[Alsfastball] ISC PRAWN Position - Ken Hackmeister

[Al Doran]

From: iscken at comcast.net (Ken Hackmeister )
To: aldoran at pmihrm.com
Subject: ISC PRAWN Position
Date: Tue, 20 Sep 2005 21:08:17 +0000


Since announcing the PRAWN rule effective for 2006 ISC play, there have 
been numerous and predictable comments made by various individuals.  We 
want to take this opportunity to fully explain the ISC's position on why 
this rule is being adopted.

State of the Game - No one involved in our sport can deny the declining 
state of men's fastball.  We are continually losing teams, mainly because 
sponsors cannot or will not continue spending the amount of money currently 
needed to sponsor a competitive, top level team.  We have tried various 
means over the years to reverse this trend but as long as there are 
sponsors willing to invest $200,000+ for their teams, the current trend is 
likely to continue.

Spread The Talent - One of the desired affects of PRAWN is to spread the 
talent among more teams.  The feeling is certain existing teams are just 
lacking that one key pitcher or player.  Current lower level teams can also 
see where a key world-class pitcher or player could turn them into World 
Tournament contenders or at least have a chance at a decent finish in the 
ISC World Tournament.

The Big Four - No, not teams.  This is about the various segments needed to 
continue staging a successful 40-team ISC World Tournament.  Those segments 
are teams, fans, host city and the ISC as an organization.  If any one of 
these segments is not happy or their expectations are not met, the 
tournament is not successful.

Host City - 2 of the past 3 years, the ISC has had only one city bidding 
for the World Tournament.  To be a successful host city, there are various 
components to have in hand.  Adequate facilities.  Fan base.  Competitive 
host team.  Volunteers.  A typical host city will have an operating budget 
of close to $250,000US.  To have a chance at financial success, the host 
must have the economic impact brought by 80 teams (WT & II) and game 
attendance to generate sufficient sales revenue from parking, admissions, 
concessions, programs, beer, photography and souvenirs.  Remember, if there 
is no host city, there is no ISC World Tournament.

Teams - In Eau Claire, we had 40-teams with none to spare.  There was not 
another team in North America that wanted to be in the ISC World Tournament 
that wasn't there.  And of the 40, two were International teams.   Re-read 
State of the Game above.  I could be wrong but I don't believe many, if 
any, of our current players have ever played competitive fastball in a 
setting quite like the ISC World Tournament.  5000+ fans per night, 
extensive local newspaper and TV coverage of the tournament, Worldwide 
Streaming of numerous games, the carnival atmosphere at the park, the Hall 
of Fame inductions, the Bridge To The Future clinic for local kids and the 
40-team ISC II Tournament of Champions nearby.  I hope everyone has noticed 
and apprciates the number of ISC II players who attend the World Tournament 
every day as fans.

Fans - People can say what they want but in Eau Claire, the Power Pool 
concept attracted more fans to round robin games from Friday thru Wednesday 
than we had in Kimberly in 2003 or Kitchener in 2002 or Eau Claire in 
2001.  Fans do not want to spend money or waste time watching a 17-0, 
5-inning blowout.   But they will and do come to see top 10 teams play one 
another.  If the fans don't come, the host won't be successful and the 
teams won't be happy.

The ISC - To operate the ISC organization, we need the standard bid fee our 
host city guarantees, just to run our organization each year.  If we have 
to lower our minimum bid fee, we have no choice but to reduce or eliminate 
services we currently provide, i.e., Web Site, Guide, Streaming, 
Statistics, Internet information continually updated, Team Travel Fund, 
etc.  All those services cost money.

As a related aside, the ISC has now instituted two changes beginning in 
2006 to help lower our host city's expenses.  These changes are all 
internal and won't impact teams or fans.  But they will certainly help our 
host cities.  This cost reduction project will continue with other host 
cost-cutting efforts.

Options To PRAWN - The PRAWN concept was developed by the ISC Player Rep 
Committee as a means of spreading the talent among more teams thereby 
creating not only more teams but teams who can be legitimately competitive 
in the ISC World Tournament.  Our original effort many years ago, was the 
Out of Area rule which has been moderately successful and just last year 
the Pitcher List concept which was approved and rescinded because it would 
have had zero effect.

In reading many of the criticisms about the PRAWN rule, it is disappointing 
that no one has offered any suggestions or options.  It's easy to 
criticize.  How about some alternative ideas?  Too many of those commenting 
are looking at the overall picture from only one or two perspectives.  As 
an organization, we have to look at what is best for every involved segment.

Double Elimination? - Many are still critical of the ISC's move to a round 
robin format.  Everyone, including the well-sponsored teams, enjoy the aura 
of a 40-team tournament.  Right?  How many teams would we get if we went 
back to double elimination?  I guarantee we would have no international 
teams and my guess is we'd be lucky to attract 24 total teams.  What's 
wrong with 24 teams?  Nothing from a pure competition standpoint but our 
hosts are not going to bid our minimum for a 24 team tournament where some 
teams get eliminated on the 2nd or 3rd day.  It's a cycle and all parts of 
the cycle must be satisfied.

Too Many Rules? - We have been criticized for having too many rules 
governing players and their options.  Virtually every player control rule 
we have adopted has been for a stop-gap purpose as certain teams do 
anything and everything possible to circumvent a rule or figure out how to 
get around it.  One manager has already told me of a loophole in the PRAWN 
rule.  Maybe he's right, I just don't know.  Details haven't been 
provided.  So in less than a week, someone has spent considerable time 
trying to figure out how to "break" the intent of the rule.  Why wasn't 
that time spent trying to figure out how to field the best possible team 
within the structure and intent of the rule?  We don't create new rules for 
the sake of rule creation.  We are forced to new rules by a handful of 
individuals who spend inordinate amounts of time trying to figure out ways 
to circumvent the rules we have.

Summary - I am very proud of our ISC body and the talented, dedicated 
individuals who invest unbelievable amounts of time to better our sport and 
our organization.  Do we always do things right?  No, but it's not for lack 
of effort.  We're trying very hard to maintain the sport we love and 
hopefully see it grow.  We continually try to make each World Tournament a 
little better than the prior one.  We try to encourage and assist in 
player/pitcher development but don't seem to get the needed help from those 
outside the organization.

Is PRAWN the answer?  Obviously, no one knows and won't know until we have 
at least a year of experience with it.  I honestly believe the first year 
will be the most difficult.  After that, it should smooth out.  Let's give 
it a try.

Ken Hackmeister
ISC Executive Director
Mailto:iscken at comcast.net
http://www.iscfastpitch.com/












  Als Fastball List
*Email: fastball at pmihrm.com
http://www.AlsFastball.com/
http://www.ISCfastball.com/
NEWS: http://fastpitchwest.com/alsfastball
    eScribe is down, and may be out