It looks like a slow news day today — unless you count MLS commissioner Don Garber trying to simultaneously leverage stadiums in two cities by saying Sacramento might jump ahead of Miami in expansion line, but probably won’t — so let me take the opportunity to thank all of our Field of Schemes Supporters for helping keep this site going into its (gulp) 18th year of reporting on stadium and arena shenanigans.
I know that crowdfunding is an accepted thing now, but I am still honored and humbled by the fact that enough of you are willing to chip in to support this site — a site you could read for free with no shame, and which thousands of other people do — that this has become, while not exactly a wildly lucrative way for me to spend an hour or two each morning, at least something that isn’t leading me into total financial ruin. You people rock, and I’m not just saying that to butter you up for more donations.
That said, if you would like to join (or rejoin) our happy crew, the signup form is below. All new members will get the pin and the first series of stadium cards and the zine reprint; if I’ve already sent you some of those, you’ll still get put on the list to receive any future tchotchkes that I put together in 2016. (FoS correspondent David Dyte is jonesing to have me use some of his football stadium photos for a second card series, for one.) In addition, donors at the $50 and $100 levels will continue to get ad space in the site banner, to use for whatever you like. And I’ll be keeping my brain peeled for other appropriate rewards — if you have any requests, feel free to suggest them in comments or drop me an email.
Seriously, thanks again for all your contributions — even if it’s just by providing an informative or hilarious comment that brightens my day — both past and future. I think this site both performs an important service and provides a valuable place for those of us fascinated by the sports stadium racket to discuss the latest shenanigans, and I cannot overstate how much your participation means to me.
Okay, enough sentimentality — send me cash! (Which I’m pretty sure is what Stan Kroenke said at the NFL owners meetings this week.)
I think what Stan said was:
“Look I’ve GOT cash. Get out of my way and let me build my &^$&^ stadium wherever the *&^*&^ I want it.”
Thank Neil for all of your work on this topic and for a great daily read.
What I will offer you, in exchange for my viewing this page for free, is for me to donate to the page based on revenue I receive from web-browsing over a 20 year period. Per my own projections you will receive a return of somewhere near 300%. You will have to guarantee the money though, should for some impossible reason, the money doesn’t materialize.
(is it better to buy your book, or support directly?)
Would that be a pageview increment funding loan, or PIFL?
I only get a buck and change for each book sale, so as far as supporting me is concerned, it’s far more effective for you to send a donation directly. But if you buy the book, you get to read the book, which is a quality-of-life value I can’t put a price on.