Tag: Meeting Minutes

Alliance Council Minutes  

10:30 a.m. Sunday, August 17, 2013

Stadium

Attendees (21/45): Matt Oak, Ron Lamb, Cameron Collins, Sam Chesneau, Mike Mead, Mark Winchester, Glenn White, Likkit Pocinwong, Dylan Vanderhoof, Derek Pells, Brian Prouty, Brian Winchester, Jerry Neil, McKenzie Clark, Stephanie Steiner, Ken Wyatt, Paul Cox, Pablo Mendoza, Angelica Mendoza, Kevin Hughbanks, Roberta King

No quorum.

1. Review of meeting with ownership (7/28) – Paul Cox
   Front office reported on improvements to stadium entry and wanding process; discussed potential celebrations for 40-year anniversary of Sounders in 2014; FO asked for a prioritized list of ideas by November. Council is compiling ideas on our shared drive, everyone is encouraged to add ideas. Other topics included outreach to new fans and marketing the SFC brand, planning for the end of year business meeting – continue to have Council plan and run the meeting, and opportunities for more council input on match day presentation and experience.
2. Scarf Design Contest – Paul Cox
   There were more than 200 designs submitted! In the next few days, the judges will be selecting finalists for Alliance-wide vote.
3. Alliance Council membership status – Stephanie Steiner
   Current membership – 45; Number needed for quorum = 23 (50% +1) Stephanie sent emails to Council members who haven’t been attending. We have now updated the google group with email address for two missing members (Mike Mead and McKenzie Clark). Stephanie has had no response from two others (Mark Inderhees, Craig Williams).
4. Alliance voting eligibility – Stephanie Steiner
   Individuals in a private/non-corporate suite seeking ability to vote. Were able to vote for GM only, still not able to vote for council members. Corporate suites are not eligible to vote.
5. Council process – Paul Cox & Angelica Mendoza
   Discussion began with Angelica proposing that Council consider electing an executive committee to help oversee work of council and move ideas forward. Open discussion about how council operates, should there be an executive committee, what would they do, what are the roles of individuals, roles of committees, role of the president, how much discussion should take place in monthly meetings, can discussions take place online in advance of meetings, and attendance/quorum issues. Glenn offered to set up a private Facebook group for Council discussion.

Next meeting – Paul Cox
The next meeting is scheduled for Sunday, September 15^th.

Alliance Council Meeting

7 pm, Wednesday, July 17, 2013

101 Elliott Building, Suite 110

Attendees (22/45): Angelica Mendoza, Pablo Mendoza, Stephanie Steiner, Mark Winchester, Ron Lamb, Paul Cox, Cameron Collins, Derek Pells, Matt Oak, Jerry Neil, Kris Myske, Dan Roe, Glenn White, Heather Satterburg, Dylan Vanderhoof, Mike Dollard, Leann Johnson, Likkit Pocinwong, Brian Winchester, Brendan Vaughn, Danni Blue, Roberta King.

Sounders FC: Taylor Graham

1. Scarf Design Contest – Dan Roe
   Dan reported that the club has produced a design template for the 2014 scarf. Designs will be limited to 5 colors, including white, and must include either the SSFC crest or “Sounders FC.” Taylor said the club would like the contest to be as inclusive as possible and encourage creativity. The club is getting a web submittal site ready to launch, and is developing a schedule for the contest. The FO proposes to sort through the entries and pass them on for council to pick five for an Alliance-wide vote. Council discussed idea of using the term “Alliance Member” vs. Season Ticket Member to help promote the concept of the Alliance and democracy in sports.
2. Committee for connecting and interacting with Alliance – Brendan Vaughn
   Brendan has posted ideas for improving match day experience on the Council’s Google Group for review and encouraged Council to add to it. There are a number of improvements that Council may seek, individually or collectively. Discussion continued from last month regarding outreach by the Alliance Council, and how to improve visibility of the Council and the Alliance, including ideas about developing collective goals and what value Council adds to Alliance members and the Club. Stephanie suggested that these broader questions need input from all Council members, not just the committee.
3. Alliance Council status – Stephanie Steiner
   With current Council membership at 45, there is a concern about having a quorum present for Council meetings. The number needed for a quorum is 23 (50% +1), while the number of members attending has been close to the 50% mark for meetings this season. Stephanie offered to send an email to members who haven’t attended Council meetings this year to find out if they intend to participate. Council discussed potential options such as asking non-participants to resign, changing the by-laws to create an inactive member status, or reducing the number needed for a quorum.
4. New CenturyLink security procedures – Paul Cox
   The use of new metal detector wands at the July 3 match left many unhappy fans outside the gates at kickoff and raised many questions and concerns about the new policy. The Club has promised improvements for future matches. Taylor provided an update from the front office, relaying that the Club wants to have the safest venue in the U.S. He noted that MLS had applauded the move to increase security. Taylor informed Council that the Club will ensure that there are more people with wands who are better prepared at upcoming matches, and opening the south gate that has not previously been used for Sounders games. Additionally, the Club will have SSFC ambassadors at all gates, as well as staff with radios stationed where they can see entrances and direct fans to less crowded gates. The Club has invited Council members to arrive early to observe the entrance procedures at the next match. Going forward, all events at CenturyLink will have the same security precautions in place.
5. Next meeting – Paul Cox
   – Sunday, August 11 is the next regular business meeting. A meeting with SSFC ownership is still in the works.

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