This time, we'll make it. In part because we'll keep it more modest.
As of this very posting, let's formally kick off our annual Military Drive, only this time with a goal of 1,000 subscriptions committed between now and Veterans Day, which this year falls on Saturday, Nov. 11.
In 2021, we topped out at 2,000 subscriptions, but that figure shrunk to a little more than half that in 2022 at 1,058. No complaints here at all, though. The post-pandemic economic uncertainty was real, and there wasn't any fighting it. We just expressed genuine gratitude and ensured that every single request was honored.
Playing it safe in 2023 feels like the right move. I've no doubt, based on several years of running this program, that we'll achieve 1,000. (We're already off to a silent start of 28, in fact, due to two extraordinary individuals who never stop contributing! Thanks to Nick and Doc, as ever!) And within that, that we'll have a far better feel for how many we'll distribute over the full year.
Why the military?
Well, if you're new, from the very first month we launched almost nine years ago, we've always given free subscriptions to active-duty military. As I've told the tale often, in our opening week, I could see on Google Analytics that there were readers in Iraq, Afghanistan and other worldwide locations where our men and women were serving. They'd pop up very late at night, and it eventually became clear -- through correspondence -- who they were. And there'd be no way they'd be paying us a penny.
From there, seven years ago, our readers began to inquire about veterans, those who'd already served, and a small group approached with the idea to fund that as a community. That's how this Drive was born, and it's been ... it's been amazing on multiple levels. The number of people we've heard from. The number we've touched. The number who'd previously benefited from the program themselves, then just wanted to give back and later bought up subs for others ... I wouldn't even know where to start.
Here's how it works: We sell a military subscription for $20, covering a full year for any veteran. That's one-third of the regular price. However many you'd wish to donate, even if it's just one, email me directly at DK@DKPittsburghSports.com to let me know, and Dali will do the processing.
And most important, please pass along the word to all active-duty military and veterans that we're here for them. To receive their free one-year subscription, they just need to visit our Subscribe link and choose the 'Military' option. With OUR gratitude, always.
BIG MEETING TUESDAY
Everyone's been heard on the feeds. Loud and clear. The readership/commenting numbers, the engagement, the enthusiasm ... they're maybe the best new thing we've had here in quite some time.
Tuesday afternoon, we'll be meeting with our BoomPress developers at our Downtown HQ/shop with sights set high for what comes next, both for the feeds and the commenting platform, as we look to make this -- and here's the term I keep using in this dialogue -- elite. We want elite. The very best anyone can find anywhere.
THIS OFFER STANDS
While on the subject of money, I can't repeat this often enough: If your subscription's expiring and you don't think you'll be able to afford it ... you can. I'll make sure of it personally.
Just email me: DK@DKPittsburghSports.com
That's a promise we made to everyone upon the price increase a year ago, and I'm proud to say we're batting even beyond Ke'Bryan Hayes' current level at keeping that promise. It won't stop. We don't want to lose anyone over affordability. We'll do close to anything to avoid it.
INSIDE THE WORKS
• A major update to our app/site by BoomPress two weeks ago threw a lot of existing functions out of whack. It also came with an Android display issue that's the result of some changes that came from Google related (mostly but not entirely) to older devices. Adam Bertram and crew have been committed to fixing each and every issue.
• No, still not the stupid blank video player. Not yet.
• The six buttons at the bottom of your app can be changed to any teams/leagues you like. Just open your profile -- the image at the very top left -- then thumb down to Customize App, tap Edit, and arrange them any which way you prefer. Can change them seasonally, too, as I do. (And yeah, I know these were down with the update, too. Should be OK now.)
• To add an image to your profile, which also serves as a commenting avatar, tap right here to go to your profile. From there, right near the top, tap the blue camera icon to insert any image you'd like.
• We're often asked about our merch being available online, and yes, it's right here.
• Travel on tap: Taylor Haase is in Buffalo, N.Y., for the NHL's Scouting Combine this weekend. Alex Stumpf and I will split the Pirates' June 13-18 trip through Chicago and Milwaukee, with me taking the latter, as usual. ... Alex will then have the Miami trip later in the month. ... Taylor and Danny Shirey will have our coverage of the NHL Draft, June 27-29, in Nashville, Tenn.
BACK TO BUSINESS
• Our page views for the past week were a yearlong-high 569,232. Our most-read original piece was my Point Park University Friday Insider on the Penguins' cap space, at 8,820. Broken down by team traffic, the Pirates brought 32.2% of our readership, the Penguins 16.6%, the Steelers 14.4%, Penn State 1.8%, and Pitt 1.3%.
• On the multimedia front, our podcast downloads for the past week were 128,649, and our YouTube video views for the past week were 124,014.
• Our company social media accounts are at 49,810 followers on Twitter, 39,280 on Facebook, 23,031 on YouTube, 14,872 on Instagram.
• We make mistakes. If you see one, email: Typos@DKPittsburghSports.com
• Anything you need, including lost/forgotten passwords, email: Help@DKPittsburghSports.com
