Communities in both the traditional sense and the newer virtual worlds should not be seen as completely separate from one another. Groups that have formed in the physical realm can use an electronic medium to help facilitate communication and keeps its members informed of current events. The reverse is also true in that communities that have formed through virtual means can then organise events in the physical world to meet the faces behind the user name. A key example of this is ‘The Castle’ bulletin board site.
Using the online text forum of bulletin board systems (BBS), fans of the Disneyland theme park could meet online and using text threads discuss all things Disney. What makes this different form other web sites is that the BBS users connect directly to the host computer via modem by directly dialling the number. As such bulletin boards tend to be visited by people who live in the area of the host, otherwise logging on would be charged at long distance rates and become very expensive (Lutters, 2003:157, 46pgs).
Being close to the other members that the user interacts with creates intangible bonds as described by one Castle fan. "When I first signed on to it, the fact that it was Anaheim kind of implied a certain legitimacy... I think its locality lends to its intimacy ... The Castle is like a local gathering place."
It may be this sense of intimacy that has encouraged users to physically meet at various Disney events. This includes non-Park activities such as memorabilia sales and movie marathons to the member sponsored holidays at the park or a New Years Eve party in the adjoining Disneyland Hotel (Lutters, 2003:157, 46pgs).
Users of online communities, when creating a virtual version of themselves may like to create a persona that they feel they cannot express in their normal circle of friends (ident). This does not seem to be the case for many of the Castle fans. As one member said “It was good to put faces to your names.�?
The blending of the virtual and physical realms of a community can strengthen the relationships between it members. A similar situation was seen in Australia with the launch of the re-vamped Australian soccer league; the Hyundai A-League. The web sites for each club were up and running before player rosters had been completed and early visitors were encouraged to join a mailing list where the user would be sent the latest information about their teams. These initial members were offered membership deals and could purchase tickets to a dinner to meet the staff and players of the club. Fans could also purchase their team’s jersey to wear each week to the games; a visual symbol of the members loyalty and commitment to the team. This shows how complex the amalgam of virtual and traditional communities can be. A community following a sporting team, which could be described as a traditional community because it has the locality of a home stadium and various membership behaviours, was able to create a large initial fan base by being highly accessible through electronic communication. In turn the information provided by the web sites encourage those considering investing in the community to participate in the physical realm by attending matches.
Lutters, Wayne. G. 2003. Joining the backstage: Locality and centrality in an online community. Information Technology & People, 16(2):157, 46pgs (accessed 3 October 2005)
