Despite our increased efforts over the last several months, many of you are currently experiencing ads on our mobile site that automatically redirect your browser. Sometimes it goes to the app store, sometimes to other sites, but it’s always incredibly annoying. I’m sorry you’ve had to deal with it. At MLBTR, we loathe these ads. We don’t make money from them; they are the result of shady ad networks violating their terms. You can read more about the issue here; it is something even Google and Apple have been unable to stop.
I don’t say that as an excuse, but just an explanation. We’ve worked to remove these redirect ads for years, but it’s been a game of Whac-A-Mole. This month I am renewing my efforts to fix the problem. If you’re willing to help, please contact us so we can gather details from your case.
In the meantime, please consider downloading our free app, Trade Rumors, and using that instead of the mobile website. The app has fewer ads than our mobile site does, and has rarely had redirect issues. It’s also a well-reviewed app that offers custom notifications and a sleek reading experience on mobile devices.
We’ll continue to do everything we can to root out the bad ad networks.  Thanks for your patience and understanding in this matter.
And then there’s an ad in the middle of the story and at the bottom. On the app… Gaga
**haha
lolol
Well, those are part of every post automatically and by design. Ads keep the lights on here. We need to stop those that redirect your browser.
And how do you expect MLBTR to keep going without revenue? The ads here don’t redirect as Tim said. Keep up the good work chaps.
pickme123: Read much? “The app has fewer ads than our mobile site does, and has rarely had redirect issues.”
Keep up the good work fellas! I’m sure the ad thing will get sorted out
Whoever created ads that blast audio no matter what needs to flung into the sea. Worst ever, so obnoxious and not work friendly either..
thank you that’s so right
Exactly!
I would prefer “fired into the sun,” but that works too.
The mobile app can be equally as bad if not worse.
Video ads with sound will randomly start playing while reading an article, forcing me to scroll and find it to deal with it. There is no X button or volume controls that show up on their own, so you have to touch the ad to get them to show up. It’s a flip of the coin whether or not the ad redirects you. So you finally get it to shut off, side scroll to another few articles to read and bam, another video ad with sound starts playing. But guess what, it’s not on the page you’re currently on, you have to go hunting to the other slides/ pages you recently read to find and deal with it.
I understand ad revenue helps pay the bills, but please get rid of the video ads with sound. They’ve become incredibly obnoxious and really detract from the mobile app experience.
Ugh, you’re right…this is a more recent development. It is different from the redirects but is another thing we’re up against. We have always blocked ads of this nature from the app, but somehow they get in.
Are you on iOS or Android? And is the ad always for the same thing? Previously we had to root out an Office Christmas Party preview ad that was doing this.
Hey Tim, I’m on iOS with an iPad, I don’t seem to have the same problems on my android phone now that I tested that out, so I guess it’s different for the tablet versions.
And to tack on to my original complaint, I’ve noticed the mute button doesn’t even work, it’ll show the mute icon was enabled, but it just keeps on playing sound. Also if you pause the ad, it will just reload up again seconds later and play again on its own. There’s no winning.
The 2 ads that are doing this now are a smokey the bear ad and one for a show called little women or something like that. In the past, I remember it being a penzoil ad. Hope this helps, thanks for all you do man.
Also, if tou type a fancy (and) sign on the app, it cuts off the rest of your comment, which is quite annoying if you happen to be a Giants fan and you want to type the name of their park.
That fancy (and) sign is called an ampersand. Lots of sites and forums have problems with the same issue. Its an inconvenience but can work around it.
Why is that, I never realized that was problem but now it makes so much more sense why my comments get cut off sometimes.
I’m on Android and I’ve never had pop ups with the app. You may have a virus on your phone, have it checked to be sure.
I get the same thing. I am on IOS.
Same here on iOS
Ditto. Video ads in the mobile app just randomly open.
What video ads play?
Hi Tim, a video that I’ve been seeing is actually a freeze frame of what looks like a guy fixing a bicycle or something in a garage/shop. It’s a freeze frame, but still “plays” for a few seconds. Don’t know if that’s helpful… I’m on iOS using the app (which I love regardless, thanks!).
This is one that plays for me too. Another thing I get is just a blank screen either white or black. It looks like an ad is gonna play but nothing ever does.
Also a Toyota ad with a red Toyota driving away
+1 Gotten both the bicycle and the Toyota ad.
Tim,
This post is proof of why Trade Rumors is the leading sports app and website I visit. To start the day the day, to end the day and all point between to get through the day. Thank you for your relentless efforts to satisfy your fan base. Create a store and I’ll buy a shirt. Whatever you need.
Thank you a million times over.
+1
+1
Ditto what PLyons said. Love the app.
The app is the best. I get almost all my sports news here.
Agreed. You guys are top notch for MLB (the sport I predominantly follow) and I appreciate your efforts to work on the overly intrusive ads. I would also buy a shirt/merch to support the site, as I very much enjoy your writers and how your site approaches sports coverage.
100
I can understand the annoyance with ads – we all get annoyed at times, but I always have to remember, this is a free website that updates content 10+ times most days. The revenue stream has to come from advertising. I use the App on my phone but mostly use my home computer, and yes, occasionally the App opens some ads, but I consider that the cost of doing business to read a great, lively web site and engage in the discussions/arguments in the comments. (Now, if only the App wouldn’t occasionally eat my comments…) But seriously, we get what we pay for, right, and this kind of information, disseminated freely, is well worth the zero dollars I pay for it. I would even subscribe to this if it were an option.
I worked in journalism for many years, and I am occasionally appalled at the notion that contemporary journalists need to “give” their work away for free. The first lesson of Economics applies here, the one we learned in Freshman econ, right? These guys are doing yeoman’s work and I appreciate what they do immensely.
No one is asking for free work and I don’t hate all ads, I (and I think everyone) just cannot stand multimedia ads that play movies or audio. I literally leave sites without reading them if they I get confronted with them. I simply do not have the time to do all this extra work to find the ad, close it out or mute it when I’m just trying to read something real quick. Ultimately multimedia ads make it not worth my time. Normal ads with no extra media are totally fine and don’t literally ruin user interface and user experience.
I appreciate that. But I don’t think anyone is expecting us to adopt an ad-free, subscription-free model. Most people are willing to accept our level of advertising as long as the ads don’t do obnoxious things like redirect them, block the content, or play audio. I’m frustrated that most publishers and ad providers agree this is a big problem, yet tech giants like Google still can’t (won’t?) stop it.
I don’t want to have a paywall of any sort here. One solution might be to try to move away from banner ads in favor of native advertising, like you see at Buzzfeed. We might be able to have better control that way.
I’m curious, for anyone having invasive ad issues on the mobile site, have you tried (assuming you’re in Chrome) using ‘Request desktop site’? I really don’t know if that solves the ad issues but could be a decent stopgap.
Anyone have an insight as to whether the type of browser you are using has an impact?
The redirect ads happen on the app too. While annoying, the content of your articles is still worth it.
Another concern (and suggestion) outside of ad redirects is the lack of a privacy promise. What information about the user is being shared, etc. I don’t see anything under settings. May want to consider adding a section and gain user consent when installing as you grow.
Yeah I get all these problems even when using the app. It’s very aggravating and makes me want to uninstall the app.
I hope this is fixed soon.
As far as the app goes, I would say about 1/4 of the time it doesn’t want to load. I’m on a Samsung S7 on tmobile, and I realize tmobile has bad service, but it will happen at home on wifi as well. Anyone else have this issue?
Not as frequently, but yes. I have a 5S on Verizon service. It happens on LTE and wifi even when other apps connect fine. It happens a couple times a week, and I’m on here probably 3 times a day. All in all, the app is great though.
Wow! An apology, explanation, assurance the issue is being worked on, and a work around. So few companies do this any longer. Keep up the good work MLBTR!
Thanks for all you do.
I have to admit that at one time several months ago that I was having tons of issues with ads redirecting while on my phone (android). I actually did download the app and used that for awhile, but later deleted it because 1) i had a difficult time sharing things from the app and 2) many times the app failed to load fully for me.
Over the last two months or so though I’ve had only a couple of redirects on my phone. Thanks for working on it and continuing to place customer experience high on your priorities.
BTW I too would like to see a MLB Trade Rumors shirt available (just please offer other colors besides just black).
I hope this doesn’t jinx me, but I never get any ads. None at all.
Very foolish of you to say that….
I don’t either…
Oh darn.
jk
I find it amazing that any online site does as much to work to fix issues as MLBTR does. Especially a free site/app. I certainly understand needing ads, but the fact that MLBTR goes the extra mile to try and keep the ads from being annoying is a refreshing change. Love the site, love the app, and will continue to support people that care about their visitors/users like you do!
OH, and I want a shirt too! And something other than black! LOL
I’m not sure if that was in reply to my comment (where I was actually talking in reference to an earlier comment made by PLyons who said something along the lines about opening a store and selling shirts.
I seriously would have to consider buying a shirt that would help the site somewhat monetarily and also promote the website when I wear it. I just don’t normally like black lol.
It was in reply to your comment, and I also would buy a shirt, and also don’t prefer black. lol
Redirects were becoming unbearable this week, could not stand it.
Thank you for addressing this issue.
Still way better than espn
What’s ESPN?
I still love TR, but my problems are on the app where I regularly get an audio commercial that starts to play as I read an article. This happens often when I have music playing through my iPad, which results in shutting down my music to play the ad. I will also follow-up to provide assistance as well. Thanks.
The biggest challenge with this site has always been the intrusive ads (besides not being able to change a way outdated username but I digress). For a while it seemed like a virus or malware but I have had much better luck since cleaning phone some. Overall the continual improvements are much appreciated. Such a great site and no cost so some advertising is to be expected and welcomed. I find I get the popup ad between every 3-4 articles. No intrusive video and I can remove relatively quickly. Nice job MLBTR
I use the app daily and have never had a redirect or obnoxious audio ad.
I’m an iPhone user and my ringer switch is always on vibrate/mute – not sure if this impacts the audio or not, but I’ve never had any ad issues on the app. Knock on wood lol
I’m an iPhone user usually on silent and I get unwanted sound and redirects all the time.
Any word on adding NHL to the app?
It’s in the app… iOS app anyway.
Tim, You make money from the ads or you wouldn’t allow them to be hosted on your site. I block on mobile and desktop them so that there is no chance of a virus (which I got two from ads on your site prior to blocking) or of a redirect. Instead of ad networks, how about selling ads directly to people that sell things people on this site want to buy and that have their ads vetted prior to being added to your site. Better yet, host the ad yourself with only a link allowed. No gifs, no programming, just a static png or jpg ad with a link. No redirects then and I bet since you are targeting baseball fans you actually make more money.
Unfortunately the current state of ad networks is A) run ads with major quality issues or B) don’t run ad networks. So yes, I could turn off all ads and have no revenue, and redirects would stop.
Selling all ads directly is a nice idea in theory, but we’ve never had enough interest to fill our inventory that way. The site would probably go out of business if we tried an all-direct model.
Tim, I can help.
I’ve had issues in the app before. It was kinda persistent for a few days a week or two ago but hasn’t been an issue since.
I think you all do a great job, even though I’ll rib you for typos or slightly incorrect information. Keep it up!
The fact that I have seen Tim and company make several posts over the last year about ads and them constantly battling to keep the user experience very friendly make me continue to keep coming back, even if the ads were very invasive – which they 100% are not compared to almost every other website out there. These guys do amazing work, update 24/7, and do it all without a paywall. Hats off to you guys.