***NEW TOURNAMENT OPTION FOR MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND***

[Iluvblue]

ILB. The money goes to education in those cases. Not sure anyone would complain about that.


Are you kidding me?? Where does that money go to EXACTLY?? It certainly isnt used to pay for books nor a teachers salary. Maybe it pays for uniforms, it doesnt pay for coaches, because as of this year, Modesto City Schools cut all stipends for Assistant coaches. Hell, this will probably be my last year coaching HS, because it will actually cost me over 1k out of my pocket to volunteer my time for a HS team where I dont even have a kid playing. The schools dont even provide bus transportation anymore for teams... except for a couple. So shouldnt the money raised at the gate for HS sports at least pay for buses? They use tax dollars to build the facilities so therefor teams arent paying for fields/gyms for games or practices. So how much do you think it costs to run that HS team?

Yet you have no problem paying 6 bucks for a football game?? Try to take your ice chest full of food into the HS football game and see what they tell you. They have on school field maintenance that they arent paying for(well kid of), yet you want TD to be out there for 12 hours a stinking day, provide great fields, allow spectators in for free and to allow food in the building.

So when your kid is done playing, I want you to start running tourneys and spend about 24 hours a weekend (not even counting the amount of time setting up the tourney) of your time out at the fields making sure the tourneys are running smooth, deal with bitching parents and coaches.... oh and by the way, I want you to do it for free out of the goodness of your heart, as after all, its all about the kids.

[CheckWriter]

It's a free country.

Somebody heard the bitching and will offer an alternative. If people like it better they will continue with the alternative. If they don't they can continue to gripe here but they won't really have a choice but to continue with Grapes and R&R. If there is even a dent and there are two viable options that average out

I know at least one organization that didn't like the status quo so they just stopped going to Stockton altogether and they go to So Cal instead. That is what the orgs whose "representatives" are complaining the loudest here on HB should do as well. I think that is your main point and I agree with it.

If I DO understand your point, I don't think comparing travel softball to "playoff" high school ball or high school football to justify gate fees just doesn't make sense. HS ball cash outlay is pocket change compared to travel ball (although this may change with continued budget cutting) and a significant chunk of the take (at least at DSs' HS - I get to work the concessions every year) from the gourmet burgers and dogs sold (they do have a trip tip sandwich almost as good as Roy's - but significantly cheaper) go to help offset the costs for the kids on the HS team (things like transportation. No Gate fee all year long for the non playoff games. As for the comparison to football -- football is just a bigger deal. It's like comparing NPF to NFL or WCWS to the BCS "Championship" game (don't get me started on the whole BCS thing). To me it doesn't even belong in the same discussion.

I think Nor Call has been pretty much a captive audience and MAYBE there will be an alternative.

As far as the griping on here, at least one of the orgs that seems to draw ire and has taken note and if they end up losing teams and revenue, they'll have an idea why. Corporations now have employees tracking Twitter, Facebook and discussion boards to monitor satisfaction with and complaints about their product. Roy has done it, Haning has made the occasional cameo. For those unwilling or unable, it's their problem if they don't care.

Anyway, starting to ramble a bit. I agree with the point that it's their org / "tournament" (showcase, friendly, whatever you want to call it) and they can do what they want, but I don't think what they are doing and how they are doing it is particularly defensible.

JMO

[dittoz]

Just curious if any of you complain about paying five bucks to go see a HS hoops game, or how about the eight bucks to get into the HS playoffs that cif rips you off with

Nope... I don't complain at all. I also don't complain about the no-admission cost of my DD's HS softball game or my son's HS Baseball game either. I reserve all my b*itching for the softball tournaments in Stockton.

When my son's HS baseball team played (and won ) section championships the last 2 years, we didn't complain about the admission, but then we were playing at a college stadium and not cow-town fields complete with cow chips!

[Under the Radar]

14u So Cal Choppers Pre State Tournament Memorial Weekend.
-Another Option.
The So Cal Choppers will be hosting a 14u Double Elimination Tournament.

May 28 - 30th ( final games may be played Sun. depending on # of teams.)

2 ASA Umpires. All games will be 1 hour 40 min no new.

Bracket Games will be played in Simi Valley.
Semi Finals & Championship games will be played at Pierce College in Woodland Hills.

2011 14u ASA rules. 3 game guarantee.

Cost is $435.00

Clean restrooms, safe parking, excellent fields.

Best BBQ known to man.

Email: mrvalleytribe@aol.com to reserve your spot...

We have lowered the cost to $350.00

[Iluvblue]

Nope... I don't complain at all. I also don't complain about the no-admission cost of my DD's HS softball game or my son's HS Baseball game either. I reserve all my b*itching for the softball tournaments in Stockton.


Most HS's didnt have enclosed fields to charge admission, and because of the times of the games and being during the week, the number of people watching is so small, it isnt worth it to charge. Why isnt the basketball games free?? because they are in evening when people can actually attend. By the way, schools with new fields that are enclosed are starting to charge.


When my son's HS baseball team played (and won ) section championships the last 2 years, we didn't complain about the admission, but then we were playing at a college stadium and not cow-town fields complete with cow chips!

Well HS softball is at the sac sports complex, and it sucks compared to Arnaiz which is more centrally located, but people still got stuck paying 8 or 10 bucks to get in. When the HS start letting people in free for all sports, than I guess I wont have any leg to stand on for why travel tourneys charge to get in also. But HS games will not stop charging anytime soon.

I used to complain about HS admission when you have 2 games a week and would drop 40 plus bucks a week to see your kid play HS basketball. And the costs associated with that HS team are not close to what it costs for the travel team to run.

[dittoz]

I won't argue with you - my experience is just different - that's all.

I believe that if the tournament is being run at Sac Complex or the middle of BFE, it shouldn't matter. Folks should be getting value for their money. It's clear that even if we take out a percentage of these complaints for the piling-on'ers, there is still a general consensus that does not feel this is a value.

I have always heard that BR is a stand-up guy and people like him, but this is a business situation. As we have all said, if you don't like it, you go somewhere else and it's pretty evident that at least 114 people don't like it. Some because of fields, some because of admission and some because there is a personal issue. I've heard them all and after 20 years or so of kids n' sports, nothing really surprises me.

Knowing you and where your team is, you're probably better off in Stockton anyway. Oakdale isn't anywhere near as far as Sac, Folsom and Lincoln and best of all, come Oct, you'll be one of the few invited to the RR showcase!

[Iluvblue]

I have plenty of complaints, trust me. McNair SUCKS. We need fences at fastpitch distances, not 300 ft fences where a line drive turns into a home run. The pitchers area is terrible. Louis Park is really starting to look like shit, so I am not here defending everything as great.

But this is funny. lets say I am from Manteca and complain about admission fee, so I TRAVEL up to sac and get free gate, but I just spent the same amount in gas, plus the wasted time it took to travel.

[dittoz]

Just think though... you spend the same amount in either case but you get to have CHALK, and dirt with MOISTURE, and circles and boxes that are LEVEL. You can bring food into the park and have a picnic and not worry about being SHOT too!

Okay, so I'm grasping but then I live 8 minutes from the fields up here!
Food allowed or not... we can go home for lunch

[downthepipe]

Just a note about the communities in which the two competing Memorial Day tournaments are located:
Forbes Magazine has published its list of America's 10 Most Miserable Cities, as measured by its misery index.
Stockton earned the distinction as the nation's most miserable. Sacramento, on the other hand, was only fifth most miserable, a pyhrric victory at best. At this writing it is not known if R&R Gold tournaments were a factor in Stockton's selection.
Footnote - Stockton did demonstrate a measure of consistency by finishing in the same position two of the last three years, so poor field conditions, gate fees, and inept tournament management could have been among selection criteria.
Merced and Modesto residents, withhold the belly laughs - you finished 3rd and 4th in the latest rankings.

[Old Darter]

[url]

Just a note about the communities in which the two competing Memorial Day tournaments are located:
Forbes Magazine has published its list of America's 10 Most Miserable Cities, as measured by its misery index.
Stockton earned the distinction as the nation's most miserable. Sacramento, on the other hand, was only fifth most miserable, a pyhrric victory at best. At this writing it is not known if R&R Gold tournaments were a factor in Stockton's selection.
Footnote - Stockton did demonstrate a measure of consistency by finishing in the same position two of the last three years, so poor field conditions, gate fees, and inept tournament management could have been among selection criteria.
Merced and Modesto residents, withhold the belly laughs - you finished 3rd and 4th in the latest rankings.

So only one set of fields for the Memorial day tournament is in the city of Sac (the complex), better comparison would be Rocklin or Roseville.

And you forgot to mention that Modesto was #4...

Let's keep the strike zone consistent here.