New TFC website

**mlsintoronto** · 03-31-2010, 01:52 PM

OK so here we go: our new site is close to ready. As many of you are aware...the roll out has been a bit choppy. Some core functionality to the overall MLS web presence has been faulty and the people behind the scenes have been working hard to fix the problems.

Our site is close to being ready. If you like, we'd love your feedback on our beta site. While we're open to comments on the look...frankly we're looking for your comments on functionality first. Also, the types of content will grow over time...what we have here is the core site.

So: we're looking for feedback on functionality. (Other comments are welcome)

Click HERE

**Phil** · 03-31-2010, 01:56 PM

We should probably re-write our RPB little bit.... and the link in the wording goes to a different website, not the RPB board.

**Nuvinho** · 03-31-2010, 02:00 PM

- "TFC TV" opens up in the current browser, can it be a pop-up?

- Current week's opponent. One thing I liked about the old site was that they had the next game and the list of a few games after, along with the standings.

Looks great tho!!

**Detroit_TFC** · 03-31-2010, 02:05 PM

Make getting to the Account Manager easy, put a button on the home page or something.

**BFin** · 03-31-2010, 02:05 PM

The drop down menu should stay open when you select an option Paul.

For example: When you click supporters, it goes to the main "Supporters" micro site. At that time, the drop down menu disappears and you have to scroll through the options to pick your area within supporters. There should be a main page for each of these micro sites, and then have the drop down menu stay open to allow people to further explore through a specific section.

Not sure if that makes sense, but it would make the functionality much better and from a consumer/supporter experience would make it much simpler for them to navigate. Keep it stupidly simple as they say in the E-Comm world. Or, keep it simple, stupid....as Michael Scott would say.

Schedule part is great.

Standings, I don't like how you have to go to the MLS website and it navigates you away from the toronto FC page. Might have some people upset that they are not still on the page they originally planned to go to, and do not have a one click option to go to it. Can't TFC keep their own standings?

Club; again, can't this be done internally instead of re-directing it to the MLS website? Seems sort of half-assed. (Don't take that as a slam, just an honest opinion on functionality). Again, the drop down menu at the top should stay open when you click to the main page to provide the links of "roster" "team staff" etc....it would provide a better click through rate on those pages.

News: Looks good. Has a real TFC feel with the colouring etc.

Community, BMO Field, Academy, all get the same comments from me as "supporters".
Leave the drop down menus there for easier navigation.

Great job Paul, thanks for the update.

**Snowy** · 03-31-2010, 02:08 PM

I agree with the pop up comment. I went to the standings and that took me to the MLS website, so only way back to TFC was to hit the back button. Naturally I closed the window (thinking it was a pop up) and had to go back in through your link.

Love the new look and seems very easy to navigate. I had no trouble finding the news and other important info.

Like the link showing the Supporters group info.... with RPB at the top of the list...

**Parkdale** · 03-31-2010, 02:24 PM

very nice looking site.

now a mobile friendly version (like m.goal.com or m.espn.go.com ) would be amazing!

**mlsintoronto** · 03-31-2010, 02:25 PM

Mobile is promised...but lets get the main one functional first!

**Parkdale** · 03-31-2010, 02:27 PM

I like to hear that. mobile is great for us 'on the go' types.

who am I kidding... I never go anywhere

**Suds** · 03-31-2010, 02:27 PM

I've also noticed the standings page has us in 7th place ... must be a developer error

-----

As noted above, I'm guessing the standings should load "in" the TFC site and not be pushed to the MLS site.

Menu drop down
- noted above it does not stay open for some people. It does for me on Firefox.

Schedule page
- when expanding individual game the layout if off using Firefox

Local Weather - find it helpful to have weather info for game days so either a feed or a link to a weather info site would be cool. Maybe this can be added to the Schedule page.

That's if for now. Really like the new look. Much clearer and easier to navigate.

**Parkdale** · 03-31-2010, 02:28 PM

not really an important thing to you.... but big to us...

http://torontofc.ca/supporters-clubs

the link to our 'popular message board' is still isted as torfc.ca and that's not valid anymore

**Damien** · 03-31-2010, 02:30 PM

http://www.torontofc.ca and http://torontofc.ca go to different locations...

**tlear** · 03-31-2010, 02:40 PM

Perhaps a light/worksafe version?

**Parkdale** · 03-31-2010, 02:59 PM

Originally Posted by tlear

Perhaps a light/worksafe version?

worksafe? there's something NSFW on it?

**Parkdale** · 03-31-2010, 03:00 PM

is the picture of 'cranky joe' still on the site?

**phonzo** · 03-31-2010, 03:15 PM

looks good - not a fan of some of the font choices but that's me being picky (just feel to large at times)

I like the subtle background TFC logo but - a bit less subtle it blends in way to much at the moment. I hardly noticed it at first - then again could be the look the designer wants and I'm no designer =)

**Parkdale** · 03-31-2010, 03:21 PM

Originally Posted by phonzo

looks good - not a fan of some of the font choices but that's me being picky (just feel to large at times)

snicker.

**Eastend** · 03-31-2010, 03:30 PM

how about a BOSS button so when your boss is coming around you click it and it brings up a newspaper site....say your official sponsor paper....???

**BFin** · 03-31-2010, 03:35 PM

Or just tell him you're checking the TFC standings?

**phonzo** · 03-31-2010, 03:37 PM

get your cat related image out of here Parkdale.

No the font itself is ok but size wise it's just to big. Reading an article your eye keeps catching the massive font in the TFC News Feed thinger and it's distracting. But I'm weird and have a tiny attention span.

**boban** · 03-31-2010, 03:46 PM

Originally Posted by Eastend

how about a BOSS button so when your boss is coming around you click it and it brings up a newspaper site....say your official sponsor paper....???

You mean like the Sunshine Girl?

**Cashcleaner** · 03-31-2010, 03:59 PM

A few things:

1) When I click on STANDINGS and CLUB on the top menu, it takes me to pages on www.mlsnet.com. I'm not sure if that's just a temporary thing or not, but its kinda annoying that I was sent off the site.

2) I think it might be better to do some moving of text on the drop-down menu and make it a bit smaller so it doesn't block text underneath. I'll show you what I mean below.

Current Menu Bar:

Recommended Menu Bar:

3) I agree that TFC TV should come up as a pop-up window. Its really just a bit more convenient that way.

Aside from those 3 points, this new website is REALLY good. I mean that, Paul. It looks slick, has the right amount of content, and is pretty easy to navigate around. You're web designers deserve a pat on the backs, because this site works for me and it works well.

**rocker** · 03-31-2010, 04:13 PM

Originally Posted by mlsintoronto

OK so here we go: our new site is close to ready. As many of you are aware...the roll out has been a bit choppy. Some core functionality to the overall MLS web presence has been faulty and the people behind the scenes have been working hard to fix the problems.

Our site is close to being ready. If you like, we'd love your feedback on our beta site. While we're open to comments on the look...frankly we're looking for your comments on functionality first. Also, the types of content will grow over time...what we have here is the core site.

So: we're looking for feedback on functionality. (Other comments are welcome)

Click HERE

where's the grass cam!?

**Cashcleaner** · 03-31-2010, 04:14 PM

^ Check out the new video up on TFC TV. Cool time lapse of the grass install!

**bones** · 03-31-2010, 04:21 PM

Originally Posted by mlsintoronto

Mobile is promised...but lets get the main one functional first!

Can anyone say $5 beer ???

**ensco** · 03-31-2010, 04:36 PM

One think that I think would work better would be if more of the content didn't require my to scroll down. Probably only 40% of the site is showing when it first displays.

(btw if this is meaningful I use a MacBook Air with a 13 inch screen and have relatively standard display settings, 1280 x800 I think)

**kitchener-TFC** · 03-31-2010, 04:44 PM

I'd just recommend updating the Roster section, along with the BMO Field section.

**boban** · 03-31-2010, 04:51 PM

While we are at it, the schedule needs more detail, like what channel the game is on, radio, and attendance.
Also, whats with the deep grey strip across the top for?
And too many times the site jumps to the main MLS site.
You should be able to stay on the TFC club page to access the information.

**Cashcleaner** · 03-31-2010, 04:52 PM

Oh, and I noticed something odd as well. When you view the home page the page itself is all in the right proportions and looks good, but I've noticed that when you click on any other page, you get this blank dark grey bar at the very top of the page. Is a sponsor banner going in there or should it not be there at all?

**boban** · 03-31-2010, 04:53 PM

Originally Posted by Cashcleaner

Oh, and I noticed something odd as well. When you view the home page the page itself is all in the right proportions and looks good, but I've noticed that when you click on any other page, you get this blank dark grey bar at the very top of the page. Is a sponsor banner going in there or should it not be there at all?

You noticed that too eh?
I mentioned that in my post as well.

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