Behind the Scenes of a Sports News Webpage: A Super Simple Guide

What Is This All About?

Imagine you are looking at a sports article online (like one about the Pirates making a trade). What you see is the story and pictures, but underneath is a bunch of secret computer code that makes the page work. Let’s break down what that hidden code does in a way anyone can understand!

Secret Tracking Tools (Analytics)

Websites want to know how many people visit and what they like. They use invisible helpers that you never see:

• Google Tag Manager (labeled GTM-P73RLR): This is a main control box for all the tracking tools.
• Old Tools Removed: They used to have something called "PGGA code" and "Gigya head" login code, but they removed those on specific dates (May 2019 and October 2017). They also removed another script in June 2020 per a person named Nate.
• Other Trackers: They use Krux, Comscore, and Google Analytics to count visitors safely.
• CivicScience: This was mentioned as another tool (often for polls), though some extra scripts were cleaned up.

Important Point: None of these tracking tools change what you read; they just help the website owner understand their audience so they can write better stories!

Buttons to Share the Story

At the top of the page, there is a special bar with icons to share the article:

• A MENU button (with a little menu icon) to open the side list.
• Facebook and Facebook Messenger buttons (with a little messenger image) to send to friends.
• An X (Twitter) button (they call it "x-twitter" in the code) to post online.
• An Email button (labeled "tipafriend") so you can send the link by email.
• An Android Text button (with a speech bubble icon) to share via text message.
• A Comments button that shows how many people are talking (using a Spotim chat counter) and lets you join the chat.

The Slide-Out Menu

When you click "MENU", a hidden panel slides out from the side. It is like a table of contents for the website. It has these exact sections:

1. ACCOUNT – to log in or sign up.
2. SECTIONS – to pick different news topics.
3. OTHER – miscellaneous links.
4. CLASSIFIEDS – like old-school newspaper ads for jobs or stuff for sale.
5. CONTACT US / FAQ – to ask questions or get help.

Ads and Paying for News

Running a news site costs money! The code shows how they handle that:

• Wallpaper Ads: A big background picture ad (called "x51-wallpaper" in the code).
• Peelback Ads: They used to have a fun ad you could "peel" like a sticker, but that part is now finished/removed.
• Paid Stories: Some articles are "metered" (you get a few free, then must pay). They use a tool called TinyPass to handle the payments.

The "Email a Friend" Popup

If you want to send the article to a buddy, here is how the code sets it up (and how you would use it):

1. Click the Email icon at the top (the "tipafriend" link).
2. A small white popup appears (about 300 pixels wide, with rounded corners and a light gray border, as described in the style code).
3. Type your friend’s email into the blank spaces provided.
4. Hit send! The website takes care of the rest.

Other Handy Background Tools

• A "Back to Top" button so you can jump to the start of the page easily without lots of scrolling.
• Twitter Widgets: A special script at the bottom that loads Twitter posts safely.
• Rich Media Ads: Extra fancy ads (though the peelback one is done).
• Some features (like the "ICT" chat tool) are currently turned off.

Summary

A modern news webpage is like an iceberg: you only see the article, but underneath there is tracking code to count readers, share buttons to spread the news, a slide menu to explore, ads and paywalls to keep the newspaper running, and little popup forms to email friends. All these pieces work together quietly so you can enjoy the sports news without a hassle!

FAQ

1. What is a "Metered Story" or TinyPass?
It means the website lets you read a few articles for free, but if you read too many, you have to pay a small fee (using TinyPass) to keep reading. It helps pay the journalists who write the news.

2. Why do they have so many tracking tools like Google Analytics?
Think of them like a counter at a store entrance. They help the website know which stories are popular so they can write more of what you like, and they help show ads to the right people.

3. What was the Peelback Ad?
It was a creative ad where the corner of the webpage looked like paper you could peel back with your mouse to see a hidden ad underneath. The code shows it was used but is now ended.

4. What does the "MENU" button do?
It slides out a hidden panel with links to your Account, different News Sections, Classifieds, and a Help/FAQ page.

5. Is my information safe with the "Email a Friend" form?
The form is just a simple box (white with rounded corners, as the code describes) that lets you type an email to share a story. The website uses normal private methods to keep things running smoothly and hide unnecessary scripts.