Comments on: The Sweeper: UEFA Recognises Football Supporters Europe http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2010/03/09/the-sweeper-uefa-recognises-football-supporters-europe/ A soccer blog featuring essays, news and photography exploring soccer around the world Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:59:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Tom Dunmore http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2010/03/09/the-sweeper-uefa-recognises-football-supporters-europe/comment-page-1/#comment-21652 Tom Dunmore Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:31:47 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/?p=8370#comment-21652 I think the first step is talking to some of the folks involved with Football Supporters Europe to see how they do it; I've talked before with a couple of folks involved, and they are always very helpful. One leading executive board member from the Football Supporters Federation in England actually came over to Philadelphia for the MLS draft to give some advice to a few of us gathering from around the league to move towards forming Show Racism the Red Card North America. It was immensely helpful (actually, you might have met him there!). I think the open forum at the Supporters' Summit is great, but maybe there also need to be specific closed meetings on substantive issues for which MLS and supporters representative both prepare in advance and decide on agenda topics -- for example, on away travel. That way it stays more on task. The key part is the preparation beforehand to hone down the essential topics and find key representatives from around the league to be involved. I don't get the sense this has been done too well by both sides of the table at previous summits. I think the first step is talking to some of the folks involved with Football Supporters Europe to see how they do it; I’ve talked before with a couple of folks involved, and they are always very helpful. One leading executive board member from the Football Supporters Federation in England actually came over to Philadelphia for the MLS draft to give some advice to a few of us gathering from around the league to move towards forming Show Racism the Red Card North America. It was immensely helpful (actually, you might have met him there!).

I think the open forum at the Supporters’ Summit is great, but maybe there also need to be specific closed meetings on substantive issues for which MLS and supporters representative both prepare in advance and decide on agenda topics — for example, on away travel. That way it stays more on task.

The key part is the preparation beforehand to hone down the essential topics and find key representatives from around the league to be involved. I don’t get the sense this has been done too well by both sides of the table at previous summits.

]]> By: Aaron S. http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2010/03/09/the-sweeper-uefa-recognises-football-supporters-europe/comment-page-1/#comment-21651 Aaron S. Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:23:04 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/?p=8370#comment-21651 That's a good point about the need for an event like the MLS Supporters Summit. But how do you prevent the event from turning into an embarressing whine'fest like some previous summits have? That’s a good point about the need for an event like the MLS Supporters Summit. But how do you prevent the event from turning into an embarressing whine’fest like some previous summits have?

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