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Post by Bouncer_Texxx on Apr 10, 2009 12:32:40 GMT -5
Well, Josh.. here you go...
Tell us what's wrong with the Indoor Football League, and how you would go about fixing it.
We are well aware that it's broke.. help us identify what's broke, and how "we" fix it.
please discuss.. at length.. as your schedule allows.. this could prove insightful.
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Post by exit322 on Apr 10, 2009 14:46:33 GMT -5
Though execution would be quite nice, that's really not the key point. Effort is the key here. With good effort will come the execution to fix the issues with the league
There is no magic wand, but as far off as it seems people are, maybe it should be.
Regularly updated website at the league and team level, all 19 teams.
Utilization of what I guess could be called "new media" to interact and grow the fan base, including myspace and those sorts of things (yes, I do feel strongly, even though I do not have a myspace account, that it is something that should be used).
The league - and this isn't a UIF problem, but all the leagues - needs to work with its owners; especially when the commissioner had a team that drew 3500-4000 fans a game, there needs to be real focus (especially in this kind of economy) on working very publicly to draw fans - there is no continuity at the league level in terms of "this is how this will be done, this is how that will be done, this works, that doesn't work," so on and so forth.
I love the live stats that Kascht has worked with some teams for. It needs to be mandatory.
I love the Nifty TV - free viewing for all fans anywhere online of all games, and it doesn't cost a penny more than what they're doing now with B-2.
At the very least, each and every team needs someone to work with local communications, someone for GameDay operations, someone with the sales functions (and no, they don't all have these seemingly obvious items). The league should be there to help the teams with these functions, as well - not to do the work, but to provide guidance in how things can and perhaps should be done.
The theory of a "Developmental League" really shouldn't end with the people in pads. Interns, Interns, Interns. At the team and league level. There can never be too much (especially free) help.
The usage of blogs and any sort of like item (I guess "twitter," as well) for teams and the league to "keep fans updated" is something I strongly am in favor of. It doesn't need to detail any dirt or anything of that sort, but anything about last Thursday's practice, what's coming up, team charity events, any news is good news, especially if the right people in communities (newspapers, any media sources) know it's there and gets regularly updated.
At least one practice per week, preferably all of them, should be open to the public, and very well known to the public so they can come out. In the preseason, each team should have an open house with scrimmage/"preseason game," with free entry, so the fans can come and see what they'd see in the regular season.
If the community has any sort of event, charity or otherwise, that is "public" in nature, the team should be there. If the players are going to wear the uniform on game day, they'll be working with the team in this regard as well.
Will throw more out there as time allows.
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Post by Bouncer_Texxx on Apr 11, 2009 8:57:42 GMT -5
Though execution would be quite nice, that's really not the key point. Effort is the key here. With good effort will come the execution to fix the issues with the league There is no magic wand, but as far off as it seems people are, maybe it should be. Regularly updated website at the league and team level, all 19 teams. You’ll get no argument with this one Utilization of what I guess could be called "new media" to interact and grow the fan base, including myspace and those sorts of things (yes, I do feel strongly, even though I do not have a myspace account, that it is something that should be used). Again agreed, however this is where I sometimes wonder how much of each fan base uses such items. For a niche sport where the ONLY place to fine news and scores is on message boards.. I’d say a higher percentage than most sports. The league - and this isn't a UIF problem, but all the leagues - needs to work with its owners; especially when the commissioner had a team that drew 3500-4000 fans a game, there needs to be real focus (especially in this kind of economy) on working very publicly to draw fans - there is no continuity at the league level in terms of "this is how this will be done, this is how that will be done, this works, that doesn't work," so on and so forth. Agreed… without fans a team ceases to exist v I love the live stats that Kascht has worked with some teams for. It needs to be mandatory. I love the Nifty TV - free viewing for all fans anywhere online of all games, and it doesn't cost a penny more than what they're doing now with B-2. The only thing I wonder is does B2 give a percentage of each buy back to the league. If they do, Nift can’t compete, since B2 is making the league money, but only for Storm road games ;-) Does Nifty also provide home and away audio as well? Live Stats, absolutely should be mandatory… I do think the league is working on that. But when you have teams that don’t care.. cough cifl*cough* At the very least, each and every team needs someone to work with local communications, someone for GameDay operations, someone with the sales functions (and no, they don't all have these seemingly obvious items). The league should be there to help the teams with these functions, as well - not to do the work, but to provide guidance in how things can and perhaps should be done. this is where I do think the league is beginning to make strides. The IFL has suspended and fined players from a league level this year, hads required more professionalism from game officials, and has worked with teams to bring back things like transactiaons being made public. It’s baby steps to begin a marathon, but steps nonetheless. The theory of a "Developmental League" really shouldn't end with the people in pads. Interns, Interns, Interns. At the team and league level. There can never be too much (especially free) help. For al his potential personal shortcomings as a person, Dakota Crow, and his management company that was contracted to run the UIF several years ago, at least brought a level of legitimacy to the sport, and was a very public figure. Same things cannot be said for current administrations, and Crow got all his stuff done with 1 or 2 full time employees and a bunch of free interns. The usage of blogs and any sort of like item (I guess "twitter," as well) for teams and the league to "keep fans updated" is something I strongly am in favor of. It doesn't need to detail any dirt or anything of that sort, but anything about last Thursday's practice, what's coming up, team charity events, any news is good news, especially if the right people in communities (newspapers, any media sources) know it's there and gets regularly updated. some of us try very hard to provide a central source for team and league information, as well as a certain degree of entertainment. I know how much time I spend doing my blog each week, and you’d be surprised how long it takes to obtai and produce quality information. Not saying I don’t agree with you, just that it’s a lot of work, which I’m sure you can still recall At least one practice per week, preferably all of them, should be open to the public, and very well known to the public so they can come out. In the preseason, each team should have an open house with scrimmage/"preseason game," with free entry, so the fans can come and see what they'd see in the regular season. I’m not sure if this is the case or not. I’m actually fairly sure Storm practices are open, but you’re right they sure don’t advertise that fact. If the community has any sort of event, charity or otherwise, that is "public" in nature, the team should be there. If the players are going to wear the uniform on game day, they'll be working with the team in this regard as well. Will throw more out there as time allows. Agreed, some teams are doing this, but it should be more prevalent across the board. As I mentioned, the one thing that this league does seem to be doing is working on things that have been mentioned as issues by coaches and staff. These are things like officiating, that some of us fans have just written of as part of the game. Things like ensuring and facilitating game film swaps, and having home teams assist visiting teams with lodging if they are forced to spend an additional night due to weather at home (Thanks James). Things like that, that haven’t been done before. Don’t get me wrong, the league has a LONG way to go, and to be sure neither my teams nor the league are where I’d like to see them yet, but I do think that some behind the scenes, baby steps are being taken. I just hope that the league never forgets that the fans are the reason the league exists, and therefore should never forget about catering to them as well as ensuring teams and players are taken care of.
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Post by exit322 on Apr 11, 2009 9:36:36 GMT -5
Getting information took a prohibitive amount of work in the GLIFL in '06. If I were to be back in the game, which appears at far best a remote possibility, that wouldn't be the case.
Nifty works the same way as B2 - the home team has to provide all the audio and video. It just doesn't cost fans $7 for a third-rate broadcast - the third-rate broadcast is free. I haven't watched a bunch of the AF2 on Nifty broadcasts, but I've not watched any that have had any of the problems that have been discussed in detail on here.
Again, it involves working with teams and ensuring they're going to take the steps necessary for these things to work. The indoor leagues don't do that.
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statman
Cleans the Towels
Posts: 16
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Post by statman on Apr 11, 2009 17:28:49 GMT -5
I have tried to make teams do the live stats, but nobody wants to spend the extra money. It did take me two years to get the UIF to ask all the teams to do it. To bad the Ice didn't do it and the Beef had to let somebody break into a car and steal their laptop. Now this year I spend alot of time getting some teams to understand how to use the game stats program and trying to get them to email them. The more time I have to spend with them, I lose focus of my own games.
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Post by Administrator on Apr 11, 2009 17:39:02 GMT -5
I have tried to make teams do the live stats, but nobody wants to spend the extra money. It did take me two years to get the UIF to ask all the teams to do it. To bad the Ice didn't do it and the Beef had to let somebody break into a car and steal their laptop. Now this year I spend alot of time getting some teams to understand how to use the game stats program and trying to get them to email them. The more time I have to spend with them, I lose focus of my own games. Well, I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say that we appreciate all that you do.
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Post by exit322 on Apr 11, 2009 20:28:16 GMT -5
That's where leagues have failed. "Oh, this is a good idea to do." Wrong.
"This is what you will do if you want to be a member of this league." Correct.
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cblack
Cleans the Towels
Posts: 22
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Post by cblack on Apr 13, 2009 12:03:57 GMT -5
As far as I'm concerned, a Stats Person should be part of the crew of officials assigned to the game. Each set of refs has a stats guy that travels, and uses his league issued laptop to get all stats complete and submitted within a couple hours of game completion.
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Post by exit322 on Apr 13, 2009 12:07:40 GMT -5
That would be one way to solve that problem, yes. But I can understand wanting the stats guy to work with the teams, too, instead of being totally netural.
Either way, it needs fixed.
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Post by superpicker on Apr 13, 2009 13:07:40 GMT -5
Though execution would be quite nice, that's really not the key point. Effort is the key here. With good effort will come the execution to fix the issues ... . Dude, that is some fantastic politician style hot air rhetoric right there. I applaud you. ;D
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Post by exit322 on Apr 13, 2009 14:34:58 GMT -5
Indeed. Now only if the IFL tried, maybe they'd start executing.
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Post by Bouncer_Texxx on Apr 13, 2009 15:06:58 GMT -5
aren't these teams paying like 2500 a month to the league for dues, sure that could help cover a stats guy paid by each team to actually do the job.
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Post by phydeaux72 on Apr 13, 2009 16:40:19 GMT -5
aren't these teams paying like 2500 a month to the league for dues Not even close.
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Post by Bouncer_Texxx on Apr 13, 2009 17:32:54 GMT -5
if it's more than that, that's even more pathetic that the league can't provide SOME kind of services for you guys. Tee bottom line is that the fans, even us hardcore ones, don't see the league doing **** with the money you guys are paying them.
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Post by Banana Cat on Apr 13, 2009 19:12:26 GMT -5
I wonder how the beach in Virginia is this time of year?
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