Elite Showcase

[Fasterpitch]

Just got a break from the Elite Showcase tournament.

In the past this tournament has been nice with alot of great softball. It seems that this tournament has fallen victim of to much success. It has turned into a HUGE money making event.

Approx. $600 for entry fee x 154 teams
$10.00 gate fee

Do the math......

They changed locations this year, and they claimed it was better for the tournament. They have got to be crazy. One comlpex is decent, one is horrible with no TD, both are adult softball fields.

They claimed to have 250 coachs signed up to attend. They were telling stories. I have seen appox. 20 coachs at the most.

I have to admit that any day watching softball is a good day. I just have seen alot of the large tournament struggle to get started , then when teams come, they take advantage of the softball community.

Go to the Elite website. They are throwing "showcase tournaments" together, putting on the site that 100's of coachs are showing up then, nothing. ( like the promised). These are only HUGE MONEY MAKING project and only a few are making a profit. A HUGE profit.

2 cents

[Joe]

Try Ronald McDonald - lots of teams but well run

Southlake/Batbusters - by invitation only limited to 24 gold teams, $150 per team.

Glory runs a good one in McKinney, also lots of teams, some with 8th graders. $$$

[sscoon]

We felt the tournament was actually better than the same tournament last year. Last year it was held in neighboring McKinney. The parks in McKinney that were utilized last year were much further apart than those in Plano, which I know was a major complaint. Additionally, the bathrooms at the City of McKinney parks last year were some of the WORST bathrooms I have ever seen in my life. I do know that this was another major complaint from those attending. This bathroom issue did not include the ones at Craig Ranch, just the ones at the city-run parks. Field conditions at one of the city parks was AWFUL.

The entry fee was $350, plus $30 per game for umpires. Gate fee was $5 per person per day OR $10 for a weekend pass, which, if your team made it to today's bracket games, was fair. HOWEVER, unlike so many other tournaments, you could bring in your own food and drink, cooler, etc. So they charged for entry, but they did not force you into using their concession stand, which, in my experience, is going to cost MUCH more than $5 per day even if you only got water. We have been to many tournaments where the entry fee was higher, game guarantee was much lower, still had a gate fee and allowed NO outside food or drink.

We gained a lot of exposure for our team this weekend, saw a lot of college coaches, definitely more than our old team saw last year. The rotation of the games and teams was fair and equitable among the parks, which also did not occur last year. Overall, I think it was much better. They did seem to be short some umpires, and I heard a few umpires left in ambulances due to issues with the heat. I also think it would have been wise to open up more of the gates at Heritage since the parking is not the best situation and the heat was lingering around 100.

One thing to note, the City of Plano charges a HUGE amount to use the fields at Heritage Yards. The fields sit empty most of the time because the fees are so high, I do know of a tournament which had inquired there decided against Heritage Yard because they would LOSE money on the tournament since Plano charged so much for the field use. You would think that Plano would let up on the fees, as the huge amount of money that is brought into the local businesses around there definitely makes up for it on these big tournament weekends.

[Fasterpitch]

I could be wrong about the fee, and if so I am sorry.

We played at the Main complex and the main field both days. The coachs were not around as you are saying. When Elite posts 253 coachs and 20 show up then there is a problem. I dod not see any D1 at all. Of course I could be wrong.

We have a choice as does everyone else. Next year we will make a different choice.

[heybuckethead]

I saw:

UT-Dallas
UT-Tyler
LaTourneau
McClennan Comunity College
Eastern Oklahoma
Mississippi Valley State
Missouri State
Grambling
University of Central Arkansas
University of Louisiana Lafayette
University of North Texas
Midwestern State University
Millsap College
Sterling College
Angelo State University
Maybe five or six other small schools I can't remember.

Wondering what everyone else saw. Certainly no large turn out of Div. I or II colleges as in years past. Where was everyone?

[Demonboy]

I saw:

UT-Dallas
UT-Tyler
LaTourneau
McClennan Comunity College
Eastern Oklahoma
Mississippi Valley State
Missouri State
Grambling
University of Central Arkansas
University of Louisiana Lafayette
University of North Texas
Midwestern State University
Millsap College
Sterling College
Angelo State University
Maybe five or six other small schools I can't remember.

Wondering what everyone else saw. Certainly no large turn out of Div. I or II colleges as in years past. Where was everyone?

A virtual who's who of the bottom 25.

[Fasterpitch]

As I have been saying, the Elite promised th world and knowone showed up

[DonnieS]

>> A virtual who's who of the bottom 25.<<

University of Lousiana Lafayette

Oh, really - Lotief's kids were top eight - and I would put money that they will be back at OKC next year. The rest are some very fine schools listed - this snooty shit >> A virtual who's who of the bottom 25.<< cracks me up.

[Fasterpitch]

Donnie,

You must not have been at the tournament. ULL is top notch. Any colleges at the tournament is good, but it was not close to what was on the Elite Website.

[DonnieS]

>> but it was not close to what was on the Elite Website. <<

No I was not there, but the db comments sound like an attempt to put down the schools listed - and ULL is a fine school.