Nomination for PFRA President

[Ken Crippen]

I tend to agree with this. I don't think making a profit should be a goal of the PFRA, ...

Especially as we have legally been defined as a "not-for-profit" entity.

We would have to dissolve the 501(c)(3). Our definition is based on the fact that a certain percentage of our revenue is from memberships. We would also have to dissolve the corporation for the same reason. We would then have to incorporate under a different definition to protect the organization.

I am also against getting into fantasy sports. The market is flooded with fantasy "experts." What would set us apart from the companies like ESPN and the NFL, who spend a hell of a lot more money each year that we will ever have on fantasy? You would have to have better "stats," better "experts" and the like.

What makes the PFRA unique is that we fill a niche that hardly exists out there: True football historians. We know that pro football existed before Super Bowl I. We know that the "greatest of all-time" does not mean "the greatest of my recent memory." We delve into topics unknown to most, and present them in a way that is informative and enjoyable to read. I do not want to see the PFRA lose course and get away from what makes us special. Now, that does not mean that we cannot work on expanding. I think that I have outlined a few ways in which we can do that, and others here have also expressed ways that we can do that without losing what makes us unique.

[Veeshik_ya]

Jeremy and V_ya are absolutely correct - at least if I'm reading them right - in basically saying that the way for a football site to make money and/or increase membership is through fantasy football/statistics.

Not speaking for Crowhurst, but with all due respect this was absolutely not what I was saying. Making money is not the goal I had in mind. Expanding the PFRA and eliminating some of its dysfunctional characteristics is what I'm after.

And I abhor fantasy football.

(I agree with your thoughts about statistics, but that's another topic)

[Veeshik_ya]

I enthusiastically support Ken for President. One goal I'd like to add is for a highly motivated individual or committee to attempt to recruit football writers. I'm thinking primarily about those who write books but we should also see about bloggers and print and electronic columnists as well. Look at the football section of your library. My guess is that no more than 10% of the authors of the books you own belong to the PFRA. In many ways they're one of our most obvious constituencies, yet many don't even know we exist. The problem with such a project is that it's labor intensive and the number who join would undoubtedly be less than the number who pass. I spent some weeks about ten years ago doing it, though, and the results were pretty good.

The officers would gladly provide anyone interested with a list of current and past members so you would only be approaching new people. Contact for many such writers is sometimes available on-line, especially for those who blog and write for websites; for those who work for print publications, we can often reach them that way. The time-consuming part is when contact info is not so readily available. Then we're often left to contacting them through their publishing companies, which are usually very helpful. If they're not or if they've lost contact, then we'd have to try other means. My approach was to also ask those writers I reached about contributing articles for The Coffin Corner. One other approach we might try is to see about running excerpts from one of their books; that way, we're able to draw them into our circle and they're happy because their work gets that much more exposure.

I and other officers will gladly assist anyone willing to take a stab at this. Either post something here or send a pm to one of us.

Aside from the endorsement, this is more along the lines of what I'm talking about. Great ideas here. SABR is like this. If you go to their site, you'll see a variety of articles anyone can read. They even have an excellent, simple "how to write for SABR" document. Contrast that to the PFRA. We have some great stuff, but its all hidden behind the pay-for wall. Our best stuff is unavailable to the general public, and you have old-guard members and their enablers (one of whom wants to be President) trying to keep it that way.

Put Maher and Piasck's ideas together and we're getting somewhere.

[Ken Crippen]

I enthusiastically support Ken for President. One goal I'd like to add is for a highly motivated individual or committee to attempt to recruit football writers. I'm thinking primarily about those who write books but we should also see about bloggers and print and electronic columnists as well. Look at the football section of your library. My guess is that no more than 10% of the authors of the books you own belong to the PFRA. In many ways they're one of our most obvious constituencies, yet many don't even know we exist. The problem with such a project is that it's labor intensive and the number who join would undoubtedly be less than the number who pass. I spent some weeks about ten years ago doing it, though, and the results were pretty good.

The officers would gladly provide anyone interested with a list of current and past members so you would only be approaching new people. Contact for many such writers is sometimes available on-line, especially for those who blog and write for websites; for those who work for print publications, we can often reach them that way. The time-consuming part is when contact info is not so readily available. Then we're often left to contacting them through their publishing companies, which are usually very helpful. If they're not or if they've lost contact, then we'd have to try other means. My approach was to also ask those writers I reached about contributing articles for The Coffin Corner. One other approach we might try is to see about running excerpts from one of their books; that way, we're able to draw them into our circle and they're happy because their work gets that much more exposure.

I and other officers will gladly assist anyone willing to take a stab at this. Either post something here or send a pm to one of us.

Aside from the endorsement, this is more along the lines of what I'm talking about. Great ideas here. SABR is like this. If you go to their site, you'll see a variety of articles anyone can read. They even have an excellent, simple "how to write for SABR" document. Contrast that to the PFRA. We have some great stuff, but its all hidden behind the pay-for wall. Our best stuff is unavailable to the general public, and you have old-guard members and their enablers (one of whom wants to be President) trying to keep it that way.

Put Maher and Piasck's ideas together and we're getting somewhere.

SABR has a Members-Only section. They do not give everything away for free.

[Veeshik_ya]

SABR has a Members-Only section. They do not give everything away for free.

True, but your average Joe will find a lot more there than a non-member will find here. It's chock full of interesting stuff you don't have to pay a dime for.

[Ken Crippen]

SABR has a Members-Only section. They do not give everything away for free.

True, but your average Joe will find a lot more there than a non-member will find here. It's chock full of interesting stuff you don't have to pay a dime for.

They understand the same model that we do: Why would you join if everything is given away for free? We have almost 30 years of information given away for free, as well as all of the articles that make up many of the PFRA books. So, the question come up: if that is not enough, why don't you just join?

[Veeshik_ya]

and present them in a way that is informative and enjoyable to read.

We do? I see a lot of deep, dark secret private messages, people getting by on reputations without putting their stuff out there, and good stuff hidden behind a pay-for wall.

[Veeshik_ya]

So, the question come up: if that is not enough, why don't you just join?

Maybe I'm misunderstanding, are you asking me why I don't join? I am a member.

[Ken Crippen]

and present them in a way that is informative and enjoyable to read.

We do? I see a lot of deep, dark secret private messages, people getting by on reputations without putting their stuff out there, and good stuff hidden behind a pay-for wall.

Funny, as a member, I have not had any of those issues.

[Ken Crippen]

So, the question come up: if that is not enough, why don't you just join?

Maybe I'm misunderstanding, are you asking me why I don't join? I am a member.

I don't remember seeing your name on the membership list. When did you join and I will check.