How do I renew an old affiliate? If for example I noticed that American Chess Players (this is just an example!) affiliate expired 3 years ago. Even though I was never a member and don’t know anything about that organization, Is it okay for me to renew under that expired affiliate’s name? Is there some kind of etiquette or procedure for this… or is it just as simple as renewing the affiliate and putting down new information.
Also can I change the name of my affiliate to the name of an old/expired one without having to pay extra? (i.e. another $40). I would prefer to do this instead of dissolving my current affiliate and resurrecting an old one (cause I’m fairly sure that will cost an extra $40).
I did change the name of my affiliate. Just call the USCF office, and change the name. They will ask a few simple question, should not take more then a few minutes on the phone. Why you want to change the name to a old expired name?
The reason I wanted to change is beacuse the current name of our club doesn’t really say anything about the club. We are trying to grow and expand (as most clubs are). I wont mention the name of our club but let me give an anology:
Our current name could be… “Red Fox” club which could refer to a small pond in our county. The name of the lake is not popular or widely known. It is only known by local residents.
I would like to change our name to have either our state or our local city in it. Because when we go to other tournaments and we say, we’re part of the Red Fox club… no one knows what that is. Now if we were to say we are members of the Chicago Chess club… well every one knows where that is. Its more about promoting our club, and getting more recognition (and prestige).
Also, IMO, if I were looking to join a club I would rather join the “Chicago Chess Club” as opposed to the Red Fox club.
I know to some that may sound trivial, but I think it inherently carries some weight in the community.
(I’m just using examples for names and geographical references, so I did not intend to ridicule anyone’s club name if I accidently used it).
I know how that is. At first we had the name Greater Grand Rapids Chess Club. Well whats so great about it? The club has its’ meetings in the city of Wyoming, so was thinking of calling it the Wyoming Chess Club. The people on the east side of Michigan, do not know the cities of Wyoming, Kentwood, Walker or Grandville. Most on the east side do know the name East Grand Rapids, as thats the city President Ford came from.
So most people in East Grand Rapids, Grandville, Kentwood, Walker and Wyoming are telling people on the east side were they live, they say Grand Rapids. Thats why we changed the name to Grand Rapids Area Chess Club.
I don’t know that there’s a fixed policy on it, but if someone wanted to take over a dormant affiliate ID, the USCF would probably want some indication that they have the consent of the former officers. That’s because they would inherit the affiliate tournament history along with the affiliate ID.
As to name changes, those have to be approved by the USCF office as well, in part to make sure they’re reasonable.
It would be reasonable for there to be more than one ‘Springfield Chess Club’, since there’s a city named Springfield in at least 40 states. It’s probably less reasonable for there to be two 'Chicago Chess Club’s
Douglas couldn’t request his affiliate be renamed the "Michigan State Chess Federation’, since that might lead to confusion with the official state chapter.
And to use a well-know club name as a further example, I think the USCF would be reluctant to let someone in NY take over the name of the Manhattan Chess Club, even under a different affiliate ID, without some assurances that the other club/affiliate was never coming back.
Anecdote: Many years ago, when Tom Fineberg changed the name of his affiliate from “87th Street Chess Club” to “Tuley Park Chess Club”, he begged USCF to keep his old affiliate ID number. It had a neat prime factoring, or something like that. He was allowed to keep it.
I doubt that he would, but I know of at least four disputes over who was entitled to be the state chapter that could have resulted in that kind of name change request.