Winners and Losers under 'Membership Only'

[Mick Norris]

But here's one idea: how would you like to receive a monthly email containing details of forthcoming events in your local area?

That's a very trivial example and one that requires no more than collection of a few email addresses. It's not a benefit for which you could seriously charge £ 18 .

I don't think it's trivial. And your objection to it shows no understanding of how difficult it is to collect and maintain a list of email addresses. Why do I bother?

Ian

I'm not sure why you bother, but your suggestion is a good one - we have a GMCCA email subscribers list, which Harry maintains, and it isn't trivial merely emailing everyone to let them know about forthcoming congresses within Greater Manchester

The players have been happy to give their email addresses as they don't get spammed with anything irrelevant, and the congresses are happy with the entries that result - no-one gets charged of course but it is one of the benefits of the MCF

[Ben Purton]

Players like some of my squad who play 2-6 games in 4NCL now need to pay lots to play these games. I struggle to get them to play before this.

In horse races for example You need to be registered to run etc but you also have industry backing the event. In for example most tournaments, they make a surplus from entries>Prizes. Where as in racing for example Betfair/sponsors mean you usually can win more than the entries combined as a total pool.

What I find ironic is the tournaments where this is least the case are the 3 tournaments who insist on ECF membership??! Interesting that the ones who don't need the entries then use it to force the membership.

With the London especially being sponsored. I can't really understand why if we are insisted on paying the ECF to play why it is not the smaller tournaments where its forced and then subsidies provided for tournaments which enforce it at a lower level.

I think it is a poor show by ECF

[LozCooper]

It's only the top section of the British and the London Chess Classic that are sponsored, not all the other events that are held alongside.

[Roger de Coverly]

Finance council minutes are now available at http://www.englishchess.org.uk/?page_id=897

No obvious mention of tiered membership.