Hello Mike,
I have been a long time member and you present some interesting ideas. I used to frequent the board a lot more but the issue is i do it on my phone and the ads really add a layer of steps to just read a post. The front page I used to read when Sir John was around, but now not so much. The donation model is fine, but I would have an option with no ads if you donate. I work a lot of hours and mostly check on my phone, so it has become more complicated. I love DD and want to see it flourish, but a subscription model will never work. 247, Rivals and a host of others have a corner on that market.