OK, the new platform is here … so now what?

by • Site stuff •

DEJAN
MILWAUKEE — Our custom commerce platform is up and running. As mentioned the other day, it’s aimed almost entirely at new subscribers but also will have some immediate impact on existing subscribers:

• You’ll need to log in. Actually, if you log in, you’ll solve about 99.999999 percent of any problems that might occur. So log in.

• Check the Support page. This will solve most any other question.

• The app will work fine between now and when it undergoes a similar process in the very near future. You won’t need to do anything to continue using it.

READ MORE / COMMENT

Site going under construction at midnight

by • Site stuff •

DEJAN
As we complete our new commerce platform, our entire site and app and everything related to it will go into a hibernation tonight at midnight and lasting about four hours.

When we emerge, a few things will be different:

• Everyone will be logged out of the site. Not the app, but just the site. You will need to log back in with your current credentials.

• Your commenting name will temporarily revert to your username. In the very near future, most likely this week, you’ll be able to choose a commenting name. For a slew of reasons, it can’t happen right away. Your avatars will remain the same throughout.

• We’re going to a hard paywall. No more free views of any kind, unless we choose to make an article available to everyone. If you’re a subscriber, obviously, this won’t affect you.

All the rest of the changes will behind-the-scenes or point-of-purchase stuff that will affect only new subscribers, so you might not even notice.

If you have any questions, please check our Support page. If your answer isn’t there, email us at [email protected]. You’ll be answered within 24 hours.

READ MORE / COMMENT

Photo-illustration -- DALI KOVACEVIC

Photo-illustration -- DALI KOVACEVIC

Welcome to Citrix, our newest, largest partner

by • Site stuff •

DEJAN
We’re delighted and honored to introduce to you our newest, largest partner: Citrix.

And I can’t begin to tell you exactly how delighted and how honored.

Citrix — and yes, I’m referring to that Citrix — is the California-based company whose software solutions, mobility management and networking are being used by more than 330,000 organizations and 100 million people worldwide. You might know them best for their GoToMeeting and GoToWebinar programs.

We’re proud to tell you Citrix came to us after being impressed with what we — and, in turn, you the reader — have built here in a short time, and they are prepared to move forward with us in a big way to continue our growth.

“We are excited to be partnering with DKPittsburghSports.com,” said Chris Hylen, GM of Citrix. “Citrix GoToMeeting and GoToWebinar will give DKPittsburghSports.com innovative ways to connect with their fans and customers all over the world, and partnering with a locally-based sports guru showcases all that is special about the Pittsburgh area.”

READ MORE / COMMENT

Meghan Klingenberg hugs Tobin Heath while celebrating her goal Sunday afternoon at Heinz Field -- GETTY

Meghan Klingenberg hugs Tobin Heath while celebrating her goal Sunday afternoon at Heinz Field -- GETTY

Klingenberg cashes in, U.S. rolls at Heinz Field

by • Coverage •

MATT
They came to Heinz Field, 44,028 of them, to revel in World Cup afterglow, but many of them probably had another thought drift through their heads at some point prior to kickoff.

Wouldn’t it be nice if Meghan Klingenberg got a goal?

That notion wasn’t outlandish, since she had scored twice in 41 previous matches for the national team. However, Klingenberg recently made her name as part of a United States defensive unit that posted a World Cup-record five straight shutouts.

But special events have special rules, as the record crowd discovered when Klingenberg started the second half of Sunday’s friendly against Costa Rica in the midfield.

READ MORE / COMMENT

A crowd of more than 40,000 stands at attention for the national anthems of the U.S. and Costa Rica. -- MATT GAJTKA

A crowd of more than 40,000 stands at attention for the national anthems of the U.S. and Costa Rica. -- MATT GAJTKA

Final: United States 8, Costa Rica 0

by • Game previews •

MATT
Looking ahead to kickoff …

Match: U.S. Women’s National Team vs. Costa Rica, 2 p.m., Heinz Field

TV, video: Fox Sports 1, FoxSportsGo

Online: Live stats | Multimedia | Media notes

READ MORE / COMMENT

Meghan Klingenberg (blue jersey, foreground) participates in Saturday

Meghan Klingenberg (blue jersey, foreground) participates in Saturday's U.S. practice at Heinz Field -- MATT GAJTKA

Klingenberg, U.S. women get feel for Heinz

by • Coverage •

MATT
More than 41,000 fans are expected to turn out Sunday afternoon at Heinz Field for a United States women’s soccer friendly against Costa Rica, but at least a couple grand were on hand Saturday for the team’s lone Pittsburgh training session.

From the perspective of Meghan Klingenberg, Gibsonia native and starting defender for the newly-crowned World Cup champions, that’s the level of enthusiasm she’s come to expect from her hometown.

“We know Pittsburgh’s going to show up tomorrow in force,” Klingenberg said. “It’s going to be incredibly loud, they’re going to be waving their Terrible Towels, and we’re going to have an absolute blast sharing this World Cup win with them.

“Being able to bring my teammates and coaches and experience what an incredible city it is, what an incredible fan base we have, is something really special.”

READ MORE / COMMENT

Talking about the site and app with Kessel-worshipping bloggers from Pens Of Anarchy. -- DALI KOVACEVIC

Talking about the site and app with Kessel-worshipping bloggers from Pens Of Anarchy. -- DALI KOVACEVIC

Lunatic Bash … yeah, let’s do that again soon

by • Site stuff • ,

By Dejan Kovacevic
Deepest thanks to all involved in the Lunatic Bash on Saturday night, topped by our lead sponsor Allegheny Health Network, the Riverhounds’ front office, the Highmark Stadium staff and, above everything else, all those who showed up.

I mean, wow.

Between that and the Meghan Klingenberg halftime ceremony and the singularly outrageous social-media Yinzsplosion of having Benstonium and SuckMeter in the same venue … let’s just say it would be a swell idea to do it again soon.

Here’s a video wrap-up of the scene that my wife made:

READ MORE / COMMENT

Current online front page at Poynter.org. -- POYNTER

Current online front page at Poynter.org. -- POYNTER

Site is subject of lead feature in Poynter

by • Site stuff •

By Dejan Kovacevic
I’m beyond moved this morning at the release of an article in Poynter, the official journal of our nation’s leading journalism institute, about our little site. Bobbleheads and all.

My thanks to Ed Sherman, who conducted a tough, extensive and fair interview, and the institute for thinking of us when there are infinitely bigger fish in the sea.

Deepest thanks, as always, to you. This is about the entire community of subscribers we’ve built up here, whether they’re reading, commenting, asking their own tough questions on a daily basis or just making fun of us having only one microphone for the Morning Java vids.

Hope to see you and thank you myself on Saturday.

READ MORE / COMMENT

Anna Webb will oversee our social media endeavors and write a regular feature on same.

Anna Webb will oversee our social media endeavors and write a regular feature on same.

Welcome, Anna Webb, social media director

by • Site stuff •

Please welcome the newest member of our staff, Anna Webb. She’ll be our site’s social media coordinator/writer:

Bylinesanna
I was born and raised in West By God Virginia, as we call it. I grew up in a small river town, Williamstown, where sports were king. If you weren’t watching the Mountaineers on TV, you were down at the high school for Friday night football.

Growing up in a sports town and being the opposite of athletic could have been tough. Thankfully, though, I grew up in a household that was all about being a top-notch sports fan. I may not have been good, but I could sure cheer loudly on the sidelines.

We were always a Pittsburgh sports house (with the exception of Pitt, but come on, I’m a Mountaineer until I die). I was born June 1, 1992, and I think from that point on, my dad believed I was destined to be good luck for the Penguins. He loves to tell the story of how he left the hospital that night and went home to watch Mario and the Pens win their second Cup. I grew up listening to Mike Lange call out his Lange-isms, watching Jason Bay catch fly balls, and not moving the Terrible Towel that had to sit in the same spot in our house until playoffs started. I’m not a Pittsburgh Kid, but I always felt like one.

READ MORE / COMMENT

Atria

Atria's signature location at PNC Park has been in place since the opening in 2001. -- ALANA BERGAMASCO

Welcome, Atria’s, newest corporate sponsor

by • Site stuff •

BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC

Please join us in welcoming the Atria’s restaurant family as our newest major corporate sponsor. And yes, if the name rings a bell, that’s the restaurant built into the Federal Street side of PNC Park, though it has several other locations as well.

We’re looking forward to building an extensive partnership with Atria’s, and we genuinely hope you’ll consider supporting them in two ways:

1. Please follow them on Twitter and like their Facebook page. Pass the word, too. Social media is a tremendous resource in the restaurant business, and we can be a great asset to them in this regard.

2. Eat there! And tell them you appreciate their support of our site!

Soon enough, we’ll have a subscriber get-together at Atria’s, as well.

Couple changes in our usual schedule

by • Site stuff •

BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC

SAN FRANCISCO — This is usually the day for Tuesday 10 Qs. That feature will run two days late this week, on Thursday, for two reasons:

1. I’ll be able to put the proper time into them on the long flight home Wednesday night. Feel free to use the comments below this post to enter Qs. I’ll pick from here.

2. It will allow you to take in this whole West Coast swing before firing away.

3. With the Pirates off Thursday, it will be published on a much less busy day.

Also, Josh Yohe and I will team up on this week’s Friday Insider. He’ll take the top two-thirds on the Penguins and Steelers, since he’ll have spent time with both this week, and I’ll round it out with baseball stuff accumulated on this trip. This way, we work together to try to get you the freshest material we’re covering.

READ MORE / COMMENT

Graphic: DALI KOVACEVIC

Graphic: DALI KOVACEVIC

First annual Lunatic Bash, July 18 at Highmark

by • Site stuff • ,

BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC

We’ve had subscriber meetups from our Sixth Street Starbucks to the one buried deep in the Winnipeg Underground, from Cranberry to Columbus to Calgary to our nation’s capital.

But we’ve never had one quite like the one-year anniversary Lunatic Bash that we’re announcing right here will take place July 18, 5 p.m., at Highmark Stadium.

All subscribers of all levels will receive a free ticket to that night’s match between the Riverhounds and Louisville City FC, courtesy of the team and our primary sponsor, Allegheny Health Network. We’ll meet around the stadium’s excellent new soccer bar, which is fully open toward the pitch, and we’ll make it work no matter the number that shows up, large or small. (Large would be awesome, though.)

More details will emerge as we get closer. For now, suffice it to say we’d love to have you. And above all, thanks to you and to our sponsors for this incredible first year.

1 2 3