My #1 competitor, umpire.org, just announced today they were bought by Jim Evans Academy of Professional Baseball at the beginning of the mmonth. Jim Evans was a major league umpire for 28 years worked 4 World Series's, 7 League Champion Series's, and now operates the Jim Evans Academy of Professional Baseball (JEAPU) which is one of only 2 schools to go to in order to have a chance to make the major leagues one day.

They are starting to make some changes to the site (they use phpBB ) and have restructured their fees for membership.

I am concerned that if Jim becomes active on the site himself, all could be lost for me. And he is a very outgoing, nice and a wealth of knowledge beyond compare. I still have more things to offer in terms of service, but going back to celebrity appeal this will be incredible.

I also feel that Jim would be able to stomp out the "flame wars' which abound at that site and are a major reasom people leave there and come to me.

How would you handle this type of situation?

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Warren
Umpire-Empire

just do the best you can do and hope he isnt active, i mean idk...does the other site have a full on awareness that your site is there? like will the people selling say "hey Jim, watchout for this guy" or not?

if you are still under the radar so to speak, just watch what plays out, if worse comes to worse, then you have to get creative.

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Philly Sports
Delaware Online
PA Forums

I'm pretty well known on the site and post regularly. It's never been a competition between us because they have many, many more members and have some former professionals there. My strength has been that I'm seen as a friendly environment and have some features they don't.

I'm going to wait it out. it is a slower period right now. The true test will be the spring when the boards get the most activity.

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Warren
Umpire-Empire

build build build now, get your site look and performing outstanding for a big push before the guy takes over and try and strike while the iron is hot so to speak.

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Philly Sports
Delaware Online
PA Forums

I would be concerned as well, but even if he improves his forum that doesn't mean you can't... I would use the winter to spiff up your site, add any features you've been dreaming of and try some sort of membership drive. Stack the deck in your favor as early as you can.

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Science Chats | Disabled NYC | The Chic Petite

defiently, if you can setup a effective and good referral contest of sorts, you might be able to build some more memberbase and loyalty.

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Philly Sports
Delaware Online
PA Forums