About the video ads

by kcdc1 on Jun 18, 2011 5:32 PM EDT

Every page you load on RR for the last month automatically uploads about 3-5 minutes of random sports highlights video, sometimes more if multiple ad sections load videos. Every time you click between stories, posts, links or refresh, that's another 5 minutes of video that you download.

A lot of people like to browse RR during breaks at work, but the amount of bandwidth these ads suck up makes that impossible for anyone whose workplace monitors bandwidth allocation.

My office condones text, audio and very limited video use during breaks, but I can't check RR anymore because if I take a few minutes to click the main page, a fanpost and a link, I've now downloaded 20 minutes of streaming video. That won't fly at my office. I've been a pretty active member of the community here, but I'll have to check out unless the ads are changed or there's a switch added to prevent the automatic download of the sports highlight videos.

Sorry for using this space to lodge a complaint, but I do think these videos are costing the site traffic. A 15 second ad download is one thing, but 4 minute video loads that you can't prevent doesn't make sense.

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try RSS

add RR to an RSS reader like google reader. SBnation puts the entire story in the RSS feed. you will have to click on the stories and go to the website to see/write comments, but at least you can read the content and decide which stories are worth the time. there are seperate feeds for main page, fanposts, and fanshots.

by ZeppelinDZ on Jun 18, 2011 6:07 PM EDT reply actions

Thanks, will try that

I understand that it doesn’t make sense to change the ads for one user, but having 5 minute videos automatically download seems like it will discourage a lot of users from checking the site at work, and this is pretty much a ‘break from work’ site.

by kcdc1 on Jun 18, 2011 6:16 PM EDT up reply actions

With it being work stations where you're checking it you might not be able to do it

but Ad Block takes care of this because I have no idea what you’re talking about.

Glad I came, just wish I hadn't stayed so long.
Rock Chalk Talk

by Warden11 on Jun 18, 2011 6:16 PM EDT reply actions

It get by ad-block sometimes on chrome.

At work, a reader, like google is a must have.

- .-. ..- … – / – …. . / .—. .-. - .. . … …

by Jeff Zimmerman on Jun 18, 2011 10:45 PM EDT up reply actions

But half or more of the content is the comments....

by kcdc1 on Jun 18, 2011 11:10 PM EDT up reply actions

It is a good idea tho; it'd just be better if the ads were more work-friendly

by kcdc1 on Jun 18, 2011 11:11 PM EDT up reply actions

Agree. I've only got 2 SB Nation sites in my reader because of that.

Can you not get adblock on your computer? Even if one gets through, you can catch it then and add it.

Glad I came, just wish I hadn't stayed so long.
Rock Chalk Talk

by Warden11 on Jun 18, 2011 11:46 PM EDT up reply actions

In my experience, trying to download programs (even Adblock) onto work computers is a no-go.

"That's fine wood from... somewhere."

by KeepItCopacetic on Jun 19, 2011 12:18 AM EDT up reply actions

It loads just fine as an add-on to Firefox, at least on my work computer

worth a try. I have AdBlock Plus as a free add-on, and I have no idea what these video ads are b/c they’ve never appeared for me in Firefox.

by SagehenMacGyver47 on Jun 20, 2011 1:43 PM EDT up reply actions

The SBNation sites tend to be not work friendly at times

Especially if you have a filter that kills sites if they have profanity. I’ve mentioned this before and had people make jokes about it like “so you can’t read this comment now?” I’ve spent less time at RR lately and this is a partial reason. I can’t load pages at work because our filter kills them.

Scouting the Royals
Royals Prospects

by 306008 on Jun 19, 2011 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

Hadn't even thought of this

I will try to say friction and frackin more Often… I’ve always kInd of thought the swearing should stay in the game threads anyways.

by Prime2U on Jun 19, 2011 10:43 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

hmm.. thanks guys...

I will send in an email, probably wont do anything, but I appreciate the feedback

by Freneau on Jun 19, 2011 1:44 AM EDT reply actions

You get any response?

by kcdc1 on Jun 20, 2011 9:21 PM EDT up reply actions

These are the super annoying sporting news video pieces?

Baseball reference has them too, and there they default the audio to on, which infuriates me. Here the audio is at least off, but when it’s switching between videos, there’s often a short bust of static that leads me to close windows I was keeping open to monitor comments. Whatever Sporting News is paying SBNation better be a small fortune because I agree that these ads are driving people to use the site less.

by KSinDC on Jun 19, 2011 12:59 PM EDT reply actions

Was just about to post this

I love BBRef, but man that is annoying.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Jun 19, 2011 2:20 PM EDT up reply actions

These ads could easily cost SBN 50 clicks a week from me

I check comments a lot more than I should at work…..but I suppose cutting RR out of my work browsing will at least improve productivity….

by kcdc1 on Jun 19, 2011 9:28 PM EDT up reply actions

Ok, just saw these for the first time on a friend's computer.

They are annoying as hell.

Glad I came, just wish I hadn't stayed so long.
Rock Chalk Talk

by Warden11 on Jun 19, 2011 11:06 PM EDT reply actions

It's seems like every website I go to now has auto play video of some kind

Trying to click on an ESPN article starts an autoplay reporter spending 4 minutes telling what it’ll take me 30 seconds to skim over.

All of which annoys me to no end.

sigh….

Someone tell the damn kids to get off my lawn

Unless I'm wrong...

by Top Ramen on Jun 21, 2011 12:49 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs

"That's right. In my day, television was called 'books!'"

by KSinDC on Jun 21, 2011 1:48 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

I don't like watching videos unless I'm looking at a specific sports headline.

One of my biggest pet peeves is when I’m on Google News or a similar news aggregating site and I click on what I think is an article, but is a video.

"That's fine wood from... somewhere."

by KeepItCopacetic on Jun 21, 2011 3:06 AM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, those are annoying, but the way you use the two sites makes a difference in how work-friendly the ads are

At ESPN, you click your news article and the standings page, and you’re done. Here, I spend a lot more clicks because I like to click multiple threads, check comments and post responses. The 4 minute download gets multiplied many times over.

by kcdc1 on Jun 21, 2011 9:39 AM EDT up reply actions

True

At least the espn autoplay’s are directly related to the article. The sbnation are just random sports clips. I don’t have to worry about bandwidth restrictions as much as you do, but they do force me to keep the sound muted on my computer.

Unless I'm wrong...

by Top Ramen on Jun 21, 2011 11:12 AM EDT up reply actions

I think ESPN has a setting where you can turn autoplay off

by SagehenMacGyver47 on Jun 21, 2011 1:21 PM EDT up reply actions

I have an older laptop

I use to follow the game threads in front of the TV. This explains why it seems to be running so slowly. RR is pretty much the only thing I use it for. Sheesh!

by Pointed Stick on Jun 21, 2011 10:23 AM EDT reply actions