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Anyone Tired of the Money Grab with these Tournaments

What's on your mind?

by lampho3 » Tue Jun 30, 2015 4:23 pm

Are there families out there tired of the money grab? We pay dues each season, we have to stay in the tournament hotels (at a premium rate)...some tournaments charge gate fees. Not to mention, travel expenses and food.

We were in ATL last fall and they were charging $10 gate fee per person. Never mind that we only had 1 game that day! With a family of 4 (not including the player)...siblings that half the time are bored to death and just there because of the player. Outrageous! Teams need to start revolting and quit going to these money grab tourneys!

CO Sparkler is charging $10 per game to watch the stream! Really?!!! Lots of family's cannot afford to travel and send their kid with the team...so now they charge $10 per game just to watch your kid play....what if your kid did not playing that game?

Spending a weekend on the SB fields used to be fun..not anymore.. Its become a Big Business on the backs of our kids! 1 more year of this mess and cannot wait to be done with it. I still love the game...but HATE the money grab. The big Travel organizations (TX/CA) need start boycotting these tourneys and make this mess stop and make the sport fun again.
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by artomatic » Tue Jun 30, 2015 7:15 pm

Your observations are noble but to quote the immortal Del Griffith, "We'd have more luck playing pickup sticks with our butt-cheeks" than things changing.
By the way, the top teams sometimes have their fees reduced or even waived at the big tournaments...
Deserve's got nothin' to do with it.
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by as the world turns » Tue Jun 30, 2015 9:09 pm

As long as there are sub-standard teams willing to spend these fees with minimal chance of player recruitment, there will be people out there willing to take the money. Who exactly is at fault here? Top teams and players pay very little, who do you think is paying their fees when a tournament invites them?
“Life is hard; it's harder if you're stupid.” John Wayne
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by jonriv » Wed Jul 01, 2015 4:27 am

If you don't like, don't go

$$$$ speak much stronger than words
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by lampho3 » Wed Jul 01, 2015 5:02 am

Top Teams may not pay to enter the big tournaments....but does the team organization refund any of that money to the families or spread the wealth to cover travel costs? No!

The families are the losers!

Dues are still due in the Fall and Spring. Don't know how much the various teams pay,

If we all have the attitude that you cannot fight City Hall.... then NOTHING will ever change.
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by Yardball » Wed Jul 01, 2015 6:27 am

Finally someone who feels my pain! :lol: But I honestly feel for what you're going through. As a father of 5 (1 being the softball player) just food expenses alone can get pricey. The rooms, gas and everything else that is a necessity it's hard to say yes to these tournaments. Parking/gate fee's are somewhat overkill! I would say at some point you would have to say is it worth it? What is the bigger picture and what are WE as a family including the player getting out of it? If you feel that it's something that the child would benefit from then so be it.
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by Pale Rider » Wed Jul 01, 2015 6:36 am

It has gotten ridiculous...with no end in sight.

Pay to play motels...Reservations months in advance. Ridiculous penalties if you don't (or cant afford) their choices....
Which travel agencies doing it don't care where they put you...as in SAFE places...
Just wait till motels start ramping up rates due to big tourneys...like local motels who on SEC football weekends change their rates from $100 a night to $425...or at NA$CAR races where motels go up and have a 5 day minimum...
I'm glad folks take the time and energy to put on these events...but the profit margin seems to be a bit ...high...
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by jonriv » Wed Jul 01, 2015 6:41 am

Get used to it, because it continues into college! For four years had to pay for dd's trip to spring tourney in florida(what the team did not raise). Plus airfare and hotels for family, rental car and entrance fee to watch games

If you don't think it's worth the money, don't pay! If you do, stop whining
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by Pale Rider » Wed Jul 01, 2015 8:27 am

jonriv wrote:Get used to it, because it continues into college! For four years had to pay for dd's trip to spring tourney in florida(what the team did not raise). Plus airfare and hotels for family, rental car and entrance fee to watch games

If you don't think it's worth the money, don't pay! If you do, stop whining


Joan...;)
I don't think you know how much its changed since you did it.
Your kid hasn't been on 'The Trail' in an least 4 years...especially on teams who compete nationally...
So in todays tourney trail, you have no clue.

As far as your college having to raise funds...that's a school issue.
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by jonriv » Wed Jul 01, 2015 8:38 am

The school raising funds is more the rule than the exception. This is true even in D I

Again if you don't think the "trail" is worth it, don't do it. No one is forcing you
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