At 05:06 PM 7/7/97 -0400, Cathy Hart wrote:
>I originally compared the average FMH membership with the average attendance
>at games. I was not defending the FMH. I was, in my poor way, trying to
>tell this board what the Friends do. As I stated in my post, we can't pay to
>advertise. I am not debating our statewide profile, either, although I do
>feel we do the best we can, given our time & financial constraints.
This is good, we are starting to get somewhere now! :-)
Correct me if I'm not restating what you said correctly, but essentially
FoMH cannot advertise any place that charges them, so they need the
university to do all that for them (essentially)?
I don't view this as good, mind you, that a premier organization like this
cannot advertise, but it would help to explain why FoMH have not.
>Deron, perhaps you are too busy gathering material for your terrific articles
>to listen, but there have been announcements put into the game "book" for FMH
>membership, and 50 50 sales on a regular basis. (I have to trust they get
>read, as I am usually working at games, and cannot hear the announcements!).
Am I missing this? Someone please comment because to be honest I cannot
remember announcements (aside from 50-50 related) being read on a
consistent basis advising people how to join FoMH?
Now, I do hear other FoMH-related announcements like postgame receptions
and other events, but I can't recall hearing consistently how to join. I
would think that would be a very good, very simple way to try and recruit
people, especially next year with the web page coming.
> We also put newsletters and flyers in the seats a couple times a year (which
>costs money), and put posters up advertising our events, along with
>membership info at the 50 50 table.
I have seen all of these and given the lack of an advertising budget these
are probably the best alternatives to that.
I agree with Dave in that I don't know why more people haven't joined FoMH.
This whole discussion began because Cathy asked for reasons why people
think membership isn't as high as they would like. I voiced my opinion and
to some degree I think it has been viewed as an attack on FoMH. If I
really despised them, do you really think I would waste my time writing for
them?
But like any organization they are far from perfect. This is a forum with
a lot of great Maine hockey fans who want to see the program succeed who
could provide a lot of useful information and ideas. Please don't look at
comments like this as an attack on FoMH but constructive criticism.
>The accomplishments you dismiss, Deron, in the spirit of "What have you done
>lately", were stated so the readers could understand we have not been hidden
>away! Plus, tell me what sport, at either the college or the pro levels,
>does not have a program like the FMH, readily available to anyone truly
>interested in supporting the teams? I disagree that the average person
>attending a game at the Alfond doesn't know about us. With all the events
>and programs we have going, they have to be aware of our existence. Yes, I
>do think we have done the best we can to "Go Public". I stand by all four
>categories. And I think it's sad.
It may be sad, but you sound like you are accepting the shortcomings as
being the best the organization can do. There are always new and
innovative ways to do things and not everything has to cost money. Do I
know of a lot of ways? Probably not, but at the same time you don't seem
open to the sharing of these ideas either.
Perhaps I was a bit harsh in dissmissing your accomplishments. That wasn't
my point. My point is that FoMH is *not* a household name, and even if we
assume, as you do, that most people know at least that the Friends exist,
exactly *what* the Friends do is not public knowledge. Few people would
say I'm "uninformed" regarding Maine hockey, but some of the things you
listed I knew nothing about. And if I know nothing about them, I imagine
I'm far from alone.
I also think it is real easy to not understand something you are entrenched
in. Any writer will tell you the best criticism or proof reading comes
from the person who has never seen or heard about what you are writing
about. It gives you a fresh perspective. With you and Jack being involved
so long in the program it is easy to not understand why more people don't
join or think that everyone knows all there is to know about FoMH.
My point is that the Friends need to let people know that they are more
than some clique that have cool receptions and events. They actually do
essential things to the program. If 70% of the fans at Alfond (let's say)
on any given night know about the Friends, I bet that same percentage knows
nothing about what they do. I know that I have a lot to learn still too
about what goes on. I just don't think it is public knowledge *WHAT* you do.
> How do you measure what that's worth to individuals?
Excellent point. How do you measure that? I don't know, but I think it is
something that needs to be tried at some small level. Tell the people what
you do, show how valuable you are.
>Holly, the funds the FMH raise through membership go directly to pay for
>scholarship, equipment and travel. We do not fully fund those (although we
>could do better if membership was higher!), but that is where membership
>dollars go. Funding from the institution covers everything else. Those
>funds are in jeopardy.
Perhaps, but somehow I think you'll have a hard time convincing the general
public that UMaine hockey is financially in trouble when the university
just spent $600,000, a good portion of it relating to hockey, defending UM
against the NCAA. Would they spend that money just to gut the program?
On scholarships, this is interesting. How does it work, the university
does not provide 18 scholarships? Do they provide like 16 and the Friends
provide 2 or a similar configuration?
>UMaine Athletics is in financial trouble, folks. Over $500,000 of trouble
>with more to come. If you want to keep watching and cheering, something
>drastic will have to take place SOON! With the inclusion of another ice
>hockey team, one of the most expensive sports there is, plus the capital
>improvements that have to be made to ensure equal treatment of the different
>genders, and the loss of ice rental time, etc., add a large amount (we can
>debate this, too!) to that.
What about another hockey rink? A facility that could handle hockey
practices and area events? Or a facility dedicated to basketball to keep
them out of the Alfond, make the ice better and open up more time to rent
out? You have to think that the university will do something along these
lines. Providing that someone (Harold Alfond again?) steps up and funds it.
---
Deron Treadwell ([log in to unmask])
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