop down to show you which threads you're watching have been responded to and how many have responded since you last visited each thread. If that number is in a blue box, you've been quoted or directly responded to.

You can stop watching by clicking on the Watching Topic icon at the top of each thread if you decide you're no longer interested in that thread or hit the X next to the thread in the binocular icon drop down.

2. Actually, the absence of rep points is a plus to most of us. The rep doesn't really tell you who is the best poster or most reliable. I used to have a ton of rep points on Bfans, and I assure you I had a TON of people who hated me. It wasn't an accurate representation of the quality of poster I was. We prefer to keep it simple and just allow members to like posts. It gets way too dramatic with the pos/neg reps and distracts. It was odd at first, but I've come to love the way 365 does it.

The 365 crew can inform better on it that I can though.
the watch topic and ignore features were not available to free only accounts but the tech team is working to remedy that. May be next week before it is available to all users.
Ashley Hodge
Reply Quote
Stranger
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
10:05p, 8/3/17
Is it possible to private message or contact another poster?
I'm a Bearbacker
Reply Quote
1
Brian Ethridge
User Profile
Private Message
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to Stranger • 10:28p, 8/3/17
Staff
Stranger said:
Is it possible to private message or contact another poster?
Top right hand corner by your user name is an envelope icon that you can click and enter a PM to someone.
Reply Quote Next Staff
Brian Ethridge
User Profile
Private Message
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
10:29p, 8/3/17
Staff
If that icon isn't there, we'll get it activated.
Reply Quote
McCavebear
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to SucemBears • 9:15a, 8/4/17
SucemBears said:
But was the merger consensual?
MODS, please kill this troll before it multiplies.

(Even its name is offensive.)
McCavebear Lives!
Reply Quote
3ptSpecialist
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to McCavebear • 9:48a, 8/4/17
McCavebear said:
SucemBears said:
But was the merger consensual?
MODS, please kill this troll before it multiplies.

(Even its name is offensive.)
yeah we got him and there were 2-3 others with suck in the name that we went ahead and deactivated.
Reply Quote
2
McCavebear
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to 3ptSpecialist • 11:23p, 8/4/17
3ptSpecialist said:
McCavebear said:
SucemBears said:
But was the merger consensual?
MODS, please kill this troll before it multiplies.

(Even its name is offensive.)
yeah we got him and there were 2-3 others with suck in the name that we went ahead and deactivated.
OUTSTANDING... Good shot!

McCavebear Lives!
Reply Quote
2
Refresh
Page 1 of 1
 
×
subscribe Verify your student status
See Subscription Benefits
Trial only available to users who have never subscribed or participated in a previous trial.