This Privacy Policy and Terms page is meant to help you understand what information this website collects, how it is used, and how or when we keep certain information secure or confidential. The Terms also explain our limitations regarding certain website content. If you do not agree to the entirety of these terms, you should not use this website.
Purpose
The purpose of this website is to objectively track and analyze close and controversial calls in sport, with great regard for the rules and spirit of the game. CCS is educational, individual, and non-commercial in nature.
Attribution
Use of this website and its data is governed by the following attribution clause: All reference or use of statistics, analysis, and other information from this website must attribute closecallsports.com as its source; you may link to the source article within the website. If the information is from the UEFL Portal, you should still link to closecallsports.com.
What
Information we collect includes information the user provides to us (e.g., if you write something and send it to us, we will receive/collect it), information from a user's use of our service (e.g., device information, IP or network information, browser, resolution, operating system, and other logging information), and use of similar services such as the DISQUS commenting platform. If you "like" the /UmpireEjections group on Facebook, this information will also be available to us. We do not receive further specific information such as log-in credentials, since those interactions take place using and on a third-party service. We only have access to/collect information that you voluntarily give us via email or other direct contact from you. We will not sell or rent this information to anyone.
We and our third parties such as DISQUS use "cookies" on this site. A cookie is a piece of data stored on a site visitor's hard drive to help us improve your access to our site and identify repeat visitors to our site. For instance, when DISQUS uses a cookie to identify you, you remain logged in after switching pages, which saves time. Cookies can also enable us to track and target the interests of our users to enhance the experience on our site. Usage of a cookie is in no way linked to any personally identifiable information on our site.
NOTE: DISQUS, Facebook, Twitter, et al have their own conditions, privacy policy, and similar terms of use.
Your Access to and Control Over Information (UEFL Digest E-mail Subscription)
If you sign up for UEFL services, such as the UEFL Digest, you do so voluntarily by providing your information to us. You may opt out of any future contacts from us at any time. You can do the following at any time by contacting us via the email address or phone number given on our website:
• See what data we have about you, if any.
• Change/correct any data we have about you.
• Have us delete any data we have about you.
• Express any concern you have about our use of your data.
How
This information is used to improve our service: for instance, if log information indicates a majority of our users employ mobile devices, we may create a special feature for the mobile site. If desktop resolutions prove exceptionally large, we might optimize the site for this larger screen/resolution. Etc.
Privacy, Confidentiality, and Security
It is the policy of this website to maintain confidentiality whenever practicable. This includes, but is not limited to, personally identifiable information collected above. It is the policy of CCS/UEFL not to divulge this information to third parties, but bear in mind that DISQUS, Facebook, Twitter, et al have their own conditions, policies, and terms.
When you post a comment on the DISQUS commenting platform, your username or guest name will be displayed along with your comment. You may choose to display additional information in your DISQUS profile, and in some instances you may be able to customize your username specifically for commenting purposes. Information that you post within a public forum is public information and may be used by us and third parties. CCS/UEFL is not responsible for the content of its third-party DISQUS users or guests.
Limitation of Content
CCS/UEFL publishes the textual content of each post, as well as website information contained within headers, sidebars, or footers, but does not publish and is not responsible for the content of:
> Member or guest comments submitted via the DISQUS commenting platform;
> Embedded elements, such as images or videos.
Third Party Websites and Third Party Content
This web site contains links to and interactive elements from other sites. Please be aware that CCS/UEFL is not responsible for the content or privacy practices of such other sites. We encourage our users to be aware when they leave our site and to read the privacy statements of any other site that collects personally identifiable information.
Terms
In using CCS/UEFL services, you consent to the additional term:
> Any DISQUS comments you make are public and you are responsible for your messages' content. More information concerning Comment and Posting Guidelines is contained within UEFL Rule 8 - Umpire Odds & Ends and Community Issues, and has been reproduced below:
CCS has implemented a rudimentary set of posting guidelines, which shall apply to all comments, profiles and other user content:
a. Users shall refrain from spam activity or any attempt to solicit.
b. Users shall refrain from flaming, trolling or other conduct interpreted as such by the post moderators. This includes name-calling.
c. Users shall refrain from undue profanity, vulgarity, obscenity, discriminatory statements pertaining to a marginalized community, or content of a prurient nature. This includes username selection.
d. Users shall refrain from attempting to moderate or resolve violations. Instead, users shall contact a Commissioner for assistance.
e. Users shall enjoy the privilege of engaging in an environment free from the aforementioned violative conduct.
f. If at any time, attention or enforcement is requested, please contact the UEFL Commissioners for assistance.
g. Post moderation shall be delegated to the UEFL Commissioners, whose judgment shall be final and unchallengeable.
h. A penalty system, which may include, but is not limited to, comment banishment and loss of UEFL points, shall govern flagrant and/or repeat violations of the Comment and Posting Guidelines, at the sole discretion of the UEFL Commissioners. A commenter penalized for inappropriate/violative comments may appeal this decision to the UEFL Appeals Board, whose decision shall be final and binding.
Notwithstanding the aforementioned, CCS is dedicated to conduct moderation and actions voluntarily taken in good faith to restrict access to or availability of material that the provider or user considers to be obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy, excessively violent, harassing, or otherwise objectionable, whether or not such material is constitutionally protected, in accordance with 47 USC § 230 (C)(2)(A).
Best Practices
As an content creation organization, CCS/UEFL attempts to adhere to best practices for such media. Some best practices we attempt to adhere to in reporting news includes:
1) Source verification: All items submitted to us by an unconventional third-party source (e.g., a private person not affiliated with a media organization) shall be subject to additional verification from an unrelated party.
2) Source reference: When practicable, CCS/UEFL shall cite the existence of a source and, may, at CCS/UEFL's sole discretion, provide a link to this source, if such virtual location exists.
3) Public information: Items reported to the public via reputable news outlet may be disseminated as such information is freely available.
4) Private and proprietary information/intellectual property: CCS/UEFL does not engage in the collection or dissemination of proprietary information not available to the general public. Although we might tag a post with the words "Exclusive"; "Source"; or "Breaking"; we do not post stories that are not otherwise public or previously reported unless such information is provided directly from the primary source or other verifiable source (see source verification, above).
As an content creation organization, CCS/UEFL attempts to adhere to best practices for such media. Some best practices we attempt to adhere to in reporting news includes:
1) Source verification: All items submitted to us by an unconventional third-party source (e.g., a private person not affiliated with a media organization) shall be subject to additional verification from an unrelated party.
2) Source reference: When practicable, CCS/UEFL shall cite the existence of a source and, may, at CCS/UEFL's sole discretion, provide a link to this source, if such virtual location exists.
3) Public information: Items reported to the public via reputable news outlet may be disseminated as such information is freely available.
4) Private and proprietary information/intellectual property: CCS/UEFL does not engage in the collection or dissemination of proprietary information not available to the general public. Although we might tag a post with the words "Exclusive"; "Source"; or "Breaking"; we do not post stories that are not otherwise public or previously reported unless such information is provided directly from the primary source or other verifiable source (see source verification, above).
5) For all items that satisfy the above terms to be eligible for publication, pursuant to the mission of CCS/UEFL, we may choose not to cover a certain eligible event or item due to reasons including but not limited to mental health or if the item is unduly traumatic.
6) Types of posts include:
> > Rumor - Indicates information/news provided by an unconventional third-party source that has not been verified by an unrelated party. The "Rumor" tag is reserved for operational information.
> > Source - Indicates information/news provided by a verifiable source or information from an unconventional source that has been verified and/or corroborated by an unrelated party.
> > Source with Knowledge - Indicates information/news provided by a verifiable source with a professional and/or personal connection or insight relative to the news being reported.
> > Inside Source - Indicates information/news provided by a source within a relevant organization.
> > Confirmed - Indicates any of the aforementioned items has been verified by an official source.
NOTE: An item is deemed "public" if it is available online via ordinary internet address or public derivative of this address, whether or not such item has been indexed by a search engine. An ordinary internet address refers any URL accessible simply by typing the designated URL into the address bar and pressing return/enter, no matter how complex this URL may be, while a public derivative of this address refers to any link contained within the designated webpage/element that a user may navigate freely (e.g., without logging in). For instance, http://gd2.mlb.com/components/game is considered an ordinary internet address, as are its derivative linked directories and files, such as /aaa/ or /test.rss, even though such an address may not be indexed by a search engine. An item is not public if a log-in is required to access the item, if it is behind a "paywall," or if the item exists solely in e-mail or private communication, unless the e-mail/communication has specifically been addressed to a CCS/UEFL recipient.
Updates
Our Privacy Policy may change from time to time and all updates will be posted on this page. For more information, please contact info [at] closecallsports [dot] com.
Affiliation
We are not affiliated with any professional league or officiating union.
6) Types of posts include:
> > Rumor - Indicates information/news provided by an unconventional third-party source that has not been verified by an unrelated party. The "Rumor" tag is reserved for operational information.
> > Source - Indicates information/news provided by a verifiable source or information from an unconventional source that has been verified and/or corroborated by an unrelated party.
> > Source with Knowledge - Indicates information/news provided by a verifiable source with a professional and/or personal connection or insight relative to the news being reported.
> > Inside Source - Indicates information/news provided by a source within a relevant organization.
> > Confirmed - Indicates any of the aforementioned items has been verified by an official source.
NOTE: An item is deemed "public" if it is available online via ordinary internet address or public derivative of this address, whether or not such item has been indexed by a search engine. An ordinary internet address refers any URL accessible simply by typing the designated URL into the address bar and pressing return/enter, no matter how complex this URL may be, while a public derivative of this address refers to any link contained within the designated webpage/element that a user may navigate freely (e.g., without logging in). For instance, http://gd2.mlb.com/components/game is considered an ordinary internet address, as are its derivative linked directories and files, such as /aaa/ or /test.rss, even though such an address may not be indexed by a search engine. An item is not public if a log-in is required to access the item, if it is behind a "paywall," or if the item exists solely in e-mail or private communication, unless the e-mail/communication has specifically been addressed to a CCS/UEFL recipient.
Updates
Our Privacy Policy may change from time to time and all updates will be posted on this page. For more information, please contact info [at] closecallsports [dot] com.
Affiliation
We are not affiliated with any professional league or officiating union.
