mybufc

Degrees of separation

2008-03-29T09:09:00.000-07:00

Many people will start an article/story with how wonderful hindsight is. However, the truth is, they are probably just telling you that they didn't know enough about something at the beginning before doing what they did. If I knew, for example, that I would be stood frozen in a hail storm with my hands welded by frost to a camera for 2 hours (having convinced someone else to do the same with me) and that the following evening would be spent hunched over a laptop learning more about editing and compressing video for the web than I ever cared to then, I suspect, I would have zipped my mouth closed many months ago when I had this "great idea".
The result (not some of the the match scores which have often equalled the bad weather) was actually quite impressive if I do say so myself and there are few clubs in the UK that can say they broadcast matches live on the Internet - but Biggleswade United is one of them.

It is frustrating that we did not reach 5000 members by Feb 08 but we may simply have had a target too high for such a club and project. What we have got is something to build on and all through the efforts of a few peoples spare time - the essence of what the project was always about.
We have had a match where the membership picked the team (though last minute unavailability meant 2 changes), we have a library of video matches, team profiles, wiki knowledge base, a new voting system ready to go and a large group of people involved in the club that weren't previously - now THAT is a solid foundation. There have been some frustrations voiced about the speed of the process but as I have often said, there are still far more positives than negatives.

We are preparing for the new season now and I think everything will be in place for a new board made up of members and existing committee. It will be a club like no other and the "hand over" season may prove to be a big plus for us.
myFC are showing some growing pains and, again on reflection, I wish we had separated ourselves more from the scheme in terms of ideology as they have always been very different. However, the tortoise and the hare may prove to be a useful parallel - we have the opportunity to be steadily developed and take time in bringing the mix together rather than the frenetic pace that could have occurred.

So I am pleased I do not have hindsight and, for the most part, will let the flame of blissful ignorance lead the way. It may be bitterly cold on occasion and it can, potentially, lead to some God awful decisions but life is supposed to be exciting not a numb wander into the heavily explored.

Match anyone?

It's a ... live!

2008-01-22T12:58:00.000-08:00

As posted on the forum, we are going all out for the last big push for myBUFC and commencing LIVE broadcast of some home matches over the Internet.
There are one or two commercial issues to arrange but essentially all of the technical details have been sorted out.
[NERD ALERT] For those interested, we will have our TV grade camera (with aux microphones) linked by firewire to a PC laptop, edit suite is Wirecast which compresses and sends via wireless network and broadband to our Windows Media Server then out to you over the 40Mb line [/ END NERD ALERT]

It became obvious during the trials, email, forum and general feedback that there is no substitute for actually watching the team play. Therefore, with a bit of help from the club, I have dug deep and will be arranging scaffolding (or similar - to get the right camera angle), ensuring that the right equipment is available at the ground and doing some tests over the coming couple of weeks.

The monies paid by members to date is still unspent (until we go live) and awaits the decisions of the members on what and when it should be spent on.

All being well, we will be broadcasting 1 game in January and at least 2 in February. This will lead us up to the closing date at the end of February when the committee will decise how and if to proceed should we fall slightly short of the target.

Blimey time flies...

2007-12-12T14:35:00.000-08:00

Off to Philadelphia for a long weekend so the press releases will go out on Tuesday but the membership will be choosing the team and tactics for the first time on December the 29th (London Colney).
Nick (BUFC manager) has just sent through the player profiles which will go online tomorrow and I have the last edits to do for the video footage which will be up ASAP.
It is then important to get as much match information up from now until the first selection date.
There is now a Wiki on the site so that everyone can join in with the input of information.
Following that, we are hoping for one other in January for the membership but we will see how it goes.
Had an interview with a reporter at the Wall Street journal which was good and it will be great to see how things go over the next few days.
See you after the Christmas shopping!

You pick the team - date to be announced soon

2007-11-14T02:08:00.000-08:00

It's still difficult to know where to put updates on what's happening but I guess this is more "behind the scenes" type info so here is the best I have for this past week...
80/20 rule is dominating my match reports as the thing came together really quickly but the finer subtleties have taken a while to sort out. Just got player set-ups to do and its all finished.

myFootballClub have announced the takeover of Ebbsfleet United which is a great choice for them - a small progressive club with potential and a very agreeable board. Manager seems a little grey on issues to do with the team but I can understand that. I see one of the Kimble twins is the assistant there which is great - I used to see them play for Cambridge United many years ago in the Beck era.

All of this has focused us a little more and we still want to be the first team to let the members select the team online in the UK. For that reason, we are trying to line up a match where all sign-ups (paid and unpaid) will be able to join in with the decision making.
This won't affect the membership payments to date - it is all "ring fenced" - but will allow everyone to give it a go for free.
This will not only allow us to test things out for the future but to get a lot more exposure than we might otherwise have done.

One aspect that is clearly different between myfc and mybufc is that mybufc will be far more reliant on the efforts of members to have an input to the direction of the system as a whole.
I have to take my hat off to YorkFox, GlassEyes and Goal to name just a few who have all contributed an enormous amount so far for which we we are very grateful!

FaceBook, MPs, texting and voting...

2007-11-07T10:49:00.000-08:00

Since the forum opened on the site, this blog has been sadly neglected. I never was one for diaries so it is quite an achievement to get this far!
To catch up..
Had photos done with our local MP, Alistair Birt, who is now a member (he paid privately and in full I should add and there is no indication it went through the office expenses!) and a true football fan. The video interview with him would have been perfect for the site had one of the team not decided to "moonie" in the background!
The story ran in a few publications which was great but one thing has become obvious - we need national coverage - BBC 5 Live, Talk Sport, National Papers and local TV are my next target to get the word out about the "social ownership" impact on football.

On to bigger things, myBUFC has been FaceBook-ed and there is now a group and application any FaceBook member can join and add to the page. Look up "mybufc" if you want to join and I'll see you there!

Match reports
Sometimes scores and detailed match reports are a little slow to get back to members and site visitirs SO... we are adding to the information one can get. I wrote a little application that allows someone to provide live reporting with the simplest use of a mobile phone.
Minute by minute text commentary, match stats and score will then be available whilst we all wait for the detailed reports to follow a day or so later.
Look out for the trial run this Saturday!

Player profiles
We are ploughing ahead with the team database which Chris and I hope to have available within a few days and will link to the match stats from above. It could also be the basis of scout reports in the future.

Voting
We need to encourage many of those who have subscribed to take part in this early stage so we are having some fun votes and will continue to feed team suggestions through to the management via the forums.

Right - just need another 4000 people now.

Forum open for business

2007-10-24T11:45:00.000-07:00

Been in Milton Keynes all day but just checked through the forum and all seems fine. Come and join-in before the crowd finds out.
http://www.mybufc.com/ibb
Must work on that newsletter now...

Off the field catch up

2007-10-23T05:25:00.000-07:00

Just spent 3 days with no Internet (in sunny Lancashire) which goes some way to explain the apparent lack of activity with myBUFC. However, lack of activity there isn't - we have the "Official Launch" of the project on Saturday and local MP Alistair Burt (a keen footballer himself) will be there to cut the most fantastic football cake I have ever seen.
We have a completed the certificate that everyone can print off and FINALLY, we are able to login to our own Forum again which WILL be open in the next 24 hours.
Sign-ups have slowed down so we really need a good push to get things re-catalysed.
A newsletter will be going out tonight (slightly delayed - how suprising) and another with the launch photos on Sunday. YorkFox reported an issue with Hotmail which we hope is sorted out for the next run.
Aside from that, we managed to gather a couple of highlights from the last match and have put the thumbnail up on the site.
The team lost at the weekend (including a red card) so we desperately need a win this saturday. Biggleswade Town are top of the league which is great to be honest but it really could/should be us.
More as it happens...

Video killed the footy-ball star

2007-10-17T13:14:00.000-07:00

Perhaps it was a curse to video the match on Saturday but I have to say it was a bore of the highest order. This is hardly a fantastic advert for myBUFC I know, for which I can only apologise, but it does go some way to advancing my theory that the club really could do with some new input.
The worse thing is I have to find some highlights to put on the web so I've had to watch the match twice now. Still, at least I didn't choose the mid-week match, we lost 4-0!
We were about to put the forum live today when someone (who shall remain mostly nameless - Chri*) lost his admin password and has now locked us all out of the system. His keys and all other sharp implements are being removed from his possession as we speak.
Media list arrived today so press release is being sent out in the morning (another later than planned action to add to the list) as we now have 1000 sign-ups with over 500 fully paid up members. Traffic has gone down slightly though and we need a new boost to keep the numbers going.
A certificate has been designed so that all members can prove to friends and family that they are "pucker" football directors/managers.
Google payments are now active which means it is more money in the pot for the club from now on.
Had a very nice email from Will (myFC) outlining some changes in the way the forum had been changed which I am completely happy with and I have said (unrequested) that I won't post further updates there. Hopefully the 2 projects can work loosely together as there is probably more to gain all round in doing so.

Finally, we are organising an "official" myBUFC launch with BBQ, activities, the most amazing cake I have ever seen proposed and, if we can confirm, a special guest Football star. All should take place at the match on the 27th to get some further local interest.

Apologies for the delays but we are doing our best in our spare time to get everything together.

Still looking forum

2007-10-11T14:52:00.000-07:00

Slight delay in switching the forum on - is 500 "odd" members enough? Who posts first? all to be revealed tomorrow.
We sent the BooktheAct.com (another unrelated idea that has started to go really well) release out yesterday which has meant fielding calls today and following up so mybufc got bumped slightly.
I will be sending the newsletter out to members and asking for promo ideas, forum admins and feedback. Also putting a questionnaire together to get some feedback on how they would like things to be decided and presented.
Had some ideas for TShirts "OK, OK - I DO own a football club", "Suck up - You're talking to a football club owner" "Because I own a football club - that's why". All ideas welcome!
Apparently it's late and I have an early start so that's it for now.
Thanks for reading!
4000 odd people to go, 4000 odd people to go, eeeh iiii tiddly .......

Biggleswade Frown FC

2007-10-09T14:21:00.000-07:00

It's an interesting swing of emotions this - on one hand, everything is really taking off quickly, feedback is great and I can't wait for it to steam ahead, on the other, the enormity of the tasks ahead make me wonder how the heck I'm going to fit it all in and fizzling out might allow me enough time to do all the other things in life that I need to. But no, the path is chosen and onward we go.
I read a forum where a Biggleswade Town player/supporter was clearly getting upset (there is a history of playground politics that certainly pre-dates me but I am not above giving the merry-go-round a quick shove of my own) that BUFC were planning such a project.
Further, they were outraged that the ambition might be to climb the leagues - Lord help us for wishing to push out of the current league (see Gretna, Histon et al)
Finally, that 5000 people would be making on the field decisions.
In truth, I wish BTFC well and I am pleased they are doing really well in the league but seriously, what is there to lose? How can you get upset at people for simply trying something? The alternatives are to bobble around in the same league for the next 5 years on a slim fan base; find a rich benefactor (who will no doubt want someting in return); or hope that the next Giggs and Rooney land at the club and provide a couple of years of glory.
Phew.
I will be video-ing the match on Saturday (providing we can find a cherry picker!) as I happen to have a TV grade camera so we'll see how my directing skills go.
New press release out tomorrow - "Official Launch" and 500 paid members (1200 signed up).
I noticed one of the signed up members is named the same as the brains behind myFC - surely chance?
Till next time...

Spilling mistakes

2007-10-07T13:06:00.000-07:00

Well firstly, to everyone who has pointed out the *very* few spelling and grammatical errors that have crept into this blog due to substantial time pressures, I thank you from the heart of my bottom :).
Work has been hectic and so the last few days has been "non-bufc". That despite the fact we have started to get our first bits of wider media exposure such as The Mirror, BBC Radio 2 etc. Hopefully, I'll have an hour or two spare tomorrow to follow up a couple of other possibilities.
Google has offered to do the transactions for free so we are swapping the payment method over next week having tested it on Friday
Among the many sign-ups is a very well known international manager (now living abroad) who I am going to try and get a quote from.
I am presenting (in the most informal way) an update to everyone at the club on Monday night and I have to say there is a real buzz there at the moment.
We won 1-0 in the Vase first round which was great (I was at Cambridge United with some friends, 2-2 but they are lot better than a couple of years ago when I last saw them).
Until next tome...

Plotting developments

2007-10-03T13:15:00.000-07:00

OK, so this is why I struggled with a diary when I was younger - too many blank days!
I will try and re-cap (especially since I thought that I had posted on Monday but it seems to have disappeared) to get things up to date.
Weekend went well apart from a technical problem which prevented some people from signing up - a developer will be shot at dawn.
Despite that, interest has been really good and things are very much back on track with sign ups closing in on the 500 mark (not bad for less than a week). We have further coverage in more local papers and press releases going out left, right and centre.
The club are organising some team photos but, bearing in mind that there are 12 youth and adult teams and some 25 non-playing personnel, organisation such an event is quite something. Some good PR shots will really help though and I am trying to find a prop (such as a really large computer mouse) to make them more interesting.
We have decided to put some of the working files online so people can see an early preview of the system which I hope goes down well.
The site (and we can only progress with plans as sign-ups rise) will be split into sections that reflect the club workings:
Members Bar (Forum)
Coaches Office (Reports on matches, opposition, players)
Ballot Box (Voting)
Dressing Room (Team/Tactics selection)
Press Office (News/PR)

If we get to 2500 members, we will start building tha main voting system (the complex bit) but we'll have to wait and see when that is.

Aside from all of that, we lost 2-1 to Welwyn which wasn't great but that, as they say, is football.

The brakes are off...

2007-09-28T11:48:00.000-07:00

Good grief - I thought I was busy *before* this started.
I missed posting yesterday (launch day) as I really needed some sleep by the time I got home. To summarise, despite a delay, the site went live and people started signing up straight away (2 within 4 minutes) and we hadn't even told anyone of the address. It turns out that someone had guessed it from this blog and posted it on the myfootballclub forum.
The forum became a little heated as there are some people who clearly feel myBUFC is too competitive but I think most saw it as complimentary and in general the feedback has been terrific.
Finished the press releases today and sent them off - already confirmed that we will be back page of the Beds on Sunday and we'll see who else picks it up in the next few days.
Forum is ready so as soon as we get a couple of hundred members (which is not far off) we will open it up.
Aside from that, Paypal costs are higher than expected but we'll have to absorb that somewhere and the team are home tomorrow so I'll be looking forward to the match at 3.
Now for some rugby interspersed with DIY.

24 hour delay

2007-09-26T11:38:00.000-07:00

A problem with a delay in the Paypal authorisation has meant that there has to be a 24 hour delay in launching which is a real shame but I am sure the World can cope.
The forum is now complete so all members will be able to chat almost from day 1.
We can't go much further with development as "normal" work is really starting to suffer.
So - tomorrow it is - Big Thursday!

Eve of the launch

2007-09-25T13:01:00.000-07:00

Been a little hectic due to a family funeral and trying to get 4 client sites live in 2 days but we are ready to go with our email (which is going to friends, colleagues and family to pass on to interested parties) and a Press Release to see if the media are interested in the item (it must have *some* merit, surely??).
We'll see how it goes for a while and think about what to do next in week or so. Like so much of this, it is a "play it by ear" project as it could take off very quickly or be a hard grind for weeks.
Terms and Conditions are written also as we need to have some outline on the site but I suspect they will need an update at the point of going live.
Feel free to post any thoughts or opinions and fingers crossed!

DIY Sunday

2007-09-23T12:29:00.000-07:00

It's of little interest to most but spent the day doing some last items of DIY as I am looking to move south a little.
Finished the copy on the site and will ask someone to proof read tomorrow (and spell check).
Press release, email newsletter, banking issues and payment testing beckon for Monday - I may even fit some paying work in!

How good vase that!

2007-09-22T15:22:00.000-07:00

Went down to the ground to watch BUFC win 2-1 AET against Clapton in the FA Vase qualifiers 2nd round to follow up a good mid-week win. An even game first half having taken the lead in the opening minute and a tougher battle in the second but extra time really saw us take hold and a deserved win for the boys. We were told by the Clapton Manager that they were going to "wipe the floor with us" - no tastier win to enjoy.
Attendance was low though - not a league game, England rugby, Arsenal at home (always a noticeable drop) and maybe even the Womens quarter final (unlucky ladies) all played a part I suspect.
Ads around the ground looked good and I spent a while thinking how we can video stream matches for a web audience and from where.
Thanks for the comments on the blog. I will forward the name to myFC as an option but I really think the club is too small and the larger proportion of the membership will not be interested.
However, there is room for both and, I suspect, more such systems in the future. Anyone who wants to keep updated, ask questions or can help in any way, feel free to mail jason at harmony.co.uk and I'll get back to you soon.

The end of the beginning

2007-09-21T09:38:00.000-07:00

That's all sorted then - everything is signed off and we launch on Wednesday (Paypal approval permitting).
I have more than a hint of nervous excitement about this - I have ideas all the time (the perils of an easily distracted mind) but there is certain buzz about this one and people have been contacting me asking when it starts and how they can help.
So far I have had several supportive emails, postings on this blog (which I hadn't realised was searchable!), friends and colleagues with credit cards ready, offers of help from a London PR agency and someone who is asking a contact at the Spurs press office for some info. Not bad for week 2!
We have done some visuals for the system but I think we are getting a little ahead of ourselves - still, we are using them on the site all the same and they look great.
I am off to pick up some new banner ads for the ground - they look fantastic (thanks Tony) - far better than your average hoardings so I'll have to see if there is a "Best designed football hoarding of the year award" - and if not create one.
Keith (BUFC Chairman) was over this afternoon and we have discussed logistics and what would be needed when. We are really keen to get live web casting up and running so members can watch the matches as well as see highlights. All boils down to priorities so we'll see what members wish to spend their money on within the first few weeks of voting.
The next phase will begin next week and we'll see if this buzz is shared outside the Harmony hive or if it is merely me suffering the onset of tinnitus.

Lyrics or melody first?

2007-09-20T13:26:00.000-07:00

Just realised this blog is being read so I registered the domains that one of the developers was supposed to sort out earlier this week - panic over.
A few changes to the mini-site today such as removing shots of Old Trafford (the club have ambition but the designers perspective on reality needed a slight adjustment), testing Paypal and trying to finish the copy.
Had a long discussion about the planning of the system and it's looking great. In fact the only problem is not getting carried away with all of the possibilities we would like to include from the beginning.
The issue is that, despite all the optimism, this may not go ahead and all the work to date would come to nothing which would be more than a shame for all involved.
There will have to be a balancing act with development of the system as member levels rise towards the trigger level to avoid this turning into a financially "troubling" idea.
So the slight conundrum is which first - members or system - or a bit of each?

Other than that it was a busy day trying to do work that pays bills and fending off endless questions from clients. Same ---, different day!

Fairs fair

2007-09-19T08:34:00.001-07:00

It is actually quite difficult to write out a set of rules that are open, transparent and fair for everyone even when there is a positive and unequivocal aim. Pre-empting every eventuality is starting to become a sleepless habit - much more and I will need to read a sickly feel good book to restore faith in humanity.

How do you put parameters down in legal terms which really mean "no matter what you feel at any time, please be nice to the club".

Well after much head scratching I finished it - my first constitution of fairness - if I ever need to run a country I have at least got a starting document for people to ignore.

The point about this project is that no-one is in it for profit - members pay a fee and are rewarded by being involved in the decision making process (essentially 5000+ directors), no-one at the club receives any share payments and monies that are spent on supplies, ground and players etc are standard market rates.
All transfer of assests, shares etc is "ring fenced" so no-one can get at it now or in the future.

So the constitution exists but is unlikely to be of enormous value - the worst evil I can foresee is that a majority of 5000 people believe that cerise pink would look great on a team and BUFC stride out like a set of red topped birthday candles.

We compared Google and Paypal for payment but will stick with Paypal just because we know it as a system.
Chris is an avid footballer and PC game player and has done all of the web work so far. I think his assesment of what will be needed to offer value to members will be extremely important and there is no holding his enthusiasm back.

At the same time we have booktheact.com which is also being launched at work so October could be *really* busy - alternatively this might hold no interest to the powers in the media and they fall hopelessly flat leaving only the vague impression of a slightly bruised ego - perhaps the world of PR could do with a fairness constitution? I'll ask when I get a moment.

and so it begins...

2007-09-18T12:16:00.001-07:00

Background
I have no idea about the value or interest in such a blog but a lot has happened in a short time which makes me think it would be worthwhile noting some of the main points down whilst I still remember them (my memory is like aftershave - only the useless stuff lingers).
To summarise things to date, we (www.harmony.co.uk) sponsor our local football team Biggleswade United and have got to know them well during the past 2 years.
Recently, I read a few news items online and signed up for myfootballclub.co.uk. For those who don't know, it is a site where over 50,000 people have paid £35 each in order to raise enough money to buy, and then via the web, democratically run the club.
They have a paradoxical problem in the search for a team capable of getting to the Premiership - the club needs to be solvent and must willingly accept their new owner. The search continues and may, ultimately, even be a fruitless one.
So my over active mind pondered (probably during an overly lengthy meeting) ... I love the myfootballclub concept but have doubts a club could be found. Further, it would be great if BUFC could really progress in the next few years but nowadays you need investment as much as ambition.
BUFC have operated under a non-profit charitable status for years, they have no borrowings, a ground, a youth structure, a central location, a history, an ambitous volunteer board and a web company for a sponsor. But surely no-one would be interested in being a part owner of a grass roots club?
After talking to suitably enthusiastic friends, I pitched the idea in a very informal way to the board who - after some initial sceptisism - decided that taking a risk for potential success (but more importantly long term survival) was worth the fear of losing control of the club they have worked so hard to build to a large bunch of strangers on the Internet.
And so, here we are are today. The initial web site is built ready for my last items of copy to be written, the board are waiting for the last few details before signing the future of the club over to the collective wisdom of anyone with £23.50 to spare and I am still wondering if this is really a good idea.
I want this to work because the club deserve it, we can do it and most importantly, I enjoy doing my weekly shopping without having fruit and vegetables thrown at me.
Will e-democracy successfully hatch free and show us a way forward for the future or, like the proverbial village idiot, will it fail to punch it's way out of a wet paper bag? Only time, and the Internet, will tell.