This is taken in its entirety from an announcement made by SBN's CEO Jim Bankoff. Back to football shortly, as just one day remains before the commencement of the 2009 Free Agency period in the NFL. As always, free free to email me at behindthesteelcurtain@gmail.com with any questions or comments as we move forward in to what should be an exciting time around BTSC as we get set for the 2009 NFL Draft then a run at a seventh Lombardi Trophy late next summer.  Thanks!

As members of our communities or readers of our sites, you already know that SB Nation takes a different approach to online sports.  Our focus has always been on empowering fans to participate in conversations that are specific to their particular teams, leagues or sports.  We’ve watched over the years as the popularity of this unique approach has rapidly accelerated.

Today we want to welcome some new members to our flourishing communities. SB Nation and our friends at Yahoo are partnering to give Yahoo Sports audiences one click access to our sites and content.  In addition to being the largest sport property on the web, Yahoo Sports is known for some of the best general sports blogs including: Ball Don’t Lie, Puck Daddy, Dr. Saturday, Big League Stew and others.

Relevant pages of Yahoo Sports will now feature contextual links to specific SB Nation communities.  Many other pages of Yahoo Sports will feature SB Nation content and links. The great news is that more sports fans will be introduced to SB Nation sites.

There are now close to 200 different sports communities for Yahoo users to discover. Each is led by bloggers who are first and foremost passionate fans.  Part of what makes our network so special is that each SB Nation site has its own URL, name and colors as well as its own community guidelines and expectations.  Some are more serious, some more irreverent, but they all share a common goal of nurturing strong and focused conversations around a common interest.

If you are new to one of our communities, we welcome you.  On our websites, you’ll find unique perspectives, insightful analysis and passion for sports topics that are unrivaled.  We encourage you to read through posts and get acclimated to the tone, norms and quirks of the site you are visiting.

When you are ready, feel free to join the conversation or start one up.  Whether you create a new profile or use your Yahoo or OpenID credentials to register, one username and password will give you access to all our communities.  Each SB Nation site offers the same mechanisms for participating in the action via comments, FanPosts (a blog entry of your very own) or FanShots (a quick micro-post of a thought, link or photo.)  Before you post though, please remember, you are entering an established and ongoing community.  Your voice and opinions are encouraged (that’s what being a fan is all about after all), but as in any productive conversation, they should be presented in a manner that is courteous, civil and respectful of the culture that you are entering.

If you are an old-timer here, we encourage you to welcome and assist the newcomers. It can sometimes be challenging to join a new environment, so a helping hand is usually appreciated.  Cut the rookies some slack and spread the word about what they have been missing all of this time.   This is your chance to welcome new folks in a manner that is consistent with the type of place in which you want to participate.  You have the power to shape the type of community you want.

As always if anyone has any questions or ideas, please do not hesitate to contact us here.

Fans First!