AKC Statement on Use of a Club Name

From:   AKC Sports and Events

This communication is to inform clubs licensed to hold AKC conformation events of an AKC Board policy that was recently approved in order to interpret and clarify the following Rule – “The use of a club’s name for show purposes cannot be transferred.”  (Chapter 2, Section 5 of the Rules Applying to Dog Shows)

The management of an event must be the responsibility of the AKC club which has been approved to hold the event.  To fulfill this responsibility, there are activities that must be performed by the host club, sometimes in combination with the management of a cluster of events.  Responsibility for these activities cannot be delegated to third party service providers.

The policy is as follows -

The Use of a Club’s Name for Show Purposes Cannot be Transferred.

The management of an event must be the responsibility of the AKC member or licensed club which has applied for and been approved to hold the event.  To fulfill this responsibility, the following activities must be performed by the host club, sometimes in combination with the management of a cluster of events.  Responsibility for these activities cannot be delegated to third party service providers.

1. A club officer or club show chair must submit the AKC event application and other necessary documents.
2. Obtaining local permits required to hold the event and paying all taxes.
3. There must be an event committee with a minimum of five club members.
4. Selection of and contracting with the judges.
5. Selection of and contracting with the event facility.  The host club must act as the liaison with the facility and provide the necessary insurance.
6. Selection of and contracting with the veterinarians to service the event.
7. Selection of and contracting with the official photographer.
8. Preparing and posting the Disaster and Emergency Plan for the event, including having a qualified emergency medical technician in attendance.
9. Contracting with vendors.
10. Entering into sponsorship agreements for the event/cluster.
11. Entering into an agreement to televise/broadcast the event.
12. Assigning committee chairs to be responsible for managing the event.
13. Only the host club can decide “other specific requirements” regarding how entries will be accepted.

Long Term Implications 

There are long-term implications if clubs are licensed to hold events and then delegated the responsibility for the event to a third party.

• Allowing third parties to hold events on behalf of the club undermines the primary purpose of clubs.  A large network of engaged clubs will help the sports remain strong.
• Local community interaction and support is necessary for the long term health of the sports and the AKC.  This is best accomplished through the involvement of active local clubs.
• The motivation for hosting a show is different between a local club and a third party.  Clubs are motivated to hold a quality event in order to give back to the sport.  The third party is motivated to maximize profit.
• Separating the responsibility for the event (the third party) from the accountability for the event (the club) increases the likelihood of administrative issues.

Implementation 

The policy will be effective as of the date of this communication.  Contracts signed prior to this date that are not consistent with this policy will not be affected.  However, clubs should realize these contracts will not be allowed to be renewed for future events.

For questions, please contact the Sports & Events Club Development Department at clubdevelopment@akc.org.

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Posted by admin on Nov 25 2020. Filed under Breaking News, Current Articles, Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.