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CU at the Game Survey – The Results
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First, a big “thank you!” to all of you who took the time to participate in the CU at the Game survey. Many of you took the time to post comments and suggestions, which all have been read … and all are appreciated!
Below are the results of some of the survey questions, along with some comments and observations of my own …
–
Age:
— 18-24 … 1%
— 25-34 … 9%
— 35-45 … 31%
— 46-55 … 27%
–– over 55 … 32%
… Comments … We are getting older, aren’t we? I was a bit surprised that my age group (I’m 55) had the plurality. The disappointing number is the 18-24 group. This means that CU at the Game is not reaching the current students at CU. I do have a Facebook page and a Twitter account, but I don’t use them that often … and those are probably out-dated modes of communication for the younger crowd, anyway.
–
—
Gender:
— Male … 97%
— Female … 3%
… Comments … Not a huge surprise here. A shout out to the female fans of CU at the Game – happy to have you on board!
–
—
Connection to CU (respondents were allowed to check all that applied):
— CU alum … 68%
— Season ticket holder … 31%
— Live (or previously lived) in Colorado … 58%
— Buffs are my local team … 36%
— Family has ties to CU … 32%
… Comments … That two-thirds of you are CU alumni was to be expected. If anything, I thought it might be a bit higher percentage, what with the Bronco-dominated media in Denver making it harder to latch on to the Buffs without having personal school ties. Also found it interesting than less than a third of you are season ticket holders.
–
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How often do you check in with CU at the Game during football season?
— Several times per day … 25%
— Daily … 54%
— Several times per week … 18%
— About once a week … 3%
— Several times per month / once in awhile … <1%
… Comments … Almost four-out-of-five of you (79%) check in with CU at the Game at least daily. That is much appreciated, and certainly gives me my marching orders to keep the content as updated and current as possible.
–
—
During the off-season, how often do you check in with CU at the Game?
— Several times per day … 9%
— Daily … 34%
— Several times per week … 34%
— About once a week … 13%
— Several times per month / once in awhile … 10%
… Comments … The “Daily” answer and “Several times per week” answer ended in a flat-footed tie. No big surprise that you are checking in less often during the off-season, but I’m glad to see that you are still checking in at least a few times per week during the long off-season.
–
—
What is your primary “go to” source for stories on CU football?
— CU website: CUBuffs.com … 8%
— Buff Nation: Rivals website … 2%
— Buff Stampede: Scout website … 4%
— Boulder Daily Camera … 14%
— Denver Post … 1%
— ESPN … < 1%
— CU at the Game … 62%
— Local radio/television … <1%
— Other … 9%
… Comments … I’m not sure if many of you were just trying to make me feel good with your answers … but it worked! If you actually do look to CU at the Game as a starting point for information on your Buffs, I’m flattered – and I take that responsibility very seriously. Thank you! … Those who marked “other” listed AllBuffs, the Ralphie Report, NetBuffs, Bleacher Report, and Buff Backers … Very happy to see that only 1% of you look to the Denver Post as a primary source. I am personally boycotting the Post until Kiszla is gone.
–
—
What is your interest level in CU Olympic Sports?
— High … 19%
— Medium … 50%
— Low … 31%
… Comments … Not a huge surprise here. Over half of you have at least some interest in CU’s Olympic sports.
–
—
Your thoughts on the level of coverage at CU at the Game for CU Olympic Sports
— Too much … 3%
— About right … 87%
— Not enough … 10%
… Comments … Your comments ran the gambit, from “I read a lot about Olympic sports when there is no football” to “I’m not gonna read it, but do what you want”.
–
—
What is your interest in CU men’s basketball?
— High … 59%
— Medium … 35%
— Low … 6%
… Comments … The “High” number was a bit higher than I would have expected. It’s hard to do both football and basketball in the non-conference portion of the basketball season, as it overlaps with football … but I’ll try to keep you updated.
–
—
Your thoughts on the level of coverage at CU at the Game for CU men’s basketball?
— Too much … 1%
— About right … 88%
— Not enough … 11%
… Comments … Your comments ranged from “I’d actually be fine without it” to “I only pay attention during the basketball season”. One comment asked for a posting on the basketball schedule (as there is for the football schedule). I’ll be working on that.
–
—
How much time have you spent in the CU at the Game Archives?
— A fair amount. I like checking out game stories from the past … 12%
— A little. I’ve looked at a game or two … 63%
— Never. I’m not really interested in the past … 16%
— I didn’t even know that there were Archives … 9%
… Comments … I’m glad to see that about three-fourths of you have spent at least a little time in the CU at the Game Archives. The front page of the website is really just the tip of the iceberg. I have spent a good chunk of the past two decades (just ask my wife!) creating the Archives, and it does my heart good when there are fellow fans checking out the games of the past (and don’t forget to leave your own experiences in the Comments sections!).
–
—
What are your thoughts on the CU at the Game polls?
— I like them a great deal. I vote almost every day … 67%
— No real opinion. I can take them or leave them … 31%
— Not a fan. The space should be spent on something else … 2%
… Comments … I’m glad you like the polls. Some days are more difficult than others to create new polls, but I try and keep them interesting and timely.
–
—
What Game Week coverage at CU at the Game do you like the best? (some gave multiple answers):
— The “T.I.P.S.” game previews … 61%
— The Friday Fast Facts … 16%
— The game story write-up … 28%
— The post-game essay … 32%
… Comments … Some of the nicest comments came with this question. There were many of you who said “all of the above”, which I appreciated. One comment gets the heavy sigh award: “Don’t feel like I’m fully prepped and ready without CU at the Game”.
–
—
Those of you who have signed up for the free email updates receive emails twice per week during the regular season, then once a week during the season. Thoughts?
— I am on the email update list, and feel they are worthwhile … 28%
— I am on the email update list, but rarely open the email … 4%
— I am not on the email update list, and have no interest in being on one … 42%
— I am not on the email update list, but would like to be (drop a note to cuatthegame@gmail.com. Yes, it’s free, and yes, your email address will be kept confidential) … 26%
… Comments … The only comment here: Over 100 of you checked the last answer, but only two of you actually sent me an email so that I can put you on the email update list. The survey was anonymous, so I won’t be able to add you to the list unless you let me know who you are! Just drop me an email at cuatthegame@gmail.com, and I’ll get you on the list!
–
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CU at the Game has always been a free site. Would you stay with the site if there was a subscription fee (of say, $25/year)?
—
— Yes … 14%
— No … 37%
— Maybe … 49%
… Comments … First, not to worry .. there are are no current plans to charge for the website. Many comments said you would likely leave (even at $2/month?), but I do understand. I’m the same way – it’s hard to justify an expense when there is so much free content out there. There is a possibility of doing some “premium” version of the site, but I’d rather have everything be accessible for free. Another option is some sort of crowd-funding to increase the accessibility to the site (see “questions or comments” responses, below).
–
—
Do you (or someone you know) have a business which might be interested in advertising at CU at the Game?
… Comments … There was some positive feedback to this question. For those of you who may be interested, we (the “we” being my website coordinator, who understands this kind of stuff) are working on some options. Stay tuned … (if you didn’t reply at first, or didn’t take the survey but might be interested in advertising with CU at the Game, drop me a note at cuatthegame@gmail.com.
–
—
Do you have any questions or comments about CU at the Game? Any suggestions or complaints which you feel might help make CU at the Game a better website?
… Comments … There were a few themes in this section which I would like to address.
— Making the site more mobile access friendly … I totally understand what you are looking for, and I would very much like to accommodate this request. The problem for me is, and I’m not sure all of you know this, but I am just another CU fan. I have no official affiliation with the University of Colorado, and have no income from the site other than what comes in from advertising. The cost of making the site mobile friendly has been estimated by my website host is $5,000 – $7,500. That’s not coin I have immediate access to (at least if I want to stay married!). Which brings me too …
— Some form of crowd-funding … While many of you expressed support for the website, there were also many of you were turned off by the idea of a site you had to pay for. Perhaps a “Go Fund Me” type of fund-raiser, with the funds donated going towards creating a mobile friendly “CU at the Game” is a possibility. That way, those who wanted to help the site, and/or wanted mobile access, would have a way to participate in making that happen.
— Access to comments section … There were those who didn’t like scrolling down to see the comments section. Two comments of my own: First, you don’t have scroll down to get to the comments. Just click on the “18 comments” (or however many comments there are) at the top of the page, and it will take you directly to the comments which have been posted. Second, articles like the “Colorado Daily” and “Pac-12 Notes” tend to get long during the off-season. During the regular season, there is a new “Colorado Daily” and “Pac-12 Notes” each week, which will limit how long the page is … and how far down you have to scroll.
— More recruiting coverage … Since I am not accredited press, and not affiliated with the commercial recruiting sites, there is only so much I can do here. Out of respect to those who are trying to earn a living by providing recruiting information, I don’t post news about a prospect until they verbally commit to Colorado (with most prospects announcing their intentions on Twitter, which is public, there isn’t as much delay in getting you that information as there might have been in the past).
—
Finally, there were many positive comments posted about the site overall, and they were much appreciated. We have talked from time to time over the years about how sometimes its hard to be a Buff fan, but you have stuck with the site through the tough years, and I am grateful. Hopefully, there are good years to come, and we can celebrate them together.
And there is this … the very best – and least expected – benefit of starting CU at the Game website is how many of you I have been able to meet over the years. For those of you whom I haven’t met, venture up to Section 218, row 72, seats 17 and 18 some time … and say “hi”!
Go Buffs!
Stuart
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—–
Stuart
Continue reading...
CU at the Game Survey – The Results
—
First, a big “thank you!” to all of you who took the time to participate in the CU at the Game survey. Many of you took the time to post comments and suggestions, which all have been read … and all are appreciated!
Below are the results of some of the survey questions, along with some comments and observations of my own …
–
Age:
— 18-24 … 1%
— 25-34 … 9%
— 35-45 … 31%
— 46-55 … 27%
–– over 55 … 32%
… Comments … We are getting older, aren’t we? I was a bit surprised that my age group (I’m 55) had the plurality. The disappointing number is the 18-24 group. This means that CU at the Game is not reaching the current students at CU. I do have a Facebook page and a Twitter account, but I don’t use them that often … and those are probably out-dated modes of communication for the younger crowd, anyway.
–
—
Gender:
— Male … 97%
— Female … 3%
… Comments … Not a huge surprise here. A shout out to the female fans of CU at the Game – happy to have you on board!
–
—
Connection to CU (respondents were allowed to check all that applied):
— CU alum … 68%
— Season ticket holder … 31%
— Live (or previously lived) in Colorado … 58%
— Buffs are my local team … 36%
— Family has ties to CU … 32%
… Comments … That two-thirds of you are CU alumni was to be expected. If anything, I thought it might be a bit higher percentage, what with the Bronco-dominated media in Denver making it harder to latch on to the Buffs without having personal school ties. Also found it interesting than less than a third of you are season ticket holders.
–
—
How often do you check in with CU at the Game during football season?
— Several times per day … 25%
— Daily … 54%
— Several times per week … 18%
— About once a week … 3%
— Several times per month / once in awhile … <1%
… Comments … Almost four-out-of-five of you (79%) check in with CU at the Game at least daily. That is much appreciated, and certainly gives me my marching orders to keep the content as updated and current as possible.
–
—
During the off-season, how often do you check in with CU at the Game?
— Several times per day … 9%
— Daily … 34%
— Several times per week … 34%
— About once a week … 13%
— Several times per month / once in awhile … 10%
… Comments … The “Daily” answer and “Several times per week” answer ended in a flat-footed tie. No big surprise that you are checking in less often during the off-season, but I’m glad to see that you are still checking in at least a few times per week during the long off-season.
–
—
What is your primary “go to” source for stories on CU football?
— CU website: CUBuffs.com … 8%
— Buff Nation: Rivals website … 2%
— Buff Stampede: Scout website … 4%
— Boulder Daily Camera … 14%
— Denver Post … 1%
— ESPN … < 1%
— CU at the Game … 62%
— Local radio/television … <1%
— Other … 9%
… Comments … I’m not sure if many of you were just trying to make me feel good with your answers … but it worked! If you actually do look to CU at the Game as a starting point for information on your Buffs, I’m flattered – and I take that responsibility very seriously. Thank you! … Those who marked “other” listed AllBuffs, the Ralphie Report, NetBuffs, Bleacher Report, and Buff Backers … Very happy to see that only 1% of you look to the Denver Post as a primary source. I am personally boycotting the Post until Kiszla is gone.
–
—
What is your interest level in CU Olympic Sports?
— High … 19%
— Medium … 50%
— Low … 31%
… Comments … Not a huge surprise here. Over half of you have at least some interest in CU’s Olympic sports.
–
—
Your thoughts on the level of coverage at CU at the Game for CU Olympic Sports
— Too much … 3%
— About right … 87%
— Not enough … 10%
… Comments … Your comments ran the gambit, from “I read a lot about Olympic sports when there is no football” to “I’m not gonna read it, but do what you want”.
–
—
What is your interest in CU men’s basketball?
— High … 59%
— Medium … 35%
— Low … 6%
… Comments … The “High” number was a bit higher than I would have expected. It’s hard to do both football and basketball in the non-conference portion of the basketball season, as it overlaps with football … but I’ll try to keep you updated.
–
—
Your thoughts on the level of coverage at CU at the Game for CU men’s basketball?
— Too much … 1%
— About right … 88%
— Not enough … 11%
… Comments … Your comments ranged from “I’d actually be fine without it” to “I only pay attention during the basketball season”. One comment asked for a posting on the basketball schedule (as there is for the football schedule). I’ll be working on that.
–
—
How much time have you spent in the CU at the Game Archives?
— A fair amount. I like checking out game stories from the past … 12%
— A little. I’ve looked at a game or two … 63%
— Never. I’m not really interested in the past … 16%
— I didn’t even know that there were Archives … 9%
… Comments … I’m glad to see that about three-fourths of you have spent at least a little time in the CU at the Game Archives. The front page of the website is really just the tip of the iceberg. I have spent a good chunk of the past two decades (just ask my wife!) creating the Archives, and it does my heart good when there are fellow fans checking out the games of the past (and don’t forget to leave your own experiences in the Comments sections!).
–
—
What are your thoughts on the CU at the Game polls?
— I like them a great deal. I vote almost every day … 67%
— No real opinion. I can take them or leave them … 31%
— Not a fan. The space should be spent on something else … 2%
… Comments … I’m glad you like the polls. Some days are more difficult than others to create new polls, but I try and keep them interesting and timely.
–
—
What Game Week coverage at CU at the Game do you like the best? (some gave multiple answers):
— The “T.I.P.S.” game previews … 61%
— The Friday Fast Facts … 16%
— The game story write-up … 28%
— The post-game essay … 32%
… Comments … Some of the nicest comments came with this question. There were many of you who said “all of the above”, which I appreciated. One comment gets the heavy sigh award: “Don’t feel like I’m fully prepped and ready without CU at the Game”.
–
—
Those of you who have signed up for the free email updates receive emails twice per week during the regular season, then once a week during the season. Thoughts?
— I am on the email update list, and feel they are worthwhile … 28%
— I am on the email update list, but rarely open the email … 4%
— I am not on the email update list, and have no interest in being on one … 42%
— I am not on the email update list, but would like to be (drop a note to cuatthegame@gmail.com. Yes, it’s free, and yes, your email address will be kept confidential) … 26%
… Comments … The only comment here: Over 100 of you checked the last answer, but only two of you actually sent me an email so that I can put you on the email update list. The survey was anonymous, so I won’t be able to add you to the list unless you let me know who you are! Just drop me an email at cuatthegame@gmail.com, and I’ll get you on the list!
–
—
CU at the Game has always been a free site. Would you stay with the site if there was a subscription fee (of say, $25/year)?
—
— Yes … 14%
— No … 37%
— Maybe … 49%
… Comments … First, not to worry .. there are are no current plans to charge for the website. Many comments said you would likely leave (even at $2/month?), but I do understand. I’m the same way – it’s hard to justify an expense when there is so much free content out there. There is a possibility of doing some “premium” version of the site, but I’d rather have everything be accessible for free. Another option is some sort of crowd-funding to increase the accessibility to the site (see “questions or comments” responses, below).
–
—
Do you (or someone you know) have a business which might be interested in advertising at CU at the Game?
… Comments … There was some positive feedback to this question. For those of you who may be interested, we (the “we” being my website coordinator, who understands this kind of stuff) are working on some options. Stay tuned … (if you didn’t reply at first, or didn’t take the survey but might be interested in advertising with CU at the Game, drop me a note at cuatthegame@gmail.com.
–
—
Do you have any questions or comments about CU at the Game? Any suggestions or complaints which you feel might help make CU at the Game a better website?
… Comments … There were a few themes in this section which I would like to address.
— Making the site more mobile access friendly … I totally understand what you are looking for, and I would very much like to accommodate this request. The problem for me is, and I’m not sure all of you know this, but I am just another CU fan. I have no official affiliation with the University of Colorado, and have no income from the site other than what comes in from advertising. The cost of making the site mobile friendly has been estimated by my website host is $5,000 – $7,500. That’s not coin I have immediate access to (at least if I want to stay married!). Which brings me too …
— Some form of crowd-funding … While many of you expressed support for the website, there were also many of you were turned off by the idea of a site you had to pay for. Perhaps a “Go Fund Me” type of fund-raiser, with the funds donated going towards creating a mobile friendly “CU at the Game” is a possibility. That way, those who wanted to help the site, and/or wanted mobile access, would have a way to participate in making that happen.
— Access to comments section … There were those who didn’t like scrolling down to see the comments section. Two comments of my own: First, you don’t have scroll down to get to the comments. Just click on the “18 comments” (or however many comments there are) at the top of the page, and it will take you directly to the comments which have been posted. Second, articles like the “Colorado Daily” and “Pac-12 Notes” tend to get long during the off-season. During the regular season, there is a new “Colorado Daily” and “Pac-12 Notes” each week, which will limit how long the page is … and how far down you have to scroll.
— More recruiting coverage … Since I am not accredited press, and not affiliated with the commercial recruiting sites, there is only so much I can do here. Out of respect to those who are trying to earn a living by providing recruiting information, I don’t post news about a prospect until they verbally commit to Colorado (with most prospects announcing their intentions on Twitter, which is public, there isn’t as much delay in getting you that information as there might have been in the past).
—
Finally, there were many positive comments posted about the site overall, and they were much appreciated. We have talked from time to time over the years about how sometimes its hard to be a Buff fan, but you have stuck with the site through the tough years, and I am grateful. Hopefully, there are good years to come, and we can celebrate them together.
And there is this … the very best – and least expected – benefit of starting CU at the Game website is how many of you I have been able to meet over the years. For those of you whom I haven’t met, venture up to Section 218, row 72, seats 17 and 18 some time … and say “hi”!
Go Buffs!
Stuart
–
—–
Stuart
Continue reading...