CZ: Changes to CowboysZone Supporter System - Dallas Cowboys Forum

**Reality** · 08-12-2009

For well over a year, we have had internal discussions on how to improve the recognition that users who have donated to CowboysZone receive. Our goal was to give better recognition to the most recent users who donated while at the same time showing appreciation to those who have donated in years past. We are very excited to announce we have finally created a new system for Zone Supporters that will do exactly that.

In the new system, users who have donated from January 1st of the current NFL season (ex: 2009) through the Super Bowl of the current NFL season (ex: February 2010) will have the CowboysZone Supporter image displayed below their name/avatar. After the Super Bowl, the CZ Supporter system will be rotated and only the users who have donated since January 1st in that year (ex: 2010) will retain their CZ Supporter image. However, every year a user has donated will always be displayed below their name/avatar regardless of whether or not the user is a current CZ Supporter.

On a personal note, I want to let everyone know that donations are always appreciated but not required. I put this site online many years ago so that Cowboys fans would have a family friendly place to support, discuss, debate and complain (when necessary ) about their favorite football team. Over the years I have upgraded the site and the servers to support its constant growth in popularity and activity. I have always avoided placing annoying advertising and sponsorships on the site because I wanted to keep the site clean and fast.

While I have always been happy to cover the operational costs of running CowboysZone, I do appreciate the donations that users make each year. I am glad that the new CZ Supporter system will acknowledge the users who donate, both past and present, so that other users can see who is helping to make CowboysZone the best Cowboys forum site on the internet!

Note: To support the new system, every user must be updated manually so it will take some time to complete this process.

-Reality

dallasfaniac · 08-12-2009

How frequently do we need to donate to make the banner adds go/stay away?

SteveOS · 08-12-2009

How much do you have to donate, to get this status? Great idea, BTW.

Hostile · 08-12-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by dallasfaniac

How frequently do we need to donate to make the banner adds go/stay away?

Yearly donations will be needed to keep the ads away. As posted we will give a yearly cushion of up to and after the Super Bowl. So a donation in January covers you for 13 months.

No matter what else we do though we will not turn this site into an ad machine and it very easily could be. We will run the minimal amount of ads we can. Revenue from the ads and the donations does not cover the costs of running this site. Reality pays for most of it out of his own pocket and is glad to do so.

We appreciate any and all support.

Hostile · 08-12-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveOS

How much do you have to donate, to get this status? Great idea, BTW.

We have never set an amount necessary because some people can't donate a lot. Every donation is appreciated and every dollar goes into this site. No one makes a profit from this site and it easily could given our traffic numbers.

I was asked earlier about non paypal donations. So even though you aren't asking I want to get this information out to the members. Yes, we do accept them. They are mailed directly to me and I donate them for you.

DEZBRYANT x88x · 08-12-2009

Yeah guys whatever you guys need money wise let me know.

**Idgit** · 08-12-2009

This is good, guys. I mean to donate more frequently than I do, and sometimes it just slips my mind...the 'supporter' icons are helpful.

Cajuncowboy · 08-12-2009

I've always meant to ask this but now seems like a good time. What are the costs on a yearly basis to run this site? I really have no idea and knowing that might give one a better idea of how much to donate.

Anyway, kinda curious.

theogt · 08-12-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cajuncowboy

I've always meant to ask this but now seems like a good time. What are the costs on a yearly basis to run this site? I really have no idea and knowing that might give one a better idea of how much to donate.

Anyway, kinda curious.

They pay me about $1,000 per week for my insightful comments. You can go ahead and make those checks out directly to me.

**WoodysGirl** · 08-12-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cajuncowboy

I've always meant to ask this but now seems like a good time. What are the costs on a yearly basis to run this site? I really have no idea and knowing that might give one a better idea of how much to donate.

Anyway, kinda curious.

I don't know, but knowing Reality, I really doubt he'd share that information.

That said, I think if you give freely from the heart what you can afford to share, then that's all that matters.

I imagine every little bit counts.

Cajuncowboy · 08-12-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by theogt

They pay me about $1,000 per week for my insightful comments. You can go ahead and make those checks out directly to me.

dallasfaniac · 08-12-2009

How about, how much would I have to donate each year to compensate for the money Reality is losing by not having adds on my account? Let's say over the course of a year my browser potentially would see an add on this site 36,500 times, lol.

Hostile · 08-12-2009

I am Reality's right hand here, and even I do not know how much he pays for the server costs to run this site or the licensing fees to the software we use.

I know this, we have the absolute fastest servers available. Not little in home stuff that crash on game days or need graphics taken down so they don't lag. The biggest baddest dogs in the yard protect this site and keep us in business.

This site is as well maintained as it possibly can be and we're getting some new stuff again this year. Other sites are run for profit, this one is not. I know for a fact that almost every month he pays out of pocket for some of the costs and he does not have to.

We could have signed up for the Dallas Cowboys to cover all costs, but some things that we were unwilling to do were in the offer. He could put ads anywhere he chooses, and he chooses instead not to. As I said, this site is not an ad machine and given the traffic and what he could make by doing so it is pretty darn cool of him. I wouldn't blame him one bit for adding more ads, but he doesn't.

That is why I say every donation is appreciated, because it goes directly to the site or upgrades we do to the site.

zrinkill · 08-12-2009

You guys must be doing it in alphabetical order .....

Angus · 08-12-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hostile

We have never set an amount necessary because some people can't donate a lot. Every donation is appreciated and every dollar goes into this site. No one makes a profit from this site and it easily could given our traffic numbers.

I was asked earlier about non paypal donations. So even though you aren't asking I want to get this information out to the members. Yes, we do accept them. They are mailed directly to me and I donate them for you.

Hostile, how can donations be sent to you?