For the past 18 years, I have been a season ticket holder of the National Football League’s (NFL) New England Patriots. Pictured below is my seats at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA, the home of the Patriots.

This photo was taken in the summer when there was nothing going on at the stadium, which explains why I am not sitting in them. By this September, I am hoping my seats and all the seats around it will be full on any given Sunday, with fans cheering on the Patriots.

As it stands right now, if things continue as they are, that won’t happen. The collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) expired, and negotiations on a new agreement fell apart. As a result, the NFLPA “uncertified” itself and is no longer representing the players. This same action happened back in 1987, the last time there was a gap in football due to labor negotiations.

Everybody Needs Everybody Else, But At What Cost?

It’s hard for a common fan like myself, or probably most people who are not star athletes or team owners, to quite understand the breakdown in negotiating a new labor agreement. Some have called it the billionaires (the owners) versus the millionaires (the players) and that’s not far from the truth. Issues of salary, plus extending the season to 18 games from 16 and long-term healthcare for retired players are some of the main issues to be resolved.

Where at that scale it doesn’t resonate with me, it does on a much smaller scale, namely within my own business. As part of my Web consulting business Dunkirk Systems, LLC I work with subcontractors, work as a subcontractor to other firms and as well pay myself. When determining project costs and what people I can afford to have on a project or how much I can work for on another, a dollar value has to be determined. Sometimes there is a long negotiation, other times it’s straightforward. In the end, it should be a win-win, otherwise it’s something stuck in the back of my head throughout the project.

Everybody Wants The Games Played

Despite all that has happened, all parties involved want an NFL season. As a fan, that goes without saying. Recently, Patriots season ticket holders got an email from Robert and Jonathan Kraft, the owners and leaders of the team. The second to last paragraph gave me hope in football being played later this year:

We know that many Season Ticket Holders are feeling frustrated by our inability to finalize a deal with the players' union. We apologize for any role we played in that. Please know that we are working diligently to assure that NFL operations get back to "normal" as soon as possible.

Robert Kraft and his family bought the Patriots, a bumbling team, in the early 90’s for what was then a record price. Under his leadership, the team has won 3 Super Bowls and has a shining stadium surrounding by a complex including a Renaissance Hotel, a branch of Mass. General Hospital and a Five Guys burger shop. Kraft has a finance background, understands league finances, and was a season ticket holder before he bought the team. With the metamorphosis of the Patriots over the years, I trust his words and know he wants his fellow fans to be watching games along with him this fall.

What do you think – will there be a 2011 NFL season? Your thoughts and opinions are welcome in the comments of this post.

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This is from The Hot Iron, a journal on business and technology by Mike Maddaloni, Founder and President of Web consulting firm Dunkirk Systems, LLC.

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Business • Strategize • (3) Comments • Permalink

Can QR codes be artistic? Of course, and if you need examples right away check out the QR Arts site. When large corporations use QR codes, many notice. When major corporations do something artistic with QR codes (or anything artistic for that matter) people notice even more. That is, if you recognize it is an artistic QR code.

The accompanying photo is of a bus kiosk ad in Chicago for Time magazine. The familiar red border of Time is clearly visible. It looks like soldiers are walking in a swamp, but they are actually walking in a QR code! The code itself is rotated 180 degrees so all 3 large corner squares are visible, which is a very valid use for them. It is also angled back. Both of these are why I question if to the casual person walking by, will they realize it is a QR code? Upon scanning the QR code, you are taken to a page on Time’s Web site on the topic of war.

What do you think – upon first glance would you think this is a QR code? Your thoughts are welcome in the comments for this post.

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Business • Mobile Technology • QR Codes • QR Codes In Action • Technology • (4) Comments • Permalink

On Wednesday Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signed a bill repealing the death penalty in the state. The next day Quinn signs a bill into law creating a new death penalty, for Illinois Internet entrepreneurs.

House Bill 3659, what was commonly referred to as the Amazon tax bill, changed the definition of what is an out-of-state retailer. If a company has a physical presence in a state and someone from that state buys from them, they must collect taxes on that purchase. If someone from one state buys something from a company in another state, that company does not have to collect taxes on that sale, and – many people don’t know this – the purchaser must report to their home state what taxes they “should have” paid to their state on that purchase! As many people buy online from firms outside of their home state, they avoid paying sales tax.

The Amazon bill targeted Amazon.com and other companies who do not have a physical presence in the state, but do have affiliate marketers in the state. In the case of Illinois, someone like myself, and thousands of others who place links on their Web sites for products, now are considered a physical presence in Illinois for that company. As an Amazon Affiliate, by being in the Land of Lincoln, in the eyes of Pat Quinn, State Senate President John Cullerton and the rest of the short-sighted legislators who voted for this, Amazon IS in Illinois if someone buys from a link on my Web site.

Amazon, Overstock, other out-of-state retailers, myself and many others believe this is unconstitutional. It was pushed by in-state retailers as a way of “leveling the playing field.” But does it really? By canceling affiliate partnerships with Illinois businesses and residents, Amazon remains an out-of-state retailer. Illinois residents can still purchase from Amazon and others and not pay sales tax. Illinois businesses and residents who earned affiliate revenue previously no longer are – and those people were paying taxes on their earnings!

As a result, this is a true lose-lose situation for the fiscally unstable State of Illinois and its residents. But don’t try telling Pat Quinn this. This is the same person, in his budget for the state, had a line-item for repairs to the Governor’s Mansion. Meanwhile, the state is not paying its bills. A disaster if there ever was one.

For myself personally, I did not make a significant amount of money from Amazon. There are many out there whose sole income is from affiliate marketing, both individuals and businesses. There’s no wonder New Jersey, Wisconsin and Nevada have been trying to lure Illinois-based businesses to their states.

Below is the text of the email I got from Amazon canceling my affiliate accounts. A great article on the math of the Amazon tax bill at the Chicagoist blog is worth reading. There is also a lively conversation at Revenews on this as well. I welcome your thoughts on this move by Illinois in the comments for this post.

Hello,

For well over a decade, the Amazon Associates Program has worked with thousands of Illinois residents. Unfortunately, a new state tax law signed by Governor Quinn compels us to terminate this program for Illinois-based participants. It specifically imposes the collection of taxes from consumers on sales by online retailers - including but not limited to those referred by Illinois-based affiliates like you - even if those retailers have no physical presence in the state.

We had opposed this new tax law because it is unconstitutional and counterproductive. It was supported by national retailing chains, most of which are based outside Illinois, that seek to harm the affiliate advertising programs of their competitors. Similar legislation in other states has led to job and income losses, and little, if any, new tax revenue. We deeply regret that its enactment forces this action.

As a result of the new law, contracts with all Illinois affiliates of the Amazon Associates Program will be terminated and those Illinois residents will no longer receive advertising fees for sales referred to Amazon.com, Endless.com, or SmallParts.com. Please be assured that all qualifying advertising fees earned prior to April 15, 2011 will be processed and paid in full in accordance with the regular payment schedule. Based on your account closure date of April 15, 2011, any final payments will be paid by July 1, 2011.

You are receiving this email because our records indicate that you are a resident of Illinois. If you are not currently a permanent resident of Illinois, or if you are relocating to another state in the near future, you can manage the details of your Associates account here. And if you relocate to another state after April 15, please contact us for reinstatement into the Amazon Associates Program.

To be clear, this development will only impact our ability to continue the Associates Program in Illinois, and will not affect the ability of Illinois residents to purchase online at [url=http://www.amazon.com]http://www.amazon.com[/url] from Amazon’s retail business.

We have enjoyed working with you and other Illinois-based participants in the Amazon Associates Program and, if this situation is rectified, would very much welcome the opportunity to re-open our Associates Program to Illinois residents.

Regards,

The Amazon Associates Team

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Blogging • Business • Thrive • (4) Comments • Permalink

Last month there was joy in downtown Chicago as Target finally announced it would open a small-format store in the Sullivan Center, the former location of Carson Pirie Scott, called CityTarget. I say finally as the rumors of this move by the Minneapolis-based discount retailer have been around for over a year. As someone who both lives and works in the Loop, this is very welcome news.

Yet over 2 weeks after the announcement, there is no outward sign the store is opening. As you can see in the accompanying photo, there is no sign or bullseye logo at the corner of State and Madison Streets – only an exhibit by the School of the Art Institute is in the window.

When I heard of the name CityTarget, the first thing that popped into my mind was if Target had the domain name citytarget.com. It does, and wisely registered the name back in 2004. But if you go to www.citytarget.com, there is only a blank Web page. What does the normally boastful retailer have to hide?

Though no official date has been set for CityTarget’s opening, I do hope it’s soon, and I do hope they make some effort to promote it – the long empty windows of this historic building could use a little color.

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Build • Business • Domain Names • (1) Comments • Permalink

The next likemind will be Friday, March 18, 2011 in dozens of cities around the world.

In Chicago, it will be at Argo Tea, 140 S Dearborn St. at the corner of Adams and Dearborn Streets in the Loop from 8:00 am to 10:00 am.

I call likemind a gathering of creative-minded people, from various disciplines including Internet, advertising, art, social media, et. al. For more on likemind, read this great article on likemind Chicago from the Newcity and likemind from the New York Times.

Follow @likemindchicago on Twitter. You are welcome to join the likemind Chicago Facebook group.

Watch for future date announcements at http://likemindchicago.com/ - and Web site coming soon at that address!

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Announcements • Business • Technology • Thrive • likemind • (0) Comments • Permalink