Flag Boomers Vs. Flag Gen-Xers:
Generation Gap causing major problems...

Amongst all the message board bickering and name defamation between organizations, the main cause of these public issues is speared by one thing – the Generation Gap between the previous National organizations and the MCFFU.  Different views, different ideas, different tactics and differences of opinion all have caused the MCFFU to be targeted for extermination and long-time enemies to suddenly become allies for a common cause. 

It’s as simple as this: Baby-Boomer Organizations (ranging from 45-62) and Gen-Xers (average age of 34) do not see eye to eye on many issues, especially business.  By looking at the business structure, tactics and strategies you can see the width of the gap and the basis of all the griping.

The boomer-organizations all have one Director who is in charge of making all the decisions, from rules, marketing, strategies, recruiting, etc.  They all operate using some form of dictatorship, where it’s there way or the highway.  They are the eyes, ears and brains of the entire organization and what they believe to be best for flag is law.   

The remaining three, boomer organizations are located in the Northeastern corner of the United States, which means reputation was and still is extremely important because of limited space.  Therefore by creating differentiation and mastering the art “defamation” with “perception by deception”, they were able to compete in such a small area over the years.  Though this kept them competitive in their regions, it prevented them from working together and most importantly from expanding beyond their current region. 

If you spend all of your time battling over regional teams and you are the only person in your organization, when do you have time to expand?  How can you get someone on the other side of the country to work for you without ever meeting them or successfully selling your vision?  How can you grow without changing something?  You can’t, it didn’t and here we are. 

Now if one of these organizations began losing to another organization in one particular style, they would just create a different style by making changes in hopes of creating a new market, (leading to the multiple styles of the same form of flag and no growth).  Point systems, national rankings and bid credits that can only be used in their events (similar to the system used by the Union, which was taken from the boomers) were also created to combat the others – differentiation. 

So with all of the organizations in the same region, the fight has always been over the credibility of ones name.  Since they all were competing for the same territory, the perception of each organization by the participating teams was crucial.  So if at any time the majority of the influential teams began to sway towards their competitors’ attacks on their name would begin to bring them back.  This is nothing new – the same organizations now teaming up to defame the Union name once and still view each other as crooked, untrustworthy or dishonest, they just have a common enemy who is not an original “flag football country club member” to hate now – defamation.

Now that brings us to the Gen-Xers, who at the time viewed these organizations as “the” national organizations of flag.  The Gen-Xers by nature operate more aggressively; with more risks, seeking new ways to accomplish the same goals and are eager to attempt new ideas and strategies – you can find this behavior in any industry.  Gen-Xers do not follow the same rules and regulations just because; the next great idea is always one idea away.  Dictatorship is not practiced and intimidation is not a factor.

So here is where the generation gap causes major problems.  As the boomer organizations attempted to move outward seeking new directors to help expand their organizations nationally, they began to team with Gen-Xers who were beginning to get into the flag business and eager to work and put their new ideas to work, only to have them rejected.  Now by resisting their ideas, ignoring their suggestions and asking them to follow dictatorship the gap was created and has been widening ever since.   What would it have really hurt for them to have altered their strategies, render power to various regions and listen to their director’s suggestions and ideas? 

This explains the forming of the MCFFU (and possibly other independent organizations) along with the purpose for the public assaults on the MCFFU’s name and reputation by these organizations.  One by one, they each have taken aim at the Union and voiced their dislike of our business practices as well as our presences.  The question should be, what did they do to break into the flag business many years ago?

Being the better organization or offering a better product/service, as crazy as it sounds really has nothing to do with being the top organization.  Older teams especially, play where they are comfortable first and by whom they recognize name-wise, participating.  Services are never the focal point to attract teams by the boomers; strength and value of their name is and the boomers know this. The more value and history you behind your name the more forgiven teams are of your mistakes.  New comers have to feel the wrath of every mistake, which is completely understandable – you have to earn your way to the top.

Even the majority of the individuals on the message boards voicing their discomfort or distrust of the Union are of the boomer-generation, which explains a lot.

Now as far as working together, no one can realistically expect the Boomers to willingly relinquish some of their control and team with a group of younger Gen-Xers whom are all for change and try something new.  While on the other hand, no one can expect Gen-Xers to accept the current state of flag and suppress their ideas, curiosity and visions of how flag football could be and return to a dictatorship, which lead them to venture out in the first place. 

Nor is it possible for anyone to believe four major organizations can co-exist without any friction what so ever in a condensed area and limited top-tier teams (Especially in the East).  There are only so many options in a saturated market, therefore sooner or later paths will cross and when they do, expect defamation to begin and partnerships to end.  No one owns the rights to any territory, only the right to compete.  And believe it or not, national organizations’ competing is good for flag football no matter how you view it.

Throw-Back Article: Good Ole Healthy Conversation: National Flag Wars