"Virtual" chapter of the PFRA

[RyanChristiansen]

Ryan,
I would say, with the overwhelming responses I have seen in this forum and on Social Media your brilliant idea is a hit!

There will be a meeting soon to discuss the possibility. I'll keep you informed.

[RyanChristiansen]

After some conversations, it appears that a blanket "virtual chapter" of the PFRA is a non-starter, for a number of good reasons. First, the intention was for the chapter to help people in far-flung places to get together online and to hold events, similar to a physical chapter, but entirely online. However, many of the people who expressed interest in the virtual chapter do not live in far-flung places and also belong to other, existing chapters, which misses the point entirely.

That said, it's clear that PFRA members desire more opportunities to interact with one another in a virtual format, and so I believe it is prudent for the PFRA to explore how to expand its programming offerings to the virtual space. Right now, the PFRA has this online forum, yes, but in most cases, you can't tell who is "speaking" to you in the forum because so many users mask their identities with usernames. There is also the Facebook group, of course, and people there are generally less anonymous, but the Facebook group is not nearly as active as the forums for some topics.

PFRA members in far-flung places desire more opportunities to interact via videoconference. I believe this is an issue that the PFRA needs to address, just based on the big response to the idea for a virtual chapter. It's interesting to note that currently, the PFRA has a big presence in the geographic area that was the NFL pre-1946, but just like the NFL, which in the past 78 years has grown by 320% in the number of teams on the map, the PFRA has also grown.

I am going to continue to push for a new chapter that would serve members west of the Mississippi, and by design that chapter would meet virtually and have its own virtual conference, but the chapter cannot be all-inclusive and must have a more limited geography. Please again let me know your interest, your real name, and what state you live in. This will help to determine what the configuration of such a chapter might look like. I'm in Fargo, North Dakota, and I know members in Winnipeg and Minneapolis who are interested in joining a chapter, and so that is a start. Let me know if you have continued interest in joining a regional chapter with its heart based in the Upper Great Plains states and provinces.

[JeffreyMiller]

We have an annual conference here in Western New York going back to 2016. We usually average around 30-35 attendees every year. We have enjoyed a diverse array of speakers and presenters, including NFL alumni, authors, historians, collectors, administrators, beat reporters, podcasters, and more. We have been very fortunate to have several members of the PFRA leadership join us over the years, which provides rank-and-file members with the opportunity to bring up issues or simply get to know the people who blaze our path forward.

I know that a group from the Philadelphia area got together a few years back, and Randy Snow has been spearheading efforts in the great state of Michigan.

I would be more than happy to advise or suggest ideas for other chapters interested in holding gatherings of their own. I also feel comfortable in offering the assistance of the leaders who have graced us with their presence at all or most of the meetings over the years, including George Bozeka, Adam Connelly, Ken Crippen and Greg Tranter.

[RRMarshall]

Thanks for trying Ryan. Being homebound here in New England I would have welcomed a virtual online chapter membership but I guess its not in the cards. But I really appreciate your effort!!

[GameBeforeTheMoney]

Can it be called for a vote? Is there anything in the bylaws preventing it? I don't know how many people there are in the PFRA, but if only 35 can make conventions, what's the percentage of those who can't? Was looking forward to meeting and talking with some of you that I've traded messages on here via online meet. Maybe we can set those up without calling it an actual chapter. I don't know - I thought it was a super idea. Maybe we can just set up some sort of video discussion each month or quarterly - maybe pick a topic/player/season to discuss. Kind of disappointed to read this was a no-go.

[Bryan]

After some conversations, it appears that a blanket "virtual chapter" of the PFRA is a non-starter, for a number of good reasons. First, the intention was for the chapter to help people in far-flung places to get together online and to hold events, similar to a physical chapter, but entirely online. However, many of the people who expressed interest in the virtual chapter do not live in far-flung places and also belong to other, existing chapters, which misses the point entirely.

I think that is totally illogical, similar to Pete Rozelle enforcing the blackout rule well after the point of games selling out. If you want a physical chapter, more power to you. I don't. I am a single parent with a job and two young kids...the chapter could hold their meeting in my garage and it would still be a hassle for me to attend. It would be much easier to just jump on a Zoom call and chat with people about NFL history, which I thought was the whole point of the PFRA. I would urge the powers involved here to be a little more forward-thinking on this issue.

[RyanChristiansen]

I would urge the powers involved here to be a little more forward-thinking on this issue.

I agree with the idea the PFRA needs to be more forward-thinking in terms of how we bring people together. When I was at the biannual convention in Pittsburgh, I looked around and realized that much of the PFRA will quite literally die off within the next decade or so, just given human life expectancy. (This includes me, based on my parents' lifespans.)

As a university instructor and as someone who used to work in the tech industry, and as the husband of someone who still works in the tech industry, I know that the younger generations expect to be able to participate in events via videoconference, and that people are less and less willing to pay to travel for these types of events. Personally, I shelled out approximately $2,000 just to make it to Pittsburgh and attend the conference.

I disagree, however, that having a blanket virtual chapter is a good idea, UNLESS the chapter simply becomes the virtual arm of the PFRA. Otherwise, it's possible the virtual chapter will overtake the supporting organization, and you can imagine all kinds of potential conflicts if that were to happen.

I think two things need to happen:

1) The PFRA needs to actively encourage and help members start new area chapters.
2) The PFRA needs to find opportunities for members to engage with one another and to engage with speakers virtually via videoconference. Much of this work should be handled by the area chapters.

[Reaser]

In my near decade and a half here we've only had 4 people from the Great State of Washington post on the forums, and the other 3 were all Eastern WA. Also, I remember a membership map a few years ago and it showed 4 or 5 members in WA and I was one of the two in Western WA but the other one looked up near the border. Essentially if we started a [SEA-TAC-OLY] Western Washington chapter it'd just be me.

I doubt it's too different in any of the other western states, maybe outside of CA.

So the idea is/was great. Shut down as a non-starter would be a bit much. Seems like the proposal would just need to be tweaked for places that otherwise don't have the numbers for a chapter -- which is what I thought the idea was anyway?

[RyanChristiansen]

So the idea is/was great. Shut down as a non-starter would be a bit much. Seems like the proposal would just need to be tweaked for places that otherwise don't have the numbers for a chapter -- which is what I thought the idea was anyway?

I agree with the need for geographic boundaries, but that doesn't mean a single chapter couldn't cover a large area, perhaps a Western Chapter that serves everyone west of the Mississippi River. Right now, so much of the membership is concentrated in the old pre-1946 geography of the NFL. Having a Western Chapter would go a long ways toward serving membership.

[Lee Elder]

At the PFRA Convention in Pittsburgh last month, the Board of Directors encouraged the members to consider forming regional or local chapters. Other Boards have done the same at other conventions. As of July, 2023, we have two regional chapters; in Buffalo, New York and in Philadelphia, Pa. To my knowledge, those chapter meetings are open to PFRA members and non-members alike. I know there are current efforts to start a chapter in Michigan.

Chapter meetings do not lend themselves to long distance travel but, after all, they are intended to be LOCAL chapter meetings. As an aside, when I still lived in California, I attempted to start a Southern California chapter. It didn’t work out, but with the Rams and Chargers back in Los Angeles now, there might be more interest.

Ryan Christiansen’s idea of a virtual chapter needs some study but it has the interest of several members of the Board of Directors. George Bozeka has called a meeting of the Board and the virtual chapter idea is on the agenda. The Board has to consider several issues, some of them legal, before it begins an operation as complicated as starting a virtual chapter under the PFRA name. The PFRA always strives to be an inclusive organization for all its members.

I hope this clarifies some of the points made in this string of comments.

Lee Elder
Executive Director