Partner With Us
Orientation — what this is
The Massachusetts Dispatch recommends skating and hockey businesses that do something right — not because they sponsor us, but because we have tested them and found them sound. When we talk about a business here, we mean it.
Being featured on The Dispatch is not advertising. We publish what we have learned from direct experience, and we say so plainly. Our audience — parents, players, coaches and recreational skaters — arrives here looking for real guidance, not marketing noise. The only way partnership works is if the business genuinely does what we claim.
A feature in The Dispatch means someone looked closely, asked hard questions, and came away convinced. That's the standing we give you.
We profile one business per quarter in depth, plus mention solid operators in passing when they fit a story. Both kinds of coverage take the same editorial process: hands-on evaluation, clarity about what we found and what we didn't, and an honest stance on who should use this business and who shouldn't. Consider reaching out if you think you belong here. The first step is simple: Tell us about your operation.
The reference table
We look for businesses that meet these marks. None are requirements — think of them as the shape of what we value:
- You know the community. You can speak to how skating or hockey fits into local life, not just your inventory or service.
- You solve a real problem. Repair, fitting, instruction, rental — you make something possible that wasn't before.
- You show up consistently. We feature operators who show up week after week, year after year, through slow seasons and boom times.
- You welcome questions. You can explain your method, your choices, what you charge and why. You don't hide behind prices or assume everyone knows what you do.
- You hold a line. You have standards — for gear quality, for player safety, for the experience you deliver — and you stick to them even when it costs.
Many businesses in the region meet these marks. We cannot feature them all, and we are selective about timing. But if your operation is one we should know about, we want to hear it.
Common sticking points
Will you feature us for free, or do you charge? The Dispatch runs on subscriptions and grants. We do not take payment for coverage. If we write about you, it is because we have tested your work and believe our readers should know about it. This keeps our judgment clear and our readers' trust solid.
How long does this take? Evaluation takes three to five weeks. We visit, we ask, we check references when it matters. If we decide to write, the piece runs in the next available quarterly cycle. You will see a draft before publication and can correct factual errors. We keep editorial control of how we frame what we found.
What if we don't fit? We give honest feedback on why. Sometimes a business is solid but doesn't fit our angle — we cover community-focused operators, not commercial chains. Sometimes the timing is wrong. Sometimes we see problems we cannot recommend you for. We tell you plainly.
Can we use this elsewhere? Yes. Once published, the piece is yours to link to and share. We retain the copyright. Do not reprint the full text without permission, but the profile is a permanent resource for your marketing, your hiring, your customers.
How to use it
The process is direct. Send us a short note about who you are, what you do, and why you think we should evaluate you. Include your location, your core service, and a sense of your operation's size and focus. That is enough to start.
We will visit, watch you work, and talk to the people who know you best — your regular customers and staff. We look for signs that you are doing the work right: that you care about quality, that you know your community, that you handle problems when they come up. We may ask to observe a class, a repair, a fitting, or a busy weekend. We ask hard questions. The evaluation gives us the material we need to write an honest piece.
If we move forward, we write a draft and send it to you for factual review. You can flag anything we got wrong. We keep the overall frame and judgment call, but we correct errors and listen when you can help us understand something better. Once you sign off on the facts, we publish. Ready to tell us about your business? Start here.