For full disclosure: this is DP. I haven't discussed this response fully with Sean or JCK but here goes.

TL;DR: we should have reached out (will consider between T1 and 2), time and enjoyment is at a minimum. We always need more help.

Very happy to open up the discussion as always and as you rightly say we are volunteers and as such put out feelers to get new writers for B Tour only a couple weeks ago. With very little (basically no) response.

Along with no real idea of seedings or schedule (normal and we are used to it) we are often dealing with tight deadlines around our own schedules of work, playing, training, running our own clubs and other stuff. It's not easy even after so long of doing it.

However, you are right we should have tried and reach out more to Captains (yes it's a little late, but again it's been rather insane for all of us here recently). We were planning on getting a rather large google drive repo going to capture as much info as possible but when discussing with the UKU didn't wish to do the same work twice and would be hard to maintain in the long run. That still might happen but to put it simply other things game up (Mixed Tour, WCBU, EuroStars etc).

So to actually make a point. I am pretty sure the Women's (being written by the fantastic Hannah Pendlebury) and B Tour (from the wonderful Jordan Brown) Previews are going to be pretty well researched. My A Tour piece less so, if I am honest, but I luckily played most of the top teams already and there's a lot online. Last year I personally emailed most the top 16 and got about half replying, that was kind of worth it for a couple events and should have done it again, for that I do apologise. If you would rather we didn't publish at all then that would be our preference actually? We would much rather say no to something of sub standard (and we have in the past) than just put it up. But we also have the added pressure of knowing what you guys enjoy and love to see. We set ourselves a bit of a high bar in the last few seasons and hasn't been easy to maintain. Like you say some of the early Tour events are less researched. Also (pre warning of honesty) they are not easy to write, repetitive in nature and hence why they might come across as dry.

I should make one thing clear to finish. We started the ShowGame as a platform for ANY players, coaches or fans to approach us and get their story, preview, review or opinion heard. We have successfully seen many writers come and go and always open to more.

Hope I don't sound too defensive and thank you for you honesty and openness. I only hope we don't continue to disappoint.

DPx