VTD Softball wrote:Why did ASA and VTD split?
If I knew the answer to that myself I would be ahead of the game. Problem is that I really was never told why although I have an opinion and have heard a lot of hearsay. The story goes like this:
In 1997 we started working for North Texas Girls Softball Association which was comprised of Dallas ASA, FW ASA and some of Texas ASA managing tournaments and team points. By 2007 we were doing 80% of the ASA individual registrations and the national office of ASA wanted to stop using us and develop a new website to bring the revenue in house. We asked and were awarded a contract to work directly for the national office of ASA instead of working for the 80+ local ASA associations that we were previously doing business. This is when we branded the RegisterASA name and removed the VTD name. The agreement we had with ASA was a two year auto renewal agreement. Interestingly enough many of the commissioners and JO’s from around the country were very concerned for us when we signed the agreement.
During the course of the agreement we developed a network of ASA commissioners that became our board of advisors with whom we met with monthly via conference call. The purpose of the board was to ensure that we were moving in the direction that the commissioners wanted. Secondly, Brian Jinks spent one day at the national office monthly. The sole purpose of his days in Oklahoma City were to find out how we could serve the national office of ASA. Additionally we would attend many of the regional and state meetings around the country annually to learn how we could be better serving those organizations. Our philosophy as a business has always been to over deliver and to hook people with solutions so they won’t want to leave.
In 2009, ASA Nationals were nearing and registrations were slowing so I called Ron Radigonda (Executive Director of ASA) to find out if we could get together and discuss next year so that we could support his direction with our services. After a few failed attempts to talk with him I received a letter that was a Non-Renewal of the contract. This was not because we were not delivering as agreed, nor because of any reason other than ASA decision to not renew the agreement which was their option. I called several people at the national office and only received one response. It was an email from Ron that said that they were developing a new site and it would be mandatory for all of the local associations. To this day, I have not had a conversation with anyone from the national office since we received the Non-Renewal notice.
What have I heard? I have heard several comments about our financial stability, the national office’s inability to get information from us, and we were too great of a legal liability. The truth is none of the above. The only reason that makes sense to me is a financial decision in that they didn’t want the checks they cut us walking out their door. Of all the reason’s I have heard through 3rd and 4th parties; none of them have had validity with this one exception.
Another financial reason for them to bring RegisterASA in house is because of the Olympics. ASA being the NGB (National Governing Body) of softball positioned with the USA Olympic softball team. The Olympics were a major source of revenue for the National Office because of the coverage and their ability to capitalize on souvenirs and most everything that had to do with the team. When softball was removed from the Olympics this created a need to find a new revenue stream and I believe we were the most obvious solution.
Even today, most of the ASA commissioner’s and JO’s around the country will still take my phone call. I believe that most of them would know me well enough to realize that our creating of VTD as a sanction was not an action against ASA as the JO’s and Commissioners have been our friends for years. The original idea of starting VTD as a sanction was not my idea originally, but one that came from many of my ASA titled friends. We have just been working so long and hard in the sport of Fastpitch softball, that we were not willing to just close the doors and walk away.
I know we have a great product. I also know that we will always be developing into a better product. I know we have learned a lot from listening to the teams, tournament directors and ASA JO’s and commissioners through the years. What we have learned is the basis of what we have put together so far as VTD. We will keep listening and keep making our services to the teams and tournament directors better based on what we hear and on technology.
I know that this does not give an absolute answer the question of “Why the split?” but it is the only reason that makes sense to me.
We are very excited about the success we are having this first year. Presently we have 686 brackets that have requested VTD as a sanction and the number has been continually been growing. We are still looking for people in other parts of the country that want to be involved and it’s just about serving the sport of youth softball. Presently our tournament success has been in Texas and Oklahoma and we want to grow beyond that but have not found the right people so far. If you are someone or if you know someone that would be good at helping the sport grow please contact me directly.
Here is a short video we put together on hosting VTD events.
http://www.youtube.com/user/allenrtx#p/u/0/tKkjOysbj3A
Sincerely,
Allen
Allen Richardson
President, VTD Sports
http://www.fastpitchsoftball.net/contacts
You have to wade through some of the bad to get to the good stuff on here. This is a good post above.
