President’s Message, March/April 2023 Journal

[SkyKing]

The Executive Board must have seen a different President’s Message from the one that was in my copy of the Journal, for I don’t find anything offensive about it at all. I’ve been a member since 1967, and I’ve seen too many of the “trophy hounds” of which David speaks, as well as too many critics of IPMS on various on-line forums who do nothing but complain and obviously don’t know what they are talking about. I have personally responded to many such critics to address their misconceptions, but usually to no avail; it seems in most cases their minds are made up and there is no point confusing them with facts. So I completely understand David’s point. Further, I certainly didn’t see anything in David’s message remotely hostile toward or denigrating modelers who favor “newer, non-traditional modeling genres such as Gundam/Gunpla, Mecha, MaK, Anime and other Science Fiction subjects” as the Board’s report implies.

I think the Board owes David an apology.

Edited June 20, 2023 by SkyKing

[ghodges]

So.... you, in fact agree with him in calling non-members who attend shows but don't join IPMSUSA "FREELOADERS"? This, in spite of the fact that they are supporting the local show hosts by paying entry fees, door fees, buying raffle tickets, and shopping the vendors area? Or did you miss that part of his column?

 

Gil 

[SkyKing]

On 6/21/2023 at 10:18 AM, ghodges said:

So.... you, in fact agree with him in calling non-members who attend shows but don't join IPMSUSA "FREELOADERS"? This, in spite of the fact that they are supporting the local show hosts by paying entry fees, door fees, buying raffle tickets, and shopping the vendors area? Or did you miss that part of his column?

 

Gil 

To a certain extent, yes. Would those non-members have a local show to attend, where they can buy those raffle tickets and shop for bargains and potentially win an award to take home and put on their mantel, without IPMS? Probably not!

[RONBO]

On 6/20/2023 at 1:20 AM, SkyKing said:

The Executive Board must have seen a different President’s Message from the one that was in my copy of the Journal, for I don’t find anything offensive about it at all. I’ve been a member since 1967, and I’ve seen too many of the “trophy hounds” of which David speaks, as well as too many critics of IPMS on various on-line forums who do nothing but complain and obviously don’t know what they are talking about. I have personally responded to many such critics to address their misconceptions, but usually to no avail; it seems in most cases their minds are made up and there is no point confusing them with facts. So I completely understand David’s point. Further, I certainly didn’t see anything in David’s message remotely hostile toward or denigrating modelers who favor “newer, non-traditional modeling genres such as Gundam/Gunpla, Mecha, MaK, Anime and other Science Fiction subjects” as the Board’s report implies.

I think the Board owes David an apology.

Everyone is entitled to their opinions.

Ron Thorne Jr. 

[ghodges]

Nothing has changed in IPMS in my 46yrs of continuous membership, and IPMS is NO different than any other "club" of people. ALL volunteer clubs, whether they exclude participation by nonmembers or allow outsiders to participate by paying a fee, are ALWAYS run by the few who are willing to step up and do the work. Can that be frustrating? You bet! Can it be changed? Most likely not. It was that way within IPMS from the start, it was that way when I joined my first local club in 1979, and it's always been that way in every club I've been a member of or even heard of. The President not only labeled "outsiders" FREELOADERS, he labeled EVERY LOCAL CLUB MEMBER who pays local club dues but who happens to NOT join IPMSUSA as a freeloader. I can tell you from my decades of experience as a club officer in two different clubs, as a former RC, as our Jaxcon chairman for 20+yrs, and as the Contest Chairman of an IPMS Nats; that although there are plenty of local club members who never serve in any official capacity, they are NOT freeloaders. The President MAY have been lamenting the fact that so few have to provide for so many, but did he offer ANY suggestion to change things? No. Did he offer ANY incentives that would make nonmembers want to step up and help shoulder the burden. NO! And by casting aspersions on them he alienated most from even considering doing so from here on out.

His lament that people don't join IPMSUSA is the same one I've been hearing for my entire membership. Although it IS mercenary, it's also simple human nature to ask "what's in it for me"? Is it realistic to expect the vast majority of modelers to set aside their human nature and join IPMSUSA for "the greater good of the modeling world"? I hardly think so. Did he offer any suggestions or solutions to give more "bang for the buck" and make IPMSUSA more appealing to join? No. Instead, he complained about basic human nature, labeled them in an offensive manner, and THEN said they should act differently out of some sense of "shame" for taking advantage of going to IPMS contests without joining.

He is correct in that IPMSUSA faces some significant changes. The biggest thing to face is the simple fact that IPMS IS NOT NEEDED TODAY LIKE IT WAS 40-50YRS AGO. The IPMS Update, Quarterly, and the Journal used to provide model industry news, important reviews of new products, and research material unavailable elsewhere. None of that is true today. The internet has made the Journal almost (but not quite) obsolete. It cannot compete with the internet in trying to provide the info it used to. That said, I think it is a VERY good model magazine that gives a good return on my dollar. But it should NOT still be touted as being worthwhile to the members for anything other than a bimonthly modeling magazine. IPMS needs to seriously consider IF it should continue to be printed and if so, in what form? Would it be better to go to a quarterly format with a few more pages of articles, but with more IPMSUSA "news" for our members? Does IPMS need to consider paying authors with extended memberships (if not in cash) in order to get more interesting, in depth, and better articles? But then, now we're right back to that Eboard position of "people should be generously donating to the Journal out of loving support of the Society". The Journal HAS done well under that system, but NOT well enough to entice more people to join. SOMETHING has to change that shows The IPMS Journal is worth paying for a membership IF we want MORE people to join.

The lamented "what do I get for my membership dues" question IS the bottom line for most people who consider joining. Unfortunately, the Journal is the one tangible thing we can point to. We long time members can list many intangibles of membership like the comradery of friendships formed and the knowledge gained through personal interactions with people you would never have met without IPMSUSA; but those take time and aren't obvious to those on the outside looking in. Since we can't change human nature, and modelers WILL demand value for their membership dues, adding value somehow, somewhere, is what has to be done. If there was an easy answer, it would have been done already. However, labeling those questioning the value IPMSUSA as it exists now does nothing to make them want to join!

As for the idea of "freeloaders" taking advantage of IPMS run contests, that's a flat out misnomer. Does the nonmember pay to participate in the contest? Yes, and often at a higher rate than IPMS members. Do they have to pay the door fee if the they don't register for the contest? Yes. Will they buy raffle tickets like IPMS members? Sure they will. Do you think the VENDORS look at their customers and want to deal more with IPMS members than nonmembers? Not in the least! Would the crowd be as big or the revenue as great IF we excluded nonmembers and made the contests IPMS member only? NO way! So does the CONTEST HOST look at their attendees who are not IPMSUSA members but attend, participate, and support their show as "freeloaders"? DEFINITELY NOT!!

You MIGHT be able to make a case that there would be fewer model shows without IPMS, and that if IPMSUSA is not supported and dies, then modelers will wish they had joined. It's true that the IPMS Nats is one of the biggest model shows in the world and would be missed by many if it was no longer held. But then Wonderfest has been growing by leaps and bounds and it's not an IPMS show. How many NNL and figure shows are there that have no IPMS affiliation? And then there's AMPS, which while not as large, already has their own non IPMS affiliated shows. Some of these hosts are also IPMS chapters, but just as many are not, so the idea that model shows would shrink severely due to lack of IPMSUSA insurance just isn't completely right. It might change the economics of a show, but if there was a willing host and a possible profit, they'd find a way.

The very bottom line of this dustup is that the President greatly wounded and worsened IPMSUSA's already spotty reputation among nonmembers. Like it or not, IPMS is perceived by most modelers as a contest oriented, nit-picking, hair splitting group of accuracy nazis who have an elitist attitude towards nonmembers. While WE in IPMS may know that's a misperception, printing an editorial column written by the IPMSUSA President in the IPMSUSA official publication that labels everyone else who doesn't JOIN and support us as freeloaders only strengthens that perception. And perception IS reality!

 

Gil 

 

[PaulBradley]

Very well said, Gil. 

 

Especially this - "While WE in IPMS may know that's a misperception, printing an editorial column written by the IPMSUSA President in the IPMSUSA official publication that labels everyone else who doesn't JOIN and support us as freeloaders only strengthens that perception." 

 

Yes, he is entitled to his own personal opinion. But he is NOT entitled to voice that opinion in his official column in the official organ of the Society. Hiding behind "it's just my own opinion" is just not possible for an elected official. Full stop. Business 101 - don' t ++++ off potential customers. 

[BWScholten]

On 6/21/2023 at 10:18 AM, ghodges said:

So.... you, in fact agree with him in calling non-members who attend shows but don't join IPMSUSA "FREELOADERS"? This, in spite of the fact that they are supporting the local show hosts by paying entry fees, door fees, buying raffle tickets, and shopping the vendors area? Or did you miss that part of his column?

 

Gil 

I took it more as a swipe at people who attend meetings without joining, people who attend meetings and never volunteer to help their club. 

I'll re-read it to see if I mis-read.

[ghodges]

Brett: Even if it was only a swipe at local members who don't join IPMSUSA, as I said above, they pay their LOCAL dues (if there are any required) and thus are NOT freeloaders. Whether or not they ever serve in any capacity within their club is entirely an internal local club matter. As a long time local club officer and contest chairman, it can be frustrating when no one wants to step up and help. But then, there's also NO way to force people to volunteer to do the jobs needed if they don't want to, think they don't have the time to do so, or simply think they aren't capable.

Should the IPMS chapter promote IPMSUSA membership? Sure. Our club touts the "reasons" and "advantages" to having an IPMSUSA membership; but if someone doesn't think those apply to them, you cannot convince them to join. Until IPMSUSA changes its constitution to REQUIRE all local members be national members, it's not going to change. And IF that was to happen, you'd see IPMS chartered chapters dwindle, if not plummet from them immediately withdrawing. Only those clubs needing insurance for their events would have any true incentive to maintain their charter.

Gil 

Edited June 29, 2023 by ghodges

[66Foxtrot]

Well said, Gil.

[Stikpusher]

Yeah I think I’d be one of those guys who drops the local membership if the national membership is a requirement. I love being involved with the local chapters that I’ve been part of for the past couple of decades. But since I renewed my long dormant national membership a few years ago I find myself wondering why I did so. The magazine is not what it was, no perks such as discounts seem to come from membership at any local shops, and there is no apparent reason to keep up being a member. It’s not the cost, but is there any bang for the buck? At least with local chapter membership there are meetings, contests, etc. What are the true advantages or benefits, if any, to being a National member?

Edited June 30, 2023 by Stikpusher

[ghodges]

I've asked myself the same question every few years. I've always thought I got my money's worth, even if I didn't necessarily get something absolutely exclusive that I might not be able to get elsewhere. I guess that's why I've kept a continuous membership since 1977. But to answer your question:

1) The IPMS Journal: Almost no one (it seems) stops to consider JUST how good it is, especially when you keep in mind its content and the editing/publishing of it is entirely done by volunteers. It's almost as slick as any other magazine and I'm betting many non-members think there's a paid staff to put it out. Its drawback is time lag for current info and even Society news, and the fact that it has to please EVERYBODY, since IPMSUSA is for ALL modeling genres and not just the military builders. Thus, there never seems to be enough on whatever may be your own personal interest, and too much seemingly disinteresting subjects. However, if you compare it to FSM, you're getting a quality publication just as often for about half the price. To me, THAT alone is worth the cost of my yearly dues.

2) Help for anyone who is looking for a local chapter. Can they use the internet or their own resources? Sure. BUT, if they join IPMSUSA then they can ask and the DLC will contact an RC, who will then reach out to a local club to contact that person. I'm sure most members aren't even aware of that.

3) A feeling of belonging to a larger group of like-minded hobbyists for anyone who isn't near a local club. This was my situation for the first couple of years when I first joined in '77. Unfortunately, that need can be met by internet participation and although it's still a valid reason, it's less so than it used to be.

4) The ability to compete at the IPMSUSA Nationals and get discounts at most other model shows for your entry fee. True, you'll almost never make your dues back in a year with the discount at the door, but it still saves you some money to be a card carrying member. Local hobby store discounts usually depend on the strength of the local club with those owners, as opposed to any relation to IPMSUSA. It would be great if IPMSUSA members could get a discount with some on-line stores, but we're too small it seems to have the influence to be able to get that, at least thus far. That would also require some sort of running ability for that seller to verify a buyer's current membership, which would have to greatly complicate the ability to do that sort of deal.

5) Supporting your local club by being able to be counted towards getting and keeping a Chartered Club status. This is important because of the free insurance. Many people think that if their club doesn't hold a contest, then they don't need the insurance. They don't know that the insurance actually covers their monthly meetings! And as things get more "litigious" in our society, some venues require club insurance in order to meet in their buildings, which makes it important even if no one ever slips and falls. 

6) The knowledge you are supporting a national and international organization that supports the hobby and tries to help its members enjoy their hobby more. Yes, THAT is the same line the Eboard thinks everyone should believe, and it has a ring of truth and validity. I personally differ from them in acknowledging that most model builders are not joiners in the first place (it's generally a solitary hobby!), and many of them also just aren't interested in what IPMSUSA has to offer. And yes, IPMS IS the largest sponsor of most of the model contests held each year, and IPMS insurance is one of the main things that makes those shows possible. So, by being an IPMSUSA member, you do help insure that those shows you like going to continue to be held year in and year out, even if you want nothing to do with the "politics".

7) The relationships you establish by being active in IPMSUSA. This applies mainly to those who go to many contests, and especially to the National Convention. It takes time to meet people, make friends, and keep ties established with other modelers you only see at shows once or twice a year. Most people can't see that advantage to membership because it's not immediate and isn't obvious. And unfortunately, it's not the only way to fill that void anymore. The internet has established its own "community" where you can feel you establish new friendships and make new modeling friends without even going to shows. The irony is, IF you ever do meet those new internet friends, it usually IS at an IPMS contest! 

I've listed 7 reasons above, but God help you if you ever wanted to try to throw them all at anyone you want to convince to join IPMSUSA. Only a couple of them involve "bang for the buck", and most modelers won't take the time to consider or truly listen to anything past that.

 

Gil 

 

Edited July 1, 2023 by ghodges

[Ron Bell]

You will never beat the "what's in it for me" argument that is current. It's found throughout society, not just in our little model club. I know why I'm a national member. I have friendships that go back almost 50 years and span several continents. I served "my time in hell" as the saying goes on the Eboard because I believed our organization had something to offer. We speak a lot of local club members, but a huge number of IPMS/National members are not affiliated with a local chapter. We are a link to their modeling community. I'm biased, I know. I understand why others don't join, I just don't agree with their reasons.