>The New England MG T Register and its officers are circulating letters
>protesting the (rumored?) establishment of the MG Car Club of England
>in the U.S. Does anyone know of this. Is the MGCC indeed trying to
>establish Centers here. Many MG clubs are members of the MGCC, but
>as I understand, the MGCC (England) is trying to recruit members
>
>Dan L. Philen att!akgua!dlp
>Editor, Southeastern MG T Register.
>---------------------------more added----------------------------
>It seems more explanation is needed.
>As added explanation, where is an excerpt from Dick Knudson's recent
>letter to the local chapters. Dick is President (king) of the NEMGTR.
>
>"The M.G. Car Club of England is starting a new M.G. Club in North
>America appears to be a purely commercial venture. They intend to go
>head to head with all existing clubs and registers here and to put
>them out of business. They have appropriated a large sum of money for
>this purpose and have sent Phil Richer over here for an extended
>period of time to organize this new club and to enlist all of you as
>members of this new club. They will have a full time, paid staff in an office
>over here. As an aside, the Register has been going on for over
>28 years with an all volunteer effort. It seems they know better
>what we Americans need than we do."
-------End of quoted material from letter.
>
>There is more, but you get the idea. Like I said, There is LOTS of
>paranoia here. I just want to get the real story on what is happening
>here. Over the week-end I got a three page single spaced letter from
>Dick Raymond (a director of the NEMGTR) raving about all of this, and
>how unfair and presumptous it is of the English, etc... lots and lots
>of paranoia. There has to be an underlying reason for all this concern.
>I am a member of the MGCC and the NEMGTR - what is the big deal?
As the past president of Vintage Triumph Register, I'd be less than
enthused about any similar proposal from the TR Reg of England that
might be directed at American Triumph owners. We (VTR that is) have
maintained a general position (shared I believe with the UK clubs)
that we do NOT go after UK members and they do not go after ours.
While we and the UK both have overseas subscription rates, we do not
directly advertise in UK publications and they have yet to do so in
USA publications. In short, we work together for our own mutual benefit.
We are clubs that cater to a particuar marque AND a specific (USA vs UK)
membership base.
So, what's the paranoia on the part of the US MG clubs? I'd say it
is a well voiced concern. To be sure, there is much missing as
to the why of the UK MG venture into the US, but I think the concern
of the NET Reg (which is really the USA MG T club for all intents and
purposes) is well founded and until there is more detail I think
the encroachment into the USA by the UK group should be viewed in
a highly skeptical fashion.
One thing I will offer, and this is based on my understanding (correct
me if I'm wrong here folks) that the UK MG Club is a multi-model
(that is all MGs, T, A, B, C, etc) organization, is that maybe the UK
club sees a void here in the USA. The void being the result of there
not being any single USA entity (club) to which ANY MG owner can join,
regardless of the model MG owned. This I believe is because the US
clubs are each entities unto themselves...MGT Register, North American
MGA Reg., American MGB Assoc, North American MGB Assoc. (did I leave
any out?).
Anyway, just my $ .02. It should be interesting to see where this goes,
please keep the list posted as events unfurl.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bill Sohl (K2UNK) BELLCORE (Bell Communications Research, Inc.)
Morristown, NJ email via UUCP bcr!dancer!whs70
201-829-2879 Weekdays email via Internet whs70@dancer.cc.bellcore.com
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