Money Saving during tournaments

Lu7997

New Member
Joined
May 10, 2016
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Money Saving during tournament time

Anyone that has played Travel ball (or other tournament sports) is well aware of the cost.

Not only do we have team fees, but travel expenses, hotel fees, food, t-shirts (we all know can't go to a tournament and not get a shirt) as well as entrance and parking fees. There's still all the gear needed to play, kids outgrow this very expensive part of sports quickly!!

Whether on a fixed income, or have the extra cash to spend saving some money on these costly weekends is helpful to anyone. (Heck put the extra money in a jar and take a family vacation that is not centered around a ball diamond and game times)

I have been reading and gathering information from other softball parents for years now. It amazed me at how many people were not aware of some of the ways to save (myself included as o heard some of the options)

I have decided to share what information I have gathered with all of you, and I am hoping that as you read others will continue to add to this list.

Money saving tournament play:

1) entrance fees can empty the wallets fairly quickly before your family even gets in the gates. Some tournaments charge $5 per person per day, some charge weekend fees, and others charge per carload. Doesn't matter those fees add up.

What most people don't know is the tournament directors are usually willing to give team discounts for the fees if paid in advance. Some may be willing to give team passes for a flat $100, this price divided amongst the team members families can add up to large gate fee savings. (Or a team could sell them at value or a small fee less and use this as a team fundraiser)

2) hotel stays. As the girls get older more and more weekends will move farther from home.

Overnight tournaments can not only empty the wallet but break the bank as well.

A few money saving ideas here are: call the hotels and find a reasonable price for the weekend and see if they offer group rates. Some are willing to lower room costs to Expedia prices knowing they will have more guests.

Another idea is to check on town houses for weekend rent. With some air mattresses or rollout cots, several families can share and divide the costs among themselves. Also most of these have full kitchens and laundry, allowing for cheaper meals and included uniform washes. (It may only be quarters but they still add up when you have several loads of uniforms to do at hotels)

3) Food........concession stands are set up to make money for the site or host team, not save the players and families money.

Paying $5 for a semi-warm hotdog and $4 for a bottle of water will leave you not only feeling dissatisfied with your meal but also the bill.

Pack in advance, coordinate with other parents and each person bring something so everyone isn't packing everything, and have team picnics in between games. A lot of places will allow grills and bringing food this way will give the girls some warm food at a reasonable price.

This also helps out when the team is going out to eat, no one wants their child left out but not everyone can afford this. Now all the girls can still be included and parents aren't spending more than they can afford to keep their child from sitting sadly with her PB and J while all her team mates are out.

Many grocery stores or dollar stores will be willing to donate as long as your team has a tax code. Sports drinks, bottled water, even hot dogs and buns for the cook out. This will help everyone cut down on food costs

4) gas prices may be a little lower now but they still get pricey on those long weekend drives
If it is a really far tournament look into tour bus costs, it is possible that everyone can ride together and chip in $15-$20 a family (well under the two $50 tanks of gas per family car) and the girls will have fun riding together.

6)dreaded t-shirt stands!!! Oh yes it is all to easy to drop $20-$40 dollars each weekend on memorable t-shirts!!! I had read once about a mother who would get plain shirts donated or discounted and then brought them with her. Most stands would charge a low price ($5-$10) transfer fee. Now you have a tournament t that cost as low as $5!!!

If you know someone that can do the press some places will even sell the transfers for a team price making the cost even lower.

7) all that expensive gear.....your little slugger may have out grown that $300 Xeno, but that doesn't mean it isn't still a useable bat. Same with $80+ cleats each year. Get together not only as a team but as an organization. This outgrown gear can be passed down to the younger teams. Even have it as a local swap meet and invite other teams to join. Selling these used items at reasonable prices, saves other families as well as your own. (Who wouldn't like some money to put towards the new bat as well as one less outgrown item to sit sadly in the storage shed) **this is also a way that your team/organization can make some extra money. Charge low cost table rentals for other teams and cheap entrance fees and not only are you saving on gear but also adding to the team funds!!!

8) and that brings me to fund raising!!! I know this is a curse word to most families that have done this for any length of time. We all hate asking the same people over and over again to donate to our child's team, or buy something they don't really want.

There are many other fundraising ideas that can give your circle of friends and families a break and still earn the team money. This money not only covers tournament fees, but also helps keep team fees low, cover uniforms bat bags and helmets, (parents do not want to add this to yearly expenses). The money raised can also cover hotel stays and even the buses to and from the games (if your team goes that route)

(I plan on doing another post soon on fundraising ideas so I am not going into them at this time.)

Hope to continue to hear ideas from other families. We can all use the knowledge gained over years to help each other out, allow these girls to continue to play ball at this level, and enjoy our weekends as proud mamas and papas instead of counting how much money we have left to get us home!!!

Thank you for reading (and to those that post and add to this). I always tell my girls, it never hurts to ask; the worst scenario you could find is you pay what you were going to anyways!!! So don't hesitate to ask for group rates, donations, and/or discounts. With that said, I wish everyone a safe and affordable tournament season!!! Play Ball!!!!!
 
Top