Your Quick Review
Pros: The sites theme while not hockey themed is clean and easy to navigate but I would recommend improving the theme so it's more hockey orientate. The theme of a site has to be done right the main reason being most guests judge a forum on first appearances and if there is nothing to attract their attention they will leave. I did notice you have installed a lot of themes to give users options but most guest will not notice the drop down menu so make sure the default theme is the best one.
You have thought about your forums and the basic set up is ok, what you need to do is make sure every forum has a good description telling users what the forum is there for and you also need to make use of the sub forum feature by this I mean make the less active boards a sub forum of a main one, this then shortens the index page and allows for better navigation of your site.
Cons: First thing I noticed when I clicked the link to your site is the site logo was not displaying, instead I was face with a red X, you need to look at getting that fixed as soon as possible. I don't see the need to tell users when you first opened and then re-opened as it's rather pointless without an explanation and to have it on the index page does not look professional.
The site is hockey forum yet I see nothing that tells me that it is a hockey forum, the forums style is basic you nee to look at editing it so it's more hockey orientated, look at getting some custom forum icons done that are themed around hockey, this will help to attract new users. What didn't look good is you have empty forums, this is a big turn off for new visitors, if they see a forum empty they are less likely to join, look at either removing them or posting in them.
You have been re-opened 4 days and your post count is rather low, the first months of the forum are some of the most vital and hardest of all, as an admin you need to be online as much as possible driving up the post count, the same can be said for staff. The last thing that wasn't clear is which groups were staff, look at having a post in your HN Updates forum telling users who is who and what their roles are.
Final/General Thoughts: You have a lot of work in front of you to make this forum a success, it will not happen over night but if you implement some of the changes I have suggested you will be on the right track, to help you get going look at getting some posting packages done and do a few posting exchanges as this will really boost your post and member count. You need to work on the look of the forum so it's themed around your genre.
What was most liked about the website/forums: Your seem to have a good knowledge of ice hockey and it showed in the different forums you had and you really need to use that your advantage.
What was disliked most about the website/forums: The low post count and the basic style of the site which I have already pressed upon.
Final Score : Score - (3 of 10)
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