Earlier this year, I agreed to take on the role of publisher and editor of the USCA's Croquet News magazine which has three issues per year and is distributed to all 3,000 members of the association. In conjunction with that new assignment, I have suspended future publication of the Croquet Network print and digital editions. The subscribers have been notified and pro-rated refunds dispersed.

What drove the change? Croquet Network ultimately played to a relatively small audience. If the goal is to promote croquet, I felt like it would be better to take the Croquet Network look and feel and marry it to the USCA content to reach the full audience of hardcore croquet players across the United States. When it became clear that former Croquet News publisher/editor Johnny Mitchell would be stepping into the USCA President's position, it became obvious that I could best help the sport by accepting the position.

Interestingly, Garth Eliassen shut down the National Croquet Calendar very near the time that I had given my official acceptance. Quickly, North America had shifted from three print magazines on the sport to one. Of course, I am sad to see both publications go, but I think the opportunity is there for the Croquet News to step up and fill the void. Hopefully, USCA members think we are on the right track with the new approach unveiled with 2012 Volume 1 issue. (USCA members can download the PDF here: http://www.croquetamerica.com/members/magazines/)

So what happens to Croquet Network now? Only the actual magazine (digital and print) is suspended. However, I do intend that all back issues of the digital and print editions will continue to be made available. More importantly, the two companion websites and the e-newsletter will continue on. In fact, with the limited space available in the Croquet News, I don't have room for a publisher's letter. I am hoping to have more time to write and will hopefully be able to provide an insider's glimpse into the Croquet News via the main Croquet Network website.

Croquet Network will continue to publish news and you can find events, photos, discussion, video and more on the Overdrive social site. I am hopeful that the many croquet photographers of the world will view the photo section as a central repository for the best of croquet photography. Sign up and post a few photos and feel free to link them back to your main gallery. Or if you like, create a full gallery on Croquet Network Overdrive. A lot of the bases are covered for discussion, news and commentary on international croquet, but let's see if Overdrive can become a nice resource for the often incredible photos that our sport's photographers capture.

So, it looks like the croquet media landscape is mirroring the actual media scene right now -- big time changes. Let's hope the moves we've seen in 2012 help the sport move forward.