I used to really enjoy Twitter. Love it, even.
Nowadays? Not so much.
The platform – now called “X” for reasons, I guess – still offers brief glimpses of the fun it used to be, but otherwise is a pretty miserable place most of the time.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m still largely addicted to it, as my weekly screen time reports and annoyed family members can attest, but I’m much more of a passive user than I used to be. What was once an interactive experience for me has since devolved into mostly doomscrolling and link posting.
Which, frankly, stinks.
It does for a lot of reasons, but chief among them is that I hear from you, our readers and some of Iowa State athletics’ most devoted fans, less and less because of it. And you hear less from me, too.
Which is why I’m really excited to be taking over the Register’s Cyclone Insider text group. As a subscriber, you can sign-up here right now.
For the uninitiated, the text group is our chance to connect directly via text messaging. How it works is, I send messages to the group – whether it be some newsy nuggets, behind-the-scenes anecdotes, links to stories or whatever else I think you might find interesting – and you’re able to text me right back.
I’ve been able to take it for a test run over the last week or so, and I’ve got to say I’m really optimistic that this is something that can and will add a lot of value for Cyclone fans.
You’ll be able to get the insider info that super-fans crave and more insight into your favorite teams that makes following them all the more rewarding.
And I get something out of it too. When you text me back – whether it’s with questions, comments or anything else – I see it and can respond. That interaction with some of the sharpest Cyclone fans is something that will not only be fun, but also beneficial.
Understanding what you’re wondering about, how you’re feeling about your teams and what you think will help inform our coverage and make it better.
So, come join us, won’t you?
If you’re not a subscriber, give it some thought. Not only will you get access to what I think is the best Iowa State athletics coverage there is, but you’ll also get everything else our dedicated staff produces – from state and local government coverage to restaurant openings and everything else we do to help make this a better informed community.
You can become a Register subscriber here.
With a hugely anticipated football season, a potential for monster basketball seasons for both the men’s and women’s teams along with a surging wrestling program, Iowa State athletics has a lot going on and plenty to be excited about for fans.
Hopefully our coverage and this text group will help you feel more informed about and connected to it all than ever before.
Iowa State columnist Travis Hines has covered the Cyclones for the Des Moines Register and Ames Tribune since 2012. Contact him at thines@amestrib.com or (515) 284-8000. Follow him on X at @TravisHines21.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Join Travis Hines’ Cyclone Insider text-messaging group for behind-the-scenes access
Reporting by Travis Hines, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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