Should the UPA engage the tens of thousands of former members? If so, for what purpose(s)?
Please review the findings for this topic before engaging in discussion.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Welcome to the official UPA Strategic Planning Blog Forum. Here you will find data from recent UPA surveys and questions regarding key strategic planning questions identified from those surveys. Please take a second to read the groundrules for contributing on these forums and we look forward to hearing from you!
16 comments:
No.
It depends on:
1) what the organization goals of the UPA are, and will become at the end of the current discovery process.
2) whether the financial constraints the UPA will operate under in the absence of such an outreach program will be such that those organization goals are achievable.
In other words, the 1000's of former members certainly represent a resource of some sort. One needs to consider the various reasosns these people are no longer members. Are they people who've just lost interest in the sport? Are they people who love the sport but are dissatisfied with the way it is currently played/run/administered? Are they people who love the sport but who have had to get away from the sport because of age, family commitments, career requirements, etc?
Hypothetically, one way certain individuals could be a resource is as financial backers/investors/sponsors for any of a number of worthwhile programs the UPA might consider. These programs might include enhanced youth services, increased innovation grants, showcase elite tournaments with a view towards greater media exposure, public relations, dedicated facilities, etc. Having a well-considered plan for one of these initiatives might make it easier to garner support among the population of former members.
The basic analogy is to a college's alumni program, which uses the alumnus' loyalty to, and love of the school as a way to secure that person's financial support. The biggest ROI for such a program is inevitably going to be the support of the top few percentage of alumni donors, who provide funds for big ticket items like performance halls, research facilities, etc. In the case of the UPA, that big ticket item might be primary sponsorship of Nationals, underwriting of high quality broadcast production of elite tournaments, a summer ultimate youth camp for inner city kids, or a dedicated national training facility. The point is, it would take only a few successes in terms of garnering the support of the wealthiest UPA alums to justify the outreach program.
I am a former UPA member. The main reason that I joined the UPA was that I had to join in order to play in tournaments and to play in the fall series.
I started playing ultimate when I was 30, so I had no illusions of making it to Nationals. I am not an elite athlete, but I enjoyed playing and enjoying travelling to tournaments. However, I never felt like I was getting much for my UPA dues. I always felt like I was subsidizing the elite teams.
Since I'm not traveling to tournaments any more, just playing league and pick-up, I see no need to belong to the UPA. The UPA does not support ultimate at the level that I play now. I don't need to spend $40 to subsidize someone else's Nationals experience or for a newsletter that I barely read.
I am an ex-UPA board member, and there is a reason to keep former members involved other than for their benefit. They can offer a tremendous resource as board members. They have played the sport for years (decades often) and know the long term impact of things that were done in the past. They have become very experienced players who with their maturity can add a component to the UPA board that younger current players cannot add.
Keeping them involved with the UPA will increase the potential that they will run for the board. That should be sought by the UPA.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't a large portion of former members jsut former college (and club players) that had to be members so they could compete, and then dropped their memberships when they stopped playing? Maybe the question of reaching out to former members wouldn't be so big if the UPA had added benefits for people to STAY members and not leave in the first place.
Either way, reaching out to former members and retaining current members should be a priority of some sort, if nothing else, just to show the clout that Ultimate can have with a larger base if registered members/players.
I am a Former UPA member. I was a very active UPA member (Played at the Elite level, Former UPA Board Member, etc.).
What benefit will I receive by joining the UPA?
What benefit will the UPA receive if I am a member? (additional revenue? potential donor? better chances of being a spectator at a tournament?)
Perhaps Alumnis (former members like me) could be enlisted as Observers.
I was thinking exactly along the lines of Steve's last comment. Thousands of experienced (from minimally to highly) players would serve as a great pool from which to draw observers. We need more observers and we need more good ones.
Maybe create an incentive for former UPA members to get involved. If they aren't playing in the Series, do dues need to be $40? Reduced dues are one way to go, but better yet, why not put them to good use, as Steve suggests?
Perhaps if they complete the observer certification program (does it include an 11th edition Rules test?) and observe X number of events per year, their dues are waived? This would keep them involved in the sport, serve the Ultimate community greatly, and the cost to the UPA might be minimal.
If I stopped playing, I likely wouldn't continue to pay UPA dues. I'd rather use my money to support the College Program I was a part of . But I would definitely consider observing.
I think enlisting former players for a variety of reasons would be helpful. They could be key volunteers in helping teach ultimate to high school and college students, especially in communities where ultimate is little known. This may not answer the need to get them playing, but it does get the former members involved. Also, those who would be willing to be trained observers or board members would benefit the sport. These members should pay dues because their funds are needed as well as their expertise. And soliciting former players to be donors is a fantastic idea. For those who didn't just age out and left for another reason, well what's the worst they could say? No, I don't want to contribute. Big deal. There are plenty of others who will.
A little philanthropy is good for everyone. The dues money does go to elite players and tournaments, but it also goes to myriad programs and training, high school and college tournaments, newsletters, magazines, etc., the organization sponsors and produces to make this sport grow and flourish. It's not just about the individual player. The dues are about supporting a sport that continues to evolve and needs all of us to grow.
We would need a way to give back or thank those who donate large amounts of money or time or former members who rejoin. What about quarterly regional tourneys for those players? What about a profile of the donors/volunteers who give the most money/time in the UPA magazine college or club season wrap-up or a special issue each year. Or maybe hosting an annual banquet in Boulder to provide updates on exactly how their funding/time contributed to the sport. Maybe a drawing to win a trip somewhere, which can be donated by a large corporation -- everyone needs a tax write-off -- could be a good incentive.
Maybe there could be a not-for-profit fund dedicated to developing Ultimate in inner-city regions, and people (including former members) would contribute as a tax writeoff.
I think that the UPA should make an effort to keep in touch with its former members. People have already mentioned a number of the benefits (potential donors, advocates, volunteers, observers, coaches, etc.).
I think that an easy way to keep in touch with alumni would be to have a better newsletter medium. A magazine with articles that would be interesting to ultimate players regardless of whether they were an elite team is sorely needed.
Right now, my impression is that the only uses people get out of the newsletter are (1) check out the pictures to see if there are any good ones (2) read about a tournament they participated in to see if they or their teams get mentioned (3) read a preview article for a division they participate in. The number of tournaments and teams that actually get covered by the newsletter is very few though, so most people only look at the pictures. There are some columns with useful content, like the sports injury section, but for the most part it's just not that interesting and there's very little real reporting.
I think that the UPA could have articles on strategy or teams or issues or ANYTHING besides tournament recaps (that happened months ago) and it could appeal to alumni and rec players and people besides just the elite players who already receive the lions share of UPA benefits.
Having interesting things to read about ultimate for alumni would be a way to keep them involved that would cost very little money. Maybe being a member for one year automatically subscribes you to the newsletter for two years. So if you don't renew your membership after playing for four years in college, you still get sent the newsletter for the next four years as a way to stay involved.
Or maybe there's a special alumni newsletter that has articles and information specifically catered to people no longer playing in the Series.
I am a current member to (in order) play in 2-3 tourneys, get the mag, and support ultimate.
I'd say contact the alumni members with a 10pg mag mostly pushing an alumni membership level ($5) to get the mag, rec player level (2-3 tourneys, mag $20) and maintain the usual level. $50 is a steep price for a mag for any cause, $5 is a great price.
I'd guess you'd recover 10,000 members.
and I echo the sentiments of pushing teaching articles, training, recruiting tips, etc.
I think that it should be possible to join the UPA just for the magazine and a couple of tourney's. I am a member and do play at many tourney's but if the UPA is interested in regaining members then they have to make it easier for them to be a member. If they get the magazines and maybe play in a couple tourney's they will be likely to do the same...or play more the following year.
Of course the UPA should reach out to former members. It's a huge un tapped resource. The UPA has evolved to more than just hosting Nationals, it also offers alternative educational outreach to underprivileged people. Ultimate may be a recreational sport, but more so, it’s a social phenomenon where people learn how to relate to each other in a self restrained arena of conflict (the field). The UPA and its programs could really make a difference in a lot of people’s lives. (How they interrelate etc.- spirit of the game) Peace through Ultimate! People equal resources - more people equal more resources.
Comon Steve get back on the field It's time for a Grandmasters Division - I wont call traveling on you if you don't call it on me
I'll keep my comments short.
We should try to recruit them, but have a purpose for them. Would you join if you didn't do anything? Have them as observers was a good idea. Perhaps ask what they would like to do, so that way each person is more likely to stay. and don't ask for donations, if they want to donate they will own their own.
Engaging former members could bring in donations for programs that could support events such as tournament, the series, youth development, etc. Just like any other organization that has to raise money, contacting former members increases your donation pool.
Also, even if former members aren't playing anymore, if the UPA takes a minimal interest in them it might spur those people to introduce the sport to their children or other youth in their communities.
Post a Comment