The International Space: 1999 Alliance

The International Space: 1999 Alliance was a Space: 1999 fan club. It was previously called the "National Save: 1999 Campaign", the "National Save: 1999 Alliance", the 'International Save: 1999 Alliance", and finally The International Space: 1999 Alliance. The group sponsored letter campaigns and worked to support "all Gerry Anderson productions".
The group published the bimonthly (later quarterly) newsletter called Main Computer.
Early in the organization's history, two disgruntled members broke away and made an ill-fated attempt to form a competing organization they named The Space:1999 Society.
==History==
Note: All notations based on public sources. Names withheld for known privacy concerns
The International Space: 1999 Alliance (the "Alliance") was a fan-run organization founded in December, 1976, as the National Save: 1999 Alliance. Its goal was to prevent the British television series Space: 1999 created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson from being cancelled in first run syndication. The Alliance was founded by Jeff Jones, Chuck Raue, a Husband & Wife Team (names withheld for known privacy concerns) and several other fans.
The Alliance held its first convention in July 1978, after which Jones stepped down as president (to pursue career goals) with Mare Fitzgerald succeeding him. 
In early 1979, the Alliance formally achieved non profit status which it retained until the Alliance was shuttered. It also rechristened itself the International Save: 1999 Alliance and quickly thereafter took on its final moniker of The International Space: 1999 Alliance.
The Alliance held letter writing campaigns and an aggressive P.R. campaign in order to save the show. However, these efforts proved futile and ITC Entertainment -- which produced the show -- formally cancelled the series before the first Alliance convention had even been held.
The Alliance had a formal set of bylaws which provided for national and international regional coordinators lead by a U.S. National President. The by-laws also provided that the profits, if any, from any conventions or other gatherings was required to be donated to charity. 
The Alliance was also one of the first ever fan organization to actively acquire merchandising rights to images from the show. The Alliance produced a series of best-selling items including patches, photographs, calendars, pins and other memorabilia. 
At the height of its existence, the Alliance had a membership exceeding 3000 people across the globe.
Thirteen conventions, large and small, were held under the aegis of the Alliance from 1978 to 1999. Two independent conventions were held in 2001 and 2003. The final convention using the SpaceCon name took place July 19-20, 2003 in Tampa, Florida.
Alliance leadership, including the president, officers and regional directors, never received any compensation for their involvement in the organization. Additionally, other than the Springfield convention in 1982 (referenced below), the presidents, officers and regional managers never had any personal convention expenses paid from conventions or Alliance Membership monies. At all conventions, Alliance leadership and convention organizers always paid for their own con attendance, rooming, and meal accommodations.
==Presidents & Leaders==
1976-1978: Jeff Jones
1978-1979: Mare Fitzgerald
1979-1985: Husband & Wife team (names withheld for known privacy concerns)
1985-1993: Rose Marie Badgett
1993-1999: Husband & Wife team
==A 1979 Con Report, and Open Letter==
In Alpha Newsletter #22/23 (and perhaps other zines), the president of the fan club (Mare Fitzgerald), had a long con report that was combined with an open letter. The open letter portion of the submission is quoted here. The entire letter is available as a pdf at the "Alpha Newsletter" page.
==Conventions==
See SpaceCon for information about the 13 conventions held under the aegis of the Alliance from 1978 to 1999, as well as two additional follow-on independent SpaceCons held in 2001 and 2003. Also see:
===Related Cons===
* Main Mission: 2000 - New York, New York (2000)
* Earthbound - Tampa, Florida (2005)
* Another Con, Another Place - Calgary, Alberta, Canada (2008)
* Journey to Where - Austin, Texas (2010)
* Alpha: 2012 - Burbank, California (2012)
* Alpha: 2017 - Parsippany, New Jersey (2017)
* Breakaway: 2019 - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania (2019)
Category:Space:1999 Fan Clubs
Category:1978 Conventions
Category:1970s Conventions
Category:1980s Conventions
Category:1990s Conventions
Category:Conventions in United States