ANNOUNCING: GUU's 2006 Jersey Tagging Contest!!!

[ChrisCavalier]

Hello Everyone,

We have heard your requests to work together to create a jersey/tagging photo database that you can access. Since we were 'Created By Collectors...For Collectors' we agree that this is a great idea and we have done a number of things that make this happen. That being said,

We are proud to announce Game Used Universe's 2006 Jersey Tagging Contest!!!

Please find below a copy of a full page ad that will be appearing in the Beckett Elite issue going out tomorrow. While we hope the ad is self-explanatory, please feel free to let us know if you have any questions:



Sincerely,
Christopher Cavalier
CEO - Game Used Universe

[gameused]

Chris,

I think this jersey/tagging photo database is a great idea but I don't agree with limiting access only to premier members.

Basically you want the forum members to submit all the info on the jersey tags and then you charge a fee for the forum members to access that same information that they supplied?

It just doesn't sound right.

Bobby

[ChrisCavalier]

Chris,

I think this jersey/tagging photo database is a great idea but I don't agree with limiting access only to premier members.

Basically you want the forum members to submit all the info on the jersey tags and then you charge a fee for the forum members to access that same information that they supplied?

It just doesn't sound right.

Hello Bobby,

Thank you for your comments. I will be happy to respond to them in detail. However, before I do, I would like to ask a couple of things in return since your comments suggest we are doing something that "doesn't sound right".

In your estimation, what do you think the costs are involved with creating the database we are discussing? Specifically, what do you think are the hard and soft costs of:

1) Writing all the specifications for the application to allow the data to be submitted, stored, approved and presented to users?
2) Doing all the development work to build the application?
3) Advertising/marketing the contest so that the size of the database will be meaningful?
4) Approving all the submitted images to verify which ones are legitimate?
5) Offering monetary incentives for contestants who participate to encourage submissions?
6) The infrastructure to support the databases and user interfaces?

In addition, what do you think the costs are of providing the other benefits that come with our Premium Membership?

I know these are things many people don't think about on the surface so I was hoping we could visit them for a moment before I fully respond. Thanks in advance for your reply. Once again, I will provide a more detailed answer after I hear some thoughts to my questions above.

Sincerely,
Christopher Cavalier
CEO - Game Used Universe

[trsent]

I see it that maybe this database will make those of us who do not currently subscribe finally do so.

[JimCaravello]

Interesting thread - having personally been involved in several startup companies including a business I owned for 8 years, I can tell you that the amount of time and money that GUU will spend on this one project will be enormous. The concept of GUU is a great one - but GUU is also not a non-profit organization - and maintaining the databases we are talking about, working through this initiative and running this site are not "cheap". Even non-profits charge you something to pay for their overhead.

What did we do several years ago when Game Used Universe was not in existence? The site has provided collectors a wealth of FREE information to date that others ( dealers - authenticators - etc. ) in the hobby have resisted to share in the past. I have learned more by participating in this site in two years than I have learned in the previous 20 years of collecting.

Yes - I am a contributor to the site, but I am not compensated. I participate for my passion of the hobby and to help educate others to promote the hobby. When I first learned what the site was all about, I joined immediately - not knowing Chris and at that time I was not a contributor to the site. I remember the first time I popped the web page up. I spent ten minutes goofing around with the site and joined immediately. The fee to join the site was a no-brainer because of the benefits and also because of Malta's book we will be receiving later this year.

Some might say my opinion is biased because I am now a contributor to the site - but I don't think its unreasonable at all to ask anyone who wants to participate in this initiative to join the site if they are not already a member. To me - it's a no-brainer - what you will receive will outweigh the cost to join.......

Collectors spend hundreds and thousands of dollars on game used equipment and as mentioned above have been receiving valuable free information since this site was started, but resist a small fee for more valuable information that will only help them in their collecting efforts.....?? it's mind boggling to me - just my humble opinion.............................Jim Caravello

[bat_master]

Hi Everyone,

I agree whole heartedly with Jim's comments. When one takes into consideration the knowledge that is available, the contacts that can be made, and the great material available...well, the fee is really negligible.

In fact, there are at least a half dozen bats on my rack right now that I think it is pretty safe to say would not be there if it were not for this site.

I think one of the greatest benefits to this site is the ability of even the lowest budget collector to "belong" in a group with many advanced collectors.

My wife really doesn't care that a Louisville Slugger bat with foil stamped name is circa 1985...but people here do. That's what makes this group special. We all speak the same language and understand what it is like to find an item that we may have been searching years for. Also, many of us wouldn't not balk at the idea of spending as much on a 35 1/2" hunk of wood we might on a car.

It's pretty tough to put a price on the feeling of belonging.

Just my two cents,

Tim Byington
www.tjsportsmn.com