AOL TURMOIL CONTINUES
AOL's Grandstand Wrestling forum is still in a state of chaos. The problem began when several popular folders
were removed late last week without notice. The folders removed include folders related to Afa the Wild Samoan,
Pro Wrestling Illustrated, Blue Meanie, Sign Guy Dudley, Mortis, and Whoo (a folder dedicated to various
independent promotions). Afa's folder was restored, and is now labled WSWF (Wild Samoan Wrestling Federation),
but the other folders remain down despite hundreds of notes being posted protesting the removal.
The folders were among the most popular sites on the service and Grandstand members reacted with outrage.
Several hundred notes complaining of the changes were posted in a folder dedicated to complaints, and
suggestions...but those notes were quickly removed. During the course of the weekend, hundreds of new notes
complaining about the fiasco were posted, and many of those were pulled as well. Members have demanded
answers as to why the notes have been pulled, but the Grandstand management has refused to issue a definitive
explanation. The only explanation issued was that the Grandstand was going to "Get back to basics".
To make matters worse, many of the members who posted complaints received TOS (Terms of Service) violations
issued by Grandstand representatives. The violations were issued in most cases without warning having been
given, despite normal policy that dictates that warnings should be issued before issuing the TOS. Several members
report that they filed complaints with AOL related to the TOS violations, and had the TOS reversed from their
account.
A Grandstand representative, FC Jeff, began posting replys in the Grandstand on Saturday, and further inflammed
the membership when he answered a member's demand for an explanation with the following comment:
"Wow, if you put it that way, I sure would. I bet the answer would be something like.... Sir/Maa'am, it was felt by
our corporate office that we would no longer carry your favorite hamburger, but alas we have something that is in
our opinion equally as good and tasty. I really am sorry that you're not happy this was removed from the menu, but
please give our new item a try. I think you will find it is just as good if not better."
Members were further outraged to hear of comments made by Jerry Pectol (Peckster), the person in charge of
Grandstand. In an IM conversation with one of the members, Pectol was asked why the individual folders were
pulled and he replied, "They are still more than welcome to post, answer fans questions or whatever, within the
appropriate fed folder. Unless their egos are so big that they feel they have to have a folder just for them with their
name on it, should be no difference. If they really just want to be able to converse with their fans, nothing has been
done to change that."
Pectol continued, by saying, "We're not a vehicle for sports (and I use that term very lightly in regard to wrestlers)
to talk to their fans."
When the situation was brought to the attention of Scott Axelrod, the Director of the Grandstand, and one of the
founders of the Grandstand, he said the changes were a result of programming changes within Grandstand. "We
made these decisions with one thing in mind and that is member experience. With any content that is being
removed, there will be an audience that is unhappy."
Despite the claims of Grandstand management that the changes were not directed specifically at the Wrestling
Area, other areas on the Grandstand did not experience similar changes. For instance, the Boxing forum continues
to display folders devoted to individual boxers. George Foreman, Oscar DeLaHoya and others have folders, and
fans can interact with
each other in that area. Using the "back to basics" concept, those folders should have been eliminated as well, and
the Boxing area should have switched to a format that dealt only with the various federations such as WBC and
WBA.
Several of the people who had hosted folders on AOL have moved to PRODIGY, including Sign Guy Dudley, Blue
Meanie, ECWGabe, and Mikey Whipwreck (who was set to launch a folder on AOL at the time the changes were
made). Pro Wrestling Illustrated also has a folder on Prodigy. Disgruntled AOL members can download a free one
month trial membership at: http://www.prodigy.com/classic
Members wanting a Prodigy disc can send email to [email protected]
AOL members wanting to complain directly to Scott Axelrod, the Director of the Grandstand, can send messages to
[email protected]
AOL members wanting to complain directly to Jerry Pectol, Manager of the Grandstand, can send messages to
[email protected]
Note: Webmasters are encouraged to post the above information on their websites so AOL members will have
access to the information. Efforts to post this on AOL would result in removal.
..........
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