Everyone wants a website.  "You need a website," everyone says.  "If you don't have a website," everyone says, "you're non-existent."

"Everyone" is wrong. 

Websites are cumbersome.  Even the simplest website is technically intimidating not to mention time consuming to maintain.  Consider the fact that if I don't set aside time to come to see it then I'll never know what is on it!  If you don't have a website already, spare yourself the headache. 

The widely used but oft misused Facebook Fan Page is the solution for the organization with limited resources (both time and human):

• They have more functionality than any traditional website (add photos, video, events, schedule, online donation button, discussion forum etc).
• They are free and anyone with minimal technical know-how can maintain one. 
• Anyone (even the aforementioned "everyone") can view it with or without a Facebook account
• Get a custom domain name (www.your-organization.com) for it

Post an update on a traditional site and, like the proverbial tree in the woods, you can wonder if it actually makes a noise.  Post it on your Facebook Fan Page and all of your fans will see it, can share it and comment on it.

Make life easier.  Ignore everyone.

This is going to be short and simple because you don't have time to worry about this kind of stuff right?  You're putting out other, more important fires today, right ? I ask you this... what is more important than building a community of supporters around your program?  So, here's the quick list:

1. Start a Facebook Fan Page (not Group).  Thousands of your fans are already on Facebook and getting their news there (and yes, you have thousands of fans).  Pages have tons of funtionality that you really don't need to worry about until you get over 100 fans.  At that point you can get a custom URL (like www.facebook.com/riotsportsmarketing).  Then you can add tabs and links to your online donations page, your email newsletter sign-up page, your text message alerts sign-up pages, etc.  These are more advanced for those wanting to start a riot.  For now, just start a Facebook Fan Page and invite some friends. 
   • www.Facebook.com/Pages
2. Get a Twitter account.  Some experts recommend getting a Twitter account just so that no one else can claim your name and use it erroneously.  This is a good method for me to scare you into getting started on Twitter too!   I didn't use mine for the first 6 months I had it.  I gradually worked my way into it and discovered that there is real value in Twitter.  There is a conversation going on in the Twitterverse about your sport, your program, and your community.  You should have a voice there too.
   • www.twitter.com
3. Start a blog.  I know, I know.  You think blogs are for political junkies, techie geeks and business people.  Wrong.  they are for you and your fans. You're reading one right now.  Blogs are simply this- a simple means of posting news quickly in a chronological order (newest posts at the top).  Everyone wants a beautiful website with a dozen pages.  Each page that you create just adds work to your plate.  You have to maintain and update these pages or your site will look dead.  An out-of-date site is worse than no website.  I know that you have "a guy" that is doing this for you but what about when his kid graduates or when he's on vacation and you win the big tournament?  Create a blog where you can post information quickly and easily so that your fans have a reliable place to get up-to-date information regularly.

Yes, I know that you have fires to put out that are right at your feet.  But the biggest fire is raging up ahead (called budget cuts, Title IX or indifferent administrators).  Start building!