Of Trad Gang and sponsorships

[Rob DiStefano]

Like most other really large and volatile internet forums, our Trad Gang operating costs are great and we rely upon sponsorships to keep our cyber campfire burning 24x7.  And so we all - members, moderators and admins - thank them for allowing us to exist and share and perpetuate.  We simply could not be here otherwise.

This absolutely does NOT mean that non-sponsor traditional bowhunting/archery products and services can't be discussed here at Trad Gang.  Heck, we welcome it, and there are LOTS of threads and posts to prove it!    

However, there can all too easily come a point where posting patterns of certain members are clearly pushing a non-sponsor product or service as their threads and posts read like marketing ad copy.  This is shilling and we remove such threads and posts because we have a responsibility to our sponsors.  

It doesn't at all mean the shilled product or service is bad.  It's simply that we're not going to allow free marketing to those who don't support Trad Gang and therefore don't deserve using our forum as their marketing agent.  

We're gonna protect our sponsors - they got our back, we've got theirs.  

One prominent bow company in particular received Years and Years of FREE advertising, besieged Trad Gang with proven shilled threads and posts, and consistently refused to acknowledge Trad Gang in every manner possible.  Well, we just had enough of that.

[yononindo]

Howdy Sir

I guess it was my post that made you delete that border thread

   

Originally posted by Rob DiStefano:

This absolutely does NOT mean that non-sponsor traditional bowhunting/archery products and services can't be discussed here at Trad Gang.  Heck, we welcome it, and there are LOTS of threads and posts to prove it!    

 

I do not believe in what you are saying in your statement above !!!!

Here´s why

  It appears to me that as long as you put down Border Bows - especially the Covert Hunter - the thread will stay alive ....  

as soon as you start liking / praising their products you are called a shill

Is this what you call fair play ?

And yes ... I am a customer of Border Archery ...but .....

  I speak my own words and not theirs !!!

That is what you can blame me for ....  not for being a shill.

 
Now you can go ahead and delete my way of looking at things.

[Stickbow]

Makes complete sense to me, and probably to a large majority  Rob.

[Rob DiStefano]

yononindo:

the last border thread was taken offline because several posts were inflammatory, not because of border bows per se.  

let me rephrase that - we all need to play nice, as we'd expect the same from others.  if there's a beef to be made with anyone or anything, let's please take it offline.

[dennis502]

I recently re-upped my Trad Gang membership and really enjoy the site, but this doesn't sit well with me.

I understand there may have been some previous issues with Border that I may not be privvy to, but the idea that some company's products can't be mentioned here (or, perhaps more accurately, can only be mentioned by certain people in a certain light) is ridiculous.

One of my primary uses of Trad Gang is for research into new equipment. There's a good chance my next bow will be a Covert Hunter, as they've been on my radar for a while. More than most brands, the fact they are located overseas and are relatively expensive makes my ability to research them here even more important.

I was following the deleted thread and found some of the information useful.

If it was only removed because of "several inflammatory posts", why not just remove the offending posts?

[yononindo]

I agree on "we all should play nice"  


as for inflammatory posts ...

it looks like the mods had no problem with a guy jumping on that thread saying:

  "he´s gonna tell the REAL TRUTH about the Border Company"
and he´s only doing it because he cares about all future customers that would risk their health by buying and shooting a Border bow ?????
 

this, indeed, is what I would call a inflammatory post !!!

Imagine someone saying this about another Bow Company let alone one of the sponsors

Was   curvemans post also  inflammatory and this the reason for getting deleted ???

Or was it because he´s a happy and satisfied customer of Border Archery ... mentioning that he´s set flight records with Border bows ???
 

  With all my respect for the great members / Sponsors on here .... allow

 me to say that I agree to disagree with you on certain subjects    

[Rob DiStefano]

dennis,

border bows can and have been more than mentioned.  and, there's another covert hunter thread on powwow.

if you found that last border thread useful i'll take the time to moderate it and put it back, probably late in the day when i have time.  however, that thread could have been managed quickly if someone saw an inappropriate post and click on the 'report post' icon.  we can't be everywhere and see everything.

[Rob DiStefano]

daniel,

later today i'll clean up that thread and put it back, and then hopefully you and a few others will be back to being happy trad gang campers, ok?

[dennis502]

Rob-

First off, let me say that I appreciate all that you (Moderators) do. I can only imagine how difficult it is to stay on top of everything.

No need to re-post for me- as noted I had already read it.

It is my understanding as a casual visitor to this site that there are a few "taboo" companies that are not to be discussed here, Border among them. I could be wrong (hope I am)?

My point is that I think we should be free to discuss any and all traditional archery-related entities here on Trad Gang. If some of them have had past bad dealings with this community, then these issues should be pointed out when appropriate and we (members) can decide if we want to do business with them or not.

[Rob DiStefano]

YES - please do discuss any aspect of traditional bowhunting, and certainly including the products and services of non-sponsor companies.  no one here has ever said the opposite.

[highlow]

Oh boy! This is going to be good. Seems as though discussing Border bows falls in to the religion and politics category. Have at it.  

[Michael Arnette]

If a customer wants to praise a product on the web without monetary or relational return its not shilling...sorry Rob

Sometimes good products sell themselves...

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by Michael Arnette:
If a customer wants to praise a product on the web without monetary or relational return its not shilling...sorry Rob

Sometimes good products sell themselves...

dang.

y'all are missing the point - this is NOT about talking it up about a non-sponsor product or service - it's about certain individuals who CLEARLY are repeatedly "pushing" (yes, that's shilling) a non-sponsor product or service over and over and over again and again.

[grayfeather]

sorry that a "few" sponsors feel like Border might take away from their sales .Border is not selling here people that like Border bows talk about border bows that is all . If some of your sponsors need protecting ,then protect them .

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by grayfeather:
sorry that a "few" sponsors feel like Border might take away from their sales .Border is not selling here people that like Border bows talk about border bows that is all . If some of your sponsors need protecting ,then protect them .

NO, there have been no comments from trad gang sponsors, this is about curtailing people from taking advantage of their hosts.  

and, by the way, they're YOUR SPONSORS, they're OUR SPONSORS - you can thank them for paying the bills so that you and i and everyone can enjoy trad gang, and allow YOU make that last post ya just typed out.

[fnshtr]

I appreciate the sponsors that make this site possible. I also appreciate the work the moderators do to keep this site so special.

I, for one, am happy to abide by what ever rules the mods deem necessary to protect the site.

Thanks!

[Terry Lightle]

Thanks Rob,The Nocking Point appreciates you guys.

Terry

[Crittergetter]

Thank you Rob! Your efforts to do what is right is appreciated! I clearly understand the rules and the point you are trying to make!

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Thank you Sponsors, Moderators and admin.

I think some of you guys are missing the point. That thread wasn't removed because it was mentioning Border bows. Heck there's still one up that wasn't removed on page one.  In fact rob even offered to step aside from his full time work to clean up the thread and re post it.

I'm not trying to jump into the argument here but I understand its hard to moderate a place this large and make everyone happy. I hope you guys can see it from the other view point.

Daniel, I think it was just coincidence the thread was pulled after your post, not because of your post. I like and respect your posts here on trad gang. I hope you have another spectacular winter scene picture as you did on your horse with the snow covered trees in the background.  That photo remains in my memory!

I've had threads removed or deleted in the past. Some were legitimate others, probably not but I will not take it personally because I knew what I was trying to say and probably came across completely different. That's easy to do with typed conversation.

Heck I think I have even lost a friend over the years over a misunderstood text message.

Thanks again to everyone who makes this place possible.

[Warden609]

Thanks Rob