Welcome to the evolution of PewterReport.com. We have begun the process of updating the look and usability of PewterReport.com and upgrading the site with new features. Some of those new features that are debuting with the re-launch of the website are:

• An individual account database where users (both subscribers and non-subscribers) can take control over their user profiles. Whether you are a premium subscriber or just a visitor to PewterReport.com, everyone is encouraged to sign up for a FREE account profile. This is required to post on the message boards and to participate in article commenting. Users will have the ability to change their usernames and passwords online without calling the Pewter Report subscriptions department. Pewter Insider premium subscribers will also have the convenience to renew their subscriptions online through the account manager and keep their existing username and password. This was unfortunately not available on the old PewterReport.com platform and one of the reasons for revamping the site.

• An instant messaging system throughout PewterReport.com. This is found at the bottom of your web browser and is similar to Facebook and other social media networks in the fact that you can do live, instant messaging with fellow PewterReport.com users that you have designated as friends. Your chat session will remain open as you move throughout the site. This is a FREE service available to all PewterReport.com users.

• An Around The Web page that will be your one-stop place for all Buccaneers news. This FREE service is available to all PewterReport.com users and pulls the most recent RSS feeds from over 20 different sources of Bucs news from local newspaper coverage, to national sites like ProFootballTalk.com, NFL.com and the ESPN South Blog to information on NFC South opponents from local newspapers. Be sure to bookmark this page and visit it often throughout the day to be the most informed Bucs fan around.

• An improved search feature. Now finding PewterReport.com stories and columns will be much easier than it was on the former website. Each story also has a related article section that will direct users to more stories centered around the topic of that particular story.

• A revamped digital magazine. Pewter Insider premium subscribers will see a new Season Kickoff digital issue format with the first of many new layouts that will be coming later during football season.

• An improved video and podcast player. PewterReport.com has upgraded its video and podcast player, making it easier and more enjoyable to view our videos and podcasts. The shortcomings of our previous site hindered the ability to post videos and podcasts and Pewter Report published very little as a result. Now that the new website has launched, the editorial staff will be increasing the number of videos and podcasts it produces throughout football season.

From a feature and usability standpoint, PewterReport.com publisher Scott Reynolds is excited about the launch of the new website.

“This is not the final website revision for PewterReport.com. It’s just the beginning of the process,” Reynolds said. “This has been a massive undertaking from a planning, developing and database merging and converging standpoint, and we appreciate your patience with any bugs or issues that have slipped past the beta testing process. What you see before you is the first step in the evolution of PewterReport.com. Our vision for the site is so grandiose that it would take an entire year or more to roll out the finished product, so we have decided to launch the new PewterReport.com in waves with even more new features debuting over the coming months.”

Among the other features that will be debuting this fall include:

• Weekly pre-game videos

• Regularly updated photo galleries

• Messaging alert system to notify users of breaking news and published stories

• Ignore feature for message boards

• Bucs wallpapers

• Pick ‘Em Contests

• Enhanced Bucs draft coverage

The Pewter Report staff is excited to launch a much more feature-rich site that the users will enjoy.

“I know that some people get used to comfortable surroundings and may initially reject change just because the newness of it, but the Pewter Report team believes that once our visitors and subscribers get used to the new features within the site and the message boards that they will be pleased with the upgrade,” Reynolds said. 
“While it is impossible to please everybody, we did take the majority opinion of the over 4,000 respondents that we received from our February online poll into account while building this website. The new PewterReport.com is largely constructed with the input of our loyal readers, subscribers and message board participants.”

Stay tuned Bucs fans and PewterReport.com visitors and subscribers. This is just the beginning of PewterReport.com’s evolution and there’s more to come as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2010 football season unfolds.