Closing UKR membership?

**UKRaven** · 12-22-2009, 02:07 PM

I am thinking that if the Ravens do host at Wembley we will get a tonne of 'new' members swimming around. This is particularly so if we are given inside track on game tickets from board members here who don't want the trip. :celery

My suggestion is that from the day of the annoucement, until after the game is played we close for new full members. It makes sense to be open for our asscociate membership but not full ones for now.

Your thoughts?

**Irishraven** · 12-23-2009, 07:24 AM

I think that is a great idea Dave! - :respect

Now, lets just hope we actually are the chosen team!!

**Carshalton Raven** · 12-30-2009, 07:16 PM

Sounds a sensible idea to me.

I have mixed views over the Ravens being a home team, from a purely selfish point of view it would be brilliant and make my year, from the other point of view where all I really want is the Ravens to win and having been to the last two games at Wembley, the home team loses so much in terms of home field advantage.

However, if we do get selected as one of the teams, count me in for any airport welcomes etc etc etc. Happy to turn up, help out with any organising that needs to be done at all.

Guess that can all wait, Oakland on Sunday is all that is important now and hopefully then a good bash at the play offs.

**UKRaven** · 12-31-2009, 03:54 AM

We have a few days to finally decide. I know a few people are away for the holidays season. At least this gives a heads-up to anyone who has new members in wating to either let themselves be known, or wait until after the game.

Our membership profile may change considerable by then, and I am quite happy to accept REAL Ravens - who have not known we exist. What I don't want to have are 12 yr olds who want something for nothing, and go away the moment we lose a couple of games.

**UKRavenGordon** · 01-01-2010, 07:28 AM

Originally Posted by UKRaven

We have a few days to finally decide. I know a few people are away for the holidays season. At least this gives a heads-up to anyone who has new members in wating to either let themselves be known, or wait until after the game.

Our membership profile may change considerable by then, and I am quite happy to accept REAL Ravens - who have not known we exist. What I don't want to have are 12 yr olds who want something for nothing, and go away the moment we lose a couple of games.

Agreed,

The one thing I'll say is the game will actually help us find more true Ravens fans, so we have to find the right balance of not letting in the idiots versus not alienating true fans.

**UKRavenStockers** · 01-01-2010, 11:22 AM

Personally I think if the UKRavens are to move forwards (if we want to) you've gotta look at the other 6 teams that have been over and the interactions they each had with fan clubs over here.

Giants - Road team of first game, no interaction but a bigger community of fans than the Ravens have.

Dolphins - Pretty big fan club, got a meet & greet with Jason Taylor, Wayne Huizenga, Cam Cameron & co.

Saints & Chargers - No fan clubs in the UK to the best of my knowledge, no interaction between teams & fans.

Buccaneers & Patriots - Both got successful UK fan clubs who booked up decent sized venues in London on the Saturday (UKPats with the help of Robert Kraft at the Sports Cafe), similar meet & greets to Dolphins.

Much as we exist we're in the bracket of the Saints & Chargers, if the Ravens come over we'd need to work our arses off to get anything and we'd need more than 10 people to be able to get anything in all likelihood.

If the Ravens come over and the NFL/Ravens want some sort of fan interaction (that's a whole load of big ifs there) being greeted by a small fan club that's bolting the door shut isn't going to interest them. If we want to keep as is, a small group of fans that are loosely organised with a monthly newsletter and links to friends/fans in the states then fine bolt the door shut, but we're not keeping the door shut to much, we're not a fan club in the sense that the Redskins, Pats, Dolphins, Bucs, Seahawks, Browns (heck even the Steelers are setting up a UK Chapter of the Steel City Mafia) and others are. If we want to step forwards, bolting the door shut is the wrong approach, if we want to maintain the status quo then by all means bolt the door shut. But we aren't exactly that out there that I can see us being flooded with requests to join tbh.