Meeting with producers?

This is from De Francesco in the SN:

On the day Friday, May 27, 2011 at 18.00 to be held in Bologna (at the venue of Major of Bologna - sports center Lame in Via Vasco de Gama 20) a first meeting between the FISTF and manufacturers of professional equipment.

On the agenda will be:

1) Goalkeepers (sizes and materials)
2) professional basis (rules and philosophy of production)
3) Production of new ball
4) regulation of the sponsorship of the tournaments of the FISTF's circuit

FISTF are pleased to hear the opinions of the producers. Decisions are taken after a survey of all the federations.

Which manyfacturers have been invited?

Does FISTF pay for the ones that come from abroad to make it equal for all?

Funny that I always have thought that the right way to do things is to first talk with FISTF members and the field to see what is the FISTF opinion (can be different from the personal opinions of the directors). Only after that is there a possibility to talk to manufacturers, if needed. And absolutely all manufacturers have to have the opportunity to be there (to be invited officially).

How many surveys (even bad ones) or questions have you received in your country or personally? How many questions about sponsorship for FISTF events? How many questions have you received from the current board regarding the other issues on the agenda?

I have a good guess.

Live in your dreams, my friend...

"The producers" probably means Total Soccer (Capponi), Extreme Works (Dogali), Astrobase (Tecchiati) and Profibase (de Angelis). I don't think Titi Giaux (Real Soccer) and all the other non-Italians have been invited...

Admin wrote:Live in your dreams, my friend...

I don't expect anything other than what you wrote. But I don't know, so the it's good to aks if the professional survey section of the board has done what it has promised all the time.

Admin wrote:"The producers" probably means Total Soccer (Capponi),

I thought it was for professional equipment. If Total Soccer is there it's blatant favouritism (especially as Capponi is in the board), if all other amateur equipment producers are not there.

Just writing this in the open, so that anyone can ask themselves what is going on.

Looks like Real Soccer got an invitation to go to the meeting. Surprisingly, they have not been invited to put an ad on SUBBUTEONEWS though...

Admin wrote:Looks like Real Soccer got an invitation to go to the meeting

It's good that they were at least invited. But of course equality (a difficult thing of course) ends when the meeting is where it is.

But this speculation could also have been avoided with better communication by the sports department. And the peculiar order of things naturally remains.

Has anyone heard anything official about this?

Who were present? What was discussed? What were the conclusions (and which arguments were the conclusions based on)?

I would have thought this was so important news that it would have been on "front page". Instead the Board thought the biggest issue was to create an ultimatum against an invisible and, at least for now, inexisting threat (another federation)...

Anything on the SN about this? When I still could read the forum without logging in, I saw a question about this, but I didn't see any answers...

von K. wrote:Anything on the SN about this?

No, no answers and/or statements yet from official side

Finally - the white smoke!

Well over a month after promised, there is some information.

For me, this is just unbelievable. The will of FISTF? Did I miss something, or is the will of FISTF the will of the producers and a couple of directors? The goalie decision forgets all the problems already discussed here, and even leaves the price open for decision later! Many people will end up playing with illegal material. And yet the philosophy is a very open one

Well, another clear reason for many to move towards WASPA tournaments.

Anyway, it would be nice to know what people think about this.

(Sorry, Lorenzo, but it's quite impossible not to criticise this sort of actions, as the idea was only to discuss, and not make decisions in Bologna, if I understood correctly. But maybe it's just a war of buttons again, and we should just live happily ever after (sarcasm, is it allowed?).)

Good morning,

On the 27th of May, a FISTF Commission and some of the most important World’s producers of professional Table Football equipment had a meeting in Bologna.

The main goal of the meeting was the analysis of the situation, regulations and the future of the equipment for table football to find solutions for the problems created in the previous years.

Some decisions has been taken as follows:

1) A list of producers recognized by FISTF will be created. They must fulfil 3 requirements:
- Being a recognized company in the country where it is based.
- Have, in its social order, the possibility of manufacturing, marketing, selling and importing toys or sports equipment.
- Have the producing capacity a minimum quantity from each product.

The process of recognition is as follows:
All producers interested in being recognized must send a request to FISTF (Sports Department, Marketing Department and President) and make a deposit of 100 euros in the FISTF account, as a management fee that will not be refunded.

As soon as the request has received, FISTF will send the requirements for the production's minimum quantity, time, etc.

Once recognized, the producer may request the approval of the required products. The producer must pay to FISTF the amount of 60 euros for each approved product. This amount will be refunded if the product has not been homologated.

Once homologated the product (only after receiving written confirmation of its homologation) the material may be used in any official event FISTF.

In all boxes, envelopes or packaging of homologated products it is mandatory to identify the producer.

This recognition process is mandatory for all those who already have product on the market.

2) FISTF, with the producer’s collaboration, will release a list of the homologated products to be available for the national associations, competition managers, clubs and players. This list will be updated in real time.

The list will consider all products already in commerce. By default, these products will be considered approved provided the producer asks for their homologation within a reasonable time (maximum 1 year).

Flat bases and figures, Toccer and Lapidi may be used until its final disappearance due of the end of its production. No other product in this category will be homologated and produced, or recognize any producer in the future.

3) Goalkeeper: FISTF will prepare a goalkeeper's model and make it available for all recognized producers for its free production. The goalkeeper's measures will be equal for all (similar to the Toccer's goalkeeper). FISTF will supervise the production of every recognized producer before the product being in the market.

FISTF has the right to introduce this new goalkeeper at any time of the season with two months' notice.

The maximum selling price will be established between FISTF and the producers.

4) Measures: Current established measures for goalkeepers would be maintained.

All FISTF events organizers should acquire an electronic gauge for the measurement of the goalkeepers. FISTF will contribute with 15 euros for this purchase. This amount will be deducted from the FISTF tournaments fees.

Minimum height for the base will be 5 mm with a tolerance till 4,90 mm.

Minimum height for base + figure will be 27 mm with a tolerance till 26,5 mm.

Maximum base diameter will be 21 mm with a tolerance till 21,5 mm.

The point of impact of the bases with the ball may not be lower than 4 mm (tolerance included).

5) Other equipment: FISTF has the right to measure and evaluate other type of equipment such tables, pitches and goals, in order to proceed in due time, to solve any problems with the tournament managers. This is a very sensitive problem mainly with the goals, where there are some small problems to solve.

6) Philosophical criteria: It is a clear will from FISTF to allow the absolute manufacture freedom, design experimentation, and use of different materials. This experimentation has been fundamental for the development of the game and should coexist within the ranges and measures allowed by this regulations.

The football table has besides the will of freedom and innovation, also a history and the philosophy of play that cannot be ignored when drawing new materials. For this reasons the FISTF will closely monitor these aspects.

Piero Capponi -FISTF President

When I saw the statement, I thought it was a joke. Unfortunately it isn't...

Unbelievable and totally under all basics of ethics. I also think Capponi is taking things much too seriously. As a tournament organizer, I have now 2 possibilities:
- ignore the statement;
- stop organizing.