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Post by Catfish on Feb 19, 2007 22:21:11 GMT -5
I need some hints from you veterans on starting a fanclub.
How did you get started?
What are some of the activities you have?
How did you encourage membership?
What kind of services do you provide for the team?
And anything else you think will be helpful.
Preeshate'It
(I even type with an accent)
Catfish
:smileymudcats:
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Post by Gene on Feb 22, 2007 9:35:32 GMT -5
 All depends on what setup you prefer.
The 1st thing you should do is to contact team ownership and propose the idea to them and see if they are interested in having a fanclub. Chances are they would say yes. Your next step would be too get some other fans involved. This can be done several ways. The best way to get fans would be to have a table setup at the home games and you could pass out flyers and or just be there to tell people what your trying to do. Posting notices on message boards may also help. In addition, you could also have the team put a story up on their website about the concept and you all could meet at a local restraunt/hotel conference room or something similar to discuss the idea.
The purpose of your fanclub would be to support/promote your team in anyway possible. Your club will run events to generate money as well as to get the word out about the Mudcats. We can get into the type of events you'd run later.
Financially, to start and run a fanclub isnt cheap but that all depends on your setup. If you want to own the club yourself and file all the non profit papers it could cost ya. To file the state papers costs a few hundred dollars but if you get a lawyer to sponsor you he could do it for just the filing fee. As far as filing the federal non profit, that could run anywhere from $500 up to $1500.00 or so, depending on your circumstances. Last year when i ran the Express fanclub i was beginning to put together my business plan to get this done but the club folded so there was no sense in it, obviously. From talking with several accountants and lawyers as well as my friend who runs a non profit, the paperwork is a nightmare. Business plans, 3-5 year earning projections etc etc, and possibly being audited are all apart of that process.
Another option, and the current setup i have with the Outlawz is to have the team own the fanclub. You still run it as you would as if it were your own but you just dont have the expense. Your personal expenses are minimal and at your discretion. I would suggest to you to go this route. Atleast to start out with before you lay all the money out. Down the road, if you want to piss away your money and decide the fanclub is for you, then you can talk it over with ownership and, if they agree, file the club under your name.
Over in the CIFL we are working on getting the league itself to file the fanclub papers then we can all operate under their umbrella. It was a concept brought to us by another member who was in a lacrosse league or something and he said thats how that league operated. Given the unstability of this league as well as each team, this is, IMO, the definite way to go.
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Post by Catfish on Feb 22, 2007 14:07:46 GMT -5
Thanks alot Gene. Great ideas and suggestions. Sounds like first thing is to gauge interest. I may talk with the ownership about setting up a table at the remaining home games, promotion on the website, and in the game programs. Also, will talk with them about filing and club ownership. Thanks again.
Go Cats!
:smileymudcats:
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Post by Gene on Feb 22, 2007 16:09:45 GMT -5
Thanks alot Gene. Great ideas and suggestions. Sounds like first thing is to gauge interest. I may talk with the ownership about setting up a table at the remaining home games, promotion on the website, and in the game programs. Also, will talk with them about filing and club ownership. Thanks again. Go Cats! :smileymudcats: If its a team run fanclub theres really nothing that they (the team) have to file. Most individuals file so they can apply for a state gaming license to run raffles plus not to have to pay taxes. But really, when you think about it, the whole point of the fanclub, in addition to gaining fan interest, is also to make a profit. Let the team own it and manage the money. The fanclub can still process the memberships, run events, man the fanclub table and organize and run the monthly meetings. Personally, for any individual to want to go into debt to make money for someone elses business and have all the headaches is beyond me but in all fairness i almost made the mistake myself last season. The main thing is to make sure you have the support and open communication with the front office. Without that, your club will go nowhere. I learned my lesson last season and on top of that lost well over $1,000 in the process. |
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Post by Free Agent Fan on Feb 22, 2007 16:18:23 GMT -5
We run ours by ourselves. It is a non profit. It can be a hastle. But last year we were a "little" bit ahead. This year will be the true test. But I believe we will come out ahead.
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Post by Gene on Feb 22, 2007 16:21:14 GMT -5
We run ours by ourselves. It is a non profit. It can be a hastle. But last year we were a "little" bit ahead. This year will be the true test. But I believe we will come out ahead. Joe, Did you go thru the federal filing yet? |
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Post by Free Agent Fan on Feb 22, 2007 16:25:51 GMT -5
This year. That's why I said this will be the test. I talked to a lawyer already. With our books and by laws. He said it should be a snap and not that expensive. It is $150 just to file.
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Post by Gene on Feb 22, 2007 16:31:49 GMT -5
This year. That's why I said this will be the test. I talked to a lawyer already. With our books and by laws. He said it should be a snap and not that expensive. It is $150 just to file.
Me, i still have to file a dissolution of corporation paper to officially shut my corporation down. I am just waiting till after i get the club taxes done then i can be finished with that. |
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Post by Free Agent Fan on Feb 22, 2007 16:33:49 GMT -5
Hell no. I guess I'll have to wait on final numbers. I'll update you in April.
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Post by Gene on Feb 22, 2007 16:35:48 GMT -5
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Post by Free Agent Fan on Feb 22, 2007 16:37:43 GMT -5
Oh he told me it would be under $500, if that is what you were asking. I knew there would be a fee. Someone like Red Cross, would pay in the thousands.
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Post by Canton Cougar Fan on Feb 22, 2007 18:40:39 GMT -5
Well, I think you guys just made up my mind. LOL
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Post by Gene on Feb 24, 2007 16:36:42 GMT -5
Well, I think you guys just made up my mind. LOL  |
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Post by Canton Cougar Fan on Feb 24, 2007 18:27:54 GMT -5
Well, I think you guys just made up my mind. LOL That's exactly what's going to happen. I'm going to the staff meeting on Monday and explaining how I feel and the benefits of the team owning the club. If they don't want to do it, then we'll have to do what we have to do. BTW - The team found some sort of genuine imitation leather helmets and had the Legends logo embroidered on it. I'm told they sold very well. |
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Post by Canton Cougar Fan on Feb 24, 2007 18:32:09 GMT -5
Sorry, Mudcat. To bring the discussion back to topic...
You absolutely have to have the cooperation of the team. They can give you so much advertising that you could not do on your own.
We have sign-up forms at all the Eat 'n' Greets, we'll be on the Coaches show, we are pretty much anywhere the team is, so the fans automatically associate us with the team.
A gimmick isn't bad either, but it must make sense. Joe's blue hair, our leather helmets ... just ties in with the team that much more. I thought engineer caps would be neat for the Express fans, Demolition fans could wear hardhats, etc. It just builds from there.
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