Poll: CFC

[Tony Li]

What are your favorite and least favorite things about the CFC?

[Kevin Pacey]

Re: Poll: CFC

The CFC newsletter and website more than meet my own modest needs. I can see how others might like even better value, but I suppose the CFC lacks sufficient time or manpower.

I once did a 10-option poll on how chesstalk respondents might like being a CFC member more, but naturally even that many options are far from sufficient to note everyone's plausibly reasonable wishes.

I'm basically a regional adult CFC member that plays rated chess mostly in a club. Off the top of my head, my most favourite things about the CFC are that it provides a national rating service for events played with various time controls and participants of all ages, as well as being a gatekeeper for events held in Canada to be FIDE rated. My least favourite things would have to include the relatively low number of members (especially adults) nationally, at least partly due to a dearth of resources and the at least occasional lack of harmony and/or detectably coherent strategy within the organization.

[Patrick Kirby]

Re: Poll: CFC

What are your favorite and least favorite things about the CFC?

Both the magazine and the website could be vastly improved by posting the content from the magazine on the public website, instead of in a members' only section. That would attract greater interest to Canadian chess, which is the mandate of the CFC, I think.

I'd also like to mention that when I was a CFC member I never even had access to the magazine. I guess I was supposed to email the executive director and get a login, but I just never got around to it. You'd think that as a standard procedure, when a new member signs up, someone at the CFC would ensure that they had been assigned a login to the members' area, but I guess no one ever thought of doing this.

In any case, there's no reason for the magazine to be behind a pay wall. When I checked the latest CFC financial statements I didn't see any line item for subscription revenue, so what's the point of it? Unless someone has data that significant numbers of members are signing up just to gain access to the members' site, I don't see it.

By the way, I think the main CFC site has improved greatly in the last year or so. I check the online news feed a couple of times a week. However I think it would be an improvement if the main landing page at chess.ca linked directly to the stories in the newsfeed, rather than a static link to chess.ca/newsfeed.

[Bob Gillanders]

Re: Poll: CFC

Patrick, let me clear up some misconceptions here.

Members are not supposed to login to the website. The login feature is for administrators only. Members get access to the magazine via an email they receive with a “coded” link which takes them to the website, then they just click on the picture of the magazine.

If a member is not getting the magazine, they are encouraged to email the office. We want you to get it, enjoy it. John works his ass off to produce a quality product, eventually! If you can’t be bothered to email the office,………we do take reasonable efforts to obtain emails!

Two issues of the magazine per year (Nov & May) are accessible to the public. The other 10 issues, well…..membership does have it’s benefits, and they are ones paying for it.

There is no subscription revenue because it is provided free with membership. Some members do renew their memberships solely for the newsletter. It really is good!

[Egidijus Zeromskis]

Re: Poll: CFC

Two issues of the magazine per year (Nov & May) are accessible to the public.

They were March and November - http://chess.ca/cfc-newsletter-archive

I wish only that magazines come monthly. We're in month 7, and only 4 magazines so far.

[Bob Gillanders]

Re: Poll: CFC

I wish only that magazines come monthly. We're in month 7, and only 4 magazines so far.

Yes, John has trouble with shorter time controls! :(

Free issues were changed to May & Nov so that it is every 6 months.

[Patrick Kirby]

Re: Poll: CFC

Patrick, let me clear up some misconceptions here.

Members are not supposed to login to the website. The login feature is for administrators only. Members get access to the magazine via an email they receive with a “coded” link which takes them to the website, then they just click on the picture of the magazine.

If a member is not getting the magazine, they are encouraged to email the office. We want you to get it, enjoy it. John works his ass off to produce a quality product, eventually! If you can’t be bothered to email the office,………we do take reasonable efforts to obtain emails!

Two issues of the magazine per year (Nov & May) are accessible to the public. The other 10 issues, well…..membership does have it’s benefits, and they are ones paying for it.

There is no subscription revenue because it is provided free with membership. Some members do renew their memberships solely for the newsletter. It really is good!

I'm not questioning the effort that goes into the newsletter, but I think it would be great if that effort reached a wider audience. I'd probably be more inclined to pay membership dues to support a publically available site that promoted Canadian chess rather than for the right to obtain an email newsletter.

Do you have data supporting the number of members who renew just to receive the newsletter? If it was a significant driver of revenue, I might change my opinion, but I have my doubts. Ultimately you might well generate more revenue by driving traffic to your site - some of the people you attracted would start or resume playing tournament chess, support the Olympic team, etc.

[Egidijus Zeromskis]

Re: Poll: CFC

Do you have data supporting the number of members who renew just to receive the newsletter? If it was a significant driver of revenue, I might change my opinion, but I have my doubts. Ultimately you might well generate more revenue by driving traffic to your site - some of the people you attracted would start or resume playing tournament chess, support the Olympic team, etc.

2 samples per year shall give an idea what the level of magazine were for that year. The CFC has a news site too at http://chess.ca/newsfeed

[Kerry Liles]

Re: Poll: CFC

I'm not questioning the effort that goes into the newsletter, but I think it would be great if that effort reached a wider audience. I'd probably be more inclined to pay membership dues to support a publically available site that promoted Canadian chess rather than for the right to obtain an email newsletter.

Do you have data supporting the number of members who renew just to receive the newsletter? If it was a significant driver of revenue, I might change my opinion, but I have my doubts. Ultimately you might well generate more revenue by driving traffic to your site - some of the people you attracted would start or resume playing tournament chess, support the Olympic team, etc.

When I renewed my membership in the CFC last year, I could see only two benefits: rating calculations and the newsletter. I only play in a couple of rated events in a year so that is not a biggie for me personally.

The newsletter is very well done and I applaud John's effort to produce it; whether it alone is worth the price of admission is something I think about every time I think about renewing.

I have asked on here before about other benefits from a CFC membership, but so far nothing is even in 3rd place (in my opinion). In the previous sentences you could have (once upon a time) replaced the 'newsletter' with the 'printed magazine'. I am quite ok with digital content - some (perhaps many) were not so inclined.

I seriously doubt I will renew my membership in the CFC (and will miss the newsletter) but it is a question of return on investment of money and time.

[Patrick Kirby]

Re: Poll: CFC

2 samples per year shall give an idea what the level of magazine were for that year. The CFC has a news site too at http://chess.ca/newsfeed

I'm not disputing the quality of the magazine. I agree it's a good product. I just think it would be more beneficial to the CFC to make the content publically available, rather than limit it to members. There are lots of people out there who are interested in chess - if the CFC website has content that draws them to the site, there's a better chance to engage these people and maybe draw them to try tournament chess. This is the way to grow.

Just as a question to the CFC management: have you ever had anyone sign up as a CFC member because they found one of the free sample issues of the newsletter and decided to subscribe? I would be very surprised.

At best the members' newsletter may help retain a few members who no longer play tournament chess but are willing to pay to keep receiving the newsletter. But it's not something that's going to help to grow the membership base, which is what the focus should be in my opinion.

[Egidijus Zeromskis]

Re: Poll: CFC

I'm not disputing the quality of the magazine. I agree it's a good product. I just think it would be more beneficial to the CFC to make the content publically available, rather than limit it to members. There are lots of people out there who are interested in chess - if the CFC website has content that draws them to the site, there's a better chance to engage these people and maybe draw them to try tournament chess. This is the way to grow.

The real way for the CFC to grow is more tournaments and clubs, meaning that organizers must be nurtured. Players will appear from nowhere :)

[Hans Jung]

Re: Poll: CFC

Favorite - the extended chess community that I visit and reach out to. Least favorite - politics.

[Tony Li]

Re: Poll: CFC

I like the CFC newsletter:

• I feel that John Upper has done a great job with the variety of topics and extensive coverage.
• However, the level of explanation is aimed the same level in all articles- way over my head.
• Could the beginner and intermediate level material be outsourced?

I think the CFC website is poor:

• I'd like to see simple functionalities such as rating progress graphs and head-to-head records.
• It's not clear where to find something... I believe the topics need to be branched out ala "Kotov style"
• I don't understand why TDs have to submit crosstables through e-mail. They should be able to upload them through the website where the Executive Director can approve or reject with the help of simple validation code (e.g. player ABC is not from the same province could trigger a warning flag)

[Patrick Kirby]

Re: Poll: CFC

The real way for the CFC to grow is more tournaments and clubs, meaning that organizers must be nurtured. Players will appear from nowhere :)

I won't disagree with you on this point, however I also think that improving the CFC website can only help the cause :-)

[Vlad Drkulec]

Re: Poll: CFC

I'm not disputing the quality of the magazine. I agree it's a good product. I just think it would be more beneficial to the CFC to make the content publically available, rather than limit it to members. There are lots of people out there who are interested in chess - if the CFC website has content that draws them to the site, there's a better chance to engage these people and maybe draw them to try tournament chess. This is the way to grow.

Just as a question to the CFC management: have you ever had anyone sign up as a CFC member because they found one of the free sample issues of the newsletter and decided to subscribe? I would be very surprised.

At best the members' newsletter may help retain a few members who no longer play tournament chess but are willing to pay to keep receiving the newsletter. But it's not something that's going to help to grow the membership base, which is what the focus should be in my opinion.

I think your suggestion of taking content from the excellent e-magazine and sprinkling it throughout the website is an excellent idea.