Admission charges getting expensive??

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werent the slammers hobnobbing with A-list celebs in their latest movie, "Bigtrain and the Bats." ??

weren't the Lasers in the space/softball saga...."Laser Brainned" ??

and the Stingrays next movie hits theaters next summer, called "Jaws 5: The Stingray Strikes Back."

hehe, what other movie titles can YOU come up with

 

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Come on now guys.... It cost more than $5.00 to get into a movie and your daughter probably isn't even the star of the movie!!!!!!!

That's another thing we don't get to do. We haven't been to a movie in over 3 years because of the prices (unless the dollar cinema counts).7.50 a piece plus snack stand=not me going. My kids have to chose either their sports or the other stuff we simply can't afford to do it all not with lessons costing me over 200.00 a month and that is just 2 of them going. especially now that we are spending 70.00 to fill up with gas >.

 

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I heard they are starting a proffesional video game league. Once they get Nintendo Wii baseball online, all of our travels will be over. Our kids can play from the comfort and safety of our own living rooms. Just one question though, If she plays in a "no-cooler" tournament, do I have to eat my sandwich in the kitchen? :-?

 

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I wonder if the people complaining about the entry fees have ever ran a tournament. Do you really realize how many hours it takes to put on a 50-100 team tournament??? Did you say volunteers???? We tried that the first year and parents were leaving their stations to go watch their daughter play and their relief parent had not arrived yet. The other problem with volunteers is, can you really depend on them and then hold them accountable??? How many can you trust with cash???
I don't like the "no cooler" rule but complexes have their rules that you deal with or don't use their facility. In the Toledo area we have the following parks:
1. Maumee Rolf Park--8 fields
2. Maumee Lucas County Rec. Ctr.--7 fields--(no coolers)
3. Toledo--CYO Complex--8 fields
4. Sylvania Pacesetter Park--8 fields--(no coolers)
5. Holland-Homecoming Park--4 fields
6. Perrysburg--Rivercrest Park--4 fields
7. Oregon Rec. Center--7 fields
All of these fields charge a rental fee and all of the concessions are part of the complex's profit. If you use multiple complexes, you need some one in charge of each complex, maybe a second person to cover the second quad, gate admission people, shirt and accessories people. Oh, don't forget, someone has to register all of the teams, make out the schedules, make up the rules, buy the balls, figure out how many balls for each complex, deliver the balls to each complex as well as tables and pop-up tents, schedule the umps, get the umpire money, get the admissions money and passes, pay the umps, get field directions for teams and fans, order tournament shirts and other items, price them, order trophies, pick them up and deliver to field. I almost forgot, someone has to deal with coaches who change their mind at the last minute, can't make the early scheduled game, deal with umps who don't show up, show up late, show up in wrong uniform, or show up in a grumpy mood and starts tossing people who complain about the "no cooler" rule or complain about admissions.
Complain about $10.00 weekend pass to watch your daughter play ball but won't think anything about buying a couple beers that they literally are "pi**ing" away within the hour.

 

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While I am on my soap box.... I almost forgot.. since it has been quite a while since I went to the movies.... I did happen to see a sign at the front door of the movies, "No outside food or beverages allowed"..... I assume that this includes coolers. > :'(
Now tell me again, who was the star of the movie???? Where did your money go... to help what cause????

 

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Expressway Park charges $3.00 per day for any 16 year or older for 2007.

It makes a big difference if the complex or fields are tax payer supported or a private complex. Not only have FUEL PRICES gone up tremendously for lights but also a fuel surchage is added on by every company that delivers. Also insurance has taken a large jump. Minimum wage going from $5.15 to $6.85 per hour is a very big hit (I have over 40 employees) unless you are community park running on volunteers to run your tournament and concessions. Expressway Park was hit with approx $4000 per year new utility bill in the last three years for rain water run-off. ?If you have to use diamond dry and extra labor you can go into the whole real quick. ?

In two or three years don't be surprised if one or two or more complexes go out of business in the greater Cincinnati area.

The above things are just a few of the rise in expenses due to major catastrophies (Katrina and the others), rise in fuel, and rise in labor costs.

 

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If anybody would know how things go, it would be fast2home! Very well put!

 

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If your charging all these fees to cover all your expenses, then why host a tournament if it is such a pain? I'll answer that, to make money! So how much profit is enough? That is the real question.

 

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If you cant afford it stay home and play rec ball that is your option.

Some boys do not play Hockeye because the parents cant afford it.

I personally picked up Umpiring to help afford to pay for my DD to play.

Where theres a will theres a way.

 

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I don't think 5 bucks or so a day is out of line. Go to a Toledo City League girls basketball game, Frosh, JV or Varsity and its going to cost you 5 bucks, the Northern Lakes League costs 6.00 bucks. I kind of think most tourney costs are in-line. I will say last year we went to Beavercreek for 13U state tourney. No admission Fee, $1 bottle water, 1.25 Walking Taco (my personal fav.) great grill prices etc, I think I spent more that weekend because I didnt feel like I was getting ripped off. Normally I will pack the cooler, leave it in the car and get what I need out of it.

 

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Is there a no cooler rule at Rolf park? It seems like we took coolers to fall ball.

 

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We have been taking our coolers into Rolf so far this weekend

 

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OK thanks, we always bring a cooler packed with food and drinks. You guys have a beautiful weekend to play ball, hope the tournament is going well.

 

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Let?s keep in mind what makes for a ?good value? for the ?customer?.

Don?t tell me it will cost me $45 for the weekend to park in a cornfield filled with deep ruts and knee-high weeds, and watch kids play on crappy fields at a complex with poor rest room set up, and bottle water sold at $1.75.

On the other hand, charge me reasonable prices, and I am much more inclined to buy your overpriced ?been there, done that? T-Shirts, and buy your $1 a bottle water, $1.50 hot dogs and sports drinks, $3 sausage sandwich, etc., etc.

Pretty easy then to decide which place I want to pick for the next year and future years.
? ?

 

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The profit is whatever the market will bear... this is America.... when the entry fees, gate admissions and other expenses are too much, teams will stop coming....obviously that has not happened since most of the tournaments fill up (at least in the Toledo area).....offer a good product at an affordable price and people will pay.
I think that fastpitchfan11 said it all...... :

 

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It's just like anything else. If people will pay it the organization (company) will take advantage. It's amazing how some organizations don't need to charge to still make profit on very nice complexes and others feel the need to rip people off just to make a buck but then again that is America for ya. It just doesn't make sense but whatever.

 

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fast2home must operate a sports complex. Your right, if people will pay it why not charge it, get all you can get out of the market, we don't like it, don't play here. Well, there are a few tournaments I will cross off my list for next year due to their fiscal philosphy.

Why do parents get so upset when they can't bring in coolers? Because we get tired of feeding our kids junk all day. I have yet to be at a no-cooler park where they serve fresh fruit or vegetables or healthy snacks. I don't think I should have to feed my kids hot dogs and nachos and cheese all day at a tournament just because they want to make an extra buck.

OK, soap box is free......next. ?:-X

 

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Sorry, no I don't... but we do pay thousands of dollars in rental fees for softball complexes. Some of the complexes have a "no cooler" policy which we don't like but we are stuck with it. We also do not get a nickel in concessions. I would agree that if an organization did not have to pay for fields, collected concession profits and charged admission and/or parking... I would have a problem and may cross them off of my list too.
By the way, we paid more than $40,000 in entry fees for our teams to attend more than 120 tournaments this summer. I have more than 275 sets of parents who pay the entry fees and some complain about the same things that we are hearing about here. In one situation the parents could not afford the entry fees..... I asked for and received a couple of free passes for that family.
Organizations run tournaments to make a profit.... they will make it either in admissions, concessions, t-shirt sales, team entry fees or somewhere. Fortunately most people don't complain.

 

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The bottom line (literally) is that this whole process is ultimately controlled by the same factors that control all other commerce in the USA. Someone has identified a service where people are willing to part with cash to satisfy a need or desire. The best balance of Quality, Price & Service will determine who remains. Personally, I tend to shy away from movie theaters where my butt sticks to the seat, but there are folks out there who don't care about that. To each his own...

Market forces work pretty simple - if customers are not buying a product or service, that product or service will eventually go away.