Best in Preps applications

My suggestion would be to build a template and application program in-house, rather than use MaxPreps or some other outside company.

It is tempting to use them, and many papers have done so. But, by doing that, you will, essentially, be giving away a key component of preps coverage, and an advertising tool/tag that you will never be able to get back as a possibility for your own paper and/or web site.

Instead of looking at your paper or hitting your web site for stats, rosters, small features and the like on kids/schools in your area, everyone -- not just readers, per se, but also coaches, scouts, players and everyone else -- will be clicking on MaxPreps.

And if you go into any kind of work-share or partnership with them, you will be the one typing in the names/numbers, or else struggling to get your coaches/team reps to be doing it, anyway...

And MaxPreps will still get the hits/advertising.

 

Pardon my language in mixed company, but MaxPreps sucks donkey balls.

 

I find MaxPreps to be extremely slow about 90 percent of the time. And with site like that the Garbage In, Garbage Out factor applies. In our area, the name of one of our most successful boys basketball schools is almost identical to a small, unsuccessful private school. I see scores from the two mixed.

Our in-house programmer wrote a quick and dirty database for us to track schedules and standings. Nothing fancy, but our web gurus tell me it's the most popular database we have. We are meeting next week to explore adding individual stats in some of the key sports for next season.

He's also written the prototype of a database to keep track of prep commitments and signings.

 

My opinion is that the ones we have used suck and were a waste of time and did not live up the the potential that exists online.

If I have experience with a good one, I'll let you know.

 

Thanks for all the feedback. Appreciate it.

 

thank you for playing nice.