This is the beginning of exactly what we thought would happen. Volero will want to insure that Biel stays in A Division... otherwise this partnership has no sense. And I don't see Biel doing it's best to beat the Zurich-based team either.
What is exactly your Problem with the Volero - Biel thing? Geneva also just got a new Ukraine setter, the ligue will change probably a lot during the next cople weeks... As usual every year.
During the game that was opposing Sagres Neuchâtel UC to FKB Volley Düdingen, at the end of the third set, the Freiburger team was playing during a few minutes with six foreign players. The win of the third set allowed Düdingen to return to the charge 2:1. We’ll see in the next days if that "mistake" brings suit.
There was no problem. The rules of the Gentlemen Agreement have not been broken with this changes.
What is exactly your Problem with the Volero - Biel thing?
As of today, I have no problem. I'm just worried that in due time, this will influence the final result of the championship. I can perfectly understand everything and I also confirm that there is nothing illegal, of course. But ethically, this is arguably a timebomb.
Let's not get upset too fast, and let's see what the championship will bring ! It might make it much more interesting. Nevertheless, we still seem to have a problem capturing media attention.
Does anyone out there know of a newspaper, magazine, radio or TV that has a regular follow-up of the Swiss National Championship for women ? With analysis, etc... ? If so, kindly feedback !
Thanks to all of you !
Honestly, I’m afraid you will have to create that newspaper yourself. But the good news is that if you do so, I’m in. It would be very challenging to launch a new magazine or webzine. What do you think?
It would be very challenging to launch a new magazine or webzine
I'd just live to. But for the time being, I just don't have the time ! It's in the drawer for better days... 
Honestly, I’m afraid you will have to create that newspaper yourself. But the good news is that if you do so, I’m in. It would be very challenging to launch a new magazine or webzine. What do you think?
theoreticallly you would "just" need 1-2 enthusiastic persons in every region (ideally in every clubs environment) who will write some words for a game recap and take some photos. an interview would be the icing on the cake, but with a normal digi (photo) cam you can make adequate youtube videos these days without not too much effort. put this all together with a skilled webmaster who is able to host a Wordpress/joomla or any other CMS and maintain some twitter/facebook web2.0 stuff for live feeds and you'll have a 1A++ web based magazine. sounds easier than it is, but it's not impossible. 
but to be honest. we're working on this idea for some months here in germany (on a fan based level - we're lucky to have some other media (press and internet) sources here, who are covering womens volleyball) but we're still just covering our own club and have been able to link with only a couple of other clubs webmasters. progress is still on a microscopic level. 
we're working on this idea for some months here in germany
This is interesting news. I've already tried out a project like that and even once reserved a website name !
Nevertheless, the question is how to make money with it. Not that we mean big amounts to pay out professional journalists and reporters, no ! Just enough to cover our basic costs and perhaps help out a bit with equipment and travel expenses.
Ideas welcome - I bumped on that question and just didn't find a satisfying answer ! 
theoreticallly you would "just" need 1-2 enthusiastic persons in every region (ideally in every clubs environment) who will write some words for a game recap and take some photos. an interview would be the icing on the cake, but with a normal digi (photo) cam you can make adequate youtube videos these days without not too much effort. put this all together with a skilled webmaster who is able to host a Wordpress/joomla or any other CMS and maintain some twitter/facebook web2.0 stuff for live feeds and you'll have a 1A++ web based magazine. sounds easier than it is, but it's not impossible.
but to be honest. we're working on this idea for some months here in germany (on a fan based level - we're lucky to have some other media (press and internet) sources here, who are covering womens volleyball) but we're still just covering our own club and have been able to link with only a couple of other clubs webmasters. progress is still on a microscopic level.
In Germany you already have the Volleyball Magazin. A few years ago, I had subscribed to it but finally canceled the subscription. Volleyball Magazin is not exactly made for the fans but rather for volleyball players. What would you like to bring to the fans, what kind of information? How is it possible to draw the attention of people that don't play volleyball, that are just interested spectators?
This is interesting news. I've already tried out a project like that and even once reserved a website name !
Nevertheless, the question is how to make money with it. Not that we mean big amounts to pay out professional journalists and reporters, no ! Just enough to cover our basic costs and perhaps help out a bit with equipment and travel expenses.
Ideas welcome - I bumped on that question and just didn't find a satisfying answer !
Right now all we do is non profit. Actually we're just covering our local club @home and on some road trips. Expenses for webspace might come in by donations or google ads but generally we use private equipment and some travel expenses are backed up from the supporters club budget.
@quimporte
What we're doing is kind of "from fans for fans" - actually just for our club here. But as i told - we're in contact with fans from other clubs and hope to build a network in future, that might provide us with content from the other clubs to gather it on a "neutral" website. We think about having game recaps, interviews, photos. That's what we're already doing on our website (including a result prediction game).
For drawing attention: web 2.0 offers good tools. especially social networks like facebook can be used quite effective. and additionally we're creating our own side in the booklet that's handed out at our clubs home games.
Swiss Volley has just updated the Volley Guide! As far as I can see, they made several corrections (e.g. Kovtun (Genève Volley), Skrabatun (Biel), some new team pics).
It seems to be a big advantage to have just an electronic version instead of a printout ....
...or maybe should I say in Germany and Zurich. Yes, apart Berlin, Dresden, Halle and Schwerin in Germany, the only host city in Switzerland is Zurich. This will certainly NEVER help creating any enthusiasm for volleyball in Switzerland. But now, don’t expect that all the regions of Switzerland that have been put aside from that major event will help through when everything has been totally centralized in Zurich. Sorry for my lack of enthusiasm, but I’m not concerned at all with an event that takes place up to 90% in Germany, 10% Zurich and 0% in the major part of our country. Maybe that SwissVolley does, but personally I’m not interested in crumbs.
NLA – 4th round (16–17.10.2010)
VBC Voléro Zürich vs. Sm’Aesch Pfeffingen 3:0 25:17 25:11 25:13
VBC Biel-Bienne vs. FKB Volley Düdingen 1:3 25:23 18:25 18:25 21:25
Hôtel Cristal VFM vs. Genève Volley 3:1 25:21 23:25 25:15 26:24
VC Kanti Schaffhausen vs. VBC Cheseaux 3:1 25:19 25:21 17:25 25:12
Sagres Neuchâtel UC vs. Volley Köniz 3:1 32:30 23:25 25:23 28:26 (600 spectators)
NLB East – 4th round
VBC Aadorf vs. VBC Glaronia Glarus 3:0
VBC Galina Schaan vs. Volley Lugano 1:3
Volley Toggenburg vs. VB Therwil 2:3
TSV Jona vs. VBC Schaffhausen 1:3
NLB West – 4th round
VBC Cossonay vs. Volley Köniz Future 3:0
VB Fides Ruswil vs. VBC Val-de-Travers 2:3 (40 spectators)
VBC Volleya Obwalden vs. VBC Steinhausen 0:3
FC Luzern vs. VBC Ecublens 3:0
This is a non-exhaustive list of the unlucky girls (to be updated):
VBC Voléro Zürich: Olga Sazhina (knee injury/out over preliminary round), Alessia Fiumedinisi (out up to end of the year) and Inès Granvorka (hamstring/out over 6 months).
Volley Köniz:
Sagres Neuchâtel UC: Laura Girolami, Sara Schüpbach (torn knee ligaments/out over whole season).
VBC Cheseaux:
VC Kanti Schaffhausen: Vanessa Belli (foot injury), Mirjana Komlenovic (muscle injury/out over 2 weeks).
Sm’Aesch Pfeffingen: Michela Vacilotto, Manuela Burkhard, Joana Winter (Lumbago) and Indira Mestre Baro (knee problems).
VBC Biel-Bienne:
FKB Volley Düdingen: Emeli Schaffer (trapped Ischasnerv).
Hôtel Cristal VFM:
Genève Volley: Stefanie Hochuli (shouder operation/out up to end of the year), Fabia Gnaedinger (commotion/back next week hopefully), Femke Vautier (ankle sprain/back in November).
I noticed that it was a little bit difficult to find game stats, e.g. number of spectators or points per game for each player. I would be very interested in publishing these basic infos as soon as possible. I guess they must not be so confidential, or do they. Would any of my dearest readers make that dream come true? If so, kindly feedback!
I noticed that it was a little bit difficult to find game stats, e.g. number of spectators or points per game for each player. I would be very interested in publishing these basic infos as soon as possible. I guess they must not be so confidential, or do they. Would any of my dearest readers make that dream come true? If so, kindly feedback!
If it was like in other top leagues with official stats for journalists or public, no problem. If there are just one or two teams publishing their stats, it's not fair. Stats give a lot of information about individual and tactical performance - it would not be ok to do it only one way. I hope you understand my opinion. But feel free to come and say hello after the game, it would be a pleasure for me to show you the stats of the match.
If it was like in other top leagues with official stats for journalists or public, no problem. If there are just one or two teams publishing their stats, it's not fair. Stats give a lot of information about individual and tactical performance - it would not be ok to do it only one way. I hope you understand my opinion. But feel free to come and say hello after the game, it would be a pleasure for me to show you the stats of the match.
Sure, it’s understandable. That’s why I was calling up all the teams. It would be very necessary to provide this kind of information in the press. For every sport you know who scored. Why not volleyball?
It would be a great pleasure for me as well to see you after the game. Usually, I have to leave quickly because of the train. There’s only one per hour, so... But if one day, the game is a little be shorter I won’t miss meeting you.
By the way, your last game against Volley Köniz was really captivating. I’m really glad that you won it. 
This issue should be addressed by the Federation - like the use of the video is now. Furthermore, the affluence should be issued in the results information also.
I completely agree with Philipp - either we have all the information or we have none other than what we can collect ourselves. This information should also serve for "MVP" designation, etc.
Nevertheless, despite how eager I would be to manage that, I recall it wouldn't be easy - not all teams can provide professional management for statistics. Clearly statistics becoming public would help promote our players also.
Does it mean that the MVP designation is not awarded on statistical basis and that some teams don’t even have such a basis?
Yes, unfortunately Swiss volleyball has any problems to get in the supporters idea in its communication. For example, the Federation finally decided to publish a Guide to the Championship separately from its official organ. Previously it was necessary to wait until November to discover all the teams whereas the championship had already started in september. And that only because SwissVolley had not the idea of simply shifting the magazine’s release. Such a guide is not less than the fans’ bible.
Concerning the question of spectators, I can imagine that for some teams it’s not very sexy to announce a 100 people affluence for an NLA game. But neverthless, this should be part of the basic information to public as well as a summary of the points per player. The same, for example, as in the Italian La Gazzetta delle Sport. Interesetd people should also have an easy access to more detailed stats, the same as one can find on FIVB’s website for all big competitions. Are these stats provided by the national teams themselves or is there an FIVB staff taking over that work?
