MyFootballWriter publisher Rick Waghorn has a new magic number in mind as he plots a rich and vibrant future for the 13-year-old Norwich City writing site – 209.
That’s the number of ‘patrons’ Everton’s ‘The Blue Room Extra’ has signed up for their cause via the Patreon fund-raising platform.
At $5.50 per month per patron that’s an income of $1,149 – £917 per month to keep the blue half of Merseyside in copy and comment.
Fresh from bolting Patreon onto MyFootballWriter this week, he and the team now have something to aim for as the market for local advertising continues to prove elusive.
“The Blue Room Extra show what can be done,” he said, as MFW launched a four-tier membership model in a bid to underpin its own ambitions going forward.
Ambitions that include such things as more use of video and staffing Colney Press conferences all of which might be possible if the right financial footings were in place to support it.
“That’s the point of the exercise – to see if through 209 acts of individual kindness and generosity from our ever-loyal readership we can’t mirror what they’re doing in Liverpool,” said Rick, only too well aware as to what bigger beasts in the online writing jungle are achieving with Patreon.
“ArseBlog have 2,765 patrons at £4.40 a month,” he noted. “That’s £12,166 a month – miles away from where we’re at right now but it just shows what can be achieved.”
Based in the US – hence the use of the $ format = Patreon couldn’t be easier to use. (They do also tell us they are working on having other currencies available on the site in the future).
Half a dozen clicks and a couple of details later and you’re are there supporting your favourite football writing site.
MFW offer four levels of entry – the minimum $3 a month ‘Patron’ level being followed by $5, $10 and $20 per month alternatives.
“We are trying to make this as easy as possible and recognise from the outset that we are asking a lot of people’s generosity,” said Rick.
“But we have a very strong community that gathers around Gary and the team of writers every week. If that sense of community can translate into the price of a half a pint of bitter per month to keep MyFootballWriter bubbling along then I think everyone can be a winner.”
Editor Gary Gowers added: “We were well chuffed with the initial response, both in terms of the warmth of the words and the generosity – and a massive thanks to those who have already signed up – but if we are to achieve our goals this has to be only the beginning. For MFW to grow we have a long way to go and this has to be just the start of our funding drive.
“Alongside our new Patreon model, we will continue to look for advertisers – and if you know anybody who fits the bill and who may be interested, we’re only an email away – but it’s a membership that’s delivered for others so, in the words of a once-wise man, ‘we’re going to give it a right good go’.
“We know it’s asking a lot and we know in these troubled times folk have to make their £s work that little bit harder, but if for less than a cost of a matchday programme any of you could see fit to help us we really will be eternally grateful. We’ll also work our you-know-whats off to deliver you NCFC content befitting a club that’s in such fine fettle.
“Again – we thank you”.
For those that may be able to help us, the link is here.
A reasonable and understandable appeal, but I don’t get the 4 tier structure.
What is the point? – there seems no disadvantage or benefit from choosing one level over another. Wouldn’t it be simpler and clearer to just say that you would hope that x hundred readers would pledge a suggested basic amount, and if anyone felt they could afford to be more generous, then that would be very welcome.
Point taken Adrian and noted. Thanks