There are several organizations putting on tournaments all over the country. Travel Teams pay good money to attend these events. With competition from TCS,AFA,PGF and USSSA and differences in entry fees one would think these organizations would make their event appealing.
The TCS and PGF events I attended this year were played at very low quality fields and for the first time in 35 years of attending and coaching youth sporting events I had to go to a PGF official about an umpire so bad that even the team we were playing against couldnt believe the calls he was making. The PGF Official just shrugged it off. The PGF Qualifier in Stockton was played at very poor fields and I dont even know why Stockton was picked for a qualifying event. Stockton has one of the highest crime rates in California and while having lunch at an eatery one afternoon Stockton Police told us to be very careful at the fields we were playing at they have had alot of vehicle burglaries there. We even had a shooting right outside our Hotel window at a sweet 16 birthday party being held at the hotel.
The TCS World Series in Reno also had some poor quality fields and the once beautiful Chaparral Turf facility was poorly maintained. With over 88% of the teams being from California why do they hold this event in Reno?
The AFA Nationals held in Fontana unfortunately didnt have alot of teams playing but their organization of this event and their choice of fields is by far the best of any so called major event this year. Maybe the 995.00 entry fee scared some, but PGF which was being held the same time in Huntington Beach and Irvine was 2075.00.
The USSSA Nationals are being held at BLD in Perris, West Covina and Chino Hills.(675.00 Team entry fee) Theres a 10.00 gate fee per day (normally 5.00) however due to the heat this week BLD is allowing patrons to bring in small ice chests with vitamin water and fruit. The fields have been groomed nice but the scheduling is very poor. Some teams are traveling 50 plus miles to this event in Perris just to play one game a day? The updates of games for those who follow are not timely at all and at the Perris facility the USSSA booth doesnt even have a tournament bracket posted and updated.
One of these organizations has to step up and take the lead in giving travel teams their moneys worth. I know im not the only one who feels this way but im the only one brave enough to say something in a public forum. I understand these organizations are NOT non profit but if they want to succeed they need to do more than show a tournament on TV or claim to be the TOP tournament organization in the Country.
Competition makes others better, lets see if the organizers want to listen or is it just about the money knowing if you put it on they will come?