By the time I finish this post the “other” thread is likely to be close to 500 posts by now, so I thought I would create my own post for what the LR means to me.
Sorry Dan, including your name in the title was done purely as clickbait, I know this is not your fault.
By way of background, I am one of the ST users who is based outside of North America. I would think I would be part of the target audience…highly educated, decent disposable income (for advertisers), decent skin in the triathlon game over the years, able to contribute constructively to the forum and someone for whom, up until these changes, I would be on ST numerous times per day, often lurking, contributing where I felt I could but generally enjoying the perspectives of others from all across the world.
Now, my engagement with the forum has dropped off dramatically. Be that navigating to the site or reading the posts which are created. I am used to change for the sake of change, but these “structural” changes (even if these were the only changes) has in the space of a very short period of time effectively “killed” my enthusiasm for this place. I am sure those responsible for these changes should be able to see this easily by the various site metrics they would have access to. Maybe if I am wrong they can show me.
Now, to the Lavender Room.
When I joined ST I didn’t even know of the existence of the LR for the first few years! (or the front page for that matter). I had simply bookmarked the triathlon forum and navigated to that all the time.
Now (well, up until previously), I probably spend more time in the LR than I do in the triathlon side of the forum.
Why? The reasons are multiple and in no way exhaustive. But primarily because I can cut across a wide range of issues internationally, get opinions from people either “in the know” or who provide an opinion that might challenge the narrative being fed to us by the media. Be that what is happening in the Ukraine War, Israel, Gaza, USA politics or simply trying to help Tiger Chick get a decent date and write her novel. Yes, some views are out there, occasionally something pretty offensive goes down, but in general we all behave and when someone doesn’t, appropriate action is taken. Nothing I see on here is anywhere near as bad as to what goes down on other forums. Yes it is not triathlon related, but it was part of the beauty of ST, we had a place where we all had at least something in common (triathlon) and we could bond over that as well as engage in a wide variety of discussions about non-triathlon issues. As an analogy, it was like visiting a Department Store that focused on sports and sporting goods, with a massive SBR section, but then also had a large variety of other sections that I could browse and dip into as I wanted (or needed, as in wanted to hear views on something).
Now that Department Store just stocks triathlon gear mainly, has confusingly changed its layout and closed all the other things that would make me walk into the Store. So now, that Store misses out on mine and others foot traffic, as unless we have a purely triathlon related need, there is no need to visit. Advertisers etc all miss out, because all shops know you need foot traffic through them to generate sales and that foot traffic may come in for one thing but end up buying something else.
Why do the new owners etc feel the need to effectively sterilise it? Who are they listening to that has suggested to them that this needs to happen? Why do they think they know so much better than all of us collectively about the so many factors in the ST universe? From things as simple as adding endlessly unnecessary sub-forum categories, not engaging or communicating with the core ST users, a redesign that has taken away much of the beauty and simplicity of the old site (but yes, we get a like button) or taking the flavour and substance out of the LR.
All of this combined has led to significant disengagement from me with the site. I struggle to see these changes as being able to “grow” the ST community (if anything, they are destroying the legacy that Dan built up over so long). I am used to change and change management and it is hard just sitting by and watching things being done like they are, communicated (or not!) as they are and core members becoming disenfranchised.
And the most likely response I will get will most probably be, don’t let the door hit you on the way out…
