Managers’ Chat Threads
Every competition on Gaff—Tournaments (Mixed & KO), Leagues, and Friendlies—comes with its own real-time chat thread. It’s the clubhouse where managers brag, banter, share receipts, and celebrates.
What it is
Per-competition rooms: Each event has a unique chat so conversation stays on-topic and context-rich.
Live by default: Messages stream instantly via sockets, no reloads needed.
Media support: Post images (lineup screenshots, victory posters, meme recaps). EXIF is stripped, safe sizes enforced.
Lightweight but lively: Reactions (👍🔥😂), inline match links, and auto-formatted scorelines (
Team A 2–1 Team B).
Why it matters
Adds stakes & story: Banter turns fixtures into rivalries. Rivalries keep managers coming back.
Social scouting: Share clips, ask about prospects, compare training plans, community accelerates mastery.
Better retention: Leagues with active chat see higher re-joins and creator repeat events.
Healthier economy: The more managers socialize, the more listings, loans, and friendlies they spin up.
Core Features
Identity
Shows club name + crest, creator and admins marked with badges.
Images
PNG/JPG up to N MB, thumbnails in-thread, click to zoom.
Mentions
@username to ping rivals (rate-limited to prevent spam).
Context links
Auto-link a match ID to jump to its card on the page.
Reactions
Quick reacts (max 3 per message to keep signal).
Pinned
Creators/admins can pin rules, schedule changes, prize posts.
Search
Keyword search within the room (e.g., “lineup”, “Group B”).
Read receipts
Subtle “seen by X” on pinned announcements only.
Localization
Client locale formatting, emoji picker included.
Safety & Fair Play
Report / Mute / Block: One-tap report, personal mute and block lists.
Filters: Profanity filter with escalating cooldowns (shadow-mute on repeat).
Image checks: Size/type validation, safe-content heuristics.
Rate limits: Burst and sustained limits to prevent floods.
Audit trail: Admin actions (pin, remove) are logged with timestamps.
Goal: keep the spice, stop the spam.
UX Flow
Open Competition → “Chat” tab (also accessible from the sticky bar).
Post text or image (drag-drop or mobile picker).
React or reply (quote-reply to keep threads tidy during peak moments).
Jump to context (click a linked match to view its card, then back).
Pin announcements (creators/mods only).
Mobile: the chat sits on a dedicated screen with quick tabs for Fixtures, Standings/Bracket, and Leaders, switching keeps scroll position.
Under the hood (brief)
Rooms:
tournament:{id},league:{id},friendly:{id}.Transport: WebSocket with auth token handshake.
Persistence: Messages stored with competition ID, author club, and optional media metadata.
Moderation hooks: Server-side interceptors for filters, limits, and admin controls.
Best Practices for Managers
Bring receipts: Post your lineup screenshot pre-kickoff, win or lose, it fuels great debriefs.
Celebrate, don’t denigrate: Sharp banter, not personal attacks.
Pin schedules: If you’re the creator, pin the fixture times and prize splits early.
Use mentions sparingly: Save pings for real moments (finals, tiebreaks, big trades).
Coming soon (roadmap)
Room polls (MVP of fan voting on “Goal of the Round”).
Image albums per competition.
Creator-only announcements channel mirrored in main chat.
Mini trophy emojis for round winners that persist for the competition’s duration.
TL,DR
Chat makes competitions unforgettable. It turns a list of fixtures into a living season, with memes, mind games, and momentum. Post your brag, drop your lineup, pin your prize pool, then meet your rivals on the pitch.
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