Here is a can of worms....If I owned the forum I would....
 

I saw this question on another forum and thought it would be good here too.
This should be interesting. Anything except banning me is acceptable, though I guess that is an acceptable suggestion, it probably won't happen. I have an idea of some of the responses but we'll see.... SO-

If I owned the forum I would_____________



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If I owned the forum I would.. leave it as is, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

If I owned the forum, I would hand the reigns off to Leon.

You are biased because of "the" thread. :)
:)

enforce the forum rules unilaterally(yes i meant uniformly)...not selectively.

I think you mean uniformly lol.

...simplify it and organize it more efficiently, more like the original Network54 template -- fewer graphics, less clickable options. There is a lot of peripheral noise most of us never click through. Messaging is also overly technical.

Ban everyone.

I am waiting to see how says anything negative and they will all be summarily banned. This is really just a set up. :D

How can you not be in a good mood listening to this as we chat on the board?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBmeOgBdBzg

1. impose a fee/subscription
2. weekly/monthly contest
3. card raffles/giveaways
4. coupons to VCP, grading tpg's, magazines & beer etc.

No I seriously think you do a great job. F the haters and cry babies. You da man Stan.

It is impossible to make everyone happy on any forum...as long as the majority is pleased then you are doing a fantastic job.

As someone mentioned giving out VCP coupons...think I can help in that department.

My post was just a joke, fake news if you will. Two things I would do:

I would not allow personal attacks on the board and would be quick to ban the various posters who troll internet sites just to cause trouble.

Also, since a lot of time and effort was put into constructing this board, I would make sure posts were put in their proper section. If someone asked a question about the 1981 Billy Ripken card on the main board, I would move it to its proper place. There really isn't any need for off topic posts, because we have a section for pretty much anything.

I would tone down the inflammatory posts with whatever means necessary. This is supposed to be a fun hobby. And most of the posts revolve around money in some way or another, the inflammatory posts turn people off. To get the money, we need growth in the hobby and new blood. The petty bickering and backstabbing turn me off and many others as well. However, I guess there are some that relish in it...

Mark

I wouldnt change much at all. If it aint broke dont fix it, indeed.

One ticky tacky thing I would do would be to move up the Post War Discussion board on the home page so that its in the same section with the Pre War Discussion board and Memorabilia page.

I feel like the Post War board gets lost way down there and that ultimately impedes traffic and growth of that board. I know there is an emphasis on this being a PRE War board, but I think separating the POST War board from stuff like Modern and Golf would put an nice in-between step to help emphasize VINTAGE.

Get rid of the soccer/cricket card section and replace it with a photo section. Who the hell collects cricket cards...lol

Drama
 

More cards, less drama!

I am not a big fan of censorship, nor banning folks for opinions.
This board's policy of putting your real name by your post helps a lot, but it still doesn't stop a lot of negativity , or in some cases idiocy. Maybe karma will do that for us someday.

I might pull all the dumb eBay listings into its own category, but since I already know that site is replete with foolishness, I ignore all the posts calling out a stupid eBay seller with fake Wagner cards or whatever.

Ignoring posts that you aren't interested in is surprisingly easy...yet we have too many guys posting in them!

(Tongue in cheek, a tutorial on how NOT to click on a thread only to complain about that thread would be very useful :eek:)

More cards. I like seeing high dollar, big name cards...but I like ordinary, well worn cards too...show them and talk about them!

This card isn't worn, nor ordinary...its COOL.
Discuss....

I know this forum is very popular among baseball collectors, but it is lacking in the others areas such as hockey, basketball, etc. You need to try to reach out to these collectors in order to grow your forum. Try to advertise in magazines (Beckett, card show magazines, SMR, etc.) and online. Also, the companies that advertise on this site should put a Net54baseball banner on their sites.

I'd run an annual poll like VCBC used to have.

Sell shares !

1. Have advertisers distribute exclusive Net54 coupons/discounts.
2a. Maybe organize the sections a bit better, with more detailed titles.
2b. Maybe add some more sections? A contest section comes to mind.
3. Allow political talk. ;)

Add some type of feedback system for sellers and buyers.
James

Every year do a poll rating all the auction houses. Make the poll like consumer reports and make it extensive. It used to be done in a publication (forgot which one) back in the early 2000s.

Maybe some kind of a photo gallery for every card of every issue. This might become the master gallery for the entire hobby to use if we all contributed to it.

Set up a fantasy section for discussion. Yes, I'm a fantasy guy.

Add Postcards to a header in the BST area. Done

Maybe have "verified" users, who are know to others, trusted, history of positive transactions.

I also prefer this board as a place I don't get overloaded with modern stuff (although I know this threshold and era is different for each of us.)

I use the Tapatalk app and feel everything is well organized.

Honestly, keep it going Leon. This is by far my favorite forum.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Officially change the name of the site to "Chat 54". I always liked that name better. :)
Or maybe "Club 54" to attract more hot babes to the site. :D Advertise on Match.com with photos of all the hot, studly men of Net 54. :eek:

Of course, an official "Net54" 12 month calendar featuring pictures submitted by members "significant others". Everyone knows sites like ours attract all the best beefcake. We`d sell 1000`s ................................... !

If I owned the forum I would sell it.

1). I would form a volunteer board of advisors that meets annually to discuss business development, past year's financials, best practices and issues that arose in the past year, and future growth plans. Hold it at the National each year. That way there is some outside viewpoints from passionate users that value the site.

2). Take a look at the web stats and see if the hierarchy needs to be changed a bit. On the surface it seems nearly everything outside of B/S/T defaults to vintage, and some parts of this site in modern or other sports that could be very beneficial sort of get ignored. Maybe have a bin of "All New Posts" and you click there and it links to the actual thread on the sub-forum. Maybe have that with radio box filters on top so you could filter it out by sub-forum to have a personalized "New Post" feed.

3). You all do a great job of flagging auctions, but perhaps from a rev perspective building an auction scanner of some sort may be $$$$$ beneficial to net54. So Net54 member says "I am looking for the following 10 cards" and all the auction houses that sponsor Leon's site have their auctions able to be parsed over by a computer code that alerts the Net54 member to his wishlist being sold at REA or Heritage or some really sort of esoteric auction that he may otherwise miss. This would only work for people that advertise here, so it's pay to play, but the hit rate would be higher because we are actionable buyers for the most part. So beneficial for auctioneers, buyers and site owner. I know this already "exists" but why not incorporate it somehow and monetize a bit for your personal good?

Would have sold for supposed $600K you mean!!!!

If I owned the forum, I would trade it for a '52 Mantle. Come on, boys.:D

NO.

i'd rather have a piss poor wags!!!!!

NO!!!!

The first board should be called General Discussion, the second Pre War, the third Post War. So when you post a general interest comment on the first board the self appointed policing force doesn't get anguished that you are not taking about T cards.

Not much...you do a great job Leon.

The only suggestion is to add an emoji when you bookmark the site (I have a Mac and use Firefox). This is the only bookmarked site on my toolbar that doesn't have a little picture to identify it.

Jeff

Reinstate Wonka

I like this. Also, with the growing interest and popularity of basketball and hockey, it would be nice to have their own sections in my opinion.

+1

I would create a separate BST section for cards valued at $1000 or more in attempt to promote more collector to collector transactions that don't cost $200+ in fees.

I would also make that section just for selling so WTB posts don't get in the way of people actually selling stuff.

+1

Oh, and I would charge dealers a nominal fee for posting WTB posts.

Cricket = yes, soccer = NO! There are some very popular (and expensive) soccer cards out there. Some of the Pele, Maradona, Messi, Ronaldo, etc. rookies are selling for thousands (research it). The soccer card market is growing. Obviously it will never be anything like the big three (baseball, American football and basketball), but there will always be demand for the stars, especially their rookies.

Bad idea. If people on this forum fight like crazy over cardboard, then what do you think will happen if we all start discussing politics? :eek::eek:

Never noticed this section lol

The cricket section is the area where the sound of crickets are heard.

I would get rid of me just because of this pointless comment.

Brian

I'd make thumbs up and thumbs down tabs so we wouldn't have to make an entire post just to type +1.

Make it a requirement for bst sellers to have their names listed. And prices. And scans:)

In all honesty I couldn't do it any better
 

But I wouldn't mind seeing the contest include cards besides prewar/ baseball. Maybe some football,postwar, and even modern.

Also how about a hot or not list ? For cards or sets that are on the up tick or down tick. Like the Cracker Jack sets would be hot now. But we could have seen it climbing. I remember when I first joined there was a tread about buying the greeen t206 Cobb and Lou Gehrigs rookie. We all know that those thread proved to be correct.

I also like the thumbs up idea or down. ����

I would limit the back-and-forth squabbles between two individual members so that no particular thread gets bogged down by such inane stuff.

I would create a separate area for supposedly 'non-BST' transactions other than the main page - though I do realize that I do not ever have to open "the thread" anyway.

Thank goodness we don't have to try to save cyberspace like we have trees (i.e. 'going green') - so, as inappropriate as I find that particular "the thread" to be, it probably doesn't matter that much...and, yes, I have taken my medication. :eek:


.

Ban the bomb!

I was going to say nothing, but I like the idea of some kind of feedback system. I think the large majority of members are solid, trustworthy people and I've never had any problems but it wouldn't hurt

I agree and think this is a good suggestion. Right now the postwar forum is listed below the "watercooler - off topic forum".

Sure, many users just click the "view new posts" link, but it wouldn't hurt to group the postwar, modern, and other sports forums a little higher on the main page for visibility and (hopefully) increased traffic to those areas.

I don't know how many purchases or sells I've done on here (probably 100 or so) but I have never had a problem or issue on here. Even with the prevailing PP FF payment option.

This site seems like the adult site... compared, say, to Blowout.com.

I buy and sell here at ease. No worries.

I have made friends across the country on here (Seattle to Boca Raton) and have learned so much information - especially in the T206 area.

Honestly, I have no suggested inprovements to list.

lol...Leon tried telling me theres not enough demand for photos so itd be better to keep the cricket card section..lol...yaaaaaaa right

I have highlighted the things I agree with, and to be honest, when I first joined this site, I was confused where the home page was?

I also always wondered why Post War was way below, under the water cooler section. Always thought, as was suggested, it should be up top as well. I also think the water cooler sections should be at the bottom.

Also, and I am not sure how easy this is, or any of it for that matter, but I get frustrated when members are talking about card and/or memorabilia at certain auction houses but they don't link the site. If it is possible, it would be great to have those links somewhere available just so one could see all the current auctions that are beginning or already in progress.

Other than those, I don't have anything. I like the site and certainly wouldn't complain to Leon about any of them, but as suggestions, I personally think these would be great improvements or upgrades.

The top 10 posters(# of total posts) as of right now should make up the board of directors...and by majority vote...should be allowed to make any changes to the board they see fit!:D

Net54 is by far my favorite place on the internet. It is absolutely great! Any tweaks I can think of would be nitpicky at best.

If I owned the forum, I would ...................

Attachment 274491

Here is a can of worms....If I owned the forum I would....
 

I would get rid of the can of worms. Not really appropriate here. But I'm sure there will be a couple who disagree.

I don't even want to know anyone's political persuasion, much less talk about it.

This. Some kind of system where we can leave comments. Every transaction I've made on this site has been smooth and relatively easy. But it would be nice to know others had a good experience with someone I don't know but am considering doing business with.

Two things come to mind.

1. I would have a separate BST page for unique (i.e., one-of-a-kind) cards and keep a running list of unique cards sought (with links to contact the interested buyer/trader) and unique cards offered and a list of successful white whale captures facilitated by the page.

2. I would, and I'd have done this quite a few years ago, have banned Ted Z. for repeatedly harassing younger members of the forum and anyone else who disagrees with him and points out his mistakes.

Glenn Scheyd

I can agree with with not hiding the post war also.

The only way I could imagine this forum being any better would be an annual grading contest.

Granted Ive only been around for a couple months so if this already takes place I apologize🍻👯🍕

A feedback system would be nice for new members. Additionally if you want to grow I would stay away from modern cards as there are several forums who already fight for members. The one thing I have yet to find is a solid forum for autographed memorabilia. I know we have a section which handles it, but if pushed I think would grow quickly.

Make a shill section
Make an EBay complaint section
Ban the people that say Doug Allen and Mastro more than 1 time a day or make a section just for them as well.

Cept Mr. Seinfeld, Mr.Crosy, Stills, Nash & Present Company!

Love it Sir! Cept BeiN a Sailor i'm partial to dis overture:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bw9gLjEGJrw

Also, Pick'd dis Beauty uP The Last Time These Gents Play'd iN Austin, Tx

And ta Finish Your Thoughtful Fill iN da Blank Question:

imho, Absolutely No BST on the * MAIN "PREWAR" BOARD *

Other THaN THaT...
You are All An AmaziN BRiLLiNT Boiling Pot of Diversity!
And ComiN Hear Day iN & Day Out has BeeN All my Pleasure..."TRuLy" ~

Certainly a Community of individuals who have come on their own accord
And doze who have stood the test of time "Get it", And doze who have left wit their conscience in tact...(or NoT :) )
I'm Sure Have Found Others to Incriminate elsewhere! ;)

As Always my Friends...

Let Leon run the thing, business as usual it's all good....
 

More T-shirts! Mine are looking pretty sad (or is it just me and taco tuesday)

Less structure and rules are like pork chops. Pork chops is good.

Have Buyers, Sellers, and Traders in their own sections. When I'm looking to buy something, or looking to move something, I can do such with more focus.

4. Religious discussion

(JK... ;) )

Agreed, would like to see more promo items like Net54 tee shirts and a different National pin every year.

Two other topics I see brought up each year are.

When someone passes away, it might be nice to have a special section (or moved there after a specific time period on the main board)

Lost/stolen section. Would be nice to have for easy reference on items.

If I owned the forum I would...run more ads - a lot more ads. Then I'd make more money. Then I'd find a beautiful mistress who was only interested in me for my money. Then my wife would find out and she'd divorce me and take half my money. Then my beautiful mistress would dump me. Then I'd be miserable and wish I'd never run more ads. :D

I'm pretty new to the forum but I would create a paid membership. Not a lot of money. Maybe $20 year. With that membership I'd offer perks. Maybe try to get SGC or PSA on board for members only rates for card grading. Maybe other perks as well. The key is the site is still completely free for anyone but the perks are available for paid members.

Forum
 

If I owned the forum I would put the Brooks Robinson and Orioles Forums right at the top (why is it not there now just goes to show you improvement is definitely needed) and would require members to post "positive" comments and great pictures. Also, may require to sell stuff to me on the cheap...

Also, maybe set up a friend system where the smart people would teach the not so smart people (me) how to navigate and post great pictures, at the right size, each and every time.

Leon, man you need to step it up (this is the stuff right off the top of my head). Just imagine all the other great ideas I may or may not have.

The Trivago of sports collectibles auctions exclusively found on Net54. Brilliant! Where do I log in to pay for my new $12/mo Platinum Membership? Because I would join in a heartbeat.

MaKe dEnny uSe proPer Capitalization. ;)

Prohibit all flame wars and personal attacks and enforce it hard. It drives away a lot of really good people who aren't into being personally attacked. There is no reason for members to treat one another disrespectfully. Even a dive bar makes you take it outside.

No politics or religion. You want to call Donald Trump a c***sucker, no matter how justified, go to Facebook.

"The other day I got out my can opener and started to open a can of worms, but then thought, hey, what I doing"....Jack Handey

I agree with this. My Net54 T-shirts are also starting to look pretty beat up and I like pork chops.:)

+1

I always appreciate reading a well thought out informative post. So in return I'd like to somehow thank that poster for their efforts without adding clutter to the board. A simple +1 or thanks or thumbs up, etc. button would be nice.

👍⚾️🤑😎✌️