We Get A Right To Vote

[hammo]

Originally posted by JF_Bay22_SCG

PS:- To all of you who had the misfortune to see my mug on the box during the Channel 10 News, I apologise. (All the kids would have thought "Here's Humphrey" was back on the air LOL )

http://au.f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/...&.dnm=46b4.jpg

And I thought the prospect of Goldspink umpiring the Swans this Saturday was scary!! Just kiding, JF...

[Bart]

Originally posted by JF_Bay22_SCG
Damien, please do NOT comment on things you know NOTHING about.

You are a very condescending person JF. You paint yourself as the man on the inside and treat the rest of us like fools. I admire your passion for the club and the fact that your entire life revolves around it and every spare cent you have is spent travelling around the country, but don't assume that others can't have opinions on this, and that you and SSI are blinded by your won perceived success in getting Roos installed instead of Wallace.

I will vote, and am happy to vote, but it will not be for anyone associated with SSI, or indeed anyone who resorts to histrionics. I want level headed people with football or business experience who are not emotionally blinded by their own perceived love of the club, which is in fact a love of their own egos. I don't believe anyone in your playgroup will meet any of the criteria that we need for succesful directors.

I also hope this happens in the off-season, so I don't have to see a freak show outside our matches.

[monopoly19]

Originally posted by JF_Bay22_SCG
But the fact that the members DO have say in how the club is run will mean instantly that the members will be wanting to stay informed about what is happening. Which I believe is a way to increase identification of the club within its membership base. "This is MY club; I CAN have a say."

I think that you may be overestimating the involvement that most members actually have with the footy club. My family has been members for a good number of years now, and the extent of our involvement is to go to the games, have a good (occasionally bad) time, and then pretty much forget about it for the rest of the week. No aftermatches, no club dinners etc., and we're happy with that. I don't particularly want a say, and I don't think I need one to be able to say "this is my club". I has been, and will be for a long time. It's not neccesarily about owning your little piece of the board.

For the Club's sake, I certainly do hope that more members do become interested in it's welfare, otherwise we'll have member elected board members that do NOT represent the people of this club.

It's a nice ideal, but I don't know how well it will work.

[Bart]

Originally posted by monopoly19
For the Club's sake, I certainly do hope that more members do become interested in it's welfare, otherwise we'll have member elected board members that do NOT represent the people of this club.

It's a nice ideal, but I don't know how well it will work.

This is exactly my concern. There are a hundred or so regular posters on this board. We can often mistake the fact that the 99.5% of other members are as passionate and opionated as us. The fact is many aren't. Most of our members are fairly apathetic, and many (probably the vast majority) would not vote.

The Melbourne clubs tend to have the local town hall open for the day and members turn up in person to vote. Could you imagine the turnout if this happened in Sydney. 10% at best.

Will the club's constitution state that there must be a minimum quota ? And will they allow postal votes.

[Maestro2]

I'll need some convincing that this is a good idea.

Personally, I think the arguments for the vote are rather selfish and self-serving. The arguments do not reflect on what is best for the club (or if they do, it is in a rather trite manner), but what is best for supporters as individuals.

If these individuals had the best interests of the club in mind, they would recognise AFL clubs are commercial, legal, and regulatory beasts that have evolved into entities quite different from the local bowling club (example I have seen recently used).

I have yet to see an argument about how this proposal can advance the club. It will not secure a single additional member in Sydney. It will not secure the signature of a creative outside midfielder or key position defender.

I am very disappointed that the AFL/ club has succumbed to the views of a very vocal, noisy minority.

[Bear]

IMO we need the vote in order to develop our club's culture. In general I believe people will develop more passion for, and understanding and ownership of, the club. Although I am quite concerned about people with NFI voting, voting will not be compulsory, so the less educated will not usually vote.

Remember, there is no perfect democracy.

As for SSI (and the dog) taking the glory for this... pffft. It's like 'Australia' claiming victory in the Iraq 'war'. Yes we played a part but it was just that, a part.

[Doctor J.]

Originally posted by Maestro2
I'll need some convincing that this is a good idea.

Personally, I think the arguments for the vote are rather selfish and self-serving. The arguments do not reflect on what is best for the club (or if they do, it is in a rather trite manner), but what is best for supporters as individuals.

If these individuals had the best interests of the club in mind, they would recognise AFL clubs are commercial, legal, and regulatory beasts that have evolved into entities quite different from the local bowling club (example I have seen recently used).

I have yet to see an argument about how this proposal can advance the club. It will not secure a single additional member in Sydney. It will not secure the signature of a creative outside midfielder or key position defender.

I am very disappointed that the AFL/ club has succumbed to the views of a very vocal, noisy minority.

So so correct Maestro! Great effort for your first post.

The sooner people realise that this IS NOT the local bowling club, and this is the corporate world then the better.

I am yet to see one arguement advanced in support of voting rights for members that will mean long term stability and security of the club, greater than what we currently have.

This club needs business acumen on its Board to survive in the Sydney sporting environment, not loyal sentiment driven supporters who believe that because they have the passion this will bring success. It needs business people who are able to drive the club forward and command a greater percentage of the Sydney corporate sponsorship dollar than it currently gets. It needs business people who are capable of negotiating with the AFL on the best deals for its supporter base in both SYdney & Melbourne. It does not need a Board that consist partly of people who think that the Cheer Squad is one of the most important functions within the club.

Don't get me wrong, loyal supporters are also needed, just not on the Board, unless they bring the necessary skills to the table.

[floppinab]

Some good discussion in here.

The main thing I want to see out of this is a decent AGM where the good folks running this club can be made accountable for their decisions and where we can see a decent annual report detailing why those decisions are being made.

If that can then be expanded a little bit further into some level of membership forums (genuine grass roots members, the top dollar forums already exist), then that should be enough to allow those members who do want a voice, a chance to be heard.

Accountability is the key thing here.

The sooner people realise that this IS NOT the local bowling club, and this is the corporate world then the better.

Quite true but very generally membership/shareholder based organisations should generally be answerable to their shareholders via some sort of democratic process (you could argue how democratic the corporate world really is of course..........)

It needs business people who are capable of negotiating with the AFL on the best deals for its supporter base in both SYdney & Melbourne. It does not need a Board that consist partly of people who think that the Cheer Squad is one of the most important functions within the club.

It needs a balance of both which IMO does not exist at the moment.

[Maestro2]

Floppinab - I think your first suggestion makes sense. An AGM reporting back to the members is appropriate, and why not give members the opportunity to ask questions directly to the board (though we could be there all night!!) - that would be a very interesting evening. And you are right I think with the corporate world analogy- individual shareholders are not, in practice, empowered by their vote.

[swansrule100]

Originally posted by Damien
Do NOT comment on what I know or do NOT know about thanks JF.

Didn't realise you needed to be apart of SSI to give a damn or make a difference in this club, or have an idea about what is going on.


LOAD OF CRAP.

damn right

we all have the right to say what we bloody well like

[boroboy]

Originally posted by Maestro2
I am very disappointed that the AFL/ club has succumbed to the views of a very vocal, noisy minority.

The club in fact isn't succumbing to the views of the minority - it's the AFL Commission's charter that states that all clubs are required to be membership based with only very limited shareholdings allowed (private ownership is at present not allowed or encouraged). The quite unique financial and ownership history of the Swans meant the AFL had no option but to effectively take control of the club in the early 90's - but the desire / requirement to take the club back to a membership based club has always been there...this move is certainly not a result of a 'vocal minority'...

[SwallowdaFonz]

Some are worried about passionate but unbusiness-like supporters taking the Swans in the wrong direction now that we have a partial vote. But would you rather trust the AFL to guide us in the right direction? That is the question I think.

[boroboy]

Originally posted by JF_Bay22_SCG
I just want people who are involved with the club to live and breathe the club AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF FOOTY IN NSW.

I don't - I want the board members primarily to be concerned with the long term future and survival of the Swans, and to ensure that the club continues to meet the financial requirements stipulated by the AFL (otherwise there will be no Swans to support). Let the AFL (NSW & ACT) worry about development of footy outside of the club...

[robbieando]

Originally posted by floppinab
The main thing I want to see out of this is a decent AGM where the good folks running this club can be made accountable for their decisions and where we can see a decent annual report detailing why those decisions are being made.

floppinab you have just outlined the main reason why I want and have supported the move for voting rights for club members. Fear of losing one's position if they do a bad job will lead to a more accountable board and one that is open in it handling of key issues.

Let make sure the club and its members can work together to get this club in a position we all want - successful on and off the field.

[boroboy]

Originally posted by robbieando
Fear of losing one's position if they do a bad job will lead to a more accountable board and one that is open in it handling of key issues. Let make sure the club and its members can work together to get this club in a position we all want - successful on and off the field.

And how do you define 'bad job'? Can you list the criteria by which you will make that judgement? I'm sure that your list will be quite different to mine and others....

Even with the new constitution of the club there will be no requirement to be 'open with key issues' to members - so I think you're going to be very disappointed if that's what you're hoping for.