The brakes are off...

Good grief - I thought I was busy *before* this started.
I missed posting yesterday (launch day) as I really needed some sleep by the time I got home. To summarise, despite a delay, the site went live and people started signing up straight away (2 within 4 minutes) and we hadn't even told anyone of the address. It turns out that someone had guessed it from this blog and posted it on the myfootballclub forum.
The forum became a little heated as there are some people who clearly feel myBUFC is too competitive but I think most saw it as complimentary and in general the feedback has been terrific.
Finished the press releases today and sent them off - already confirmed that we will be back page of the Beds on Sunday and we'll see who else picks it up in the next few days.
Forum is ready so as soon as we get a couple of hundred members (which is not far off) we will open it up.
Aside from that, Paypal costs are higher than expected but we'll have to absorb that somewhere and the team are home tomorrow so I'll be looking forward to the match at 3.
Now for some rugby interspersed with DIY.

24 hour delay

A problem with a delay in the Paypal authorisation has meant that there has to be a 24 hour delay in launching which is a real shame but I am sure the World can cope.
The forum is now complete so all members will be able to chat almost from day 1.
We can't go much further with development as "normal" work is really starting to suffer.
So - tomorrow it is - Big Thursday!

Eve of the launch

Been a little hectic due to a family funeral and trying to get 4 client sites live in 2 days but we are ready to go with our email (which is going to friends, colleagues and family to pass on to interested parties) and a Press Release to see if the media are interested in the item (it must have *some* merit, surely??).
We'll see how it goes for a while and think about what to do next in week or so. Like so much of this, it is a "play it by ear" project as it could take off very quickly or be a hard grind for weeks.
Terms and Conditions are written also as we need to have some outline on the site but I suspect they will need an update at the point of going live.
Feel free to post any thoughts or opinions and fingers crossed!

DIY Sunday

It's of little interest to most but spent the day doing some last items of DIY as I am looking to move south a little.
Finished the copy on the site and will ask someone to proof read tomorrow (and spell check).
Press release, email newsletter, banking issues and payment testing beckon for Monday - I may even fit some paying work in!

How good vase that!

Went down to the ground to watch BUFC win 2-1 AET against Clapton in the FA Vase qualifiers 2nd round to follow up a good mid-week win. An even game first half having taken the lead in the opening minute and a tougher battle in the second but extra time really saw us take hold and a deserved win for the boys. We were told by the Clapton Manager that they were going to "wipe the floor with us" - no tastier win to enjoy.
Attendance was low though - not a league game, England rugby, Arsenal at home (always a noticeable drop) and maybe even the Womens quarter final (unlucky ladies) all played a part I suspect.
Ads around the ground looked good and I spent a while thinking how we can video stream matches for a web audience and from where.
Thanks for the comments on the blog. I will forward the name to myFC as an option but I really think the club is too small and the larger proportion of the membership will not be interested.
However, there is room for both and, I suspect, more such systems in the future. Anyone who wants to keep updated, ask questions or can help in any way, feel free to mail jason at harmony.co.uk and I'll get back to you soon.

The end of the beginning

That's all sorted then - everything is signed off and we launch on Wednesday (Paypal approval permitting).
I have more than a hint of nervous excitement about this - I have ideas all the time (the perils of an easily distracted mind) but there is certain buzz about this one and people have been contacting me asking when it starts and how they can help.
So far I have had several supportive emails, postings on this blog (which I hadn't realised was searchable!), friends and colleagues with credit cards ready, offers of help from a London PR agency and someone who is asking a contact at the Spurs press office for some info. Not bad for week 2!
We have done some visuals for the system but I think we are getting a little ahead of ourselves - still, we are using them on the site all the same and they look great.
I am off to pick up some new banner ads for the ground - they look fantastic (thanks Tony) - far better than your average hoardings so I'll have to see if there is a "Best designed football hoarding of the year award" - and if not create one.
Keith (BUFC Chairman) was over this afternoon and we have discussed logistics and what would be needed when. We are really keen to get live web casting up and running so members can watch the matches as well as see highlights. All boils down to priorities so we'll see what members wish to spend their money on within the first few weeks of voting.
The next phase will begin next week and we'll see if this buzz is shared outside the Harmony hive or if it is merely me suffering the onset of tinnitus.

Lyrics or melody first?

Just realised this blog is being read so I registered the domains that one of the developers was supposed to sort out earlier this week - panic over.
A few changes to the mini-site today such as removing shots of Old Trafford (the club have ambition but the designers perspective on reality needed a slight adjustment), testing Paypal and trying to finish the copy.
Had a long discussion about the planning of the system and it's looking great. In fact the only problem is not getting carried away with all of the possibilities we would like to include from the beginning.
The issue is that, despite all the optimism, this may not go ahead and all the work to date would come to nothing which would be more than a shame for all involved.
There will have to be a balancing act with development of the system as member levels rise towards the trigger level to avoid this turning into a financially "troubling" idea.
So the slight conundrum is which first - members or system - or a bit of each?

Other than that it was a busy day trying to do work that pays bills and fending off endless questions from clients. Same ---, different day!

Fairs fair

It is actually quite difficult to write out a set of rules that are open, transparent and fair for everyone even when there is a positive and unequivocal aim. Pre-empting every eventuality is starting to become a sleepless habit - much more and I will need to read a sickly feel good book to restore faith in humanity.

How do you put parameters down in legal terms which really mean "no matter what you feel at any time, please be nice to the club".

Well after much head scratching I finished it - my first constitution of fairness - if I ever need to run a country I have at least got a starting document for people to ignore.

The point about this project is that no-one is in it for profit - members pay a fee and are rewarded by being involved in the decision making process (essentially 5000+ directors), no-one at the club receives any share payments and monies that are spent on supplies, ground and players etc are standard market rates.
All transfer of assests, shares etc is "ring fenced" so no-one can get at it now or in the future.

So the constitution exists but is unlikely to be of enormous value - the worst evil I can foresee is that a majority of 5000 people believe that cerise pink would look great on a team and BUFC stride out like a set of red topped birthday candles.



We compared Google and Paypal for payment but will stick with Paypal just because we know it as a system.
Chris is an avid footballer and PC game player and has done all of the web work so far. I think his assesment of what will be needed to offer value to members will be extremely important and there is no holding his enthusiasm back.

At the same time we have booktheact.com which is also being launched at work so October could be *really* busy - alternatively this might hold no interest to the powers in the media and they fall hopelessly flat leaving only the vague impression of a slightly bruised ego - perhaps the world of PR could do with a fairness constitution? I'll ask when I get a moment.

and so it begins...

Background
I have no idea about the value or interest in such a blog but a lot has happened in a short time which makes me think it would be worthwhile noting some of the main points down whilst I still remember them (my memory is like aftershave - only the useless stuff lingers).
To summarise things to date, we (www.harmony.co.uk) sponsor our local football team Biggleswade United and have got to know them well during the past 2 years.
Recently, I read a few news items online and signed up for myfootballclub.co.uk. For those who don't know, it is a site where over 50,000 people have paid £35 each in order to raise enough money to buy, and then via the web, democratically run the club.
They have a paradoxical problem in the search for a team capable of getting to the Premiership - the club needs to be solvent and must willingly accept their new owner. The search continues and may, ultimately, even be a fruitless one.
So my over active mind pondered (probably during an overly lengthy meeting) ... I love the myfootballclub concept but have doubts a club could be found. Further, it would be great if BUFC could really progress in the next few years but nowadays you need investment as much as ambition.
BUFC have operated under a non-profit charitable status for years, they have no borrowings, a ground, a youth structure, a central location, a history, an ambitous volunteer board and a web company for a sponsor. But surely no-one would be interested in being a part owner of a grass roots club?
After talking to suitably enthusiastic friends, I pitched the idea in a very informal way to the board who - after some initial sceptisism - decided that taking a risk for potential success (but more importantly long term survival) was worth the fear of losing control of the club they have worked so hard to build to a large bunch of strangers on the Internet.
And so, here we are are today. The initial web site is built ready for my last items of copy to be written, the board are waiting for the last few details before signing the future of the club over to the collective wisdom of anyone with £23.50 to spare and I am still wondering if this is really a good idea.
I want this to work because the club deserve it, we can do it and most importantly, I enjoy doing my weekly shopping without having fruit and vegetables thrown at me.
Will e-democracy successfully hatch free and show us a way forward for the future or, like the proverbial village idiot, will it fail to punch it's way out of a wet paper bag? Only time, and the Internet, will tell.