In addition to the daily Uni Watch blog content, I also publish a weekly column on Bulletin. (Well, it’s almost weekly — I publish there four times per month.) The Bulletin columns tend to be longer and more substantial than the daily blog content. Also, Bulletin has no ads, so these feature-length articles will have a very clean, ad-free presentation.
After an initial six-month break-in period, the Bulletin content now requires a paid subscription. Here’s some additional info about that:
How much does the Bulletin subscription cost?
$4 a month, or $35 a year. The funds will also help to support operations on the blog. You can sign up here, but you’ll need a Facebook account in order to make your payment.
When will the Bulletin articles come out?
Usually on Thursdays or Fridays, but that’s subject to change due to breaking news or other unusual circumstances.
If I subscribe, how will I be able to access the Bulletin articles?
If you pay for a subscription, you’ll automatically receive the Bulletin articles via email, like a newsletter. You’ll also be able to see the articles on the web and post comments on them.
What sort of content will I get for my money?
You’ll get at least 48 feature-length Uni Watch pieces per year. Those articles will include:
- My annual MLB, NFL, NHL, and NBA season previews (which in previous years have run on ESPN, Sports Illustrated, and InsideHook).
- My annual Super Bowl and World Series previews.
- Occasional Uni Watch Power Rankings articles, in which I rank various uniforms.
- Four “Ask Me Anything” columns in which I answer reader-submitted questions (like this one).
- Occasional design contests.
- The annual Uni Watch Holiday Gift Guide.
- Assorted interviews (like this one with Astros authentication manager Mike Acosta), think pieces (like this one on “conceptual” retired numbers), deep dives (like this one on Buck Showalter), and historical assessments (like my trilogy of articles about teams that moved, changed their names, or both). If you need to refresh your memory further, all my Bulletin work is here.
All of these articles will be presented in Bulletin’s very clean, ad-free setting. No ads, no distractions.
In addition, I may also do occasional subscriber-only livestreamed events.
I’m also very open to feedback and suggestions from the subscriber base. I won’t necessarily follow every suggestion or grant every request, but since you folks will be paying for this content, I want to make you happy.
You mentioned the Big Four season previews, but what about the college football and college hoops previews?
I’ve reluctantly decided to stop doing the college previews. There are just too many schools (130 for football, 350 for basketball), too many uniforms, too many media relations reps whose comings and goings I’ve given up trying to keep track of. Nearly every school gets some kind of new uniform every season now, which on the one hand is an insane amount of stuff to keep track of, and on the other hand feels pointless when most of it will just disappear after one season anyway. I’ll still keep covering college sports on the blog and the Ticker as events warrant, of course, but I just don’t have the bandwidth to do the season previews anymore. I’m sorry.
Bulletin is owned by Facebook, or Meta, or whatever they’re calling it this week. I’d rather not give them any money — will any of my subscription fee go to them?
For all subscriptions purchased from now through June of 2023, 100% of the subscription revenue will go to Uni Watch. After that, Facebook can skim a percentage of the revenue (probably about 10%, which is what Substack skims).
Is there any other way to make payment? I want to support your work, but the requirement to have a Facebook account in order to pay is a dealbreaker for me.
I fully understand and respect this position. Email me and I’ll give you info on workarounds.
You’re always complaining about corporate greed, but who’s the one being greedy now? YOU!
I don’t think asking a reasonable, fair price in return for some of my best content in an ad-free setting is greedy (especially after providing so many years of free content). But if that’s how you feel, you’re certainly entitled to that view. We’ll have to agree to disagree.
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I think that covers everything from my end. Again, you can subscribe to my Bulletin content here. If you have additional questions, let me know and I’ll do my best to respond. Thanks!