I've maintained an independent web site and message board for 23 years (ouch!) and there aren't many of us left.

In many cases, the lure of click-throughs and banner ad revenues steered many of the formerly independent sites to Rivals, Scout, the second iteration of Rivals, 247 Sports, and SB Nation, but it left the sites to sign up fans on premium memberships to exist. I've never asked for a dime from the visitors to HoyaSaxa.com and the HoyaTalk boards and have no intention to do so, but others see such "affiliated" sites as a revenue producing operation.

Others start their own business out of it. Tech Sideline.com (the former "Hokie Central") started about the same time I did and went into a JV with Virginia's TheSabre.com. They host a platform for six other sites.