[Archived] Blackburn Rovers Independent Supporters Asscn

[Paul]

BRISA

Blackburn Rovers Independent Supporters Assocciation

All Rovers fans are invited to the public launch of The Blackburn Rovers Independent Supporters Association (BRISA)

Venue: Blues Bar

Date: 27th October 2005

Time: 7.30pm

BRISA is the idea of a group of people, who want to bring all Blackburn Rovers fans together, with the aim of giving supporters a voice on all Blackburn Rovers matters.

BRISA will be a democratic organisation and has been recognised by the club. There will be regular, minuted meetings with the club. We will maintain our independence from the club and while we aim to work for the benefit of the club, we will not be afraid to constructively criticise and challenge. BRISA will be totally open and frank with the club and with all Rovers fans.

The launch meeting will be the ideal opportunity to shape our campaigning agenda and to focus our efforts on 2 or 3 achievable goals......that is why we want YOU to be part of BRISA. We encourage anyone who has something to offer to become a member and stand for committee.

Issues may include: ticket prices, getting the support back to Ewood Park, standing areas, pre match entertainment, in fact ANY issue that you would like us to focus on.

If you can't attend we still need your views, please contact BRISA on:

[email protected]

www.roversisa.co.uk

Download a Membership Application Form

Make a donation at Roversisa.co.uk or direct to the BRISA bank account:

Account Name: Blackburn Rovers Independent Supporters Association

Account Number: 32791501

Sort Code: 40 37 25

Bank: HSBC

[Paul]

BRISA has been working hard these past few months. As from Tuesday watch your local and national media for more information. BRISA will be active at today's Liverpool game and the next two home games against Birmingham City and Leeds United.

There are plenty of ways to join, get involved and tell BRISA what the fans want - please use whichever avenue is open to you.

[philipl]

Well done to Paul and all involved in getting the BRISA going.

Don't forget the personalised embossed invitation to the 'drog.

[SouthAussieRover]

Great work guys.

I'll be looking to see how it's received before I join.

PS NOMINATION for 'Drog to stand for the post of multicultural affairs and media spokesman on the committee.

[American]

Nice to take a risk and be a pioneer, Don.

[SouthAussieRover]

Nice to take a risk and be a pioneer, Don.

353453[/snapback]

True true.

I'm just awaiting the personalised email first

On a more serious note I'll be signing up this household during the next week.

Edited October 15, 2005 by SouthAussieRover

[Paul]

Well done to Paul and all involved in getting the BRISA going.

Don't forget the personalised embossed invitation to the 'drog.

353402[/snapback]

Thank you philip, the emphasis should be on the ALL

as around 30 people have got us to this point

[Glenn]

Thank you philip, the emphasis should be on the ALL

as around 30 people have got us to this point

353483[/snapback]

.... and it's not too late for more to join in and help.

[RevidgeBlue]

BRISA

Blackburn Rovers Independent Supporters Assocciation

All Rovers fans are invited to the public launch of The Blackburn Rovers Independent Supporters Association (BRISA)

Venue: Blues Bar

Date: 27th October 2005

Time: 7.30pm

Issues may include: ticket prices, getting the support back to Ewood Park, standing areas, pre match entertainment, in fact ANY issue that you would like us to focus on.

353372[/snapback]

Paul, whilst I'm not in any way against the concept of BRISA I'd be very interested to hear

1) How the Committee sees the relationship between BRISA and the existing fans forum if any, or is it intended that this should eventually replace the forum?

2) Is there any particular reason to think the Club will take significantly more notice of the views of BRISA than the forum?

3) Does BRISA really think that the topics mentioned above have not been discussed over the last couple of seasons?. I can assure you they have - ad nauseam.

[Glenn]

Paul, whilst I'm not in any way against the concept of BRISA I'd be very interested to hear

1) How the Committee sees the relationship between BRISA and the existing fans forum if any, or is it intended that this should eventually replace the forum?

2) Is there any particular reason to think the Club will take significantly more notice of the views of BRISA than the forum?

3) Does BRISA really think that the topics mentioned above have not been discussed over the last couple of seasons?. I can assure you they have - ad nauseam.

353492[/snapback]

Seeing as I have involvement in both, I'm probably well suited to answer them

1. Several members of the fans forum were invited to become involved with BRISA from early stage (with the exception of the chairman, they were asked in their "other" capacities, such as OSA heads) and three fans forum members were involved from the beginning. However, the two groups (the FF and BRISA) have very different remits with very different ways of seeing their aims met (although I imagine their aims will be similar) and I can see neither the club nor the fans benefitting from NOT having both. There is NO attention to replace the FF.

The FF exists to get the views of a representative group of fans on matters important to the club. By the entire nature of the FF, much of what is discussed is not for public disclosure, without this agreement between the club and FF the FF would be much less effective. One the other hand, BRISA is founded around be an open and honest communication, by it's very nature it simply can't be run as privately as the FF. If the club don't want the fans to know something, they shouldn't tell BRISA.

BRISA sees the need for the FF, hopefully the FF will see the need for BRISA.

2. Yes. The FF is there to (mainly) benefit the club. If the FF doesn't like something all they can do is tell the club, any further action and the club could simply close the FF. If BRISA doesn't like something, we have no (official) ties with the club, so we are not as limited when it comes to direct action (however, the club have been very helpful and supportive so far). Plus BRISA is designed to talk about the issue it raises with the club with the fans. Talking about the issues with the fans in general is not a luxury the FF has (unless it happens to have already been a topic for discussion amongst then fans), it's left down to 20 or so individuals to put forward their own views (and those others as best they can).

3. Rev, this is precisely the problem. In fact it's precisely TWO of the problems. The closed nature of the FF means that the fans don't find out what issues the club is aware of and more importantly what they are doing about it (in my eyes, the club is pretty good at doing the right thing. Where they fail is letting the fans know WHAT they've done to address the problems). The second problem is that yes, many things have been discussed ad infinitum, but talking alone won't solve things.

The way I've always seen it is the FF and BRISA are tackling the same problem from different ends and should compliment each other.

[AggyBlue]

BRISA will be active at today's Liverpool game and the next two home games against Birmingham City and Leeds United.

353386[/snapback]

How can this be if the launch is on the 27 Oct ?

tell BRISA what the fans want

353386[/snapback]

I thought BRISA was supposed to be the fans ?

[AggyBlue]

Or do we have an elitist element to BRISA even before the launch?

[Paul]

Revidge, Glenn has responded in much the same way I would to your questions so I won't go over them. I will add a couple of personal points though:

I'd stress these views are personal and part of the reason why I believe in BRISA.

1. BRISA is not intended to replace any existing organiasation though BRISA does believe there is a need for one voice representing the fans to the club. This is where BRISA will differ from the Fans Forum, it will represent the fans views. I will apologise now to any FF members who read this, but in my personal view the FF does not represent the fans views. The FF is an unelected body, the membership of which is known to nobody, has not to my knowledge ever engaged with the support and talks in private with the club. How can this be represenatitve of the fans? BRISA intends to be the very opposite.

2. BRISA understands it will probably raise subjects that have already been covered by the FF. The difficulty is the fans have never heard the answers. The club is very poor at communicating the answers to these issues, consequently the support believe the club does nothing about the issues. The FF never communicates with the support. If the FF has the answers to these points they should be in the public domain. I have met John Williams once as a result of BRISA - I have a much better understanding of the club's view now than I ever had in the past 25 years as an ST holder. For me that says it all.

Edited October 16, 2005 by Paul

[Paul]

Andy to respond to your points:

BRISA will be active at today's Liverpool game and the next two home games against Birmingham City and Leeds United.

353386[/snapback]

Andy: How can this be if the launch is on the 27 Oct ?

BRISA members distributed leaflets amongst the Rovers support at Anfield yesterday and will be doing the same at the Birmingham and Leeds games. We are advertising our existence. Perhaps active was a poor word to use - we weren't demonstrating in the streets! There were will be other promotional activity to inform fans of BRISA's existence.

tell BRISA what the fans want

353386[/snapback]

Andy: I thought BRISA was supposed to be the fans ?

BRISA is the fans. So far around 70 people have expressed real interest and about 30 have been involved in meetings to get this far. The phrase you picked above is saying BRISA wants to hear what the fans, individually and collectively want, BRISA is not going to campaign solely on the issues thought important by the current membership

[Paul]

Or do we have an elitist element to BRISA even before the launch?

353518[/snapback]

Absolutely not. The situation is this. Any organisation must have a structure, especially one like BRISA. If the club is to take BRISA seriously it is importatnt the club sees BRISA is well organised and provides clear and constant lines for communication. The communication aspect is very important; if club representatives are faced with different people every time they meet BRISA the club would soon tire of the organisation.

Currently we have in place a Steering Group which comprises (I have witheld surnames because I don't have time to ask everyone if they mind or not):

Chairman: Mike G

Treasurer: Stuart W

Secretary: Paul B

Web Mistress: Clare N

Media Officer: Neil T

Add to this around 10-15 people who have attended some or all our meetings. Some of these people are Steering Group members, some do not wish to be. For example one person who would be great on the SG refuses to do so saying his only interest is to make sure BRISA is launched.

Everyone involved to date has agreed the Steering Group will remain in place for 6 months from the launch date. At this point BRISA will hold its first AGM when the Steering Group will stand down en bloc. At this AGM the first BRISA committee will be elected. It is important the Steering Group remains in place for six months, we have worked on this for a year, the club know who they are dealing with, BRISA needs the continuity or it will fail.

If an entirely new committee is elected at the AGM I will be delighted. Why? Simple it will mean BRISA is run by those who the fans have elected and will become truely democratic, answering once and for all any criticism about elitism.

The existing people are involved because they started it, EVERYONE can join NOW. It is your choice to be involved or not, I've made my choice. If anyone believes BRISA is elitist I would urge you to at least come to a meeting and learn the truth. BRISA has worked very hard to date, we need more active people, the more people involved the better.

One final point, four members of the admin/mod team from here are involved. One has a "position" in BRISA, secretary. The secretary doesn't vote.

[Mike Graham]

I am some what concerned that some readers believe there is some element of BRISA outdoing or competing against the Fans Forum, this is not the case.

BRISA is a totally seperate organisation and will be happy for the FF to coexist. I have been an active Rovers fan for many years and did not, until last month, have any kowledge of the FF never mind how to contact FF members (who are they?) and therefore have my views heard.

I hope that the FF continues to flourish, but we must recognise that BRISA is a totally seperate organisation that hopefully will give the "ordinary" fan the opportunity to have a say via a representative organisation that will have a meaningful and informed discussion with the Club.

The positive message from the Club is that they want to meet, listen and debate issues with us on a regular basis: to be blunt there is no current BRFC fans organistion that allows the fans to have that say, and I throw out a friendly challenge to any one who can argue otherwise; BRISA intends to fill that gap rather than replace the FF.

So to those FF members out there please accept this as a warm welcome to come onboard and work with us on behalf of the fans; BRISA are more than happy to reciprocate and work with like minded fans.

[Billinge End Blue]

BRISA can and will be a number of different things to different people – it can try and achieve whatever it may be you or I may wish for Blackburn Rovers FC and us, its supporters.

Also, no one should feel that they have really missed anything so far – the important matters will begin to be taken forward from the 27th October. That said, while not trying to dampen expectations, the launch is simply the start of things.

Different people have been involved at each meeting all along so there is no individual’s overarching agenda.

As well as assisting with two-way communication between the fans and club it may well lead to positive action. As per Rev's post above, I appreciate certain matters have been discussed ad nauseam but this may ( if I'm not too naive and idealistic!) be a means of achieving concrete mutually beneficial results.

There is no point in being cynical about it (certainly not yet!) as all options are open – join up and get involved!

[SouthAussieRover]

Will members/committee members resign their position on the Fans Forum thus avoiding a conflict of interest?

The Fans Forum seems to be an unelected body that the club controls.

[stuwilky]

Will members/committee members resign their position on the Fans Forum thus avoiding a conflict of interest?

The Fans Forum seems to be an unelected body that the club controls.

353601[/snapback]

SAR, Can you just clarify how there would be a clash of interest? As far as I am aware the FF do not represent the club. Although I might be wrong (it has happened once or twice )

[RevidgeBlue]

Will members/committee members resign their position on the Fans Forum thus avoiding a conflict of interest?

The Fans Forum seems to be an unelected body that the club controls.

353601[/snapback]

Point 2 is not the case at all Don. Being invited onto the forum is down to the Forum chairman not the club and really numbers are restricted only in as far as it is physically difficult to get more than about 20 people round a table.

I do agree that there is a certain conflict of interest in being an active member of both organisations but not for the reason you are hinting at. From time to time the fans forum is made privy to certain snippets of information the club don't wish to be made public and it would be difficult for a BRISA member not to take advantage of this knowledge in BRISA dealings with the club.

Edited October 16, 2005 by RevidgeBlue

[RevidgeBlue]

EDITED

Edited October 16, 2005 by RevidgeBlue

[MCMC1875]

From my point of view FF is anonymous/invisible.

Edited October 16, 2005 by MCMC1875

[RevidgeBlue]

From my point of view FF is anonymous/invisible.

353683[/snapback]

I thought (but may be completely wrong) there was constant mention of the fans forum and who to contact if you have a gripe you want them to take up in the match programme?

[MCMC1875]

I thought (but may be completely wrong) there was constant mention of the fans  forum and who to contact if you have a gripe you want them to take up in the match programme?

353689[/snapback]

That's the rub RB, many Blues aren't reached by the prog .

[BRFC4EVA]

So will there be people outside Ewood handing out leaflets of information before the b'ham game or will they be in stands concourse ie, bbe lower where i'll be located next sat, as id very much like to get involved.

Cheers