247 Sports Hiding Crystal Ball Picks
I do not pay for content on 247 Sports and I just noticed that some Crystal Ball picks are being hidden, but those picks can be unlocked by paying for VIP access. Personally, this isn't a big deal and doesn't entice me to start paying to see this newly hidden content. It's more likely that I'll just stop visiting the webpage, but is a bit disappointing. I've always enjoyed the Crystal Ball picks concept.
https://247sports.com/Season/2018-Football/TargetPredictions
January 17th, 2018 at 11:10 AM ^
Its frankly surprising it wasn't always premium. The only thing that could potentially be worth paying for is when an insider is confident enough to make a prediction, everything else is just useless noise so they were giving away the most valuable information for free.
January 17th, 2018 at 11:15 AM ^
January 17th, 2018 at 11:19 AM ^
My guess is that some people will make the choice to pay to see them. Looks like you won't and I won't though. So if we are an accurate representation of the market that they want to make pay then they're in trouble.
January 17th, 2018 at 1:40 PM ^
I now have ZERO reason to go to 247. Don't know if it will end up being a good business decison or not, but they will lose significant traffic.
January 17th, 2018 at 8:10 PM ^
January 17th, 2018 at 8:11 PM ^
January 17th, 2018 at 11:36 AM ^
January 17th, 2018 at 5:55 PM ^
I started posted on 247 again recently after not going there much since 2013, youre not allowed to say Jesus Christ on the site or your post will be edited.
January 17th, 2018 at 7:56 PM ^
Exactly.
The average american is so poorly versed in business, very few people even realize that nearly zero of these websites even make money, a vast majority operate at a loss.
Uber for instance, has yet to post a single profit, beyond valuation, and just last year lost 2-3 BILLION (yes, with a "B") dollars.
The internet is very much still it's gold-rush phase.
January 17th, 2018 at 12:28 PM ^
They make pennies on advertising.....which is they're making the change.
January 17th, 2018 at 11:23 AM ^
January 17th, 2018 at 11:34 AM ^
They are not shots in the dark. You have to pay attention to who makes the picks and when they are made. The national 247 writers have inside info all over so when they make a pick then it should be paid attention to. Also, if a specific team writer makes a selection on a regional guy or a prospect that is being recruited heavily by the team they’re covering then that is noteworthy. I think the bigger problem is the horde of people who follow the people who actually know just for the sake of getting more points. There are too many people with a crystal ball who just piggyback, mainly from large fanbases (no offense Magnus).
January 17th, 2018 at 11:51 AM ^
I don't follow closely enough to have an independent opinion, but it has been said that many of the participants are ridiculous homers.
January 17th, 2018 at 1:03 PM ^
January 17th, 2018 at 11:44 AM ^
The national recruiting guys have over like 400 predictions with over a 90% accuracy. Sure there are plenty of random shit pickers but they are easy to ignore. People will still go to 247 the site because they still have the composite rankings and info on recruits. This will almost certainly work for 247 as long as there continues to be a market for college football recruiting news. Its slightly annoying for fans who follow recruiting casually but want to get a general sense of where things stand outside of what they here from homers.
For example if I just read this site I probably think Michigan is in a top group and first or second for Petit-Frere but his crystal ball picks show its really ND as a clear favorite and Michigan seemingly not even really in the top group, going to be losing that second piece of information now.
January 17th, 2018 at 2:44 PM ^
Off topic but on Petit-Frere, Michigan is one of only 2 official visits he has scheduled and took, which were both set up months ago. Michigan is in the top group. Crystal Ball picks are basically guesses with him and have more to do with how his Notre Dame visit went, which I believe was before the Michigan visit. Petit-Frere keeps things as close to the vest as you possibly can get, so literally noone knows who he is going to pick. His official visits are pretty much the only substantiative evidence of where he might be going. That is all.
January 17th, 2018 at 11:10 AM ^
they put on some pants.
January 17th, 2018 at 11:23 AM ^
Agreed. Before this change, their ballz were just flying everywhere. It was like a giant tea-bag to anyone and everyone who visits sports websites...
January 17th, 2018 at 11:28 AM ^
January 17th, 2018 at 11:12 AM ^
January 17th, 2018 at 11:14 AM ^
January 17th, 2018 at 11:34 AM ^
The point is, ladies and gentleman, that greed -- for lack of a better word -- is good.
Greed is right.
Greed works.
Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit.
Greed, in all of its forms -- greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge -- has marked the upward surge of mankind.
And greed -- you mark my words -- will not only save 247, but that other malfunctioning corporation called the USA.
Thank you very much.
January 17th, 2018 at 11:46 AM ^
January 17th, 2018 at 1:52 PM ^
Blue Horseshoe LOVES Anacott Steel.
January 17th, 2018 at 2:00 PM ^
a tear to my eye. Beautiful poetry.
January 17th, 2018 at 11:12 AM ^
I saw this too and debated putting it up here on the board. They're leaving fringe people up there, I think if you work for a school blog or a network outside 24/7 they won't make you pay. I haven't seen a pick from Ace on the little rotation thing on the Michigan 24/7 homepage, I wonder if his are considered VIP.
January 17th, 2018 at 11:13 AM ^
Crystal Balls are the best way to tell where a recruit is going. Team affiliated sites (including this one) are often too homerish when it comes to the status of a recruit. But my looking at the percentage of crystal balls and, more importantly, who made the prediction and when if almost a surefire way to see where a recruit is going. By having all of that availible it diminishes the need to pay for additional content.
January 17th, 2018 at 11:14 AM ^
January 17th, 2018 at 11:21 AM ^
Eh, I only follow recruiting for Michigan purposes and quite frankly when something major happens (see Tyler Friday OSU ball movement) the topic gets brought up here. So like you said, I will just stop visiting that site
January 17th, 2018 at 11:58 AM ^
Sounds lazy but I just check the board here and if I'm not familiar with a recruit I contact the Google God.
January 17th, 2018 at 11:24 AM ^
Besides Lorenz and Webb, I really only follow the national/regional crystal balls like Simmons, Trieu and Wilfong. Some of the other regional guys like Hank South are pretty in tune with their back yard.
January 17th, 2018 at 11:35 AM ^
Bc it is a me too crystal ball pick, if you see a run on crystal balls from available people without the cache, you should logically think that it came first from one of their key contributors. THey need to hide all crystal balls and eliminate me too people in their entirety.
January 17th, 2018 at 11:27 AM ^
January 17th, 2018 at 11:28 AM ^
January 17th, 2018 at 11:28 AM ^
But I won't be paying to put food on their table. I can't see myself paying for a forecasting service that can't earn me money.
January 17th, 2018 at 11:35 AM ^
I'm surprised it didn't happen sooner, and I don't see how it's wrong to keep it premium. It was always ridiculous that Lorenz would write an article about putting in a pick for a prospect, but to keep the info premium he would have to wait a day to actually put in the crystal ball. Meanwhile, a half dozen others who just want points would all put in their picks. So Lorenz gets fewer points and doesn't really get credit for his own scoop.
January 17th, 2018 at 11:47 AM ^
Since 247 and Scout combined they have alot more power. Your only other choices are Rivals (garbage) and ESPN (which also paywalls most info). I wouldn't be surprised if 247 paywalls the rankings too.
Best choice is to just stay here are read it all 5mins later.
January 17th, 2018 at 11:40 AM ^
I really don’t care about the Crystal Ball change. I noticed that they had already been delaying access for a few days to key people’s picks to add some premium value for a while now.
My bigger complaint is that since the merger with Scout, 95% of the board threads now become VIP (maybe because a former Scout members makes a comment?) making general discussions or schadenfreude threads now VIP. I realize as a non-subscriber I don’t add as much value, but I did provide a bunch of page clicks....
January 17th, 2018 at 11:54 AM ^
January 17th, 2018 at 11:56 AM ^
Out of curiosity, are the only picks being hidden the ones from individuals paid by 247 (i.e. employees or contractors)? Because it occurs to me that independent pickers might have a problem with 247 trying to leverage their picks into subscription revenue.
At least when picks were available to everyone independent pickers got exposure that could potentially drive traffic to their sites.
January 17th, 2018 at 11:57 AM ^
I'm cool if they move to a "pay to see crystal ball picks" model. I will stay patient because the info will leak 5 min. later.
January 17th, 2018 at 11:58 AM ^
January 17th, 2018 at 12:00 PM ^
I did notice that and frequented the page. It's a good prompt to stop following/worrying about this stuff completely. Brian was so correct when he said December was nice because it had no football, and until the conditions around that change (in spring ball) it remains true.
I didn't follow anything football for weeks after OSU and then after the bowl game. Slowly I've been plugging back in, but recruiting is something I can spend less time on permanently.
And yes, the 247site has become cancer otherwise.
January 17th, 2018 at 12:20 PM ^
I am a 247 subscriber and am starting to think about dropping it. A long time ago I was a Scout subscriber and dropped it for the same reason I'm thinking of dropping 247 now: Scout sucks and has made 247 suck. One would have thought the consolidation would enhance 247, not water it down.
January 17th, 2018 at 12:01 PM ^
January 17th, 2018 at 12:02 PM ^
when you can receive all of the related information at MGoBlog / MGoBoard or general news search. Sometimes there might be a good content story on 247, but one of the "free" news sites (MLive, the Freep, etc) will likely pick it up quickly enough and report virtually the same story themselves. Plus, the MGoBoard community (including the Mods) is way more interesting and insightful than the pay sites.
January 17th, 2018 at 12:07 PM ^
I like to think that they probably became weary of coming to sites like this and seeing "Balls Turn Blue" or to, say, an OSU site only to see "Balls Turn Scarlet". It's hard to know without more information who needs to go to the doctor more urgently although they both should do so. It may have simply become too confusing.
I am just guessing here.
January 17th, 2018 at 12:18 PM ^
Just another reason I am slowly using 247 less and less. They are paywalling off more and more things, and I don't think their site is worth subscribing right now. I likely will eventually not go there at all at this rate.
January 17th, 2018 at 12:24 PM ^
have gotten me depressed lately. I'd rather not hear about them and just be happy with the class Harbaugh and company are able to sign up this year.
January 17th, 2018 at 12:37 PM ^