Wingnut
Premium Member
I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express, but that and that .10 from Maine we can go get us a big cup of NADA lol
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Sponsoring Local Sports Teams
- Thread starter MGM357
- Start date
I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express, but that and that .10 from Maine we can go get us a big cup of NADA lol
MGM357
Registered User
I'm trying to convince some of the old timers to do this. I was told the GL doesn't approve, now I know that it depends on who is reading the law. It's like if you're convinced it's wrong then it's wrong, and if you're convinced it's right then it's right. What is sad is that it's not simple either way.
All we have to do is change the law- it's too late to get a resolution in for this year, but write a proposal & submit it by May 15th for next year- if the Grand West agrees, you're golden!
Nate Riley
Premium Member
One of my clearest memories, from back when I was a kid, was a sign for the local lodge on the outfield fence (among the other groups and business that had supported the league). It was a nice professional sign. My guess (an easy one) is that the league sold those spots annually to support the whole "city" league.
I can offer no Masonic law insight here, but I would suggest supporting the whole league in a manner like this, as opposed to supporting/sponsoring one team for several reasons (including some mentioned above).
This is coming from my knowledge of how city leagues operate, which is dated by a few years, but my biggest hang up with sponsoring a team is that the sponsor typically doesn't have much input into who coaches the team. Generally, the league has a group of sponsors (who buy the uniforms) that they match up with teams that most of the time are coached by parents. If that coach turns out to be a jerk, then you have to deal with that.
My mother (as her real estate company) sponsored a team for many years, the last year they had a jerk for a coach and decided not to sponsor the team next year.
I can offer no Masonic law insight here, but I would suggest supporting the whole league in a manner like this, as opposed to supporting/sponsoring one team for several reasons (including some mentioned above).
This is coming from my knowledge of how city leagues operate, which is dated by a few years, but my biggest hang up with sponsoring a team is that the sponsor typically doesn't have much input into who coaches the team. Generally, the league has a group of sponsors (who buy the uniforms) that they match up with teams that most of the time are coached by parents. If that coach turns out to be a jerk, then you have to deal with that.
My mother (as her real estate company) sponsored a team for many years, the last year they had a jerk for a coach and decided not to sponsor the team next year.
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MGM357
Registered User
As long as the proposed resolution can remove all of the guess work. I try to live in a simple world.
That's a great idea- solves a lot of potential problems.
H
Huw
Guest
Interesting discussion, Brethren.
One of my Lodges here in England is a special-interest Lodge drawing its membership from those with an interest in a particular sport. The Lodge doesn't sponsor competitors, because that would be divisive (since we are individually supporters of various rival clubs within our sport). However, we do sponsor (i.e. with our name) one of the annual trophies for which they compete, and doing this seems to cause no problems (and in our case it doesn't create a legal liability for accidents, but obviously your law may be different on this point). We also give financial support (i.e. without our name) to a youth training programme within our sport.
Perhaps sponsoring a trophy rather than a team might be a useful idea for you too.
T & F,
Huw
One of my Lodges here in England is a special-interest Lodge drawing its membership from those with an interest in a particular sport. The Lodge doesn't sponsor competitors, because that would be divisive (since we are individually supporters of various rival clubs within our sport). However, we do sponsor (i.e. with our name) one of the annual trophies for which they compete, and doing this seems to cause no problems (and in our case it doesn't create a legal liability for accidents, but obviously your law may be different on this point). We also give financial support (i.e. without our name) to a youth training programme within our sport.
Perhaps sponsoring a trophy rather than a team might be a useful idea for you too.
T & F,
Huw
Nate Riley
Premium Member
Huw,
So is it football (soccer) or rugby?:001_smile: Interesting concept - "special interest" lodge. I may have to check it out the next time I come to London, if visitors are allowed.
So is it football (soccer) or rugby?:001_smile: Interesting concept - "special interest" lodge. I may have to check it out the next time I come to London, if visitors are allowed.
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H
Huw
Guest
Hi Nate.
Neither, actually. In fact it's rowing, but I deliberately didn't mention that because the concept is applicable to any sport.
I realise that "special interest" Lodges are rare in the US, although not entirely unknown. In England, however, we have a great many Lodges which are based on a common interest in some particular subject outside masonry.
Here, because we have a custom of having a large number of small Lodges rather than your US custom of having a small number of enormous Lodges, it's quite practicable to have Lodges which are devoted to a special interest, because there are are usually several other Lodges in the same place for everyone else to join. Obviously in your system, where there might be only one Lodge in town, this wouldn't be possible.
So here, for example, we have specialist Lodges for men who all went to the same school, Lodges for men who are all in the same line of work, Lodges for men of a particular religious denomination, Lodges for men who all have the same hobby, Lodges for men who all have connections with the same foreign country, and so on. Nevertheless, of course, the majority of our Lodges are "general purpose", open to all.
Of course visitors are allowed! The special interest criteria are for membership, but not for visiting - all are welcome. (There are a small number of Lodges over here which are not open for visiting, but only a few, and there are particular reasons why that is unfortunately necessary in each case.)
T & F,
Huw
Neither, actually. In fact it's rowing, but I deliberately didn't mention that because the concept is applicable to any sport.
I realise that "special interest" Lodges are rare in the US, although not entirely unknown. In England, however, we have a great many Lodges which are based on a common interest in some particular subject outside masonry.
Here, because we have a custom of having a large number of small Lodges rather than your US custom of having a small number of enormous Lodges, it's quite practicable to have Lodges which are devoted to a special interest, because there are are usually several other Lodges in the same place for everyone else to join. Obviously in your system, where there might be only one Lodge in town, this wouldn't be possible.
So here, for example, we have specialist Lodges for men who all went to the same school, Lodges for men who are all in the same line of work, Lodges for men of a particular religious denomination, Lodges for men who all have the same hobby, Lodges for men who all have connections with the same foreign country, and so on. Nevertheless, of course, the majority of our Lodges are "general purpose", open to all.
Of course visitors are allowed! The special interest criteria are for membership, but not for visiting - all are welcome. (There are a small number of Lodges over here which are not open for visiting, but only a few, and there are particular reasons why that is unfortunately necessary in each case.)
T & F,
Huw