Alli's Take

Is the Celtics’ website as good as their game?

I don’t know about you, but when I check out a website- I don’t want it to be too complicated. I want it to be simple, organized, and easy to use. Personally, I always appreciate the aesthetics of a well-rounded website. When it comes to picking an organization, I wanted to pick a popular one that many people will constantly try and access. What better team to evaluate than the Celtics with the NBA playoffs going on at the moment? Yes, I’m a Curry fan, but ultimately, I am hoping that Jayson Tatum can help his team pull off the upset and bring home a title to Boston. Go Celtics!

Jayson Tatum > Steph Curry (For this series at least)

Ease of Accessibility

The domain is just what you would expect it to be (https://www.nba.com/celtics/), making it extremely easy to search for and access. If you search Celtics, this website comes up first. Once on the website, you know you’re in the right place by all the green and clovers!

Ease of Navigation

I would say that the website is very easy to maneuver. At the top of website is all the categories within the website, and when hovered over, several drop down links appear. For example, if a fan wants to buy a new Jayson Tatum jersey to sport, they will hover over the Store button, and then click Jerseys. Just like that, they have all the jersey options available at their fingertips. The website is very organized which makes it extremely easy for fans to find just what they are looking for in seconds. There should be no confusion for fans when it comes to finding out information!

Look, it’s that easy!

Use of Interactivity

In my opinion, this is the area of the website that could use the most work. To be completely honest, it is not very interactive for fans. There are no polls, comment boxes, or sign-ups for people to click on and complete. The only interactive part for fans is the Celtics Chat, which is not exactly bold enough for fans to notice. In fact, it took me about five minutes of searching to find it! The Celtics Chat gives fans the opportunity to ask questions about memberships, tickets, and suites. To my surprise, there are no links to any of the social media pages for the Celtics. I feel as though this is a huge loss as social media is huge in today’s society and should be taken advantage of.

Use of Video

On the homepage, there are currently no videos for fans to view. Rather that page consists of mostly images, scores, and stories. However, if you look at the top of the page, there is an option to click Video. From here, website visitors can choose to view videos regarding the community, history, games, dancers, and more. There is also an option to head to the YouTube page. The videos do not auto-play, but they are very organized. You can find content based on the date, and there is a title and description for every video. Each video also includes the length which I think is extremely helpful to know what you’re getting yourself into before clicking play.

Quality of Content

Overall, I think the website provides quality content that fans want to read. There is not a ton of fluff to the website which is a huge plus. For example, there are very little advertisements on the homepage. Fans do not necessarily want to have to sort through ads to find actual information. At the top of the website are scores of their playoff games, and right below that is the time of the next game. This is necessary information because it helps keep fans in the loop. The homepage also consists of the most recent stories and highlights that fans are most likely to read.

Improvements?

Overall, I would say that there is not much the Celtics could improve upon when it comes to their website. Just like their play, they seem to be dominating. The website is extremely accessible and easy to navigate. If there was one thing I would change, it would be making it more interactive. In our world today, EVERYONE is on social media. There should be easy to find links to this on the homepage- no questions asked! This is an extremely easy way to engage with your fan base, so the Celtics need to take advantage of it. On a majority of websites, there will often times be a box where visitors can sign up for emails, giveaways, etc. I think the Celtics could easily create something like this in order to keep their fans more invested and aware. The website is aesthetically pleasing and not too cluttered. I even took a look at the mobile site and found that was just as easy to navigate and maneuver throughout! Overall, there’s a few things that the Celtics could do to step up their game, but ultimately, they’re the top in the East…potentially the whole NBA. 😉

Food for Thought

How did the mobile site of your organization’s website compare to the standard one? Would a sloppy website deter you from buying tickets or attending an event? Could a poorly designed website destroy an organization’s image? What do you think is the most important component when it comes to having a well-rounded website? Do you care more about the aesthetics, accessibility, or ease of navigation? Who are you rooting for in the NBA playoffs?

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64 responses to “Is the Celtics’ website as good as their game?”

  1. anjaloncarevic Avatar
    anjaloncarevic

    Hi Alli! Great and very detailed post. I agreed with everything that you said. I, as well, enjoy and value a website when it is easy to navigate and aesthetically pleasing. That’s what makes me want to come back to it! Images need to be used adequately. In my opinion, it can ruin a website in terms of space and proportions related to the text. Excellent food for thoughts section! Personally, the website I evaluated has a good mobile version. I think the professionalism of an organization can been seen through that. Mobile versions need to be taken care of, since we are using our phones constantly. What do you think about organizations developing apps? Would that be a potential solution to poor mobile versions of an organization’s website?

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    1. alliwroblewski1330 Avatar
      alliwroblewski1330

      Hi Anja! I think that mobile apps could be a solution to poor mobile versions of a website. I think that they could be easier to use and have better layouts. Apps can make it easier to purchase tickets to an event or game as well. The only downfall is that fans actually have to download the app. I think there would be some that do it, but others that are too lazy to do so. You may run into problems with people not knowing the difference between the app and mobile website, especially in older generations. I think that if the app is marketed in the right way to the right crowd, it could be very effective. What is your opinion on this? Do you believe the apps are helpful?

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      1. anjaloncarevic Avatar
        anjaloncarevic

        You made some valid points! I definitely think that the apps are more effective and efficient to use. However, it also must be a cost for an organization to develop an app. Websites might be cheaper…
        Older generations struggle with the whole app system, but once they have them I think the use of an app is easier than a website in my opinion! I always refer to using airline apps and airline websites. Apps are way easier to use!

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    2. Josey Starner Avatar
      Josey Starner

      Anja! I completely agree about web designs being aesthetically pleasing, which is why I was fairly disappointed while evaluating the Yankees website! Although it technically met the requirements, it just wasn’t necessarily nice to look at! As for apps, I think that could be a potential idea, however, if you are an avid sports viewer, if each team had its own app it could be too much! I wonder if they could make one app where you have access to all team websites and social media if that’s not already made!

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  2. lily provenzano Avatar
    lily provenzano

    Hi Alli! Love your post, and very clever title. I happened to look at the Minnesota Vikings homepage for this assignment, and one major difference between their mobile and main website was that the mobile one highlighted the featured posts more due to the smaller screen space. And yes, I do believe that a poorly designed website may ruin a businesses reputation as it may fail to help customers gain the knowledge they are seeking – such as ticket information or a teams schedule. I think ease of navigation as well as easy access are the most important factors for a website.

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    1. anjaloncarevic Avatar
      anjaloncarevic

      I liked how you emphasized that a poorly designed website can negatively affect the business. In my opinion, in really can hurt. It happened to me, multiple times, to give up on an order for example, if I couldn’t figure out how to navigate on a website.

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    2. alliwroblewski1330 Avatar
      alliwroblewski1330

      Hi Lily! I couldn’t agree more that ease of navigation is huge when it comes to a well-designed website. Personally, I want to be able to find things within seconds, and just by the click of a button. If I have to spend more than a few minutes trying to find something, chances are I am going to give up. I would agree that the Celtics’ mobile page highlighted more featured posts, which I found useful. What do you think makes up a well designed website?

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      1. lily provenzano Avatar
        lily provenzano

        I think that a simplistic approach with easy navigation is the best way to set up a website. I think that sometimes brands/companies get a little too excited with the graphics and videos which then in turn can make the visitor feel a bit overwhelmed by the content.

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  3. zackkopp1 Avatar
    zackkopp1

    Hi Alli,
    In today’s world where everyone lives on their phone, it is crucial to make sure your website works not only on a computer but also on cell phones. If you build a website without thinking about how it will work on phones you are losing so many potential customers. I have clicked away from many websites if they do not have a good presentation. Sometimes they have the exact item I want, but their website is poorly designed and it makes me question if it is a real site. So I 100% believe that a poorly designed website can hurt a company’s image.

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    1. alliwroblewski1330 Avatar
      alliwroblewski1330

      Hi Zack! I completely agree that it is a must for mobile sites to be organized. In my opinion, more people use mobile sites rather than standard ones just because our phones are literally at our fingertips. If a website doesn’t have a good presentation, it could definitely come across as potentially being fake. Organized websites help keep fans engaged and more aware. What do you think makes up a well-designed website?

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      1. zackkopp1 Avatar
        zackkopp1

        I think you just touched on all the major keys to what makes up a well-designed website. The website needs to have a great presentation, be well organized, and be able to be used on our smartphones. I would say the only part you missed is you need to make sure the website is aesthetically pleasing. If your website does not pass the eye test you will lose so many potential customers.

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  4. cadecox7 Avatar
    cadecox7

    Hi Alli,
    This is a great post that really touches on all bases for a complete website review. I was also very impressed as to how thorough you were in your search, great job there! To answer some of your questions, a sloppy website would absolutely deter me from purchasing tickets for any event. This makes me lose confidence in my purchase. I do think that a poorly designed website could hurt the image of a company. People are quick to judge and if any part of your business isn’t maintained, people could form an opinion on your organization as a whole. I am also rooting for the Celtics, I am not a fan of Draymond Green and the Warriors. I understand how great they are, but they just annoy me!
    Great post!

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    1. alliwroblewski1330 Avatar
      alliwroblewski1330

      Hi Cade! I completely agree that a poorly designed website could hurt the image of a company. I mean if it’s sloppy and confusing, that might make you think that the organization is as well. It almost serves as a first impression, and organizations should be trying to impress their fans with a clean and organized website. As for me, I don’t think the poorly designed website would deter me from purchasing tickets. I would still stay loyal to my team; I might just have some select words for them. Glad to hear you’re rooting for the Celtics. Hopefully they can come back strong after that tough loss!

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      1. cadecox7 Avatar
        cadecox7

        An organization’s online presence is a crucial factor for any business in today’s society. I too believe that it is overly important to have a strong and clean online presence that is constantly being updated. I sure hope Boston finds their footing in these last two games.

        Liked by 1 person

  5. zwynia2 Avatar
    zwynia2

    Great post Alli! I am like you to where I like my websites simple and organized. I am very surprised that there was not many videos on their website. I did my blog on the Minnesota Twins website and there was videos every where. In my opinion, it is a red flag if there is not much interactivity on their website. I believe that interactivity is the most important part of the website. It is important to have your viewers engaged to your website because this can make them feel like they are apart of the organization. To answer your question about buying tickets if an organization had a poorly designed website, I would not care to be honest and I would still buy tickets if they are teams I support. If the Twins had the worst website ever created, I would still attend Twins games. How do you feel about this? Would you not attend your favorite sports teams events if they had a bad website?

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    1. alliwroblewski1330 Avatar
      alliwroblewski1330

      I completely agree with you. Personally, I’m a huge White Sox fan (so boo Twins), and even if their website was awful, I would still buy tickets to games. I might be annoyed by this, but it’s not going to change my opinion of the team I have always rooted for and the experiences I have had from attending games and events. I was surprised by the lack of videos as well. Especially being a basketball team, there are so many opportunities to showcase fun plays such as dunks or shots. I think interactivity is huge in today’s world, as technology is more prevalent than ever before. In what ways was your website interactive?

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      1. zwynia2 Avatar
        zwynia2

        The Minnesota Twins website had some interactivity on its homepage. They had the MLB All-Star voting options on their site. They also had tabs to guide you to ticket purchasing options as well. I was hoping they had a little bit more interactivity, but that is what they currently have.

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  6. amcluen Avatar
    amcluen

    Hey Alli,
    Good job on your blog post! For my organization I think the mobile app actually looked more aesthetically pleasing than the standard one. It felt a lot less overwhelming. Personally I don’t think a sloppy website would deter me from buy tickets or attending an event. It might tick me off trying to find tickets, but I am not going to base an experience on a website. Kind of like not judging a book by its cover. Going along with that I don’t think if a website is poorly designed it would destroy and organization’s image. It may hurt it a little bit, especially if their website was hard to find.
    I think the most important part of a website is the aesthetic of the home page. If the home page is cluttered and overwhelming it will make it hard to find anything.
    Finally I am with you, GO CELTICS!

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    1. alliwroblewski1330 Avatar
      alliwroblewski1330

      I completely agree about the mobile app looking more aesthetically pleasing than the standard one. At times, I felt as though the standard one had way too much going on and could come across as confusing for some. It would take a lot for a website to deter me from buying tickets. I think the website would have to physically rob me of my money in order to make me that mad. Otherwise, I’m probably a loyal fan if I am buying tickets to a game or something, and a sloppy website isn’t going to make me turn on my team. Do you think the mobile sites are more aesthetically pleasing since consumers are more likely to visit the website from their phone?

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      1. amcluen Avatar
        amcluen

        I would agree! Now that you mention that it does make sense about why the mobile app being more aesthetically pleasing. I didn’t even think about it that way.

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  7. Tanner Frost Avatar
    Tanner Frost

    Hello Alli! Great analysis.

    I like your criticism of the interactivity of the site, and how it creates a real disconnect between the user and brand/website. Especially for a sports program, the most useful thing brands can do is make the fan feel connected and important. Especially with it being disconnected from their social channels.

    Did you feel this sort of disconnect as a reader? As for me to answer your question, I think the most important component is navigation. As good as a website can look, if you can’t find info or where to go it creates frustration as you mentioned.

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    1. alliwroblewski1330 Avatar
      alliwroblewski1330

      Hi Tanner! I agree that it is extremely important for sports programs to attempt to connect with their fans. This could make fans feel more appreciated and create more of a loyalty. I think I did feel a little disconnect from the organization, but nothing too bad. I felt like I was on a business page rather than a website that was trying to create a bond/relationship with fans. Do you think there is a way for organizations to avoid this disconnect?

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      1. Tanner Frost Avatar
        Tanner Frost

        I think a level of personalization that can be implemented always helps! Such as when pages say “Hello Tanner/Alli/Etc.”. It’s a small thing that goes a long way. Or remembers if you were reading an article. Adds up fast

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      2. Tanner Frost Avatar
        Tanner Frost

        I know organizations have to strike a balance between prospective fans and current fans, and I’m no expert so I think it’s hard. Like I mentioned before, on personalized visits if it cashes my information and welcomes me with my name or other articles I’ve been reading, I feel more personal connection to the website and brand as a result

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  8. johnbickle Avatar
    johnbickle

    Hi Alli!
    I think you did a great job critiquing the website and I personally hope that the Celtics come back to win this series! The mobile app for my organization was very similar to the desktop version except there was a dropdown menu instead of different tabs to click. I also found that it was easier to lose information beneath the fold on the mobile version because of the different orientation.
    Personally, I think that an organization’s social media pages would ruin their image before their website would if both were sloppy. I think that many people that go to a team’s website are already followers of the team, where this is not as likely to be the case on social media. However, both are obviously very important and should be easy to use and access. I think that aesthetics would be the most important aspect of a website to new visitors, but accessibility would be the most important to returning users.
    Thanks for the article it was a great read!

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    1. alliwroblewski1330 Avatar
      alliwroblewski1330

      Hi John! I agree that social media would have a bigger impact on the team’s reputation rather than their website. Personally, I don’t check any of my favorite teams’ social media pages. Rather, I check their Instagram or Twitter pages because it is way easier. Since social media is an important component, should that be incorporated into the website?

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      1. johnbickle Avatar
        johnbickle

        I think that social media and websites typically serve different functions, but I think that with social media becoming so relevant I think that many websites could definitely incorporate it more. I know a lot of websites simply link their socials, but I think it could be very beneficial to even have a page dedicated to recent or popular social media posts. This would really help blend the difference between websites and social media in my opinion.

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  9. ittzbenn Avatar
    ittzbenn

    Hello Alli!

    I really enjoyed your post. I am also watching the NBA Finals this year, and excited to see who will come out victorious. The Celtics were listed as the favorites to win the series, but I always felt that the Warriors should be the favorite due to the amount of championship experience that they have. The warriors are currently up 3-2 in a 7 game series, and they are 1 win away from receiving their 4th championship title in the last 8 years. I am rooting for the Celtics, so hopefully they can win at home and force a game 7. I agree that the website could add more tools so that it’ll be easier for the fans to interact with what is going on. The website is pretty dull regarding the fact that the Celtics are in the Finals for the first time in over a decade. I also think the most important part of a website is the home page. If the home page is cluttered then it will make it hard to find anything.

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    1. alliwroblewski1330 Avatar
      alliwroblewski1330

      Hello! A little sad that no game 7 occurred, but I guess Golden State earned that one. The Celtics’ website definitely could have highlighted the Finals more than what they did. It almost came across as if it wasn’t even a big deal. When a homepage is cluttered, it can be frustrating to find exactly what you’re looking for. If a page was too cluttered, would it make you hesitate about visiting the website once again?

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      1. ittzbenn Avatar
        ittzbenn

        Hello!
        Yea it was a bit sad that the Celtics couldn’t force a game 7. I compared the Warriors website to the Celtics website, and there was a significant difference. The Warriors website was a lot more exciting and allowed the fans to engage with the website and team. It would make me hesitate because I would just go else where to find the same information. The internet is a huge market, and it allows multiple avenues to gather information.

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  10. ryanjurden1 Avatar
    ryanjurden1

    Hey,
    Cavs fan here. The NBA does do a great job with websites as a whole. I wish they would go a little deeper with content like the MLB does with rewards programs like you mentioned and as a stat nerd there just is not that deep of outlook on the stats page. I wish they would include more stuff other then the basic information that you see on ESPN.
    I admire your Celtic fandom but without a direct rooting interest for me I can’t help but hope Steph gets another ring. As for the tickets, I would never purchase through the team’s direct website. After seeing first hand how organizations ticket offices push you to buy through league websites. They just want the NBA or whatever league it is to get your extra fees so that they can get a little bit of the cut. I always lean towards vivid seats or seat geek as buying from another person always seems to be the cheaper way to go.
    Hopefully the Celtics can pull a win out tonight so that we can all watch a game 7!

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    1. alliwroblewski1330 Avatar
      alliwroblewski1330

      Hi Ryan! Unfortunately, the Celtics didn’t pull through, so we won’t get a game 7. I agree that the NBA does an overall pretty decent job with their website, despite a few small changes that could be done. I typically buy my tickets through sites like StubHub, just because I find it much easier and quicker to complete the transaction. What types of extra stats/information would you like to see added on the website?

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      1. ryanjurden1 Avatar
        ryanjurden1

        I would love to see some more advanced and true stats that show a players real value like usage rate, VORP, true shooting percentages and win shares. Other sites like the MLB show more new age stats like WAR and BFIP that can tell you more about the player other than how many points he averages on 40% shooting which does not really tell you the whole story of a players impact.

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  11. austintgill Avatar
    austintgill

    Hey Alli!

    I think that you did a great job of evaluating the Celtics website! Your recommendation of the website needing to be a more interactive website is one that I think that can be applied to many of the websites we evaluated. Most sports organizations tend to fill their pages with video and photo content in comparison to the polls, comment boxes or sign ups like you mentioned. This is something that should become the focus of these organizations to separate themselves from their counterparts. To answer a few of your questions, the mobile site of the NY Jets was actually very similar to their computer accessible site, which I was pleasantly surprised about. A poor website would certainly have the power to derail an organization’s image in my eyes and it is why they should be regularly evaluated and updated!

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    1. alliwroblewski1330 Avatar
      alliwroblewski1330

      Hi Austin! Interesting that the mobile and computer accessible sites were very similar. I think having similar sites could be much simpler and lead to much less confusion. A well-designed website could definitely be what separates one organization from another, especially if it can be interactive in some way. What do you think makes up a well-designed website versus a poorly designed website? Is there a necessary factor in making sure a website is well done?

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      1. austintgill Avatar
        austintgill

        I agree that having a mobile site and computer accessible site that resemble each other makes it less confusing and more simple! I think that a well designed website is on that combines most of the things we looked at, easily accessible, full of great content, interactive and so on!

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    2. southallm04 Avatar
      southallm04

      Austin and Alli,

      I wanted to jump in on this conversation and talk about how Austin mentioned that website typically fill their pages up with photos and videos in comparison to polls or comment boxes. My thought on that is I think polls and comment boxes should have their own separate page because I do think that video and photos are still an important aspect of any website. I think photos and videos tend to draw interest right away and then you can lead the consumer into the page with the polls and comment boxes about certain items and events happening at the stadium or venue of that website.

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  12. taylerregnier Avatar
    taylerregnier

    Hi Alli,

    Your post was a super fun read. You were saying that this website could use help in the interactivity portion and that seems to be such a theme with websites lately. I did my blog over the yahoo sports website and I can definitely say that it was lacking on the interactivity side. I can say that the mobile compared to the website for yahoo sports was similar but also different. It seemed to me that the mobile version had fewer ads compared to the online version. I did also notice that there were more options to subscribe to different areas on the mobile compared to online. I think that this could be something the website could work on more. To answer one of your questions, I think that for a website to be well-rounded and wholesome it should have everything neatly flow together and keep everything looking as professional as possible with a few touches of creativity here and there to allow them to stand out compared to other websites and organizations.

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    1. alliwroblewski1330 Avatar
      alliwroblewski1330

      Hi Tayler! I completely agree that a website should flow together nicely. It just looks cleaner and professional when everything matches in a sense. Creativity is a great idea to stand out from other organizations. Do you have any ideas on how an organization could show creativity on their website?

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      1. taylerregnier Avatar
        taylerregnier

        A few ideas an organization could do would be to make their website more interactive, use original illustrations based on the organization, use a font that is more unique than other websites, use animations, and have the visitors of the website waiting for the next best thing, nad plenty more ideas. I think that creativity goes a super long way when it comes to developing a website and there is always room for improvement for everyone!

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  13. Addy Pender Avatar
    Addy Pender

    This was a great post, Alli! I think for your point of improvement to allow fans to sign up for giveaways or a chance to win free tickets would be something really awesome for the Celtics. I feel like so many people are looking only at mobile sites for their information about tickets or their favorite teams so if a mobile website is not providing that information, that will be very frustrating for fans. I do think that if a website was not high quality, it would shy me away from using it to buy tickets or even find information about the organization. I want a quick, easy process to find what I am looking for or purchase tickets at that exact moment and if that doesn’t happen, I feel like I would become extremely frustrated. I think from first glance, I care about aesthetics the most but when it comes down to accessing information, I want to be able to easily navigate the website. What do you think?
    Great post, go Celtics!

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    1. alliwroblewski1330 Avatar
      alliwroblewski1330

      Hi Addy! I agree that it’s super important for me to be able to navigate a website easily. I don’t want to have to waste any time searching for what I am trying to find. Personally, I also enjoy a simple and neat website that is aesthetically pleasing. On the other hand, if I am a loyal fan, I am not going to turn my back on a team just because their website was not the best. Sure, I will be frustrated, but it won’t keep me from supporting my team and going to events.

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      1. Addy Pender Avatar
        Addy Pender

        Definitely agree with you that it won’t keep me from buying tickets to support my team or sign up for giveaways. If it is a situation where maybe I am out of town and it is just one of my options for something to do that night and not necessarily a team that I greatly support, I may end up not purchasing tickets for that game.

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  14. jessiejbrady Avatar
    jessiejbrady

    Alli,

    First off, I’m sorry that Tatum couldn’t deliver the upset for you! Overall, a great series though!
    I find it very surprising that the Celtics do not have any social media linked to their website. I evaluated the Mets’ webpage, and it was like 80% social media posts from various platforms. Did you check to see if this is the same for other NBA sites? It would be interesting to see if this in uniform throughout. Adding a click-able signup section is also a very popular idea. For many websites, before you can even look at the homepage, a box will pop up asking if you want to sign up for newsletter subscriptions.

    To answer your first question, the Mets’ website actually felt like it was more designed for the mobile user instead desktop. On the desktop the sides are left empty of content and filled with adds that are not present in the mobile version. In turn, this makes the mobile version look less cluttered.

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    1. alliwroblewski1330 Avatar
      alliwroblewski1330

      Hi! It’s too bad Tatum didn’t pull through, but Curry played incredible, so I can’t be mad at that series. I was shocked about the social media, too. I haven’t taken a look at other NBA sites, but I would be interested to see if they also are lacking. Social media is an area that teams should be focusing on since it is such a big deal in the world today. How did the Mets incorporate social media into their website?

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      1. jessiejbrady Avatar
        jessiejbrady

        On the Mets’ homepage, along the left side it says “Follow the Mets” and lists 9 different platforms you can follow the team. As you scroll down it lists multiple Twitter posts from the team. It is almost as if you are scrolling through their twitter right on their homepage.

        I did some digging on other NBA team websites. Unlike the MLB team sites, each NBA page is different. As it is an extension of the official NBA page, I thought they would all follow the same format. But that is not the case. For example, the New York Knicks page has a heavy focus on stats and no mention of social media, while the Utah Jazz mentioned ways to connect with the team via social media on both the top and bottom of every page.

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  15. smaniatis3 Avatar
    smaniatis3

    Hi Alli!
    I really enjoyed your blog about the Celtics, I struggled when choosing mine if i wanted to go the team route or the organization as a whole for example i chose the entirety of the MLB site as opposed to choosing my favorite team the White Sox. I totally agree with you there should be a way to go directly to team social media pages from the team site especially with how popular social media has become.
    they were pretty similar with such a large audience that the MLB draws in they tend to keep the formatting of the mobile sites.
    it would deter me from buying the tickets if i enjoyed the event or game id be going to but it would cause me to look for other avenues of buying the tickets to try and avoid the site.
    it most definitely can ruin an organizations image and i know this is about websites but its almost the same as if a social media account went rouge and started posting questionable stuff.
    Unfortunately, the team I was rooting for, the Chicago Bulls got eliminated round one otherwise id say i was rooting for the Celtics afterwards which since its Friday they already lost lol.

    otherwise that was a great post glad i could learn about the NBA team websites through this!

    -Scott

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    1. alliwroblewski1330 Avatar
      alliwroblewski1330

      Hi Scott! I am actually a White Sox and Bulls fan too, I even got a DeRozan jersey this year because I loved watching them play. I chose to focus on a different team because I probably would have been a little biased looking at theirs. Personally, if the White Sox had a awful website, it wouldn’t keep me from going to their games. What do you think makes up a poorly designed website?

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      1. smaniatis3 Avatar
        smaniatis3

        Oh cool! im jealous i thought about getting his jersey after his back to back buzzer beaters to end 2021 and start 2022 i just never got around to actually buying it! That makes sense on the personal bias and ill admit thats why i chose the MLB organization as a whole instead of the team so i could avoid that. I think a poorly designed website is one that is misleading about where it diverts you, doesnt have accurate hotlinks on the site or brings you to the wrong area.
        So after saying you thought you might have been bias had you chosen the Sox page, if you were in charge of the MLB site or the NBA sites is there a way you think you’d be able to work around that favorite team bias to make sure the whole association is covered and no team gets extra spotlight or none at all?

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  16. nickfey22 Avatar
    nickfey22

    Thanks for the great post!

    I tried my website on my mobile device, IPad, and desktop. Generally IPad has the worst experience due to the weird aspect ratio of the screen it provided whereas on my iPhone I didn’t run into as many issues.

    Yes a sloppy website 100% deters me from ticket buying. I have ran into this in the past with some amateur teams in my areas and it makes it a very difficult buying experience where I either don’t buy the tickets or look on a 3rd party app instead.

    I think a website is a reflection of the organization to an extent. A good website shows they care and probably spent money to ensure a good fan experience to find content, buy merchandise, and follow their team.

    I think the most important part is being able to find or search for the content you want easily, and the transition of that content to sales. So if you are searching for the schedule, being able to quickly find tickets for each game listed on the schedule. I care more about the ease of navigation than the other options.

    I was rooting for the Celtics, but as we all know by this time (Saturday), Chef Curry was just a bit too hot for them to handle in game 6!

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    1. alliwroblewski1330 Avatar
      alliwroblewski1330

      Hi Nick! Unfortunately, Steph played a great game, but that’s why I can’t hate the guy. They deserved that win. I completely agree that a website gives a good representation of the team. If a lot of effort is put into the website, that is definitely a good thing. A sloppy website makes you worry about the team and may make you think poorly of them. For me, ease of navigation is at the top of the list. I want to be able to find what I am looking for without any problems. What do you think makes up a badly designed website?

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      1. nickfey22 Avatar
        nickfey22

        It was overall a fun series! Personally I cant stand if things dont load properly on a site. You run into this when theres too much video/imaging on a page and then the whole thing seems “clunky”. Thanks!

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  17. carterk12 Avatar
    carterk12

    Hello, great post! I’m a big LeBron fan and thus have never liked the Celtics. With that said I was actually cheering for them because I dislike the Warriors even more. It was a very entertaining finals. I would not say a sports teams website would deter me from getting tickets to their games. Honestly I typically purchase tickets through another app or website and rarely go to a teams website for tickets. I guess I would assume most people order tickets the way I do. Do you go to the specific teams website when purchasing tickets?

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    1. alliwroblewski1330 Avatar
      alliwroblewski1330

      Hi Carter! I also typically purchase tickets through StubHub, Vivid Seats or another site just because it is so much easier. I also feel like these tickets are cheaper. What do you think is the most important component of a well-designed website for a sports team?

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      1. carterk12 Avatar
        carterk12

        To me, when I’m heading to a sports teams page, I’m typically looking for specific information. Thus, having a webpage that can be easily navigated is big for me. When I was younger I was more of a diehard fan and would be looking for lots of interactive features on their website.

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  18. Shadowcry686 Avatar
    Shadowcry686

    I think accessibility and quality work together as the top two important things for a website. If a website is hard to navigate, especially a sports website, I would just as easily go to Ticketmaster or another site to get tickets rather than go through the site. This is something that I think sport entities should think about when developing their website.

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    1. alliwroblewski1330 Avatar
      alliwroblewski1330

      Hi! I completely agree that accessibility and quality are essential for a good website. Fans want to be able to find things easily without wasting any time. Do you think a majority of fans buy tickets from the organization website or from a secondhand site? Is there something the team could do to make the process easier for fans?

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  19. dejauncooper8 Avatar
    dejauncooper8

    Wow Alli,
    This is a great blog setup. I like a lot about the blog post. Starting with the team choice it was apporiate with this time being NBA Finals time despite GSW winning, Boston had a great season. I like the colors corresponding to the C’s. As far as my organization evaluation I too found the Carolina Panthers website to be quality in terms of content provided. I do think these media teams work extremely hard and they are good at creating what they do.

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    1. alliwroblewski1330 Avatar
      alliwroblewski1330

      Hi Dejaun! I’m glad that you found the Carolina website to be well-designed. What made it so well designed? What do you think is the most important aspect for a well designed website? Were there any issues with their website?

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      1. dejauncooper8 Avatar
        dejauncooper8

        What stood out to me was the amount of content they had. I was able to scroll through the videos weeks, to months, to years. It is great content and fun to binge watch in my opinion. Most important aspect for a well designed site in my opinion would be what we were actually looking for in this assignment it looks like you found some good stuff. I did not find any issues with their site. I thought it was well put together.

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  20. jamanchigiah Avatar
    jamanchigiah

    Alli,

    This was a great detailed post! Sorry the Celtics could not get it done. I was rooting for the Warriors as a Bucks fan still bitter over their series with the Celtics. I don’t believe that a poorly designed website would deter me from buying tickets or merchandise, but it could make me think about the organization as a whole. I wonder if the nature of a detailed website relates to on field performance as a team. A poorly designed website could mean lack of attention to detail as an organization. I think ease of navigation is most important but aesthetics is a nice bonus. Additionally I think the actual content within a website plays a major part as there should be new information and stories that you are learning about when you visit an organizations website.

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  21. southallm04 Avatar
    southallm04

    Alli,
    Your evaluation was fun and interesting to read and I love that you relayed how awesome there website was back to the their play on the court. To answer some of your questions, I personally like the mobile site of the NCAA better than when I searched it on my computer. Mostly because it was condensed and it made the colors and the creativity of the website pop more. For the next two questions, I would say yes. A poorly organized/sloppy website would keep me from buying tickets because I know I would get frustrated with using it. Also a poorly organized/sloppy website could destroy and organization image because that is typically the first place people look to get reviews and see what the organization is all about. Lastly, I think the most important aspect of the website is creativity and it is easy to use.

    GOLDEN STATE BABY (I also do not watch basketball but I like Steph Curry)

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  22. Josey Starner Avatar
    Josey Starner

    What a great post Alli! I really enjoy how you incorporated the colors and photos, it looks so good! In response to your food for thought, personally, I do feel that a sloppy website would deter me from buying tickets simply because I would get tired and annoying of maneuvering a website if it was that difficult! Personally, I prioritize aesthetics and accessibility when it comes to the design, if it looks pretty and is easy to navigate you’re golden!

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  23. jackrinzel Avatar
    jackrinzel

    Hello,
    I am someone who really does not give much thought to a sport’s teams website. I usually do not even notice unless it is REALLY bad! I think as long as I am able to find the basics, like schedule, and maybe some photos, I will have no complaints!

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