Membership not Required at MCA National Shows!

[ShortyandPatsy]

As a National Director and especially since being appointed National Show committee Chairman I am concerned that I keep hearing the misconception that you have to be an MCA member to register for and or participate in a MCA National / Grand National Show. You do not have to be an MCA member to participate in an MCA National / Grand National show. That is non MCA members can participate in the following classes: LMA (current year models), LMB (youth under age 25), LMC (race/drag) and DSP (Display only) classes. All classes are charged an entry fee which is determined by the hosting regional club.

This matter was discussed at the October 2011 MCA Regional Directors Summit and was supported by the majority of the Regional Directors present at the Summit. The next day, at the MCA Board Meeting, the motion of “beginning in the 2013 show season, MCA requires membership for all individuals entering cars in judged classes at MCA National Shows” was made, discussed and approved by the National Directors present, with the vote to approve including the Regional Directors present. Your MCA Board encourages and wants all Regional clubs to send their MCA Regional Director to our board meetings because they can vote on any matter brought up before the board.

I as your National Show Committee Chairman will work with the host clubs for the 2013 show season to make sure that the all mustang enthusiasts can participate in an MCA National / Grand National Show.

Regards,

R Shorty Brown

[FastDad]

As a National Director and especially since being appointed National Show committee Chairman I am concerned that I keep hearing the misconception that you have to be an MCA member to register for and or participate in a MCA National / Grand National Show. You do not have to be an MCA member to participate in an MCA National / Grand National show. That is non MCA members can participate in the following classes: LMA (current year models), LMB (youth under age 25), LMC (race/drag) and DSP (Display only) classes. All classes are charged an entry fee which is determined by the hosting regional club.

This matter was discussed at the October 2011 MCA Regional Directors Summit and was supported by the majority of the Regional Directors present at the Summit. The next day, at the MCA Board Meeting, the motion of “beginning in the 2013 show season, MCA requires membership for all individuals entering cars in judged classes at MCA National Shows” was made, discussed and approved by the National Directors present, with the vote to approve including the Regional Directors present. Your MCA Board encourages and wants all Regional clubs to send their MCA Regional Director to our board meetings because they can vote on any matter brought up before the board.

I as your National Show Committee Chairman will work with the host clubs for the 2013 show season to make sure that the all mustang enthusiasts can participate in an MCA National / Grand National Show.

Regards,

R Shorty Brown

Shorty,

With all due respect, what MCA is saying to non-members is "you can come to our show, you can pay the entry fee, but you cannot participate fully in the event". And to a lot of folks who might go to an MCA show once every 5 years or so and therefore don't belong to the MCA, that's the same thing as "not participating". Since in my area, there are usually several car shows every weekend, an MCA National/Grand National will potentially lose those entrants to those other events. If the rule had been in place in 2011, at the 2011 Grand National, that would have amounted to $8000 in lost revenue and would have made the difference between our local club turning a profit (which part was donated to charity) or losing money.

[40200]

I know and appreciate that MCA board members and the MCA leadership devote a considerable amount of time and accept a fair amount of personal expense as necessary parts of volunteering to run the club. So I have to assume they give an appropriate amount of thought to decisions such as the one limiting the level of participation for non-members at National/Grand National shows. But why was it decided to approve a rule that discriminates against part of the Mustang community, just because they don’t belong to MCA. There must be more to the story but it would seem to me that MCA should go out of its way to welcome non-members because an open door policy would certainly lead to increased membership. Comments that I read and hear suggest that MCA is struggling to grow the membership beyond 11,000/12,000. If what I hear is close to the truth, maybe non-members see MCA as somewhat less than welcoming. Just my $0.02 but it makes me wonder.

[jacostang]

This was discussed at the Copperstate Meeting this past Sunday... Echos of what was said..MCA wants you to attend their shows but if your not a member your car will not be judged.... Nice..... out of 60 members present, only 4 said they were members.. We used to be well over 50%. This just states we want your money for the show but dont want to look at your Mustang... Really?? Brilliant....

We have judged shows all the time and would never ever tell anyone because your not in our club we will not judge your car...

Biting the hand that feeds you...

[74384]

Before 2013, the club members do all the work for a year or more in advance to hold a national show. Club members raise the great amount of money needed to hold a show. The club purchases the trophies. The club finds and rents the hotel rooms for MCA. And for the most part, members judge the show because MCA can't do it alone.
In 2013 for example, our club has 260 members, 56 are MCA members and they want to host another national show. If the non-members can't have their cars judged, are they going to do all the above? Is this club even going to get a vote passed to have a show? I think not!
This is where the problem is, and for some strange reason, MCA thinks all these people are going to flock to MCA and throw down $50.00. Guess what, it ain't going to happen! I suppose MCA will have to see this before thay believe it!
If I can't have my car judged, and get a trophy that the club bought in the first place, and if I'm reduced to popular vote like any other Saturday or Sunday car show, why am I going? Why am I working the show? This is so in your face stupid, it just doesn't make any sense!

[mustangted1963]

AACA is even more strict. You cant join a regional club without national membership.

MCA insurance covers the local club shows even when only officers /board members are MCA members.