Tag: Alliance Council

Alliance Council Meeting Minutes

Tuesday, May 21, 2013
101 Elliott Building

Attendees (24/44): Keith Osterhoudt, Ron Lamb, Danni Blue, Paul Cox, Mike Dollard, Kevin Hughbanks, Matt Oak, Jerry Neil, Greg Mockos, Bob Davis, Glenn White, Dylan Vanderhoof, Heather Satterberg, Derek Pells, Brendan Vaughn, Brian Winchester, Mark Winchester, Brian Prouty, Angelica Mendoza, Pablo Mendoza, Randy Nunez, Stephanie Steiner, Leann Johnson, Roberta King.

FO representative: Taylor Graham

 

Introductions

Welcome to four newly elected Alliance council members: Derek Pells, Matt Oak, Jerry Neil and Kevin Hughbanks, bringing the Council total to 44.

Old business:

1. Vancouver away tickets for non-supporter-group Alliance season ticket members – Leann Johnson/Roberta King
   Leann outlined the plan developed in collaboration with Sounders’ and Whitecaps’ front offices in response to concerns expressed by supporter group representatives on council. The proposal includes 156 tickets in sections 216/217, adjacent to the away supporter group sections. This section will differ from the supporter group sections in that it will be assigned seating and no tifo or other prohibited items will be allowed. There will be no requirement to arrive early as these seats are assigned and individuals will be arriving independently, not in a large group. Ticket holders will be required to stay in the seats for 15-30 minutes after the match, along with the supporter groups. MLS liaisons, security and Sounders’ front office representatives will monitor this non-supporter-group section, and supporter groups will have no responsibility for the fans in this section. Tickets (4 max.) will be sold via MyAccount Manager and will be mailed in advance to the Alliance member. Tickets will be offered to Alliance members beginning with those who purchased season ticket memberships in 2007. Council voted unanimously to amend the proposal and then unanimously approved the amended proposal.
2. Committee for connecting and interacting with Alliance – Brendan Vaughn
   Brendan reported on the committee’s continued discussions around connecting with Alliance members, increasing their overall awareness of Council, and improving match day experience for everyone. Glenn summarized his position that we have communications tools, but in order to engage the Alliance, the Council needs to demonstrate its value by effecting positive change, then communicating accomplishments along with the message that the Alliance Council is about improving match day experience. The committee is in the process of seeking match day experience suggestions from Alliance members, which will then be collected and prioritized by the committee based on their relative impact and the cost/effort to complete. As there was interest broadly across the Alliance Council in assisting with this effort, Brendan will seek electronic ways to catalog ideas and invited Council members to add suggestions to the list. The committee is proposing to bring ideas forward to the FO in July.

New business:

1. Open Discussion
   – Improved signage surrounding supporter sections – Justin Williams (not in attendance)
   There is a need for extra signage that explains what to expect when sitting in or near the supporter/GA section.

   – Removing the flamethrowers from goal posts – Derek Pells

An unofficial show of hands revealed that a slight majority of council members present enjoy the new goal celebration flames. Stephanie noted the size of the supports and additional staff are blocking views of the pitch for fans in the north end suites. Taylor suggested that Council invite the Sounders’ director of game day presentation to a meeting to share information about their plans and perspective and allow Council to provide feedback. Taylor pointed out that CenturyLink management and concessions contractors also influence match day experience.

– Supporter group recognition process. There was an online form, but information needs to be more visible to those seeking recognition by Council and the Club.

– Captain’s armband – Mark asked if there is an opportunity for fans to design a special armband.  Jerry reported that he is in the process of submitting a design to the front office.

– New fan outreach. Randy asked whether the Sounders FO has information on the demographics of the Sounders fan base, if the club is planning outreach to additional groups, and how ticket prices might be used to entice new fans. Randy will follow up with Paul.

2. Next meeting – Paul/Taylor reported that they have not been able to find a date in June for Council to meet with ownership, and will seek a date in July instead. A motion to cancel the June 9^th meeting passed unanimously after discussing the lack of agenda items.

Alliance Council Agenda

Sunday, April 14, 2013
Seattle Central Community College

Attendees (26/41): Ron Lamb, Andy Cole, Greg Mockos, Dylan Vanderhoof, Glenn White, Mark Winchester, Brian Winchester, Bob Davis, Pablo Mendoza, Paul Cox, Angelica Mendoza, Brendan Vaughn, Heather Satterberg, Angeline Bounds, Kris Mysdke, Dan Roe, Mike Dollard, Sam Chesneau, Aaron Reed, McKenzie Clark, Ken Wyatt, Matthew Goecks, Kevin Zelko, Evan Kolius, Randy Nunez, Roberta King

Old business:

1. Ticket allocation for Cascadia away matches – Paul Cox
   Last meeting ended with discussion on a proposed resolution to eliminate the 74 tickets allocated to Alliance season ticket members (STM) through a lottery. The discussion resumed with information from the front office confirming there are 800 tickets allocated for Portland, but that Vancouver has increased the available tickets to 1500. Vancouver is also willing to provide a reserved seating section for Alliance STM, separate from the supporter groups. In light of this new information, council approved a motion to vote separately on the Portland and Vancouver 2013 away ticket allocations. The motion passed with 22 in favor, 2 opposed, and 2 abstaining from the vote.

Roberta King presented an amendment (co-written with Leann Johnson) to maintain the Alliance STM ticket allocation and address concerns raised by the supporter groups. The proposal noted strong demand (2890 tickets requested via STM lottery in 2012), support for STM allocation by Sounders’ ownership, differences between STM traveling in pairs compared to hundreds traveling together in the supporter groups, accountability through the Club who has STM information, and the Club’s willingness to run the lottery for Alliance STM. Advantages include stronger away support for the Sounders and extending the privilege of more affordable tickets to the entire Alliance.

For Portland, the proposed amendment included improved communication by the Club about the STM lottery rules, clarity on the conditions required in traveling supporter sections, such as general admission tickets, early arrival for entrance to the stadium, and respect for supporter group protocols. Supporter group representatives cited additional concerns with safety and security, lack of a point person for STM accountable for managing tickets or enforcing behavior, the potential for tickets to be sold or given to others who wouldn’t be aware they would be in a supporter group section, and that supporter groups would be held responsible for problems that may arise. The amendment failed to pass, with 4 in favor, 18 opposed, and 4 abstaining.

In response to the supporter group concerns, Kris Mysdke, along with Ron Lamb and Bob Davis, proposed an amendment to allow a supporter group to manage the 74 tickets for the Alliance STM. This also failed to pass, with 9 in favor, 13 against, and 4 abstaining.

The resolution to eliminate the 74 Portland tickets for Alliance STM, and to allocate all 800 tickets to supporter groups, passed with 18 in favor, 5 opposed, and 3 abstaining. The tickets will be allocated to supporter groups as in 2012 (Emerald City Supporters – 83%, Gorilla FC – 10% GFC, North End Faithful – 4%, and Eastside Supporters – 3%).

The discussion turned to the Vancouver away match tickets. With 1,500 tickets available for Sounders fans, Paul Cox noted that this was much more than supporter groups would need. The Alliance STM proposal from Roberta and Leann included making a minimum of 250 tickets available through Club’s lottery, with all tickets to be located in a section separate from the supporter group sections. Tickets would not be general admission, but would be reserved seat tickets, as this is the norm for STM. Supporter group representatives noted their concerns about safety, accountability, questioned the exact location of the STM section and any whether STM would be held to similar conditions as supporter groups.

Council agreed to table the vote on Vancouver tickets (23 in favor, 3 opposed) until the May meeting, in order to allow Leann and Roberta time to work out details on Alliance STM tickets with the Sounders front office.

Council unanimously approved a motion, made by Glenn White, to set aside 300 tickets for STM and 1200 tickets for supporter groups.

A motion to adjourn the meeting failed to pass, and several council members left.

2. Committee for connecting and interacting with Alliance – Brendan Vaughn
   Brendan postponed the committee update until the May meeting.
3. Supporter group recognition for 2013 – Dylan Vanderhoof
   Dylan noted that Council had voted in March to renew recognition of four supporter groups, but that the procedure and timing for new supporter group applications is unclear. Information needs to be updated on the supporter group page on the SSFC website.
4. 2013 Council meetings
   In the ongoing hunt for meeting locations, Paul reported that no eastside locations have been identified that can accommodate the current size of council, but that the stadium had been offered for today’s meeting. Heather Satterberg offered a room in the 101 Elliott Building (formerly the PI building). Sam Chesneau noted Seattle Central Community College is also available as a backup location. Council members expressed continued interest in availability of the stadium. Council approved the Elliott Building as the preferred alternative to the stadium, with weeknight meetings to begin at 7, and Sunday meetings to take place during the afternoons. The vote was 15 in favor, 5 opposed.

Alliance Council Minutes

7:00 – 8:30 pm, Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Seattle Central Community College

Attendees (23/38): Paul Cox, Danni Blue, Evan Kolius, Angeline Bounds, Dylan Vanderhoof, Mark Winchester, Mike Dollard, Brian Prouty, Angelica Mendoza, Pablo Mendoza, Leann Johnson, Keith Osterhoudt, Kris Mysdke, Sam Chesneau, Dan Roe, Robert Scherzer, Roberta King, Stephanie Steiner, Cameron Collins, Jeff Randle, Ron Lamb, Kevin Zelko, Ken Wyatt.

Old business:

1. Alliance-wide voting in 2013 – Dan Roe
   Dan proposed an amendment to Bylaw 4, Election Rules for Council, to clarify start and end dates of Council terms. Following discussion, friendly amendments to the motion were made and approved. The amendment to Bylaw 4 was approved with 17 in favor, 5 opposed.
2. Council voting – Leann Johnson, Dan Roe
   The new online voting system is now live. Leann and Dan explained the new system, which allows Alliance members to log in to nominate themselves and be added to the online ballot. To cast a vote, Alliance members log in and choose from nominees listed on the ballot. A new page on the Sounders FC website displays vote totals and is updated every 10 minutes.
3. Committee for connecting and interacting with Alliance – Danni Blue
   Danni presented a list of ideas for reaching out to the Alliance to improve overall awareness of the Alliance and the Alliance Council. Council asked the committee to bring back specific proposals. Committee: Danni, Brian, Roberta, Keith, Paul, Glenn, Ken, Stephanie
4. Intra-council communications – Danni Blue
   In response to comments about the number of emails that arise during Council email discussions, its was suggested that Council members change their Google Group settings to receive daily summaries of emails rather than each individual message. It’s not necessary for Council to RSVP to the monthly meeting announcements. It was also noted for new Council members that Bart Wiley and Taylor Graham of the Sounders’ front office are included in the email group, helping maintain communications between Council and the club.
5. Twitter: @Alliance Council – Evan Kolius
   Evan reported that the council Twitter account now has 1038 followers. Evan will join the committee for connecting and interacting with the Alliance.
6. Choosing two charitable partners – Angeline Bounds
   No update; Angeline welcomed her new committee members, Brendan, Brian, and Rachel.
7. Meeting dates & location for 2013 – Paul Cox
   Council reviewed and approved the dates proposed for the remainder of the year. It was noted that one or two dates may change in order to accommodate attendance by club ownership. The decision on locations was tabled until we can get additional input from the front office. Approved meeting dates and locations: Sunday, April 14 – Seattle; Tuesday, May 21  – Bellevue; Sunday, June 9 – Bellevue; Wednesday, July 17 – Seattle; Sunday, Aug 11 – Bellevue; Sunday, Sept 15 – Seattle; Wednesday, Oct 16 – Bellevue.

New business:

1. Supporter group recognition for 2013 – Paul Cox
   Council unanimously approved renewal of recognition for four supporter groups – North End Faithful, Eastside Supporters, Gorilla FC, and Emerald City Supporters.
2. Ticket allocation for Cascadia away matches – Paul Cox
   A proposal to eliminate the Alliance Season Ticket Members Cascadia Away Lottery was presented by Dylan. Council discussed the experiences in Portland and Vancouver last year when a portion of the total tickets (74 out of 800) were allocated to a lottery for season ticket members who aren’t affiliated with a supporter group, and the pros and cons of continuing the lottery opportunity in 2013. The discussion was tabled awaiting more information from the club, including a potential increase in the number of available tickets.
3. Open Discussion
   Stephanie and Kris will develop a Facebook page.

Alliance Council Meeting Minutes

Sunday, February 10, 2013 4:30 pm

Location: Bellevue Brewing Company

Attendees (23/38): Danni Blue, Samuel Chesneau, Cameron Collins, Paul Cox, Mike Dollard, Roberta King, Evan Kolius, Ron Lamb, Paul Lower, Angelica Mendoza, Pablo Mendoza, Greg Mockos, Rachel Malloy, Keith Osterhoudt, Brian Prouty, Jeff Randle, Dan Roe, Robert Scherzer, Stephanie Steiner, Dylan Vanderhoof, Brendan Vaughn, Mark Winchester, Ken Wyatt.

1. Welcome and Introductions
   Council membership update – 2013 – 2014 Council Term. 2013 Council now has 38 members!

Re-Elected Council Members	Newly Elected Council Members
Angeline Bounds Roberta King	Samuel Chesneau Danni Blue Andy Cole Cameron Collins Michael Dollard Matthew Goecks Paul Lower Mike Mead Pablo Mendoza Angelica Mendoza	Keith Osterhoudt Brian Prouty Jeff Randle Robert Scherzer Stephanie Steiner Dylan Vanderhoof Brendan Vaughn Glenn White Craig Williams

2. 2012 Review – Paul Cox
   Paul reviewed the highlights of the Alliance and democracy in sports during the 2012 season, including the GM retention vote and the vote on the 2013 season ticket holder scarf design.
3. Meeting Dates/Location for 2013 – Paul Cox

Our constitution calls for monthly meetings with an invite to ownership in March, June, and November. The council members in attendance agreed to avoid meeting on match days this year because of conflicting pre-match activities. Alternating the monthly meetings between weekends and weeknights was identified as an option to ensure that no council member is excluded due to other scheduled commitments. The March, June, and November meetings with ownership will be scheduled based on ownership availability.

4. Electing New Officers for 2013
   President: Paul Cox (unopposed) was elected.
   Vice-president: Dan Roe, Stephanie Steiner, and Evan Kolius were nominated. Dan Roe was elected.
   Secretary: Roberta King (unopposed) was elected.

Old business:

5. Alliance-wide voting in 2013 – Roberta King
   An Alliance-wide vote is needed to change language in the constitution. Council passed a motion in April 2012 adding the following text to the duties of Secretary (Constitution, Article 5, Officers of the Alliance): The Secretary shall maintain, and keep current, a record of the Council Constitution, By-Laws, Resolutions, Commendations, and Membership. Council agreed that this should be added to the ballot during the next regular voting period, in fall 2013.
6. Choosing two charitable partners
   Last season, Angeline Bounds agreed to lead this project. Brendan, Brian, and Rachel volunteered to join a committee to work with Angie and the Club on how to proceed.
7. Voting on future kit design – Paul Cox
   Council will continue to work with the FO on the opportunity for the Alliance to vote on kit design. One next step is to invite Sue Harris (Sounders FC Director of Retail Ops) to a meeting to discuss the design and selection process. Danni, Cameron, Dylan, Mark, and Sam volunteered to form a committee.
8. Scarf design contest for 2014 – Dan Roe
   Dan will continue to lead a committee to work with the club to plan a scarf design contest. Mike D. and Stephanie volunteered to join the committee (consisting of Rachel, Angie, Likkit, and Roberta), as needed.
9. Council voting – new for 2013 – Dan Roe
   Voting for Council is soon changing to a two-step process. Those running for council will need to log in to com to nominate themselves. All nominees will then be placed on a council ballot. When Alliance members are ready to cast their vote for a council nominee, they will click on the Council Ballot and select one of the candidates listed there. This eliminates the issue of manually locating and combining multiple spellings for the same person. It also prevents people like Kasey Keller, Roger Levesque, etc., from being nominated without their consent. The new voting section will refresh vote totals every 10 minutes, so no more waiting a week to find out if you have gathered enough votes.
10. Supporter group recognition for 2013 – Paul Cox
    The annual supporter group recognition vote by Council will take place at March meeting. An invitation will be published for representatives of renewing and prospective supporter groups.
11. Ticket allocation for Cascadia away matches
    This topic will be on the agenda for the March council meeting.

New business:

12. Open Discussion
    Evan reported that the council Twitter account – @AllianceCouncil – is active, and a Facebook page is planned.

Brendan suggested forming a committee to develop strategies for connecting and interacting with all STH, such as having an Alliance Council table at the stadium, or publishing info on the Alliance in the match day program. Volunteers for this committee include: Brendan, Paul, Brian, Roberta, Keith, Glenn, Ken, Stephanie, and Danni.

Dan is proposing a change to Bylaw #4, Election Rules for Council; he will send it to council for review prior to the next meeting.

MEETING MINUTES
date: Sat, Sept. 8, 2012

time: post-game

location: stadium

Attendees (14/20): Angeline Bounds, Dave Clark, McKenzie Clark, Paul Cox, Leann Johnson, Roberta King, Evan Kolius, Ron Lamb, Rachel Molloy, Kris Mydske, Likkit Pocinwong, Dan Roe, Mark Winchester, Kevin Zelko.
Front office representative: Bart Wiley

1. Dave Clark resigned his position on Council due to his new status as contractor to Sounders FC. He will be preparing stories about Council.

 

Old business:

2. Selection of Two Alliance Charities – Dave Clark

Following Dave Clark’s resignation from Council, Angie volunteered to lead this effort. She will gather information and ideas from Dave.

3. General Manager Retention Vote– Paul Cox

Paul and Bart Wiley reported on current plans for promoting the vote and the voting process. Sounders FO will make multiple announcements and provide interviews. There will be both in-stadium and online voting options for Alliance members. Council will be helping out at the stadium, and there may be additional voting events. The resolution passed by Council at the July meeting was amended, removing the final paragraph related to amending the Bylaws and coordinating with the Club. The revised resolution passed unanimously.

4. Alliance STH Scarf Design Competition for 2013 – Daniel Roe
   Due to the schedule and budget constraints, the scarf competition will not go forward this year as originally envisioned. Adidas needs a final design by October 7^th. Council approved a compromise plan in which the SSFC design team will provide designs to Council for final selection for the 2013 season. This allows time for the Club to develop an online design submittal option for next year.

5. Resolution on Banning PA Noise – McKenzie Martin Clark
   Council agreed that stadium PA noise issues have improved.

6. Resolution on Future Kit Designs for 2014 – Dave Clark
   Bart Wiley provided an update and offered to invite Sue Harris, Sounders FC Director of Retail Operations, to meet with Council to further explain the design process and other factors involved in selecting new kit designs.

7. Resolution on Championship Banners – Paul Cox
   New banners, celebrating previous A-League championships, were not included in the SSFC 2012 budget. Bart indicated that these could be planned for 2013.

8. SSFC Crest Resolution – Mark Winchester

Bart Wiley explained that crest design (and any modifications on the kits) is considered a business decision of the Club, not the Alliance.

9. Council Communications / Alliance Feedback – Roberta King
   Council approved the committee’s proposal to set up Twitter and Facebook accounts to help relay information from Council. Evan will manage the two accounts, with backup provided by Kris.
   Roberta is editing outdated information on the Alliance and Council on the SSFC website; Ron and Dan will help review. Roberta reported that we now have a friendly URLfor the Sounders FC eBallot login page, soundersfc.com/vote

New business:

1. End of Year Business Planning Committee

Angie , Paul, Kris, Mark and Kevin volunteered to work with the Club to plan the 2012 business meeting. Bart Wiley indicated that December 13 is the tentative date. The results of the General Manager retention vote will be revealed at the meeting.

2. Next meeting
   The next meeting is planned for October 6^thor 14^th, depending on front office availability.

3. Open discussion

Leann Johnson: Jr. Alliance

Alliance Council Meeting Minutes

July 17, 2012, 1 p.m.

Stadium

In attendance (12/20): Paul Cox, Evan Kolius, Leann Johnson, Dan Roe, Justin Williams, McKenzie Clark, Kris Mydske, Likkit Pocinwong, Angeline Bounds, Ron Lamb, Mark Winchester, Roberta King

Old Business:

1. General Manager Retention Vote – Paul Cox

Paul reported on recent conversations with the front office and sought Council input on the voting process and schedule, including minimum votes required and promoting the vote to Alliance members this fall.

New Business:

GM Retention Vote Resolution – Paul Cox

The following resolution on the GM retention vote was passed by unanimous vote. A related amendment to the Bylaws will be determined at next meeting.

“Whereas, during the formation of the Seattle Sounders FC, the Club dedicated itself to the ideal of “Democracy in Sports”; and

Whereas, the most direct expression of the wishes of the fans and supporters of the Sounders would be a vote on the proposed retention of the Club’s General Manager once every four years; and
Whereas, the 2012 season represents the fourth season in MLS for the Club; and

Whereas, the Alliance has been formally established by the fans and supporters of the club as the representative organization of the fans, supporters, and overall Sounders community;

Therefore, be it resolved:

That the Alliance Council asks the overall Alliance membership the following question: “Shall Adrian Hanauer be retained as General Manager of the Seattle Sounders FC?”

Be it also resolved that the Alliance Council shall pass a bylaw governing the voting timeline, procedures, and other such details, and shall work in conjunction with the Club to organize, manage, and count said vote. The Council also shall have an independent accounting firm assist with the verification and trustworthiness of the vote. 

Next meetings:

August 5^th – 1 pm

September 8^th – 45 minutes after end of match

Alliance Council Meeting Minutes

June 16, 2012

Stadium

In attendance (12/20): Paul Cox, Evan Kolius, Leann Johnson, Dan Roe, Justin Williams, McKenzie Clark, Mark Winchester, Angeline Bounds, Ron Lamb, Arthur Kim, Dave Clark, Roberta King

Old Business:

1. Alliance STH Scarf Design Competition – Dan Roe

Dan reported that Bart Wiley is waiting to hear if Adidas has any requirements. Dan will contact Bart.

2. Council Communications and Integration of Alliance Feedback – Roberta King

Roberta contacted Jeff Richards, Director of Marketing for Sounders, about past surveys of Alliance members, and learned there is potential to add questions from Council to future surveys. The committee will meet immediately after Council.

3. Selection of Two SSFC charity partners by Alliance – Dave Clark

There are currently five charity partners. The Club has raised the question of how existing partners would be replaced. Council does not have information on agreements the Club may have with partners, and agreed the matter should be referred back to the FO. (Tabled? Until meeting with FO??)

4. Alliance Council Nominations for 2012 – Paul Cox

The Club has provided their anticipated schedule for Council nominations to restart after updating the system to include newly designated Alliance members.

June 15 – designation period ends
June 18 – voting to go live June 27^th
June 22 – voting platform completes upload of new names
June 25 – testing
June 27 – voting goes live

5. Resolution on Future Kit Designs for 2014 – Dave Clark

The following resolution was discussed and approved by Council.

“Whereas the Seattle Sounders FC recognize that their fans are not just customers, but stakeholders in the Club.

Whereas, the Alliance Council is the formal embodiment of such stakeholders

Whereas the uniform of the Club is a banner for all who call themselves Sounders

Be it resolved that the Club and its apparel partners will present a minimum of three and no more than six near final designs for the 2014 third kits to the Alliance Council. During this meeting between the Council, the Club and the kit apparel partner a consensus will be reached between all present to pick the kit that best represents the Seattle Sounders FC as a soccer club, a democracy in sport and a key member of the great Puget Sound sports community.”

6. Resolution on Championship Banners – Paul Cox

The following resolution was discussed and approved by Council.

 “Whereas, the Seattle Sounders have a long and established history of successes on the field; and

Whereas, the Sounders have banners at their home stadium celebrating their championships in the United States Open Cup in 2009, 2010, and 2011, as well as their championships in the USL First Division in 2005 and 2007; and

Whereas, the Sounders also won the championship of the A-League in 1995 and 1996; therefore
be it resolved that the Alliance Council requests that the Club order and hang banners (identical in design and size and using the proper time-appropriate logos) celebrating the Sounders 1995 and 1996 A-League championships, from the rafters of the stadium. The Council further urges that these banners be completed and hung during pregame for the match on October 7, 2012.”

7. Resolution on SSFC Crest – Mark Winchester

The following resolution was discussed and approved by Council.

“Whereas, the crest or badge of a football club is worn over the heart to signify the importance of the Club to the wearer, the badge of the Seattle Sounders Football Club follows this tradition and appears on the left chest of the various uniforms and apparel worn by the team; the badge represents the organization’s personality, image, core competencies and characteristics; a badge’s design is loosely based on a heraldic shield, which helped identify combatants who were otherwise hidden by their armor; 

Whereas the Seattle Sounders FC badge was developed to represent the partnership between the ownership, the community, the players and the fans; and whereas, the partners are all united under one banner, which carries the team name; and whereas, the Space Needle is a universally recognized icon and symbol of Seattle, therefore be it resolved:

The Seattle Sounders FC Alliance Council believes that the various teams playing as part of the Club should wear uniforms that carry the ORIGINAL badge of the Seattle Sounders FC, namely, the one that appeared on the Club’s uniforms during the inaugural season for the Club in MLS competition in 2009, on their Rave Green home uniform jerseys. This is the white outlined, Sounder Blue shield underneath, with the black depiction of the Space Needle over the top, and Rave Green shield in the middle, all abound by the white banner with the text “Seattle Sounders FC”.

This should be the only badge worn on uniforms by Players on the field of play during all competitions, and only in these original colors. This shall take effect at the start of all competitions beginning in January 2014.  The Alliance Council supports efforts by the Seattle Sounders FC to market merchandise with the original badge, but understands that the badge may not be used on all clothing marketed by the Club.”

8. Election of Secretary

Dave Clark and Roberta King were nominated to fill the vacant Secretary position. Roberta King was elected by blind ballot.

9. Meeting with Front Office – Paul Cox

Waiting to schedule meeting. Tabled
New Business

10. By-Law language clarification –– Dan Roe

Dan will propose language to clarify the start date of term for re-elections of Council members.

11. Open Discussion

Discussed ideas for instituting a Sounders hall of fame, or equivalent of the Seahawks ring of honor, and how to determine criteria appropriate for SSFC. This will be a topic for next meeting with FO (??)

Paul Cox presented his plan to bring forward a resolution to reward Alliance members who participate in GM vote with a vinyl window sticker declaring their membership and that they voted.

Next meetings:
July 17 or 19^th with the intent of inviting ownership/FO, the day before or after Chelsea friendly
August 5 – 1 pm or 3 pm

MEETING AGENDA: 
date/time: Sun, April 29, 2012
location: Stadium

Attendees (09/20): Paul Cox, Likket Pocinwong, McKenzie Clark, Roberta King, Ron Lamb, Dan Roe, Mark Winchester, Rachel Molloy, Evan Kolius

Old business:

1. Elect New Secretary– Postponed until next meeting for quorum voting.

2. Alliance STH Scarf Design Competition for 2013 – Daniel Roe
   Dan shared the outlined schedule, promotion and recommendations that the Scarf Committee put together and will be forwarding that information to Bart next week. We are recommending only one competition for the “Alliance Member” scarf design, voted on my Alliance members only, with submissions open to anyone. We are also recommending that the FO pick their Top 5 from the eligible submissions. The Scarf Committee and Council would also select their Top 5, and a joint decision of the FO and Council would determine the Top 5 designs that would go to an Alliance vote at the end of the year. A representative of the Scarf Committee is invited to attend the FO discussion/review of the suggestions.

3. Council Communication and Integration of Alliance Feedback– Roberta King
   The committee has formed and will be meeting/emailing in the next month to formalize a proposal. Results of the most recent fan survey were requested from the front office. The website updates will also be rolled into this committee’s responsibilities.
4. Selection of Two Alliance Charities – Dave Clark
   Review of charity partner proposals and voting. Tabled until next meeting.
5. Alliance Council Nominations for 2012 – Paul Cox
   We are still waiting on finalization of the one-seat/one-vote for Alliance members. The Sounders FC and Ticketmaster CRM system integration details regarding account tracking have been holding up the launch of this new designation and voting system. Council reps expressed concern at the continued delayed and voice interest in exploring alternate ways to activate the system more quickly, even if it means slight delays between seat designations and the ability to vote.
6. Resolution on Future Kit Designs for 2014 – Dave Clark
   Tabled until next month.

Whereas the Seattle Sounders FC recognize that their fans are not just customers, but stakeholders in the club

Whereas the Alliance Council is the formal embodiment of said stakeholders

Whereas the uniform of the club is a banner for all who call themselves Sounders

Be it resolved that the Club and its apparel partners will present a minimum of three and no more than six near final designs for the 2014 third kids to the Alliance Council. During this meeting between the Council, the Club and the kit apparel partner a consensus will be reached between all present to pick the kit that best represents the Seattle Sounders FC as a soccer club, a democracy in sport and key member of the great Puget Sound sports community.

7. Resolution on Championship Banners – Paul Cox
   Tabled until next month.

Whereas, the Seattle Sounders have a long and established history of successes on the field; and

Whereas, the Sounders have banners at their home stadium celebrating their championships in the United States Open Cup in 2009, 2010, and 2011, as well as their championships in the USL First Division in 2005 and 2007; and 

Whereas, the Sounders also won the championship of the A-League in 1995 and 1996; therefore…

Be it resolved that the Alliance Council requests that the Club order and hang banners (identical in design and size and using the proper time-appropriate logos) celebrating the Sounders 1995 and 1996 A-League championships from the rafters of the stadium. The Council further urges that these banners be completed and hung during pregame for the match on October 7, 2012. 

8. SSFC Crest Resolution – Mark Winchester
   Tabled until next month.

Whereas, the crest or badge of a football club is worn over the heart to signify the importance of the Club to the wearer, the badge of the Seattle Sounders Football Club follows this tradition and appears on the left chest of the various uniforms and apparel worn by the team; the badge represents the organization’s personality, image, core competencies and characteristics; a badge’s design is loosely based on a heraldic shield, which helped identify combatants who were otherwise hidden by their armor;

Whereas the Seattle Sounders FC badge was developed to represent the partnership between the ownership, the community, the players and the fans; and whereas, the partners are all united under one banner which carries the team name; and whereas, the Space Needle is a universally recognized icon and symbol of Seattle, therefore be it resolved:

The Seattle Sounders FC Alliance Council believes that the various teams playing as part of the Club should wear uniforms that carry the ORIGINAL badge of the Seattle Sounders FC. Namely, the one that appeared on the Club’s uniforms during the inaugural season for the Club in MLS competition in 2009, on their Rave Green home uniform jerseys.

This is the white outlined, Sounder Blue shield underneath, with the black depiction of the Space Needle over the top, and Rave Green shield in the middle, all abound by the white banner with the text “Seattle Sounders FC”. This should be the only badge worn on uniforms by Players on the field of play during all competitions, and only in these original colors. This shall take effect at eth start of all competitions beginning in January the year 2014.

The Alliance Council supports efforts by the Seattle Sounders FC to market merchandise with the original badge, but understands that the badge may not be used on all clothing marketed by the Club.”

New business:

1. Goals for year – Paul Cox
   Tabled until next month.

2. May Meeting Date– May 12^th at 3:30pm (before the Real Salt Lake game)

3. Meeting with Front Office– Paul Cox
   Tabled until next month, for Council to internally discuss possible agenda items, focus and tone for any potential meeting to discuss increasing/improving the working relationship and vision with the Club. With the invitation to owners, Peter McLoughlin, Gary Wright, Bart Wiley, etc.
4. Open Discussion

MEETING MINUTES: 
date/time: Sat, March 17, 2012, 3pm
location: stadium

Attendees (quorum reached): Paul Cox, Greg Mockos, Mark Inderhees, Leann Johnson, Daniel Roe, Justin Williams, Angeline Bounds , Kevin Zelko, Ken Wyatt, Roberta King, Dave Clark, Bob Davis, Rachel Molloy, Ron Lamb, Likkit Pocinwong, Aaron Reed, Mark Winchester…
Observers: Drew Carey, Gary Wright, Bart Wiley, Adrian Hanauer, and other staff

Old business:

1. Secretary By-Law  Amendment – Approved, will go to full Alliance

Council Secretary   
The Secretary shall keep minutes of Council meetings and shall publish those meetings to the Council, Alliance, and general public.  The Secretary shall maintain, and keep current, a record of the Council Constitution, By-Laws, Resolutions, Commendations, and Membership.

2. Supporter Group Recognition
   Emerald City Supporters, North End Faithful, Gorilla FC and Eastside Supporters all had representatives in attendance and were able to produce their documentation and speak to their membership numbers and activities. All were approved for recognition for the current season.
3. Alliance STH Scarf Design Competition for 2013 – Daniel Roe
   Daniel Roe gave a quick update to the progress so far by the working group. Detailed recommendations to be forthcoming next month.
4. Bylaws Amendment: Binding Votes and Super Majority
   Paul to draft an initial resolution for review (regarding operations, agenda items, supermajority for votes without timely notification, etc ) and possible incorporation into the by-laws.
5. Resolution urging Portland away game ticket allotment– Paul Cox
   SGs had divided up their allocation by percentage in a prior meeting. Still waiting on final confirmation of ticket amounts (likely 750). There will be 74 tickets available to non SG members this year, which will be distributed by the FO via lottery (2 opposed, all others in favor). Further details to be decided by FO and working group, but may include the ability to access two tickets at once, and require the fans to follow SG and stadium security rules such as meeting in advance of the game to enter as a group. Leann, Roberta and Paul will work in a small group to advice on the issue and report back next month.
6. Council Communication and Integration of Alliance Feedback
   A communications working group will meet on the issue to compile recommendations and a plan for moving forward.
7. Selection of Two Alliance Charities – Dave Clark
   There was a discussion about whether allocating Alliance charities would mean bumping current charity partners (something that council members voiced concern about). Tabled until next meeting.
8. Alliance Council Nominations for 2012 
   Update on the one-seat/one-vote for Alliance members, ETA on form launch “very soon” according to the FO.
9. Alliance web changes in accordance with Constitution 
   Update on Soundersfc.com progress getting council member info updated, campaigning candidates’ page and SG recognition page/forms. To be rolled into the Communications Committee.

New business:

1. Proposed Council email list access for Bart Wiley
   Bart has been added to the Council email distribution list

Open Discussion with Council and Ownership:

CARD SYSTEM

Chris from the FO was brought in to answer some questions and hear issues regarding fans getting paper tickets when they requested cards, and vice versus. As well as incorrect “all-inclusive” labels and SG logos on other cards. There will be additional chances for fans to opt into the card system later this year as well, and increasing loyalty programs in the future for discounts and account control as they system evolves.

TICKET REPS

It was also expressed again that it’s important for ticket reps to be giving out a consistent answer when issues or problems arise. Speculating and guessing only adds to the confusion otherwise.

Council continued to push for Qwest for hosting of events, rather than Starfire. And enhanced control and functionality in the Account Manager system.

TICKET RENEWAL ADVANTAGES

2010-2011 STHs have not seen an on-going advantage to renewing, like the 2009 fans. In future 2009 fans may see an increase in ticket prices.

GM VOTE

Drew Carey has begun his “Retain Adrian” campaign, with buttons! There will be a vote at the end of the year to address his retention. A 51% vote of the STH base is required, which will require publicity and turnout.

HAWKS NEST

Council asked about the Hawks Nest. While it is filling, it took longer than expected with slightly lower demand. It remains to be seen how having a large chunk of fans seated in a block will affect stadium atmosphere.

MEETING MINUTES: Sun Feb 26,2012 1pm
location: Stadium

Attendees (17/20): Paul Cox, McKenzie Clark, Evan Kolius, Greg Mockos, Mark Inderhees, LeAnn Johnson, Daniel Roe, Mark Winchester, Justin Williams, Angeline Bounds , Kevin Zelko, Ken Wyatt, Likkit Pocinwong, Roberta King, Dave Clark, Bob Davis, Rachel Molloy

1. Welcoming new members, membership update:

Re-Elected Council Members	Newly Elected Council Members
Dave Clark Rachel Molloy Kevin Zelko Lori Ross Paul Cox Leann Johnson Greg Mockos Mark Inderhees McKenzie Clark Ken Wyatt	Bob Davis Evan Kolius Likkit Pocinwong Justin Williams Ron Lamb Mark Winchester Aaron Reed

2. Electing New Officers for 2012 – McKenzie Clark led the voting

Honorary Chairman
Drew Carey elected honorary chairman – all in favor

Council President – 1 year term
Paul Cox, Dave Clark – nominated
Paul Cox – elected as president by blind ballot

Council Vice President – 1 year term
Bob Davis – nominated and elected as Vice President by vocal vote

Council Secretary   
Angeline Bounds , Roberta King – nominated
Angeline Bounds – elected as Secretary by blind ballot

Proposed Secretary By–law Amendment:  for a vote on next month’s agenda – Rachel Molloy
The Secretary shall maintain, and keep current, a record of the Council Constitution, By-Laws, Resolutions, Commendations and Membership.

Old business:

1. Formally vote on any Actions, Commendations and Resolutions Passed in 2011 – Rachel Molloy
   Formal recognition of the Commendations and Resolutions passed during the interim between the Council passing the Constitution and Charter, and its official ratification by the full Alliance. (Commendation Open Cup, Away Tickets Resolution, PA Noise Resolution, Scarf Competition Resolution) – All favor and formally approved
2. 2012 Budget Discussion – Paul Cox
   FO is granting funds to the Council on an “as needed” basis, with requests for funding formally made to the front office. Whenever possible, Council will get requests in before Aug/Sept for budgeting.
3. Supporter Group Recognition – Paul Cox
   No changes were proposed to the Supporter Group “minimum standards” outlined in the ratified by-Laws. The March meeting has been set aside as the earliest possible date to recognize SGs for the 2012 season. Formerly recognized SGs will be contacted and invited to apply for formal Council recognition at that meeting and an open call will go out for interested SGs who wish to apply. On-going renewals will happen in October for the next year. Formal recognition by Council allows the SG to negotiate directly with the FO on issues, allows them access to away-game SG ticket allocations, and places them formally on the SoundersFC.com website as a recognized Supporter Group.

Dave Clark will work to update SoundersFC.com website info, and will create a google doc space for SGs to check off that they meet each “minimum standards” requirement. SGs attending the March meeting must have two leadership representatives in attendance to speak on behalf of their SG.

 “Bylaw 7) Supporter Groups recognition

Supporter groups are an integral part of the Sounders community and gameday experience.  As such, the Alliance wants to encourage the growth of existing groups as well as the formation of new groups.

The relationship between supporter groups, the Alliance, and the Club, has a unique nature.  As such, it benefits all of these parties to have a set of minimum standards for groups to attain, demonstrating their commitment.

Therefore, for formal recognition as a supporter group, groups must meet the following standards:

• At least 25 identified, paid members
• Identified group leadership who are responsible for coordination and can speak on behalf of the group
• Organized participation as a group in activities like songs, chants, tifo, etc.
• Established history of conducting supporter group activities for the Sounders
• Have registered articles of incorporation with their local state

Supporter groups may apply to the Council for recognition, and the Council will invite the leaders of the group to a meeting for discussion prior to a vote.  A majority vote of all Council members present is required for recognition.

Supporter groups may annually request renewal of their recognition from the Council; renewal is automatic (assuming it is requested) and will be schedule yearly in October.

Recognition may be withdrawn by the Council with a two-thirds vote of all Council members present and voting at a meeting; such votes will always be taken with at least one month’s notice to the supporter group in question.”

4. Resolution Banning Vuvuzelas – Paul Cox
   The Team Store is no longer selling them , and the Front Office has said they are already “banned” from the stadium. Issue tabled.
5. Resolution Banning P.A. Noise – McKenzie Martin Clark
   The front office responded they will no longer have orca noises on corner kicks or Virginia Mason ads during run of play in 2012. And staff in the booth will be confirming that no other artificial noises are introduced during the run of play. The Council was very happy with this response.
6. Alliance STH Scarf Design Competition for 2013 – Daniel Roe
   The front office offered two options in response to the resolution…selling a fan scarf in the team store or planning a 2013 scarf. Council voted to continue to work towards a 2013 STH scarf design. A small working group was put together to work out the details (Dan Roe, Angeline Bounds, Rachel Molloy, Roberta King, Likkit Pocinwong) and report back on progress at the next meeting.

NOT FOR PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION OUTSIDE OF COUNCIL AT THIS TIME:

The team may not be having a scarf for fans in 2013, or may have an opt out option for fans who are tired of getting scarfs and would prefer something like a bonus to the team store, etc.

7. Bylaws Amendment: Binding Votes and Super Majority – Paul Cox
   Tabled until next meeting. Paul to draft an initial resolution for review/discussion and possible incorporation into the by-laws.
8. Resolution urging Portland away game ticket allotment – Paul Cox
   Tabled until next meeting with formal proposals to be submitted by council members for consideration. It does look like we may have additional tickets allocated in response to the away ticket resolution…formal announcement to come from the Front Office if so. The Council confirmed they are excited to accept the tickets and will be deciding how to allocate them in future meetings. General options and ideas were discussed…including a lottery for a non-SG ticket allocation, SGs only deciding how their tickets will be divvied up between recognized groups, and discussions surrounding GA seating versus seated tickets and how that will affect traveling fan experiences/expectations.

NOT FOR PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION OUTSIDE OF COUNCIL AT THIS TIME:

This year another 300 Portland and 750 Vancouver away game tickets will be allocated to Sounders fans. (800 Portland / 1250 Vancouver …exact numbers to be confirmed later)
1) how many, if any should go to non-supporter group ticket holders
2) how to divide remaining tickets among supporter groups

9. Soliciting Alliance Feedback Next Year – Roberta King
   Tabled until next meeting. Roberta suggested a “communications working group” to tackle this issue (regarding getting wider Alliance feedback and involvement either through FO emails or surveys to the wider Alliance, end-of-year question requests, integration of any feedback from last year’s EOY meeting into council agenda, review of sounders survey results, etc) and the related council communications issue (regarding getting the word out on resolutions, commendations, etc). She’ll be bringing a formal proposal next meeting.

New business:

1. Selection of Two Alliance Charities – President
   Dave Clark will formalize proposals for next meeting, begin organizing a committee to tackle the issue, and will take suggestions from other council members on who and how to decide Charity Partners.
2. Golden Scarf Ceremony – President
   FO recommends giving two Scarves away in 2012 – one on opening night and one at the last regular season home match on Oct 21st. FO requested Council’s feedback on the matter. Dave Clark proposed the opening match and the Cascadia Cup games for the golden scarf ceremony (three total). Majority voted in agreement…though there were a few who abstained or voted nay.
3. Alliance Council Nominations for 2012/2013 – Paul Cox
   Still no ETA for actual launch of the one-seat/one-vote for Alliance members…though reportedly the technical system is in place. Voting will continue to be suspended.
4. Resolution on Future Kit Designs for 2014 – Dave Clark Tabled….next meeting
5. Resolution on Pre-Season Open Practices – Dave Clark
   Tabled
6. Alliance web changes in accordance with Constitution– Angeline / Dave Clark / Dan Roe / Roberta
   Team will report back next month on updates to the Sounders FC site information for Councilmembers, Supporter Groups, and campaigning candidates.
7. Recognition of former councilmembers – Dave Clark

Dave will write a thank you on the blog.

8. Public Alliance & Council Communication – McKenzie Clark
   There was a general discussion around the need for publicizing Council resolutions, recommendations and agreed upon Council positions or facts via public media (twitter, the blog, website, facebook, traditional press, etc). It was agreed that this currently fell under the President’s responsibility according to the by-laws to disseminate or delegate (not personal opinion as the Blog or personal twitter accounts allow, but for council-only dissemination). Paul will move forward with setting up a Council Facebook page and the Twitter page, and the other Council officers will have admin access. Some of these plans may also overlap with on-going Communications Work Group plans or proposals, and will be revised as needed by Council.
9. Discussion on Club/Council conflicts of interest – Paul Cox
   There was a discussion on the issue of council members possibly attempting to get jobs with the Club and whether Council should have a policy about that. At this time, the council doesn’t feel that it would cause a conflict of interest, but did encourage those on Council to openly disclose if they were involved in future. If a councilmember would like to bring a formal resolution or amendment they can add it to a future agenda.