Comparing ECF and USCF

[Christopher Kreuzer]

The recent post in the 'situations vacant' thread made interesting reading when comparing the ECF and the USCF. The Executive Director of the USCF resigned earlier in May for personal reasons:

http://www.uschess.org/content/view/12199/141/

This has been followed by this:

http://www.uschess.org/content/view/12217/141/

"Nationwide Search - Executive Director of the US Chess Federation"

That includes this:

"The Executive Director will ensure that all necessary steps are expeditiously accomplished to complete the organization’s transition to 501(c)(3) status, and once approved, will assume responsibility for the USCF’s fund raising programs."

So the USCF is trying to move to a charitable status of some sort from whatever it was before? Sounds familiar. Wonder what other similarities the USCF has with the ECF? I suppose the politics is much the same as anywhere... The USCF is much larger (80,000 members), and this seems to cover most of what they do:

"The successful applicant will likely be knowledgeable of the game of chess and have familiarity with the core services of the USCF, including magazine publications, a complex website, membership services, ratings services, a network and system of administering the conduct of dozens of competitive tournaments weekly, and of managing some of the largest chess competitions in the world."

Interesting comparing that to the UK chess scene.

[Paolo Casaschi]

You forgot to mention that the description of the USCF executive director role has this section:

Salary: Commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Well, that is different from the ECF.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Good point. How many national chess federations have paid full-time executives? What is it like in Italy, France, Germany, Russia?

[Mick Norris]

The Russian Chess Federation is a member-based voluntary all-Russia public association, which is composed of chess federation of republics, territories, regions, cities of federal importance, autonomous regions and autonomous districts, and applies to the whole territory of the Russian Federation. The activity is based on the principles of equal rights and self-government and implemented in accordance with the Constitution and laws of the Russian Federation and the Charter of the RCF . Federation builds its relations with Russia and interregional public associations expressing support for purposes of the Federation on a contractual basis.

Domicile of the governing body of the Federation - Moscow.

The aim of the Federation is the development of chess in Russia and representing players - members of the Federation - both within the state and abroad.

Member of the Federation shall be a citizen of the Russian Federation, aged 18, who is registered in one of the Federation, the Federation Charter recognizes and regularly pays membership dues (contribution rates are established members of the Federation).

The governing bodies of the Federation are:

The Congress;
The Supervisory Board;
The Board.
The Congress is the supreme governing body of the RCF and meets at least once every 4 years.

To ensure the monitoring of the statutory financial and economic activities of the Audit Committee shall be elected by the Congress of the Federation, which shall report to the Congress.

The Supervisory Board is an elected body determining the priorities of the RCF.

The Board of RCF is a permanent, elected, collegial decision-making body of RCF, which shall exercise the rights of a legal entity on behalf of the RCF and acting RShF.Rossiyskaya Chess Federation is a member of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) and a member of the National Olympic Committee of Russia, has a contractual relationship with the State Committee Russian Federation for Physical Culture and Sports.

The Russian Chess Federation, according to Google translate, which I think has a member of the Russian Government in a senior position

I think France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Netherlands may be better comparisons for the ECF

[Paolo Casaschi]

Good point. How many national chess federations have paid full-time executives? What is it like in Italy, France, Germany, Russia?

I'm not 100% sure, but I believe in Italy the executives (President and board members) are volunteers; the only paid people are a couple of administrative employees. Not much different from the ECF. From the financial point of view, the Italian chess federation seems healthier: the annual turnover is bigger in Italy and they even own their office location.

[Roger de Coverly]

Interesting comparing that to the UK chess scene.

A major difference between the UK and the US is that the USCF has operated as a commercial business with a magazine plus book and equipment sales. Think of the ECF, Chess and Bridge and the magazine Chess under the same roof.

http://www.uscfsales.com/chess-books-1.html

When the business side makes a profit, that helps pay for the chess side. When it doesn't, it's just an albatross.

[John Upham]

A major difference between the UK and the US is that the USCF has operated as a commercial business with a magazine plus book and equipment sales.

From August 1981 until July 1992 the then BCF owned and managed British Chess Magazine with Bernard Cafferty as Editor.

I suspect RDdC had either forgotten this or felt it was not relevant.

[Roger de Coverly]

I suspect RDdC had either forgotten this or felt it was not relevant.

The BCM was run at arms length from the BCF with never any integration between the two. In fact the BCM stressed that it retained editorial and managerial independence from the BCF. The BCF had its own publication, later to become Chess Moves. The USCF has a captive subscriber base for its magazine.

[Tim Spanton]

To play chess in the US, or at least under USCF auspices, which is more or less the same thing, you have to join the USCF and thus automatically subscribe to their magazine (this applies to foreigners as well as natives)

[Stewart Reuben]

The Canadian CF was a success I believe when it accepted Jonathan Berry's offer to run everything in exchange for the chess marketing rights to the members.

The USCF business model of, effectively game fee, required membership + sale of chess goods to the members was successful for a period. Then they sold the retail arm.
In the US the organiser sends in the results + the fee for the games to be rated. Only when it is decided everything is OK are the games entered into the rating system. The ECF operates more like the FIDE System, grade the games first and ask for the money afterwards. From the viewpoint of generating income, FIDE seems currently quite successful.
With FIDE the President Ilyumzhinov (RUS) receives no fee and used to put money into chess.
Deputy President Makro (GRE) just gets expenses I believe.
There is a salaried Executive Director, with a strong bias towards The Commonwealth and, more recently, English raised. Thus Emanuel Omuku (Nigeria), followed by David Jarrett (ENG now resident in Greece), followed by Nigel Freeman (Bermuda now resident in Greece) educated at Harrow, he also holds down the Treasurer's post, which was previously held by David.
The General Secretary Ignatius Leong (Singapore) receives a stipend. An even earlier General Secretary was Professor Lim Kok Ann (Singapore and educated in Edinburgh).
Both Gerry Walsh and I independently considered the possibility of asking Omuku to chair the federation meetings.

Purchasing the BCM was a successful business venture for the BCF. But once Bernard Cafferty became editor and manager of the BCM it became clear that total synergy between the two organisations would not be possible. A prime objective of the BCF in 1981 was the continuation of the BCM after Freddy Reilly's untimely death.