2024/2025 Season Annual General Meeting Minutes

By RyanNews

Atlanta Spurs

2024/2025 Annual General Meeting

Saturday, August 10, 2024

Manny’s Grant Park

  • Chairman’s Report – Matt Gragg, Chairman
    • ATL Spurs was founded in 2012 by a small group of fans who met while traveling to see Spurs’ exhibition games in the United States. Upon their return to Atlanta, they started meeting up at RiRa to watch games. As the group grew, we transitioned to meeting at Meehan’s, which was our home for several years. Since finding our new home here at Manny’s they have given us a place during the difficult times of covid and continued to support our group as we have supported them during this difficult time. We couldn’t ask for a better home pub, a better partner than Manny, and a better staff than they have here. We are grateful to them and all that they do for us!
    • The goals of our supporters’ club are to provide an inclusive community for local Spurs fans to meet online and in person, attract new fans to Tottenham Hotspur, provide assistance with securing match tickets, make a difference in our city through community outreach, position the club as a viable pre-season option for Spurs in the future, and above all else support the team and have fun!
  • Proposed Leadership Committee – Matt Gragg, Chairman
    • Matt Gragg – Chairman
    • Mark Killian – Vice Chair
    • Club – Treasurer
    • Aviva Summers – Social Media Guru
    • Ryan Pedersen – Secretary / Designer
    • Lindsay Macnamara – Community Outreach Officer
    • Member At-Large – Open
  • Approval of Leadership Committee – Matt Gragg, Chairman
    • Unanimous approval was given by the attendees
  • Vice-Chairman’s Report – Mark Killian, Vice-Chairman
    • Reflections on Last Season
      • The 2023/4 season ushered in huge changes for our beloved Tottenham Hotspur. The senior men’s squad sold talisman Harry Kane to Bayern Munich and brought in Australian Ange Postecoglu as the new gaffer. Long time captain, Hugo Lloris also left the club for a new adventure in the MLS. Meanwhile, our women’s team moved on from a disappointing season to appoint Robert Vilahamn as manager. Overseeing the reconceptualization of Spurs is new sporting director, Johan Lange, formerly of Aston Villa.
      • Men’s Team
        • Our men’s team got off to an amazing start in the league behind new captain Son Heung-Min before fading as injuries took their toll on a thin squad. By the end of the season, the team had fully embraced the high line, attacking “Ange-ball” system and managed to hold on for 5th place in the league and a return to European competition. Our cup competitions did not go as smoothly, as we were eliminated by Fulham in the 2nd round of the League Cup and by Manchester City in the 4th round of the FA Cup.
      • Women’s Team
        • Our women’s team also showed great improvement behind growth of homegrown players like Jessica Naz and smart signings of Martha Thomas and Grace Clinton. Vilahamn retooled the squad with many players from the  Swedish league where he previously coached and Spurs finished a respectable 6th in the WSL.  Even more exciting was Spurs magical run to the FA Cup final, which was highlighted by a bunch of late match-winning goals. Unfortunately, the women couldn’t overcome Manchester United in the final. Sadly, Grace Clinton’s loan from United ended so we’ll miss her creativity this next year. However, the future is bright for this young, improving squad.
      • U21 Team
        • Our men’s under 21 team won the Premier League 2 championship. Led by burgeoning talents like Will Lankshear, Mikey Moore, and Jamie Donley, the future is incredibly bright.  Add in new signings Lucas Bergvall, Archie Gray, and Yang Min-Hyuk and we have a plethora of world class players under 21 who will replenish the squad as years go by.
    • The Season Ahead
      • This upcoming season will definitely be topsy-turvy and full of drama as it always is with our beloved Spurs. But with “Big Ange,” “Bob Goddamn” and the kids, it’s going to be an exciting ride.
  • Treasurer’s Report – Reported by Matt Gragg
    • We don’t charge a membership fee at ATL Spurs because we want to be fully inclusive and wouldn’t want a membership fee to preclude someone from joining our ranks. Instead, we use the proceeds from our merch sales to pay club dues, expenses, raise money for charity, and activities.
    • Club currently has a positive balance of just under $4000
  • Community Outreach Report – Reported by Ryan Pedersen
    • Over the last year, ATL Spurs performed two charitable outreach events:
      • The ATL Spurs Holiday Care Drive collected food and personal care products delivered to Intown Cares.
      • The End-of-season Raffle raised money to benefit PALS Atlanta with a $600 donation
    • Potential Community Outreach for this season:
      • Currently reviewing the potential for an ATL Spurs Day of Service event to gather members together to volunteer at an organization
      • If members have ideas for organizations they believe could benefit from ATL Spurs community outreach efforts, they may be submitted on the new Member Portal available on the ATL Spurs website
  • Social Media Update – Compiled by Aviva Summers, Social Media Guru (delivered by Ryan Pedersen)
    • ATL Spurs currently has 4672 Twitter followers – 114 new within the last year
    • Instagram followers surpassed the 1K mark, up to 1,101
    • 1,006 members in Facebook group
  • Secretary / Designer Report – Ryan Pedersen
    • Merchandise Report:
      • During the last season, ATL Spurs released a custom kit in two variations, produced by Olive & York.
      • This year we will be refreshing the Merch line with a new t-shirt to be released soon and a new scarf to be released this winter. In addition, a beanie hat will be offered this winter. 
      • We are currently in the process of setting up a print-on-demand (POD) option on our merch store, offering “Online Exclusive” items – allowing us to offer an expanded selection of items and designs as we will not need to pre-produce product and store inventory.
    • Website Report:
      • New Member Portal was launched on 7/16
        • Is now the central hub for ticket requests – all ticket requests must be submitted here
        • Allows for match day check-ins at the pub
        • Community outreach organization proposals
        • “Spur of the Moment” section to provide your Spurs fandom story
      • In order to remain compliant with Tottenham Hotspur Supporters Club guidelines – we require all members of ATL Spurs to have their CRN on file. Please review your CRN on the Member Portal, and if it is listed as zero, then please let Ryan know your CRN so that it may be updated in our records.