COMMITTEES: RESTORE AFFILIATE COMMISSIONS

The Affiliate Committee, chaired by Bruce Draney, and the Membership Growth Committee, chaired by Bill Goichberg, met jointly by email for three weeks in May to consider the issue of affiliate commissions, as well as TLA fees (see previous post).

The $5 affiliate commission on adult memberships was eliminated by vote of the Delegates at St. Paul, effective January 1 of this year.  The joint committees are suggesting that a smaller commission of $3 be restored.

The committees also are proposing that the "USCF Affiliate Incentive Program," which allows affiliates who enroll 25 new members to obtain a limited selection of chess equipment, be ended.  In a March report to the Executive Board, the Membership Growth Committee voted 8-0 in favor of a statement saying, "The USCF Affiliate Incentive Program has little or no value to most affiliates.  Many affiliates do not use any of the merchandise offered, and most who do find it useful will either soon accumulate all they need, or find the requirement of 25 new memberships too difficult to meet."

ADM SPONSORED BY AFFILIATE COMMITTEE
AND MEMBERSHIP GROWTH COMMITTEE

The USCF Affiliate Incentive Program is discontinued, and there shall be a $3 affiliate commission on each adult membership instead, effective January 1, 2002.

We recognize that this change will entail some cost.  We believe that it is important to help affiliates and to restore a feeling of partnership between them and USCF, and that this will benefit the federation financially in the long run.  However, in this fiscal year, the cost may exceed the monetary benefits.  

Affiliate commissions are a more worthwhile program than many other USCF expenditures.  We suggest to the Delegates and the Executive Board that the estimated cost of the above motion be covered by some or all of the following:

1.  Reducing advertising done at USCF expense for US ChessLive.

2.  Eliminating the mailing of binfo packages to Delegates and Alternates unless specifically requested, and posting significant USCF governance information on the USCF website instead.


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