General Fans Forum - Kassam Stadium - 7th March @ 6.30pm

[Manorlounger]

OxVox just sent an update re the forum.

A lot of sensible and pertinent information included. Some diplomacy skills evident as well!

 

[SteMerritt]

Fans will need to sign in on arrival.

Interesting.

 

[Berliner]

Interesting.

Amanda Hugenkiss
Hugh Jass
Ivor Biggun

 

[RyanioBirdio]

Still think it’s mental the football club have not announced the fans forum is going ahead a week tomorrow.

nothing on the website
Nothing on social media
Nothing via email
Etc etc

It’s almost like they’re trying to limit reach..

@OUSP @OxVox

That’s exactly what it’s about. It’s not an official club event, so not only do they not need to spend time or money sorting it, they don’t have any obligation to advertise it on their own channels. Nor do they have to host or stream any audio or video content on the official club platforms.

It also forces the fan groups to arrange and possibly even pay for any relevant equipment needed to record or broadcast the event at their own expense, making it a particularly hostile method of engagement. It’s effectively saying “If you want our precious stardust, be it our presence, our time or our reach, then you can f*****g pay for it.”

Another victory for The Bensonator.

 

[LowerSouth]

That’s exactly what it’s about. It’s not an official club event, so not only do they not need to spend time or money sorting it, they don’t have any obligation to advertise it on their own channels. Nor do they have to host or stream any audio or video content on the official club platforms.

It also forces the fan groups to arrange and possibly even pay for any relevant equipment needed to record or broadcast the event at their own expense, making it a particularly hostile method of engagement. It’s effectively saying “If you want our precious stardust, be it our presence, our time or our reach, then you can f*****g pay for it.”

Another victory for The Bensonator.

Another topic for Q&A

 

[GeneralLee]

Interesting.

Good spot. I have no idea what they are expecting to do with that information, unless they plan on responding to any negativity by embracing their inner Karl Oyston and target specific supporters who dare question them?

I remember the forum with Firoz Kassam years ago being bloody awful. In some ways (and I can't believe I'm saying this) he was quite transparent in that forum if I recall. He at least had some testicular fortitude to front any question and with some honesty, we just didn't like the answers.

On this occasion, why can I absolutely see this forum being a complete stitch up? Unless they admit failings, this is going to be lose-lose.

 

[Yellow River]

That’s exactly what it’s about. It’s not an official club event, so not only do they not need to spend time or money sorting it, they don’t have any obligation to advertise it on their own channels. Nor do they have to host or stream any audio or video content on the official club platforms.

It also forces the fan groups to arrange and possibly even pay for any relevant equipment needed to record or broadcast the event at their own expense, making it a particularly hostile method of engagement. It’s effectively saying “If you want our precious stardust, be it our presence, our time or our reach, then you can f*****g pay for it.”

Another victory for The Bensonator.

It’s all very petty and quite frankly mean spirited.

What makes me particularly angry is that it’s deliberate.

It’s clear that OxVox and supporters, particularly those longstanding ones who feel a deep connection to the club and take an interest in club affairs are seen as an irritant.

Williams and Benson want to create a clear line between the club and the ‘customer, as they most definitely view us.

To my mind we’re seen as more than an irritant, they simply don’t like us.

All the more reason to keep pushing back, keep asking questions they don’t want to answer. Keep calling them out.

 

[Colin B]

That’s exactly what it’s about. It’s not an official club event, so not only do they not need to spend time or money sorting it, they don’t have any obligation to advertise it on their own channels. Nor do they have to host or stream any audio or video content on the official club platforms.

It also forces the fan groups to arrange and possibly even pay for any relevant equipment needed to record or broadcast the event at their own expense, making it a particularly hostile method of engagement. It’s effectively saying “If you want our precious stardust, be it our presence, our time or our reach, then you can f*****g pay for it.”

Another victory for The Bensonator.

Maybe The Bensonator might win the odd battle, but our job is to make sure that he f*****g well doesn't win the war.

And next Thursday should be when he realises that he's in one.

 

[Paul P]

Good spot. I have no idea what they are expecting to do with that information, unless they plan on responding to any negativity by embracing their inner Karl Oyston and target specific supporters who dare question them?

I remember the forum with Firoz Kassam years ago being bloody awful. In some ways (and I can't believe I'm saying this) he was quite transparent in that forum if I recall. He at least had some testicular fortitude to front any question and with some honesty, we just didn't like the answers.

On this occasion, why can I absolutely see this forum being a complete stitch up? Unless they admit failings, this is going to be lose-lose.

Nothing that exciting I assure you

We (OxVox) will take the names and the list stay with with us. A safety back up in case of fire or incident and also we will be asking non members if they want to be added for free to the associate membership. The club haven't asked for a list and we wouldn't give them one without telling attendees in advance anyway.

 

[GeneralLee]

Nothing that exciting I assure you

We (OxVox) will take the names and the list stay with with us. A safety back up in case of fire or incident and also we will be asking non members if they want to be added for free to the associate membership. The club haven't asked for a list and we wouldn't give them one without telling attendees in advance anyway.

Thanks Paul.

Conspiracy theorising, over!

 

[Wallop]

Thanks Paul.

Conspiracy theorising, over!

Onto the next one!

 

[SteMerritt]

Thanks Paul.

Conspiracy theorising, over!

Woah, don't let someone giving you actual facts stop any conspiracy theory, this is YellowsForum after all...

 

[RyanioBirdio]

Woah, don't let someone giving you actual facts stop any conspiracy theory, this is YellowsForum after all...

That’s not what I’ve heard.

 

[ECYellow]

Nothing that exciting I assure you

We (OxVox) will take the names and the list stay with with us. A safety back up in case of fire or incident and also we will be asking non members if they want to be added for free to the associate membership. The club haven't asked for a list and we wouldn't give them one without telling attendees in advance anyway.

Forum recoding/available via Zoom?

 

[Northstandboy]

Amanda Hugenkiss
Hugh Jass
Ivor Biggun

You’ve watched The Simpsons

Add I P Freely to that.

 

[RyanioBirdio]

Not sure of the exact or correct place to post this, but given there is a forum coming up which is presumably part of this new “engagement policy” it feels relevant.

The above is taken from the link provided in the OxVox update, regarding the proposed outline for this ‘Club Advisory Board’.

I find it concerning that the club will ultimately be able to dictate what anybody can and can’t divulge, based on the terms of a confidentiality policy that it has drafted itself.

This is particularly worrying given that both OUSP and OxVox are being invited to be part of said board via a representative. Does this mean that the individual representative will be obliged to keep information from their own organisations, or will it merely mean that each organisation’s committee will be allowed to be told but then subsequently obliged to keep information from its respective members?

My understanding is that OUSP agreed a MoU upon its formation, where only matters of genuine safeguarding could reasonably be asked to be kept confidential. Beyond that, keeping secrets from the fan base and indulging in off the record discussions is essentially unconstitutional. @Manorlounger will know more than I do on this as he basically wrote the thing. In the event that the CAB is formed, does this potential confidentiality policy contradict, threaten or undermine the existing OUSP MoU?

Below is further information regarding what the club reserves the right to consider confidential:





TL; DR it basically says almost anything can be deemed to be confidential providing someone goes “Oh yeah, this next bit is a secret cos secrets”, and that anything anybody says has the potential to become intellectual property of the club. There are so many clauses and caveats that it’s really not worth the paper it’s written on. It’s all interpretational and can be argued to mean pretty much whatever they want it to mean. It’s purposefully vague while attempting to position itself as binding.

This CAB proposal seems little more than a ploy to limit the independence and to control the remits of the existing fan committees and trusts. There is no purpose in this what so ever other than to strengthen the hand of the club and exert control over others by way of confidentiality.

 

[Colin B]

Having just read those CAB rules of engagement I would suggest OUSP and OxVox tell the club where to go.

The clearest sign yet of the club trying to control and neuter the fans.

 

[Eric Blair]

Amanda Hugenkiss
Hugh Jass
Ivor Biggun

Mike Oxlong

 

[LowerSouth]

Having just read those CAB rules of engagement I would suggest OUSP and OxVox tell the club where to go.

The clearest sign yet of the club trying to control and neuter the fans.

Good detective work by @RyanioBirdio .
Just the type of input OxVox and @Paul P have asked for and need to push back to the club

 

[SirAndyOfCrosby]

Having just read those CAB rules of engagement I would suggest OUSP and OxVox tell the club where to go.

The clearest sign yet of the club trying to control and neuter the fans.

Driving into work last week, listening to 5Live, they were discussing the new MUFC owner and his plans.

They commented on his early communication (extensive) and how it was a departure from the secretive Glazers.

It was mentioned (and I don't know how true this is) that a pre-requisite of any fan engagement under the Glazers (i.e. fans forum, supporters panel) was for said fans to sign NDAs.

It wasn't lost on me at that point that this is the sort of 'culture' Tim Williams has come from - but I genuinely didn't think he'd be so arrogant as to go down this route at a L1 club with a well established history of fan engagement...