Build first
Newsletter
A Thursday preview and a Sunday recap. It is the only feature that works from day one with an audience of zero, and it's how you build the audience for everything else.
Athens Dawg Report
Independent Georgia Bulldogs Coverage · athensdawgreport.com
Independent fan publication. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the University of Georgia or the UGA Athletic Association.
Fan Zone
The part of the site that belongs to readers. Vote in the weekly poll, call the score, send in a tailgate photo, and get the Thursday preview in your inbox.
Community
Four features, in the order they're worth building. Forums are last on purpose — an empty forum is worse than no forum.
Build first
A Thursday preview and a Sunday recap. It is the only feature that works from day one with an audience of zero, and it's how you build the audience for everything else.
Build second
Weekly, one question, results visible immediately. Low effort to participate, and a leaderboard over a full season gives people a reason to come back.
Build third
Tailgates, the Dawg Walk, road trips, dogs in jerseys. Moderated submissions with a clear rights notice — you need permission to publish what people send you.
Build last
Only once the newsletter has a real list. A quiet message board reads as a dead site. Start with comments on articles instead and graduate to forums when threads fill up on their own.
Not connected yet. Point this form at Buttondown, Beehiiv, Mailchimp or Substack and it works as-is.
By submitting, contributors grant permission to publish the photo with credit. Add that language to your terms before you accept the first upload.
Fan photos
Placeholder slots. Drop in your own photos — or reader submissions you have permission to publish.
Use photos you took or that were submitted to you with permission. Do not republish wire or newspaper photography — that is the fastest way for a fan site to get a takedown notice.