The President's Blog
The Hall is calling ...
Presidents Blog
Written by Mike Beacom   
Tuesday, 25 May 2010 19:08

It’s an exciting time for the FSWA. We have several pokers in the fire, and our executive committee and board of directors are as active and motivated as any other May I can remember.

Hall of Fame off and running

Finally … the FSWA Hall of Fame is moving forward. At present we are collecting application forms from eligible candidates. It’s taken the FSWA a handful of years to get this back up and going but we’re pleased to finally be where we are, and I’m grateful to a few folks for helping to make it happen: first, the chair of our Hall of Fame Committee, Robert Burghardt, and the rest of the 20-member committee for agreeing to participate and for remaining patient. Second, to our board of directors for offering input on the process. And my thanks to FSWA Vice President Emil Kadlec, who helped to build the online form we’re using to collect data.

A few things to know about the Hall …

• To be eligible, candidates need a minimum of 10 years service in the fantasy sports editorial field.

• Eligible applicants can fill out the form themselves or have someone do it for them. A few people have expressed concern over the self-nominating process, but here is why it’s important: no one knows one’s history better than that person. The goal is to educate our committee members so that they can fill out their ballots. That said, for those uncomfortable filling in the info themselves, it is perfectly OK to have a friend/supporter do it for you.

• The process will work like this: Once we have a full list of applicants, the committee will review every applicant and submit a ballot. The top vote getters (to be determined by the total number of applicants) will become semifinalists; at this point, the committee will submit a second ballot. Inductees will need to appear on a set percentage of ballots.

• We will release the names of all applicants, semifinalists and inductees to our membership when available.

Let me add this: The No. 1 priority of this process is to do things the right way. As was the case with our writing awards, I expect we’ll learn a few things this first year and use those lessons to grow in future years.

Member pages to get a facelift

Another bit of news … the FSWA is in the process of rebuilding the member pages on our site. This is the first step in a multi-step plan for our online presence. The new member pages will sort more efficiently, with each member able to add links to stories and bio information on his/her individual page. Stay tuned for more details.

- Mike Beacom, president & chairman
 
Looking Forward
Presidents Blog
Written by Mike Beacom   
Friday, 19 March 2010 11:43

The FSTA convention in Las Vegas showcased another successful season for the FSWA – another record year for entries and for participating writers. I was happy for the opportunity to share time with friends – some new, some old – but mostly my Las Vegas trip helped me to gain focus for what the FSWA needs to accomplish in 2010.

During our Board meeting we shared a number of ideas and discussed ways to add value to the FSWA membership. Mostly, though, I was reminded that the FSWA’s mission has always been to do two things: reward fine work and help young writers to grow in the industry. Whenever our Board or Executive Committee meets, those are the two things I pledge to always remind them of.

A few updates since our last newsletter …

• Hall of Fame – Our committee is in place and Robert Burghardt has agreed to serve as its chairman. We are building an online form where eligible candidates will be able to post their profiles for the judging process. The first FSWA Hall of Fame class will be selected late spring/early summer 2010.

• Writing Award Changes – We have decided to add a category to next year’s awards: Top newcomer. This will go to someone who started publishing fantasy in the last 12 months (between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2010). Note: because of the one-year requirement for membership, the winner of this award will not be an FSWA member. Also, moving forward, candidates will only need to submit three clips for Best Series categories.

• Web Changes – We are pleased to announce that our Web site has finally been restored after experiencing a few hiccups this past year. The Executive Committee is now exploring ways to (a) add new editorial functions to the site, (b) strengthen the writing awards submission and judging process, and (c) establish a new community for sharing advice and announcing employment opportunities.

• FSTA Relationship – Our staff is working on a joint letter of understanding between the Fantasy Sports Trade Association and the FSWA that would help to build a long-term relationship between the two organizations. We’ve enjoyed a nice partnership with the FSTA these last five years and hope to continue that in the future.

I also want to share that during our annual Board meeting in Las Vegas, much of the discussion centered around how the FSWA can offer even more value to our members. One way is through relationships. You’ll see below an invitation to play a free fantasy football game in the months of March, April and May offered only to FSWA members (the prize is a football autographed by 25 Hall of Fame players!). Showing you value will continue to be a priority for the FSWA, and I hope to have more to share in the next newsletter.

Mike Beacom, president & chairman