Chess recognized as a sport by Sport Canada

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  • #46
    Re: Chess recognized as a sport by Sport Canada

    Originally posted by Gary Ruben View Post
    The curling federation has told players to lose weight. I guess they wanted them to look like athletes before they represented Canada at the Olympics. You can google that.

    Curling is a sport like shuffleboard is a sport.
    This is the opinion I would expect from someone who believes correspondance chess is a competition of some importance in today's world. :) The term "dated" comes to mind.

    Might I suggest you get on the rotary and order up a shuffleboard set for your basement. The Curling rink won't fit, and I'm not sure who is going to cart the 640 lbs of Granite to your place anyways.

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    • #47
      Re: Chess recognized as a sport by Sport Canada

      Originally posted by Kerry Liles View Post
      I suspect that if you had not mentioned curling, Duncan would not have commented at all. As soon as I saw that reference, I could count the minutes (and counting should be a sport too, BTW).

      Another thread shot to hell... lol
      I'd hate to see someone miss out on Curling because they read some bad propoganda about it online. Reality is its an established Olympic sport with funding from Sport Canada that Canadians dominate the world scene in. Versus chess which struggles for recognition and Canada hasn't fielded strong teams since the 1980s ( if I'm wrong on this time frame I apologize ).
      Last edited by Duncan Smith; Saturday, 19th November, 2011, 02:12 PM.

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      • #48
        Re: Chess recognized as a sport by Sport Canada

        Originally posted by Duncan Smith View Post
        This is the opinion I would expect from someone who believes correspondance chess is a competition of some importance in today's world. :) The term "dated" comes to mind.

        Might I suggest you get on the rotary and order up a shuffleboard set for your basement. The Curling rink won't fit, and I'm not sure who is going to cart the 640 lbs of Granite to your place anyways.
        It's "correspondence" and not "correspondance". Not 'dance". You should learn the spell the word as you use it so often.

        Why would anyone slide 640 lbs of granite down a sheet of ice while three others sweep? I'd rather watch caber tossing. Curling does seem to be a game for the well upholstered.
        Gary Ruben
        CC - IA and SIM

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        • #49
          Re: Chess recognized as a sport by Sport Canada

          Originally posted by Jason Lohner View Post
          This was exactly my point. The problem is that much of the chess community wants to redefine the standard definition of sport to get money. The Chess community would be much better off if they pursued other avenues to generate the needed revenue.
          To the world in general (e.g., the IOC), chess is a sport, but it's a tough sell in Canada. So, moving on to "other avenues" of government support, the federal-govt-message-that-the-CFC-didn't-want-to-hear (at least in the 1970s and 1980s) was that chess is a recreation and thus a provincial rather than federal field.

          Embracing that idea can have exciting consequences. I wrote a longer reply, but "talking to the cat". I suppose that if anybody wants to discuss this, he or she could open a fresh thread.

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          • #50
            Re: Chess recognized as a sport by Sport Canada

            Originally posted by Jonathan Berry View Post
            To the world in general (e.g., the IOC), chess is a sport, but it's a tough sell in Canada. So, moving on to "other avenues" of government support,
            My own thought is if the CFC wants government support they should simplify the structure. Something like a chess federation, with a cash rich foundation, doesn't seem to me to be a prime candidate. The thought which comes to mind is why don't they spend their own money before asking the taxpayers for a handout.
            Gary Ruben
            CC - IA and SIM

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            • #51
              Re: Chess recognized as a sport by Sport Canada

              Originally posted by Gary Ruben View Post
              My own thought is if the CFC wants government support they should simplify the structure. Something like a chess federation, with a cash rich foundation, doesn't seem to me to be a prime candidate. The thought which comes to mind is why don't they spend their own money before asking the taxpayers for a handout.
              I doubt it.

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              • #52
                Re: Chess recognized as a sport by Sport Canada

                Originally posted by Gary Ruben View Post
                My own thought is if the CFC wants government support they should simplify the structure. Something like a chess federation, with a cash rich foundation, doesn't seem to me to be a prime candidate. The thought which comes to mind is why don't they spend their own money before asking the taxpayers for a handout.
                Hi Gary

                You might recall that after polling on chesstalk some years ago, alone, I concluded that the CFC 'raiding the foundation' wouldn't be a popular idea for at least some time to come with the average CFC member, let alone the Governors.

                The only big 'raid' I know of occured when the CFC was in dire straits a few years back, when a request for a certain amount of cash (exactly how much & by whom I can't recall, but it involved thousands of dollars, I think) was made by the CFC, and granted. Even K. S. called it raiding the cookie jar on his blog back then, though he may have been doing so for the sake of entertainment value more than out of criticism.

                The most valid argument against raiding the foundation or winding it up altogether is that life member/donor cash was put in the foundation with the expectation that only the interest was to be used by the CFC, not the principle. A legal way around that miight need to be found, let alone possibly explaining or apologizing to life members/donors for using their money in a way they didn't expect. That said, the CFC still has certain cash flow issues in my estimation as well as yours, so at least a well considered raid every now and then (given proper permission) remains a tempting thought.
                Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.
                Murphy's law, by Edward A. Murphy Jr., USAF, Aerospace Engineer

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                • #53
                  Re: Chess recognized as a sport by Sport Canada

                  Originally posted by Jonathan Berry View Post
                  To the world in general (e.g., the IOC), chess is a sport, but it's a tough sell in Canada. So, moving on to "other avenues" of government support, the federal-govt-message-that-the-CFC-didn't-want-to-hear (at least in the 1970s and 1980s) was that chess is a recreation and thus a provincial rather than federal field.

                  Embracing that idea can have exciting consequences. I wrote a longer reply, but "talking to the cat". I suppose that if anybody wants to discuss this, he or she could open a fresh thread.
                  Personally I've thought now and then that chess might be sold to the public more often for its pure entertainment or recreation value than previously attempted. Theme park/resort ideas are not unprecidented. For example, chess resorts (or even video arcades) could include areas with video games played for coins using chess (or chess variant) playing programs (with progressively harder levels of playing opposition). Alice in Wonderland chess theme playgrounds for kids, and ballrooms with chessboard & chesspiece decor could be highlights. :)
                  [edit: for bigger resorts, swimming pools with floating chess sets are an option]
                  Last edited by Kevin Pacey; Saturday, 19th November, 2011, 05:57 PM.
                  Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.
                  Murphy's law, by Edward A. Murphy Jr., USAF, Aerospace Engineer

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                  • #54
                    Re: Chess recognized as a sport by Sport Canada

                    Originally posted by Kevin Pacey View Post

                    The only big 'raid' I know of occured when the CFC was in dire straits a few years back, when a request for a certain amount of cash (exactly how much & by whom I can't recall, but it involved thousands of dollars, I think) was made by the CFC, and granted. Even K. S. called it raiding the cookie jar on his blog back then, though he may have been doing so for the sake of entertainment value more than out of criticism.
                    I'm not talking about raiding the cookie jar. I'm in favour of dismantling the foundation and using the money for chess. It's hard to ask for handouts when your organization has more liquidity than some nations in the Eurozone. :)
                    Gary Ruben
                    CC - IA and SIM

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                    • #55
                      Re: Chess recognized as a sport by Sport Canada

                      Kevin, I agree with most of what you say. Just to clarify the numbers, the Foundation loaned the CFC $48,500 in 2007/2008. The loan was repaid in full in February 2009 after the CFC received the proceeds of the sale of the building in Ottawa. The CFC would not have survived without the loan. I know Gary doesn't care about that and I know you do.
                      Paul Leblanc
                      Treasurer Chess Foundation of Canada

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                      • #56
                        Re: Chess recognized as a sport by Sport Canada

                        Originally posted by Paul Leblanc View Post
                        Kevin, I agree with most of what you say. Just to clarify the numbers, the Foundation loaned the CFC $48,500 in 2007/2008. The loan was repaid in full in February 2009 after the CFC received the proceeds of the sale of the building in Ottawa. The CFC would not have survived without the loan. I know Gary doesn't care about that and I know you do.
                        I originally was inclined to fully agree with Gary, years ago, when I did a poll on the subject of raiding or dismantling the Foundation (I think it was in fact the latter). Then I saw the vehemence of the arguments against, and so I doubted from both the unpopularity (and the merits/ramifications against - especially legal) of the idea of dismantling the Foundation that it would happen any time soon, if ever. After all, with the CFC on the brink back then (and to some extent now, still), when would the idea of dismantling the Foundation ever be more popular?

                        Still, I might be in favour of the CFC in future making more, perhaps less necessary, requests for loans from the Foundation (raids, you might say) if they were well thought out, and the loans were just sufficent for the cause. For example a loan to fund (and/or temporarily cover any unfortunate losses incurred from) an ambitious CFC advertising campaign, if that was deemed sufficiently desirable and thus given permission. Such strategic 'raids' could perhaps be less unpopular than dismantling the Foundation.
                        Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.
                        Murphy's law, by Edward A. Murphy Jr., USAF, Aerospace Engineer

                        Comment


                        • #57
                          Re: Chess recognized as a sport by Sport Canada

                          Originally posted by Paul Leblanc View Post
                          Kevin, I agree with most of what you say. Just to clarify the numbers, the Foundation loaned the CFC $48,500 in 2007/2008. The loan was repaid in full in February 2009 after the CFC received the proceeds of the sale of the building in Ottawa. The CFC would not have survived without the loan. I know Gary doesn't care about that and I know you do.
                          Paul, the money mostly came from the CFC. They HAD the charitible donation status and went without the money from the life members. Money that should have gone into chess in my view. Maybe chess wouldn't be an experience which mostly ends in a persons early 20's.
                          Gary Ruben
                          CC - IA and SIM

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                          • #58
                            Re: Chess recognized as a sport by Sport Canada

                            Originally posted by Duncan Smith View Post
                            Reality is its an established Olympic sport with funding from Sport Canada that Canadians dominate the world scene in.
                            It is much easier to dominate on the "world scene" in a sport practised mostly in a handful of nordic countries, pretty much like bobsleigh. Chess on the other hand is played seriously in just about every country in the world, hot and cold, big or small. By this I mean no disrespect towards curlers. Thanks to one of my best friend who is a curler, I played once. That was enough to see how interesting and difficult this game is, physically and otherwise.

                            That said I see no point in chess making big efforts to be recognised as a sport, even for funding reasons. Because if that happens, chess is likely to be quickly classified as a "minor" sport, with minor funding if any. Chess has to be sold to governments and sponsors for what it is (that is where the efforts should be directed), and only that, which is quite a handful.

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                            • #59
                              Re: Chess recognized as a sport by Sport Canada

                              Originally posted by Jean Hébert View Post
                              Chess has to be sold to governments and sponsors for what it is
                              I'm not sure what you mean by this. Do you mean just sell chess to them as 'chess'?

                              Governments, if not sponsors, like to classify what things are, other than in terms of their name.
                              Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.
                              Murphy's law, by Edward A. Murphy Jr., USAF, Aerospace Engineer

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                              • #60
                                P.S.

                                Originally posted by Paul Leblanc View Post
                                Just to clarify the numbers, the Foundation loaned the CFC $48,500 in 2007/2008. The loan was repaid in full in February 2009 after the CFC received the proceeds of the sale of the building in Ottawa.
                                Was interest charged and if so at what rate?
                                Gary Ruben
                                CC - IA and SIM

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