"...as dynamic as men's pro racquetball." - The International Racquetball Tour is looking for website developers. "The IRT is looking for a creative website team to incorporate our defined parameters into an upgraded site including design, coding, and functionality in a way that delivers a user experience as dynamic as men’s pro racquetball. Racquetball enthusiasts preferred. Must be experienced, meet agreed timetables, and provide (limited) training and ongoing assistance."
I often make rounds through all the racquetball websites to see if i come across anything new that wasn't brought to my attention by social feeds. It's very rare that I ever see anything that I wasn't expecting. Some sights, like the WOR website, I've just stopped visiting all together because they just don't have anything new to offer. (Except on rare occasion to confirm there is nothing new to see.)
Since October, when I think of the IRT website, I can't help but think of some things Kane said during the conversation I referenced in my last entry. I've been pretty clear about what I think in the past about how we should be looking at content and creating, to build outside interest. (It's my blog, so I've been free to do so.) And I stand firm in saying, that, unless we start re-thinking things, one example being viewing the portable court as a studio, we will continue to not have enough new stuff to show just how dynamic the top level of racquetball play can be, continually. Flow, interest, money, etc. And Kane's insight and personal experience only echoes that opportunities are being missed.
When I read, and breakdown what the IRT states it is looking for, my mind isolates the most important individual requirement terms. Defined parameters, upgraded, design, coding functionality and "racquetball enthusiasts preferred." My feeling (2 cents) is that if they get the last preference, they will get exactly what they want. And that may be opportunity missed.
I often read Seth Godin's blog. I won't go into who he is or even why, but I often find it enlightening. Two of his entries strike me as applicable. "Compromise, design and the literally edges" and "Never eat sushi at the airport".
Racquetball needs a new roadmap if we want dynamic growth, not just an upgrade. So, the word "team" is big. One that is already engraining itself in engagement. That means finding one outside of racquetball. At least right now.
Have you recently visited the Red Bull website? I'm not saying try to be that, but pick any one of the links to a sport or interest and see how deep they are with content, geared to be engaging to anyone with interest that can be defined as dynamic.
While I'm on this "outside" tip, the USAR is voting for board members. I have some experience working with non-profits, and what I've often observed is, that, strategically soliciting some board members who operate outside the organization brings new perspectives and new ways to source funding, from the outside.