CSA board meeting in Toronro - unplanned!

[squid2]

This weekend (Jan 18/19/20) the CSA board is meeting in Toronto.

This is supposed to be a strategic meeting with little fanfare so it was never advertised internally or was it posted on the event board.

So it's about money.

It's about Nykamp's settlement; It's about the $ for u23s; It’s about $ for the men's qualifying but it's probably a final review of the u20 financial statements.

What's going to come out of this meeting is this:

the CSA will be asking for a $2 increase, per registration, across

the board. $1 to the CSA and $1 to your respective provincial association.

No explanation. No disclosure. No external audit.

So if anyone with a "SACK THE CSA" t-shirt is in downtown Toronto this weekend, how about wearing it down to the Holiday Inn on King Street West and blend in with the crowd, sans jacket. There's a restaurant downstairs and a coffee shop at the front.

That's this Friday, Saturday & Sunday.

The Fartcatchers will be wearing their CSA/adidas issued apparel.

Please feel free to circulate and post this info on other boards.

Thank you.

[VPjr]

Yup, its true. The CSA is looking for more money, as are the provinces. If approved (and it will likely be approved because everyone's going to get a piece of the action), this will pull another $1.5 million out of the grassroots.

If I were running a local club, I'd have some major concerns about forking over more money to the CSA if its going to pay off Nykamp (and a bunch of it will be, rest assured).

Anyone interested in meeting for a coffee at the Toronto Holiday Inn on King Street at some point this weekend?

[The Ref]

The Fartcatchers have some nerve. Raising fees with impunity just seems illegal. What or who is there to stop them for raising instead of $2, say $10 or $100? The members of the board voting for the raise are in direct conflict of interest, as they represent their own association which will receive 50% of such raise in fees. If it was me, I too would vote in favor to raise my own salary.

[RJB]

It's interesting that the CSA as a national association has the ability to raise money on behalf of the provincial associations. Is this true?

Isn't that a bit like the federal government raising provincial taxes?

[Martyr]

Whenever there is a motion to raise fees it needs to be ratified by the Provincial Association BODs. I'm not sure anymore how many Provinces need to vote in favour to push it through... it might be 2/3s. Perhaps someone else with more knowledge can fill that bit in.

The reason for the proposed $1 Provincial increase is probably an attempt to get the Provincial Boards onside so they will sell the overall increase to their membership (Usually comprising of District Associations and/or Senior Leagues). Any Provincial Associations that are hard up for cash will be tempted by this - but any that do not need the money will probably oppose the plan for the same reasons people on this board will oppose it.

While there is a conflict of interest in the involvement of Provincial Board Presidents on the CSA Board - there is still a lot of skepticism and ill-feeling on most Provincial Boards towards the CSA. So I would be surprised if this fee increase is an easy sell to the Provinces.

[Guest Dave]

Mixed feelings about this. Yes, we all pretty much agree that the CSA doesn't provide value for money, and so it's hard to accept giving them more $. However, more money is desperately needed to fund a reasonable preparation for WCQ. I am very much in favour of more money, if it goes in the right place. But I'm also afraid that the fartcatchers will use the upcoming WCQ as a justification for lining their own pockets, and then turn around and probably cut MNT funding even more.

If only there were some way to attach conditions to how the extra money is spent. Is there any chance that this idea could be raised at the Board meeting? Maybe some critical votes could be given to approve the fee increase, on condition that a certain percentage of the increase go directly into the MNT budget for WCQ? Needless to say, there wouuld have to be some independant means of verifying that the dollars go where they were supposed to...

[JB_Tito]

If they need money moving their asses and looking for sponsors might help.

[VPjr]

quote:Originally posted by Dave

Mixed feelings about this. Yes, we all pretty much agree that the CSA doesn't provide value for money, and so it's hard to accept giving them more $. However, more money is desperately needed to fund a reasonable preparation for WCQ. I am very much in favour of more money, if it goes in the right place. But I'm also afraid that the fartcatchers will use the upcoming WCQ as a justification for lining their own pockets, and then turn around and probably cut MNT funding even more.

If only there were some way to attach conditions to how the extra money is spent. Is there any chance that this idea could be raised at the Board meeting? Maybe some critical votes could be given to approve the fee increase, on condition that a certain percentage of the increase go directly into the MNT budget for WCQ? Needless to say, there wouuld have to be some independant means of verifying that the dollars go where they were supposed to...

We all agree that the national team programs need more money and I am sure that funding to teams will be a selling point for the money but the big question (the one no one at the CSA wants to talk about) is how much of this money is needed to pay off Nykamp? I think that figure is going to be substantial. I still think the national teams are going to get the bare bones funding they always get.

[Guest Dave]

It's a pity the MNT has to be linked with the CSA. Properly managed and promoted, the MNT could easliy be a money maker. In an ideal world, the CSA could do what is commonplace in government, and contract out the management of the MNT to the private sector, where it could be done right.

Who would you want to see in such a role... MLSE/TFC? Probably not a good idea...

Other ideas?

Hey, just noticed this is post #800 for me! I'll be in the 1000 club by WCQ!

[VPjr]

BTW guys, I'm working on organizing a gathering of Black T-shirt wearing supporters for this weekend so that we can "dialogue" with our CSA chums.

if interested, email me.

[Keano]

quote:Originally posted by Dave

It's a pity the MNT has to be linked with the CSA. Properly managed and promoted, the MNT could easliy be a money maker. In an ideal world, the CSA could do what is commonplace in government, and contract out the management of the MNT to the private sector, where it could be done right.

Who would you want to see in such a role... MLSE/TFC? Probably not a good idea...

Other ideas?

Hey, just noticed this is post #800 for me! I'll be in the 1000 club by WCQ!

Saputo?

[Guest Ed]

I suggest you get some candid photos of the eminent CSA visionaries drinking after their meeting. Make sure the lighting is good so you can get their gin-ravaged noses in perfect colour. Patch in some distinctive audio with a few distinguished 'on yer bike', 'rubbish', etc phrases. Then publish them here under a great 'Fart Sniffers Need More Money ' banner!!! Take the url to the next local meeting when the fees increase is being brought up!

[Guest Dave]

quote:Originally posted by Keano

Saputo?

I like that idea a lot. Also, what about Kerfoot? I don't mean direct management by Kerfoot of course, but is it possible he might take it on as an investment of sorts, and hire a good CEO to manage it, and hopefully make it successful and profitable? Could be advantages to be had by sharing resources with the Whitecaps. The only thing is that he'd have to understand that most WCQ could not be held in Vancouver due to travel issues for our Euro guys.

[Cheeta]

Say.....

Wasn't $2 the exact amount we were paying on our player cards for the last couple of year (over and above the regular CSA tax) to finance the U20s? And now with the U20s over, and no further call for this special tax we can expect an increased levy without actually seeing</u> the fees we pay to the CSA increase when we register every year?

Well, isn't that convenient. And so easy to keep under the radar.

Ah, well. The good news is yours truly changed leagues this winter so I'm no longer registered with the MSA and by extension the CSA. Course that does disqualify me from voting during provincial elections.

[Robert]

Is the CSA unique in "earning" their revenue in this manner, or is this how other national associations also fund their World Cup campaigns. Shame on you Victor, for even considering this approach. Let Nykamp take the CSA to court. Even if he won a court decision, it would take years for him to collect, and by then you will not even be there to deal with it. If what the CSA offered Nykamp to settle out of court in any way jeopardizes the upcoming MNT's qualifying campaign, then each member voting in favour of this way of raising money should be shot because they are enemies of Canadian soccer. Death to the traitors. Would someone please post who votes in favour of this motion?

Guess who's back?

[RJB]

There are capable people in this country who can run soccer clubs whose names aren't Kerfoot or Saputo, and whose corporation isn't called MLSE. We don't need a person to run the club, we simply need to support the Mens' team and force the CSA because it will then be viable.

Do you think that England or Germany would host national team games if there were only 6000 people there? What about 10000? Not a chance. And same for us. If we pack BMO Field, and/or Saputo Stadium/Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium/Commonwealth Stadium/__________, then it will make a profit for the CSA, and they will then start to have more games in Canada. All of a sudden, they are in the black, can fund new programs, and no one on this board is calling for the private sector.

[ag futbol]

quote:Originally posted by RJB

There are capable people in this country who can run soccer clubs whose names aren't Kerfoot or Saputo, and whose corporation isn't called MLSE. We don't need a person to run the club, we simply need to support the Mens' team and force the CSA because it will then be viable.

Do you think that England or Germany would host national team games if there were only 6000 people there? What about 10000? Not a chance. And same for us. If we pack BMO Field, and/or Saputo Stadium/Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium/Commonwealth Stadium/__________, then it will make a profit for the CSA, and they will then start to have more games in Canada. All of a sudden, they are in the black, can fund new programs, and no one on this board is calling for the private sector.

In a modern context the difference of for profit / NFPO is not that much. One tries to maximize profit the other tries to maximize benefits on its target. Somewhere along the line people at NFPO’s realized that if you generate revenue and make prudent investments you’ll increase those benefits.

I don't think anybody is calling for the CSA to be privatized, but they're asking for the CSA to be run in a streamlined and professional way that will maxamize it's potential.

I’m not sure if you’re assigning onus on people to simply show up for games but if that’s the case I could not disagree more. Blaming the potential customers is a long path to nowhere. Blame the creators and marketers of the product, that’s where the problem lies.

[VPjr]

quote:Originally posted by Robert

Is the CSA unique in "earning" their revenue in this manner, or is this how other national associations also fund their World Cup campaigns. Shame on you Victor, for even considering this approach. Let Nykamp take the CSA to court. Even if he won a court decision, it would take years for him to collect, and by then you will not even be there to deal with it. If what the CSA offered Nykamp to settle out of court in any way jeopardizes the upcoming MNT's qualifying campaign, then each member voting in favour of this way of raising money should be shot because they are enemies of Canadian soccer. Death to the traitors. Would someone please post who votes in favour of this motion?

Guess who's back?

The CSA is apparently 1 of only 4 or 5 countries in FIFA that charges registration levies in order to fund its FA.

I've not studied every major FA but the big guys in Europe (England, Italy, Spain, etc) rely on several revenue streams to fund its programs (sponsorships, profits from staging matches, merchandise sales, etc...).

Argentina and Brazil generate big money for their respective FAs by selling the promotional rights to its National Teams friendlies to promotors who will book the matches and make the profit from ticket sales (that's why Arg and Brazil almost never play friendlies at home....their fans rarely get the chance to see the national team play a friendly at home). I don't know all the details of these deasl (Maybe Canuck Oranje can shed some light).

[Robert]

Dino, I appreciate and respect your input. You come across as well-informed on many issues we seem to share a common interest in and frustration with. So let me ask you, when are you going to rise up to the next level? From VPjr to VPsr? Maybe you've got it figured out already that you'll live longer and consequently be of far greater value to Canadian soccer in a senior advisory capacity? Lord knows we need it. Have you ever read "the Prince?"

[VPjr]

Robert, check your email.