Hi everyone – hope you're all having a good summer and keeping track of the latest free agent defections and re-signings!
10,000th Member On the Horizon
We're closing in on 10,000 members (just 400 short), and we'll be issuing a news release (heads-up Media Liaisons!) as soon as we hit that important milestone. You have all been great at getting the word out, so please keep it up. Ten thousand is great, but our success is directly tied to numbers, so the more members we have, the greater the chance our voice will be heard. Word of mouth is our greatest source of new members.
As most of you know, Gary Bettman has challenged us to reach 75,000 members by January 2000.We decided to accept his challenge and with your help we'll reach that target.Our magic number is 7.5 – if each of our members recruits 7.5 people we will reach 75,000 members. When we reach 25,000 members our magic number will be reduced to two.If you have friends, relatives or anyone you know is interested in hockey, feel free to forward them this note. At the bottom of this note we've included background information on the Association you can send along.
We'd like to thank everyone who volunteered to become an NHLFA Media Liaison.This will greatly help us distribute news releases to the media across North America.
Sports Fans Unite!
Since the NHLFA has been successful so far, we are very confident the Association will continue to flourish next year.As a result, we have decided to launch three new Web sites for fans of other pro sports.The NBAFA.com, MLBFA.com and NFLFA.com sites will be officially unveiled to the media and sports fans community shortly.We feel there is strength in numbers and having more than one sport in the loop will only help the NHLFA's cause. We also believe we will have an easier time recruiting sponsors since they will not be directly tied to one sport fan base and their issues. We can apply what we have learned over the past year to the new Associations and hope we will receive more media coverage as the fan advocate body for these pro sports.Yes, it will mean a significant amount of additional work for us, but we feel the time is right to expand.
Admittedly, we do not have the same enduring passion for or knowledge of these other sports as we have for hockey. So we will seek individual partners to coordinate polls, lobby issues, react to current events and help us guide the direction of each of the other sports fans' Associations.
You are not limited to joining one Fan Association.In fact, the first 325 members to sign-up for the NHLFA were given "charter" member status. Somewhere down the NHLFA road, these charter members will be recognized for subscribing early.We will duplicate this program for the http://www.NBAFA.com, http://www.MLBFA.com and http://www.NFLFA.com Associations. We encourage you to become a member of one or more of these new FAs and to encourage your sports-loving relatives, colleagues and friends to join too.
NHLFA Chapters Coming
A number of members have suggested we establish NHLFA chapters in cities with enough members to support them. We always felt this was a good idea but we wanted to wait until we had a solid base of support. We are now ready to trial a local NHLFA chapter in Ottawa where we both live so we can assist with start up and work out any growing pains. This model will then be used to establish chapters in as many other cities as membership and interest warrants.For a peek at how we are structuring these chapters visit this page (http://www.nhlfa.com/chapters). Let us know if you have a comment or are interested in leading a chapter in your area (current Media Liaisons will automatically retain their position within a new regional Chapter).NHLFA Chapters will allow members to become more active and further raise the profile of the NHLFA.
Get Your Own NHLFA "Handle"
We are now able to offer members NHLFA e-mail "handles" at no charge. We are offering all members a free NHLFA e-mail handle containing your name (i.e. boone@nhlfa.com or hockeyfan@nhlfa.com). We feel that this is another good way to spread the word about the Association.You would not be receiving ISP connection services from us; rather this would simply be another e-mail handle for you.Our ISP has agreed to auto-forward all messages from yourname@NHLFA.com handle directly to your real e-mail account.To choose an NHLFA e-mail handle visit this page (http://www.nhlfa.com/email) – remember, first come first served.
Banner Ad is Here
Many of you have inquired about getting an NHLFA banner ad for your Web site – well here it is attached as a file to this note.We encourage you to use or circulate it to people with hockey sites.The more people know about us, the more likely we are to gain new and committed members.
NHLFA Members of the Month
Each month in this space we'd like to take the time to recognize one or two NHLFA members who have gone out of their way to help the Association.Please let us know if you feel you or someone you know has been very active in helping the Association so we can acknowledge your efforts.
This month our special thanks go out to two people:
Jim H. in Cupertino, CA., has been working diligently to get the front office of the San Jose Sharks to give some kind of acknowledgment of the NHLFA – way da go Jim!
Also accolades to Amy H. of St. Joseph, Michigan for nominating us for the Golden Finger Award, presented by Hockey Snacks, an on-line magazine of hockey-related information and humor (http://www.livingbeyondreality.com/HockeySnacks.html).Thanks for that Amy!
Members of the month will receive a complimentary NHLFA ball cap.
NHLFA Caps and Shirts
We have NHLFA branded caps and shirts which are available for members to purchase and support their Association.Visit this page for more information http://www.nhlfa.com/thestore/thestore.asp
Our thanks to all of you all for being part of the NHLFA and for your support.
Jim and Jim
boone@nhlfa.com
spendlove@nhlfa.com
NHLFA Background Information
- The National Hockey League Fans' Association was created to give NHL fans a voice within pro hockey circles and an opportunity to change game for the better.
- The NHLFA Web site address is (http://www.nhlfa.com)
- It is free to join the NHLFA.
- Currently, we can only accept member registrations through our Web site. We hope to extend our member registration to regular mail in future.
- The NHLFA was formed April 20, 1998, and our membership is 9,600 (as of August 19, 1999). You can check the home page of our Web site to find the current number of members.
- We have met with Gary Bettman, Commissioner of the NHL and Bob Goodenow, Executive Director of the NHL Players' Association.
- Thirty-five percent of NHLFA members are from Canada, 62% from the US and 3% from the rest of the world.
- We conduct regular polls (The Fan Report) and present our members' opinions to the NHL, the NHLPA and the media.
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