2023 Summary from the Board of Directors

Chairperson

• Ran and coordinated meetings throughout the season
  • 15 Board meetings
  • 7 meetings/calls with FO
  • 6 calls/meetings with Dr. Pete
  • Ad-hoc calls with Ty as needed
• Planned and executed Nordecke Cup tournament at HCS
  • Extensive coordination with Crew FO to schedule facilities and approve vendors
  • 56 participants
  • Community event – assembling toiletry kits for community recipients
• Spearheaded Bylaws Revisions
  • Ongoing process since April with small committee of volunteers
  • Back and forth with 501c lawyer to ensure compliance and accuracy
  • Final revisions will be given to new Board in February to review, discuss, and submit for member vote
  • Proposed changes:
    • Add 2 Board positions – Treasurer and Secretary to reflect needs of a large organization
    • Updating Bylaws language to match current practices – since 2020 we have used online voting for elections which is not reflected in bylaws.

Group efforts:

• Ran three ticket lotteries, two in back-to-back weeks (Eastern Conference Final and MLS Cup Final)
  • Many Board Members and Deputies contributed to send out invoices, transfer tickets, process refunds for 1000+ orders
• New website and mobile app, frequent communication with Webmaster regarding website needs

Communications

• Higher social media engagement this season than ever before, in the post Save The Crew era
  • More consistent posting of content across multiple platforms to ensure information is accessible
• Maintained updated calendar on website and app, and Facebook events for tailgates and watch parties
• Higher quality graphics throughout the 2023 season
• Comms team biggest goal this season was making everything more accessible, but it fell flat this season because there hasn’t been an easy way to deliver those things in an organized, user-friendly way online.
• Work with Webmaster to manage new website and app content

Community

34% of expenditures went to Community efforts

• 17 season tickets for CRIS (Community Refugee & Immigration Services)
• Sponsorship with Columbus Eagles (WPSL team)
• Online auction with Jonathan Mensah Foundation
• WV Hospice donation in honor of Randy Sims ($1996 made on MLS Cup date)
• Adaptive Sports Connection – continuing partnership from last year
• Community supply kits – toiletries for unhoused people and local schoolchildren in need
  • Created Amazon wishlist to allow people to purchase kit items 
• Donate Life donation, Doordash gift cards for Nordecke members organ donor/recipient
• Prideraiser – raised over $4200 for Kaleidoscope Youth Center
• Over entire season, over 1000 tickets were donated
  • Gladden House
  • Several schools (teachers and children)
  • Many youth soccer teams
• Eastern Conference Final ticket lottery – $300 in deposits donated to Community
• MLS Cup Final ticket lottery – $1000 in deposits donated to Community

Creative

• Lots of publicity – AppleTV banners, articles throughout the world. World Soccer Shop
• We are creating 30’x60’ tifos in a space that is 35’x20’
• First 2024 tifo will need to be started before new board is seated
• Continued using Tifosweat Amazon wishlist to allow people to monetarily support Tifo work
  
  
• 6 Displays created in 2023

1. 3/4 Crewsmas – Tifo production 2/17-3/1 (10 active days, 4-7 hours per session)
2. 6/24 Pride – Tifo production 6/5-6/20 (11 days, 4-6 hours per session)
3. 8/20 Hell is Real – Tifo production 7/19-8/16 (17 days, 4-8 hours per session. Multiple canceled due to lack of volunteers)
4. 11/1 Playoffs – Production 10/25-10/27. 50 volunteers held displays and deployed smoke
5. 11/12 Playoffs – Tifo production 11/8-11/11 (4 days, 4-6 hours per session)
6. 12/9 MLS Cup Final – Tifo production 12/3-12/7 (5 days, 4-9 hours per session)

• Assisted CapyBrava with Crew 2 displays and banners

1. April – Crew 2 home opener tifo and banners – Production 4/6-4/13
2. October – Crew 2 banners for MLSNP Cup Final

Matchday Experience & Operations

• First 100% women capo match
• Had new faces on capo stands and drum deck
• All drums purchased by Nordecke
  • Will help centralize upkeep and repairs
• Coordinated banner hanging, drum setup, flag distribution, and takedown/cleanup of those for all home games
• Appointed Deputies to facilitate Drum Corps and Tailgate planning
• Transferred 400 tickets individually for each regular season and playoff home game
• Transferred tickets for Cincinnati and Atlanta away games

Merchandise

• 2023 merchandise kits were sold out. Total membership base of over 1,400 members.
• 2024 merchandise kit ideas in progress. New merch being worked to include items that have not been offered before
• Partnered with a local small business to bring in Hot Chocolate bombs and holiday offerings.
• Post-Christmas clearance. Most if not all of items will be 25% off.
• Took input from members on new merchandise they wanted to see
• Explored new vendor, onboarded them and increased our product offerings
• Created opportunities for members to design merchandise to then be offered to the public
• Worked to reduce shipping and logistics costs by adding carriers and focusing on customer centric shipping
• Worked to create merchandise that supports our various community partners and proceeds from the sales went back to them.
• New Merch in 2023
  • 2023 Nordecke Kit (from Supporter Supply) – Mellow Yellow
  • Nordecke Pride bandanas, rainbow flag
  • 2023 Pride Kit feat. Kaleidoscope Youth Center (from Supporter Supply)
  • Hell is Real stickers – art contest, voting, vinyl sticker sheets printed.
• Nordecke Yard Sale (online) – to clear out older merch

Partnerships

• Tailgate – free beer at every home game thanks to local brewery partners
  • Ongoing relationships with 9 breweries, new relationships with movie theaters and restaurants/bars
• Watch party (or multiple) for every away game, some home games as well
  • Expanded to non-brewery partners for some watch parties
  • Worked with CapyBrava to host two watch parties for Crew 2 playoffs
• In 2024, looking to build more restaurant partners
  • Food options for tailgates
  • Nordecke members can receive a discount

Travel

• Full bus & hotel packages for two MLS games as well as Hell is Real and USOC vs Pittsburgh
• Coordinated away fan section ticket purchasing link for all games
  • managed centralized ticket purchasing for Atlanta (regular season and playoff).
• Communicated Away Fan requirements and guidelines from other team FOs
• Worked with local supporters groups (both Crew groups and opponents) to plan tailgate/pre-game activities at away games
• 2024 MLS Schedule comes out on 12/20, can start planning NorOnTour
  • Perhaps St Louis, Nashville

Treasurer summary

• 34% of expenditures went to Community/donations
• 17.5% on tifos -$3K on the player vinyls
• $4500 on NorOnTour
• $4000 on website – some one time purchases, some recurring
• $2500 tailgates – eg: coolers, some decorations (wooden coffin for Gary), pizza catering for Atlanta playoff game, Cup Final block party
• $2500 matchday

February
2/5 – Monthly Board Meeting
2/6 – Meeting with FO in person
2/15 – Supporters Summit at LDC
2/20 – Monthly Dr. Pete Phone Call
2/21 – Monthly FO Call
2/22 – Crewsmas Board Meeting
2/25 –Crewsgiving. Crew @ Philadelphia. NorOnTour. Watch parties at Land Grant and Endeavor.

March
3/3 – Crewsmas Eve event at Ruby Tuesday Live
3/4 – Crewsmas. Crew vs DC United. Sunrise toast, banners, tifo, tailgate.
3/9 – Monthly Board Meeting
3/11 – Crew @ Toronto. Watch Parties at Endeavor and Oldfield’s.
3/15 – Supporter HQ Meeting with FO
3/18 – Crew @ NYRB. Watch parties at Oldfield’s and Endeavor.
3/20 – Monthly Dr. Pete Phone Call
3/25 – Crew v Atlanta

April
4/1 – Crew v RSL
4/6 – Monthly Board Meeting
4/8 – Crew @ DC United. Watch party at Parsons North.
4/11 – Nordecke Night Out – Quarterly Town Hall at Parsons North.
4/15 – Crew v New England
4/17 – Monthly Dr. Pete Phone Call
4/22 – Crew @ Charlotte. NorOnTour and tailgate with Mecklenberg Massive. Watch party at Parsons North.
4/26 –Crew vs Indy Eleven – Open Cup
4/29 – Crew v Miami

May
5/4 – Monthly Board Meeting
5/9 – Board Meeting
5/10 – Crew @ Loudon United – Open Cup
5/13 – Crew v Orlando
5/15 – Monthly Dr. Pete Phone Call
5/17 – Crew v LA Galaxy. Pregame Happy Hour at Wolf’s Ridge.
5/19 – Hell is Real night before meetup
5/20 – Crew @ Cincinnati. Hell is Real. Pre-party at Cobblestone, March to the Match. Watch parties at Land Grant and Endeavor.
5/24 – Crew @ Pittsburgh Riverhounds – Open Cup. NorOnTour (out and back bus).
5/28 – Crew @ Nashville. NorOnTour. Watch Party at Wolf’s Ridge.
5/31 – Crew v Colorado. Pregame Happy Hour at Saucy.

June
6/1 – Monthly Board Meeting
6/3 – Crew v Charlotte
6/10 – Crew @ Chicago. NorOnTour, pregame with 3*1*Crew. Watch Party at Zaftig.
6/17 – Crew @ NYCFC. Watch Party at Endeavor.
6/24 – Crew v Nashville. Pride Tifo.
6/26 – HiR FO Call
6/26 – Nordecke Night Out – Quarterly Town Hall. At Parsons North.

July
7/1 – Crew v NYRB
7/4 – Crew @ Miami. Watch Party at Land Grant.
7/6 – Monthly Board Meeting
7/7 – Quarterly Ownership Meeting with FO
7/8 – Crew v NYCFC
7/10 – Extra Board Meeting
7/15 – Crew @ Portland. NorOnTour. Watch Party at Seventh Son.
7/17 – Monthly Dr. Pete Phone Call
7/23 – Crew v St. Louis – Leagues Cup
7/28 – Club America FO Call
7/31 – Crew v Club America – Leagues Cup. Huge tailgate with LTA.

August
8/3 – Monthly Board Meeting
8/4 – Crew v Minnesota – Leagues Cup
8/9 – Nordecke Bingo Night at Endeavor
8/17 – 2024 Planning Meeting with FO
8/20 – Crew vs Cincinnati. Hell is Real Tifo. Watch Party at Wolf’s Ridge.
8/21 – Dr. Pete Monthly Phone Call
8/23 – Extra Board Meeting
8/26 – Crew v Toronto
8/30 – Crew @ Houston. Watch Party at Wolf’s Ridge.

September
9/2 – Crew @ Montreal. NorOnTour. Watch Party at Heart State.
9/7 – Monthly Board Meeting
9/12 – Nordecke Night Out – Quarterly Town Hall at Seventh Son.
9/16 – Columbus @ Orlando. Watch parties at Parsons North and Seventh Son.
9/20 – Columbus v Chicago – Pregame Happy Hour at Wolf’s Ridge
9/23 – Columbus @ Dallas – Bingo and Watch Party at Endeavor.
9/30 – Columbus v Philadelphia

October
10/4 – Columbus @ New England. Watch Party at Wolf’s Ridge.
10/5 – Monthly Board Meeting
10/7 – Crew @ Atlanta. NorOnTour. Watch Party and Soctoberfest (with AO Columbus) at Land Grant
10/8 – CapyBrava Watch Party at Seventh Son.
10/15 – Nordecke Cup at HCS.
10/21 –Crew v Montreal
10/22 – MLSNextPro Final – Crew 2 v Austin

November
11/1 – Crew v Atlanta – Playoffs. Pre-game display (player headshots).
11/2 – Monthly Board Meeting
11/7 – Crew @ Atlanta – Playoffs. NorOnTour. Watch Party at Combustion Clintonville.
11/12 – Crew v Atlanta – Playoffs. Tifo.
11/25 – Crew @ Orlando – Playoffs. NorOnTour. Watch Party at Studio 35.

December 

12/2 – Eastern Conference Final, Crew @ Cincinnati. Hell is Real 3.0. NorOnTour, pregame at Cobblestone, March to the Match. Watch Parties at Grandview Theater and Endeavor.

An Oral Account of Eastern Conference Final and MLS Cup weeks – by Heather Giles, Community Director

We had 7 days to pull off the largest rivalry game in the history of the rivalry. Eastern Conference Finals, in Cincinnati, after HiR going 1-1 this season. The pressure was on Cincinnati to do their best, we were playing with house money. Let’s just have fun. The team had it handled. But what does that mean for the supporters? Where will we be? How will we get there? How many tickets do we even have? There were so many questions to be answered.

Starting that Sunday after the Orlando game, we went into high gear to plan what will be one of the defining moments of this rivalry. Our go-to pregame meeting place was ready, with the one caveat, that we had to deal with Christmas decorations. And then the curve balls came, and they kept coming. Cobblestone was asking for a deposit for “renting” the space. The Front Office wanted to help support travel and the atmosphere, but kept dragging their feet. Bud worked MIRACLES for hotel blocks. Several of our regular partners set aside blocks for fans at a discounted rate that even beat their Black Friday sales. We had space. Bud continued to work, getting quotes for busses down, and negotiating with Cobblestone about what the day would look like. All this while Ravi was working with our partners to see if it would even be possible to have Columbus beer down in Cincinnati for this game, at this bar, that doesn’t typically carry these beers. Everyone was fielding questions about the lottery, memberships, what would travel look like, where are the seats, and any other number questions that came our way. Then, the Front Office said we’ve got the busses covered, does two work? By this point it was Wednesday before the game, most people had made plans, but those busses were nearly at capacity for this game. Our fans are amazing. And we travel. Game day, emotions are running high, and yet another curveball, the front office wanted us to sign a waiver for them, claiming responsibility for the bus trip, that had already left Columbus. As a board, we agreed this was ridiculous, as we did not hire the busses, or sign the contract. It got to the point that Ty came and found us to try to get us to sign. Bud and Katie stood their ground and said no.

The day continued, and we made our way to TQL. The game ended in only the best way possible, with everyone losing their voice, and our boys winning on the field. After a miraculous 3 goal comeback, we were headed to the finals, which meant another work of non-stop, high paced work, all while completing our day jobs.

Ticketing for this game was a separate mess. Because of the short turn around and the new ISC regulations about tickets, we had to wait for Cincinnati to give us a number. The number we were given was not the final price we paid for those tickets. In all, we lost over $2 per ticket because of this. Between that, and fees for every transaction, HiR 3.0 cost the Nordecke nearly $1,000 in just ticketing alone.

12/3 – MLS Cup tifo work started.
12/8 – pre-cup party at Wolf’s Ridge.

12/9 – MLS Cup Final – Columbus Crew vs. Los Angeles Football Club. Tifo. Pregame Block Party at Battelle Plaza, March to the Match. Watch parties at 11 partner locations.

The DRAMA from the week leading up to the cup was real. I’m sure we are all aware of Sponsor23, but are you aware of everything that transpired Monday to ensure that OUR fans were in the stadium? Before we get to that, on the trip back from Cincinnati, Brandon was already working on the Tifo schedule for the week. When we say we never want to work under these time lines again, that’s because finishing a 30’x60’ banner in a room that is 30’ wide, and maybe 20’ deep is no small task. Not only did we get it done, we got it done faster than any other tifo we’ve done to date, thanks to the volunteer hours of our membership. You showed up for this team in ways we haven’t seen before. It was amazing.

Tickets however, were an entirely different story for this game. LAFC had their presale for the upper deck of the south end at 9am. This was at the same time that league sponsors and priority seating had their presale. Somewhere in that madness, the league code got leaked. Sponsor23. It had a limit of 20 tickets per purchase, could be used anywhere in the stadium, and could be used an infinite amount of times. Crew season ticket holders didn’t get the option to buy tickets until 1pm. By that time, the code had spread like rapid fire, and Ticketmaster’s terrible algorithm hit. Not only were tickets extremely limited, they were being released in such a manner that there was no way to reasonably grab them. The front office made the decision to dump the remaining stock around 2pm. In this time, only one capo, and one board member managed to acquire presale tickets. All of the stock was gone.

Later that night, the board had a meeting with front office to align on the plan for the week. We were no more than about 10 minutes into this meeting when game day atmosphere was brought up. This was when the club became aware of how bad the day had gone in regard to tickets. We told them that none of the people they depend on to sell their product had been able to get tickets and that the tickets allotted  to the Nordecke would be used predominately to get the people who create the atmosphere – Capos, Drummers, Tifo, Brass –  in the door. We’d spent the afternoon collecting names, number of tickets needed, and all the other details to ensure those aspects were at least in place. This meeting was hard – having the team ask things of us and telling them that none of us had been able to get tickets and that we were scrambling to come up with a plan. We made the point clear, we shared the social media posts from members, fans, and others lamenting the ticket sale process. By the end of this meeting Ty looked defeated as he took in our concerns in real time, but he asked for permission to take our stories into the leadership meeting he had after. He stressed that the club just wanted our fans to be there and something would come together. We of course said yes. Anything to help our fans.

At 10:30 that night, the front office made the announcement about cancelling all the Sponsor23 tickets, and reopening presale, with much better guidelines. This front office is not the front office of old. They truly want the fans to have the best experience. Even with the ticket sale reset, it still took an additional 2 days to ensure that everyone that needed to be in the game had tickets, and that those who could be moved to the Nordecke were. There was constant communication around tickets and the game day experience.

While this is all happening, we are still trying to figure out tailgate. We had been told North Lot was a no-go because the MLS was going to need the space. This meant we had to start searching for other locations. We looked at bars, open lots, across the river, parks, everything within walking distance of the stadium. It wasn’t until Friday afternoon we finally had the Batelle Plaza secured. Because of the short notice, and not being able to adequately tailgate, actions turned immediately to reaching out to residents on the plaza to see who would be willing to do a large food order for the game. We were lucky we had just over 24 hours to set this all up. We were able to bring in food for members at Whistle and Keg prior to the game.

Something that happened for this game but was lost in the shuffle, the Nordecke donated $1,996 to the West Virginia Hospice in honor of Randy Sims. We made sure that donation was not made until after midnight, so that the donation date reflected the date of the cup.

12/12 – Championship Parade
12/14 – Monthly Board Meeting – prep for Elections, AGM.
12/17 – Annual General Meeting
12/18 – 2024 Elections begin – nominations/declarations open until 12/31. Voting open 1/2-1/15.