UA athletic department once again lost on "branding" and "strategic vision"

[BorderPatrol]

No way. No mathematical way. Especially the way the new site is set up.

Actually, I did it in about the same amount of time.

Maybe your internet is slow or you don't click fast enough...lol

bp

[The_Iceman]

http://arkansasrazorbacks.com/schedule-list/#/m-footbl/season/2014

Easy.

[Augustus]

Oh yah, and one thing that does chap my hide. The HOG is gone. No mas. A Nike symbol and the word Razorbacks. That's not a brand.

I don't agree with the rest of your points regarding the navigation of the website, but absolutely a good call out on the Hog.

Needs to be brought back.  It could be done, even with keeping the two bar navigation

[PorkSoda]

yeah, what's with the nike symbol? hope they give us a discount for that.

we aren't the arkansas checks

[PorkSoda]

http://arkansasrazorbacks.com/schedule-list/#/m-footbl/season/2014

Easy.

now I just have to guess which is the home team.

[Rey Pygsterio]

Another thing I hate about the trend in this style of website targeted at a young age group is that it points out that these kids apparently don't want to read.

Marketers go after them with big pictures and videos because they don't want to spend any time reading.

Not a good trend.

[Pickwick Hog]

You can't please everyone all the time.

Having said that, don't think the developers didn't do some data mining prior to revamping the site. If you fall outside their hysteresis I don't think they particularly care...and they shouldn't.

[sportster365]

Another thing I hate about the trend in this style of website targeted at a young age group is that it points out that these kids apparently don't want to read.

Marketers go after them with big pictures and videos because they don't want to spend any time reading.

Not a good trend.

For college athletics, appeasing to young people is ideal. You mentioned in your OP that fans want to read about sports and winning, well the only way we're going to be doing much any of either of those is for the UofA to keep the attention of potential recruits. A schools website says a lot about the emphasis a school places in it's athletic programs and that can go a long with potential recruits. No offense, but if you're that out of touch with reality, then maybe you should steer clear of comments about branding and marketing.

[Hog N Bama]

Your bid lost eh?

[cmrhawg]

And let me add so that you don't think I'm being entirely negative toward the UA, my alma mater, by the way, that the school's website is absolutely wonderful in design and functionality.

Textbook perfection.

Since many Razorback fans probably have never visited the school's website, take a look at UARK.edu.

That is how I wish the Razorback website looked, but hey I am not 13.

Exactly. Razorback fans and kids will visit the Razorback website. And I think they nailed it.

Moms will visit the school website. Different target market. Different website.

[cmrhawg]

yeah, what's with the nike symbol? hope they give us a discount for that.

we aren't the arkansas checks

It links to the Nike website, so there probably is incentive for that.

And you're right. We are the Razorbacks, which it says in giant font literally right next to the Nike symbol.

[(notOM)Rebel123]

The ticket order form has the Northern Iowa logo instead of Northern Illinois....

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Deep Shoat]

Yes, it is much like the JYD / Stagger Lee story line.

While I think your OP premise is reactionary nonsense, I love this post.

Old school Mid South reference FTW!!

[weresoclose]

http://www.goducks.com/

This abomination almost gave me a seizure. And they have a $90+ million budget and are possibly the 'hippest' team in the nation.


I'm happy with the Hogs website.

I had never used the website before, and in less than 30 seconds I found the rushing/passing stats for the Auburn-Oregon NC game. 

50/254/0 rushing
20/265/2 passing (35 attempts)

I find this website to be exactly what I want in my Hog website. 

[Augustus]

Another thing I hate about the trend in this style of website targeted at a young age group is that it points out that these kids apparently don't want to read.

Marketers go after them with big pictures and videos because they don't want to spend any time reading.

Not a good trend.

Jesus, dude.... let it go.

You're complaining about a College website "targeting" a younger demographic. Let that sink in, for a minute...

[hoglady]

Wonder how many walk away when coke is not available?  I bet none, Pepsi, Coke old news. all about money like everything else today

I do.
Anywhere I go if I order a Coke and they say is Pepsi OK?
My response is "no it's not OK". I then either skip the drink or get a water.

[hoglady]

I like to read articles / not watch and listen to videos.
So obviously this website is not anything I would like.

[TomasPistola]

And let me add so that you don't think I'm being entirely negative toward the UA, my alma mater, by the way, that the school's website is absolutely wonderful in design and functionality.

Textbook perfection.

Since many Razorback fans probably have never visited the school's website, take a look at UARK.edu.

That is how I wish the Razorback website looked, but hey I am not 13.

WTH? Really? If I were interested in some tea and crumpets I'd go to the Uark site. It's the academic side of the school which does require more reading and information. Y'know, for the more studious type folk. The Athletic department site is for hype, recruiting, and selling stuff. Big flashy videos, large fonts, and tablet friendly is exactly what it needs to be.

[ricepig]

I do.
Anywhere I go if I order a Coke and they say is Pepsi OK?
My response is "no it's not OK". I then either skip the drink or get a water.

Same way, haha, I even avoid those that I know serve Pepsi.

[TomasPistola]

I do.
Anywhere I go if I order a Coke and they say is Pepsi OK?
My response is "no it's not OK". I then either skip the drink or get a water.

I get a Dr. Pepper. Better than Coke or Pepsi.

[TomasPistola]

I like to read articles / not watch and listen to videos.
So obviously this website is not anything I would like.

If you go to the site, click on sports and then the sport you want to see. The list of things below identifies whether it's a video or an article. I like the fact that BOTH are represented on the site, as I also like to read articles.

[1HourToHogville]

Doesn't work well on flip phones. What were they thinking?

[ricepig]

Doesn't work well on flip phones. What were they thinking?

Turn it upside down, should work fine then.

[hoglady]

Same way, haha, I even avoid those that I know serve Pepsi.

Ha - I avoid them, too.
Sometimes lunch is decided by which one of the restaurants or fast food places  on our list serves Coke.

[TomasPistola]

Doesn't work well on flip phones. What were they thinking?

It's a conspiracy with AT&T to get you to upgrade and sign a new contract. That Jeff Long is evil I tell ya!

[Cinco de Hogo]

I highly doubt very many 13-19 year olds go to that site or ever will.  That kind or level of onterest in sports does not develop until later in life.  That is my experience.

[BENTON PIGGEE]

Born in the 60's.

Visited new web site.

Did not like.

I expect a PM from a top Athletic Dept. employee any minute now.

[MissippHog]

Some people complain just to complain.  That website is not going to convince any recruit to come or not come to the UofA.  When I start hearing recruits state they picked "X" school because of their website I'll start caring.  Until then......

[PorkSoda]

I get a Dr. Pepper. Better than Coke or Pepsi.

which happens to be a coke product.  you aren't getting it if they sell pepsi.

[TomasPistola]

which happens to be a coke product.  you aren't getting it if they sell pepsi.

In Georgia, it's a Pepsi Product. I'm in Georgia. Have a nice day.

[BENTON PIGGEE]

which happens to be a coke product.  you aren't getting it if they sell pepsi.

No, Dr. Pepper is a Dr. Pepper/Snapple product. It is a separate company from Coke. Love me some diet Dr. Pepper.

[jwpattyson]

The athletic department really dropped the ball on this one.

[razorback44]

I agree with the OP.  I hate it, and I am internet savvy.  They are trying to copy the tablet/iphone layout made for touch screens.  its horrible.

did I mention I hate change?

for real though.  the whole point of a website is to be able to find info quickly, not to look fancy and be incredibly annoying to navigate. 

no buttons on the front page to get to the roster or the schedule.

if I only wanted to read news that would be fine, but 90% of the time that is not what I'm there for.  I'm there to look up information.

What? The very first link on the home page is for schedules. When you go to the football page the second link after "Home" is for the roster.  I'm not sure what you're looking at but those are two of the easiest things to find on the new site.

[razorback44]

WTH? Really? If I were interested in some tea and crumpets I'd go to the Uark site. It's the academic side of the school which does require more reading and information. Y'know, for the more studious type folk. The Athletic department site is for hype, recruiting, and selling stuff. Big flashy videos, large fonts, and tablet friendly is exactly what it needs to be.

Common sense.  You have it.

[razorback44]

now I just have to guess which is the home team.

The team on the right is always home.

[The Marmot]

Another thing I hate about the trend in this style of website targeted at a young age group is that it points out that these kids apparently don't want to read.

Marketers go after them with big pictures and videos because they don't want to spend any time reading.

Not a good trend.

[The Marmot]

I had never used the website before, and in less than 30 seconds I found the rushing/passing stats for the Auburn-Oregon NC game. 

50/254/0 rushing
20/265/2 passing (35 attempts)

I find this website to be exactly what I want in my Hog website. 

Found the same on our site for the Auburn game in about 30 seconds:

47/222/1 rushing
12/124/1 passing  27 attempts

First attempt with the new design.

[BorderPatrol]

which happens to be a coke product.  you aren't getting it if they sell pepsi.

Wrong, but carry on...

I like to read articles / not watch and listen to videos.
So obviously this website is not anything I would like.

No offense, ma'am, but you must have not spent much time on the new site. It just appears you are complaining just to complain.

I do.
Anywhere I go if I order a Coke and they say is Pepsi OK?
My response is "no it's not OK". I then either skip the drink or get a water.

I take it you do not attend Arkansas home games? After all, that was what the poster was referring to with the Pepsi/Coke comment...

bp

[Shorttimer]

No way. No mathematical way. Especially the way the new site is set up.

At least the old site had 'hover and click' functionality that the new one doesn't (completely).

ArkansasRazorbacks.com (Enter)
Schedules (Click)
Drop down arrow for all sports, choose a sport (click)

They added a step where most web engines are trying to reduce them with  hover technology. The old site you'd 'click' schedules and the sports dropped down automatically.

Maybe its tit for tat but I get the folks who think its lacking. Its too easy these days to create a rock star website to have issues with navigation and functionality. It shouldn't take 3 or 4 clicks anymore to pull the football schedule. It should be website > hover over schedules > hover over sport > ONE click schedule (and even it could pop up w/o clicking).

Oh yah, and one thing that does chap my hide. The HOG is gone. No mas. A Nike symbol and the word Razorbacks. That's not a brand.

I just did it again, and you're right.  It didn't take me 17 seconds. 

This time it was 14.  But I did have the advantage of knowing what I was doing this time.

It was a handheld time, so I might be a couple of tenths off . . .

[Hogchick]

now I just have to guess which is the home team.

I was confused by this at first but you can tell the home team by wear the hog is placed. If the his is 2nd it's a home game.

I love the new site. Much better!

[Pork Twain]

Rey, are you my mommy?

[1highhog]

The only gaff I think the UofA made this year was the forward facing Hog they went with, terrible design, whoever penciled that should be fired.  They should have went with this one below instead, more menacing for sure.

[attachment deleted by admin]

[wholehog92]

now I just have to guess which is the home team.

I thought it was common knowledge the home team is listed 2nd or on the bottom.  Maybe it's just a betting thing?

[Dwight_K_Shrute]

Look at every other SEC-W site and then ours.  The biggest disconnect the new site has is in tying it in with the university, or the state for that matter.

The word Arkansas is not anywhere to be found on the site except for in arkansasrazorbacks.com.

The others say something the like official site of the Mississippi State Bulldogs, Alabama Crimson Tide, Texas A&M aggies etc.

The others have links to the Universities websites usually through an icon or symbol for that University that acutally has the name of the university as part of the symbol.  Ours just has uakr.edu.

None of the sites are perfect and some do look dated, but there are definite improvements that need to be made to arkansasrazorbacks.com and some that are just plain misses. 

It looks like it was made by Nike for some new shoe or line launch. Over-produced, over stylized, ultra-modern that is trying a bit too hard. 

[weresoclose]

Pepsi... Coke...

Both taste about the same with Jack Daniels.

[GoHogs1091]

Regarding Athletic Web Sites, the utmost important aspects are functionality/usability.  Athletic Web Sites don't really have to focus on/follow 3 Ps of the 4 Ps of Marketing, with those 3 Ps being Product, Place, and Price.  The 4th P of Promotion needs to be focused on/followed by Athletic Web Sites, but the other 3 Ps of Marketing don't.

If the functionality/usability is not what it needs to be, it will basically make an Athletic Web Site irrelevant.

[greghog]

This may be the first time I have ever agreed with RP.  Go to the site.  Assume you are trying to find out the football schedule.  Top of the page "schedules".  Click on it.  See what you get.  You won't get any schedules.  OK, so, the next one over is "sports", click on it (well hover over it, it isn't clickable), click on "football."  OK, now there is a "schedule" link.  Click on it.  The first entry is "Arkansas vs. Tigers"  Tigers?  Really?  You and I know who that is, its Auburn (this time, look at the Nov. 15th entry, it is also "Tigers" you and I both know that isn't the same team, but as RP noted, you and I aren't, or shouldn't be, the target audience).  Who are are playing?  Where?  OK, the fact that the "Tigers" are listed 2nd might be enough to tell me it is an away game, but nothing on the site says that.  Nor do I know which "Tigers" we are playing.  Memphis?

OK, go to the Sept 20th entry.  "Huskies vs. Arkansas"  Who?  What school are we playing?  (Yes, you know and I know, but my mother?  A long time Hog fan?  She called me to see who we were playing that weekend, she couldn't tell by looking at the web site)

Look at the next weekend.  "Arkansas vs. Texas A&M", well thank you for listing the school for a change!  I guess that is in College Station?

The next weekend.  "Bulldogs vs. Arkansas"  OK, great, I guess we are playing Mississippi State in Fayetteville, right?

OK, enough.  I have more than made my point.  I know at least the team name and location stuff is fixable, but really?  You roll out a new site and you can't find "schedules" under "schedules"? 

[Inhogswetrust]

This may be the first time I have ever agreed with RP.  Go to the site.  Assume you are trying to find out the football schedule.  Top of the page "schedules".  Click on it.  See what you get.  You won't get any schedules.  OK, so, the next one over is "sports", click on it (well hover over it, it isn't clickable), click on "football."  OK, now there is a "schedule" link.  Click on it.  The first entry is "Arkansas vs. Tigers"  Tigers?  Really?  You and I know who that is, its Auburn (this time, look at the Nov. 15th entry, it is also "Tigers" you and I both know that isn't the same team, but as RP noted, you and I aren't, or shouldn't be, the target audience).  Who are are playing?  Where?  OK, the fact that the "Tigers" are listed 2nd might be enough to tell me it is an away game, but nothing on the site says that.  Nor do I know which "Tigers" we are playing.  Memphis?

OK, go to the Sept 20th entry.  "Huskies vs. Arkansas"  Who?  What school are we playing?  (Yes, you know and I know, but my mother?  A long time Hog fan?  She called me to see who we were playing that weekend, she couldn't tell by looking at the web site)

Look at the next weekend.  "Arkansas vs. Texas A&M", well thank you for listing the school for a change!  I guess that is in College Station?

The next weekend.  "Bulldogs vs. Arkansas"  OK, great, I guess we are playing Mississippi State in Fayetteville, right?

OK, enough.  I have more than made my point.  I know at least the team name and location stuff is fixable, but really?  You roll out a new site and you can't find "schedules" under "schedules"? 

Wow. You are correct that was bad... Click here,click there, click again and make sure you recognize any opponents and sports logo's. ..............hopefully they can fix that easily.

[1highhog]

Pepsi... Coke...

Both taste about the same with Jack Daniels.

Your taste buds are gone, completely different, and I only add a tablespoon of cola.

[Augustus]

This may be the first time I have ever agreed with RP.  Go to the site.  Assume you are trying to find out the football schedule.  Top of the page "schedules".  Click on it.  See what you get.  You won't get any schedules.  OK, so, the next one over is "sports", click on it (well hover over it, it isn't clickable), click on "football."  OK, now there is a "schedule" link.  Click on it.  The first entry is "Arkansas vs. Tigers"  Tigers?  Really?  You and I know who that is, its Auburn (this time, look at the Nov. 15th entry, it is also "Tigers" you and I both know that isn't the same team, but as RP noted, you and I aren't, or shouldn't be, the target audience).  Who are are playing?  Where?  OK, the fact that the "Tigers" are listed 2nd might be enough to tell me it is an away game, but nothing on the site says that.  Nor do I know which "Tigers" we are playing.  Memphis?

OK, go to the Sept 20th entry.  "Huskies vs. Arkansas"  Who?  What school are we playing?  (Yes, you know and I know, but my mother?  A long time Hog fan?  She called me to see who we were playing that weekend, she couldn't tell by looking at the web site)

Look at the next weekend.  "Arkansas vs. Texas A&M", well thank you for listing the school for a change!  I guess that is in College Station?

The next weekend.  "Bulldogs vs. Arkansas"  OK, great, I guess we are playing Mississippi State in Fayetteville, right?

OK, enough.  I have more than made my point.  I know at least the team name and location stuff is fixable, but really?  You roll out a new site and you can't find "schedules" under "schedules"?

What device were you using? If a PC, what browser? (and browser version)

I tried it with IE, Firefox, & Chrome... same results for all 3.

Upon clicking the main "schedule" link... the sub page appears, and I have to click (not hover) on a Sport.  Then, a season.  Hovering does nothing with all 3 browsers.

Upon clicking football and 2014-15 season, all games appear. Not one by one.  And, the Team's icon (or logo) showed up next to the team name.  So, by "Tigers" I knew whether it was Auburn, LSU, or methzou.

And, it was obvious to me the home team was in the right column.  Isn't that a standard across all sites when displaying schedules or scores?  Doesn't the ticker on ESPN present the home team on the right when displaying scores?

I guess they could have put "@" or "at"... to signify home team instead of "vs"... but the home team would still be on the right.  I just thought that was a standard.

I didn't start looking at the website until this thread started... and I've had no problems navigating the website. 

Finding the schedule is a east 1-2-3... click Schedules, click the sport, and click the season. 

The complaints some are bringing up, I just don't see the what they're talking about.

My one call out is they don't have a Hog in the universal banner.  But, if the tradeoff is, it isn't the forward facing Hog?  Then, I can live with that.

The front facing Hog is the one criticism I have with the entire "rebranding"