Episode 3, Part 1 - Failed Expansion Bids ... Ant Bear
damicky
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- Mar 22, 2019
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The Cheese: Hi AB
Welcome to the Limburger Files
Thanks for joining me to discuss another controversial moment in Sweet FA history
I would like to discuss the time that you tried to keep the Expansion Bids a secret
Did this happen in S29?
AB: The Vampires and Serpents expansion bids were early in S29. Prior to that, towards the end of S28, there were some tentative feelers put out regarding expansion, but no serious bid was put forth.
The Cheese: You were Admin at the time
Did you support Expansion back then?
AB: I have always supported expansion. I ran for Admin on an expansion-positive platform, and advocated expansion in public forums since before I was captain of the Swamprats.
That doesn't necessarily equate to expansion at all costs, however - there had to be certain conditions met to ensure that any impact on existing clubs was minimal, and that the expansion bids could prove that they were viable and able to provide an enhanced experience for the league.
The Cheese: When did you find out about the Expansion Bids?
What did you do with this information??
AB: It was early in S29 Millky95 , whom I had a long association with going back to co-vice captaincy in S20 at the Rats under spookism, pm'd me advising that he was attempting to put together an expansion bid, and asking for advice on what parameters were required to get over the first hurdle, which is getting the bids to a point where they could be publicly announced and presented to Committee.
I gave him some advice, to the effect that the bid should not take more than one or two players from each existing list; that it should contain a high percentage of rookies and returning players; that it should have a unique identity, logo and culture; and that there should be a minimum number of players already committed before a bid could be presented (I don't recall if I said 16, 18 or 20 - something around that number). I cautioned that he should expect news to leak - the SFA has more holes than a sieve!
Soon after, haydo was added to the pm, and they advised that both of them were launching separate expansion bids. They were collaborating because they did not want to cross recruiting paths, and I must say that I was relieved that there were potentially TWO strong bids, which solved many of my initial concerns regarding a bye and overcoming the objections of existing clubs.
Again, I reset the parameters, to restrict their combined recruiting to no more than 3 players from strong clubs, and not more than 2 from a couple of clubs who were struggling. Both haydo and Millky presented logos, team names and a spiel about their teams' unique cultures, but at the time they did not have enough committed players to meet my targets. They did request that the conversation be kept private, to protect their reputations in case they couldn't progress beyond the minimum level - I advised them of a deadline by which the teams should be announced publicly, and could then be presented to Committee. This would then leave time for full discussion, voting and preparation for S30.
As it turned out, one of them, I think Millky, clumsily approached manangatang to join them, who was the Demons' Committee rep, and the game was up!
The Cheese: I understand the logic behind it ... BUT do you regret keeping the Expansion Bids a secret?
AB: Not at all. I always respect the sanctity of PMs, and was honouring the wishes of the bid leaders.
I can't be more clear - there was no intention to keep Committee out of the process. It was simply too early in the compilation of the lists of each bid to present them as serious expansion franchises for S30. They had a deadline, and if it was not met, there was no point wasting Committee time with it.
The Cheese: Fair enough
Do you think this played a major part in both Expansion Bids failing to get the numbers required though?
AB: No. I think that the bid leaders failed to make their case eloquently enough, in both public forums and in private discussions that they may have had, to sway enough Committee members. Both failed to remain calm and discuss their bids factually, and got emotionally involved in the arguments.
And in the end, it was down to one vote - I think the final count was a 7-5 no vote, where one vote change would have sent it to the Admin for the tie-breaking vote. And I am on record as saying that I was not convinced that both bids had made a sufficiently outstanding case for admission, and despite being pro-expansion, I was teetering with my casting vote, if it was needed.
The Cheese: Thanks for your time
Welcome to the Limburger Files
Thanks for joining me to discuss another controversial moment in Sweet FA history
I would like to discuss the time that you tried to keep the Expansion Bids a secret
Did this happen in S29?
AB: The Vampires and Serpents expansion bids were early in S29. Prior to that, towards the end of S28, there were some tentative feelers put out regarding expansion, but no serious bid was put forth.
The Cheese: You were Admin at the time
Did you support Expansion back then?
AB: I have always supported expansion. I ran for Admin on an expansion-positive platform, and advocated expansion in public forums since before I was captain of the Swamprats.
That doesn't necessarily equate to expansion at all costs, however - there had to be certain conditions met to ensure that any impact on existing clubs was minimal, and that the expansion bids could prove that they were viable and able to provide an enhanced experience for the league.
The Cheese: When did you find out about the Expansion Bids?
What did you do with this information??
AB: It was early in S29 Millky95 , whom I had a long association with going back to co-vice captaincy in S20 at the Rats under spookism, pm'd me advising that he was attempting to put together an expansion bid, and asking for advice on what parameters were required to get over the first hurdle, which is getting the bids to a point where they could be publicly announced and presented to Committee.
I gave him some advice, to the effect that the bid should not take more than one or two players from each existing list; that it should contain a high percentage of rookies and returning players; that it should have a unique identity, logo and culture; and that there should be a minimum number of players already committed before a bid could be presented (I don't recall if I said 16, 18 or 20 - something around that number). I cautioned that he should expect news to leak - the SFA has more holes than a sieve!
Soon after, haydo was added to the pm, and they advised that both of them were launching separate expansion bids. They were collaborating because they did not want to cross recruiting paths, and I must say that I was relieved that there were potentially TWO strong bids, which solved many of my initial concerns regarding a bye and overcoming the objections of existing clubs.
Again, I reset the parameters, to restrict their combined recruiting to no more than 3 players from strong clubs, and not more than 2 from a couple of clubs who were struggling. Both haydo and Millky presented logos, team names and a spiel about their teams' unique cultures, but at the time they did not have enough committed players to meet my targets. They did request that the conversation be kept private, to protect their reputations in case they couldn't progress beyond the minimum level - I advised them of a deadline by which the teams should be announced publicly, and could then be presented to Committee. This would then leave time for full discussion, voting and preparation for S30.
As it turned out, one of them, I think Millky, clumsily approached manangatang to join them, who was the Demons' Committee rep, and the game was up!
The Cheese: I understand the logic behind it ... BUT do you regret keeping the Expansion Bids a secret?
AB: Not at all. I always respect the sanctity of PMs, and was honouring the wishes of the bid leaders.
I can't be more clear - there was no intention to keep Committee out of the process. It was simply too early in the compilation of the lists of each bid to present them as serious expansion franchises for S30. They had a deadline, and if it was not met, there was no point wasting Committee time with it.
The Cheese: Fair enough
Do you think this played a major part in both Expansion Bids failing to get the numbers required though?
AB: No. I think that the bid leaders failed to make their case eloquently enough, in both public forums and in private discussions that they may have had, to sway enough Committee members. Both failed to remain calm and discuss their bids factually, and got emotionally involved in the arguments.
And in the end, it was down to one vote - I think the final count was a 7-5 no vote, where one vote change would have sent it to the Admin for the tie-breaking vote. And I am on record as saying that I was not convinced that both bids had made a sufficiently outstanding case for admission, and despite being pro-expansion, I was teetering with my casting vote, if it was needed.
The Cheese: Thanks for your time
Ophidian Old Boys
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