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gameday
4 Posts |
 Posted - 11/05/2012 : 18:42:01
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| This weekend I had to pay $7 to watch my son's 7u team play a tourney at Hobgood. It was also $5 for kids ages 5 and up. Sooooo for a 1 hour pool game for 7 year olds, IN THE FALL, I had to pay $17!!!!! Well, I would have but I went out of my way to drop my other kids off at grandmas because I refused to pay the $17. This is CRAZY..... BPA baseball should be ashamed! |
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ultimatesports10
135 Posts |
Posted - 11/06/2012 : 08:56:21
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| I've seen many gate fees, but for kids..... REALLY!!!!! Isn't it about the kids to begin with? |
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baseball_fan
72 Posts |
Posted - 11/06/2012 : 09:16:32
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| bpa always has high gate fees and charges for kids.. I would assume it is to compensate for low entry fees |
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Ross
60 Posts |
Posted - 11/06/2012 : 09:48:21
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Gameday,
Why should they be ashamed? You cannot run a tournament for free. What entitles you to a free lunch?
Your choice for your son to play, you could keep him at home. |
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touchemall
145 Posts |
Posted - 11/06/2012 : 11:13:21
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| They have travel teams at 7U? |
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KoopsDad
73 Posts |
Posted - 11/06/2012 : 11:38:21
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| Paying gate fees like this should be an expectation in travel baseball as most parks are going to take full advantage. Seems foolish I know for 7u baseball....but then again so does a 7u travel baseball tournament. I guess if you are going to have your 7u player participate like he is a big boy, you are going to pay as though he was. |
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HITANDRUN
436 Posts |
Posted - 11/06/2012 : 12:23:31
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quote:
Originally posted by Ross
Gameday,
Why should they be ashamed? You cannot run a tournament for free. What entitles you to a free lunch?
Your choice for your son to play, you could keep him at home.
I am sure the tournament was not free, but I have been to several tournaments that didn't charge entry fees and they seemed to run just fine. Kids should be free! |
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4bagger
131 Posts |
Posted - 11/06/2012 : 13:29:02
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At first glance I was amazed at the gate fee. But after reading some entries, I agree.
Travel ball at 7U is silly and if you want to play travel ball at 7U then expect to pay these high fees. And they will charge whatever they can get. If you paid it this time you'll pay it again..........
In anticipation of the future question about when to start travel ball: I think 10U is a good starting year but I could see 9U. 4U - 8U is definitely too early..... |
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Ross
60 Posts |
Posted - 11/06/2012 : 13:32:15
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HitandRun,
I also doubt the tournament was free. But that is not the point. The person directing the tournament is a business person and he / she has decisions to make and risks associated with those decisions. They should be commended for taking the time to give kids a chance to play. They should be thanked for offering opportunity to umpires and other to earn money. Instead they get made out to be a villain and told kids should be free. When you put on a tournament and invest your time you can make those decisions and take the responsibility if they do not work out. Whoever put on the tournament should be told "Thank you." |
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Dirtbags
11 Posts |
Posted - 11/06/2012 : 18:40:21
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| Ross, I wouldnt say that they are doing just for the kids. It is a business and they have tapped into it, We have a Director in NC that is bringing in around $300,000 to $400,000 a year and that is just for himself. Charging for little kids and 7.00 a person is too much in my opinion. |
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touchemall
145 Posts |
Posted - 11/07/2012 : 08:25:31
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| They have travel teams at 7U? |
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Big League Chew
5 Posts |
Posted - 11/07/2012 : 10:17:15
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| Touchmall - Yes and they have 7U recreation leagues as well that play spring, summer and fall. Are you surprised kids are playing baseball at 7? |
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HITANDRUN
436 Posts |
Posted - 11/07/2012 : 10:23:23
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Travel at 7U, yeah they have allstars at 6U Dizzy Dean and others same thing only this is fall so people are looking for tournaments to enter to play better competition. I doubt they are playing 4 and 5 tournaments though.
Directors of tournaments do work hard, organize and deal with a lot of crap, but they can also make in a couple of months more than some of us make in a year.
Baseball used to be a sport you didn't have to be rich to play and could still compete against the best teams. Now it is a money maker, expensive bats, gloves, shoes and uniforms, paid coaches, tournaments. And most kids under 15 are not watching the games anyway, they should be free. Parks will get that free entry back in concessions stands but if you are smart like gameday and leave them at home, they don't. |
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watchingbaseball
1492 Posts |
Posted - 11/07/2012 : 11:50:58
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quote:
Originally posted by baseball_fan
bpa always has high gate fees and charges for kids.. I would assume it is to compensate for low entry fees
tournaments that have teams playing from ages 7-u thru 12-u should
have all 12-under free.
the parents bring along the younger brothers and sisters because they have to, not because they are comming to watch the game.
they play on play grounds and in the dirt.
come-on man 12-under free !! |
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watchingbaseball
1492 Posts |
Posted - 11/07/2012 : 11:57:06
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quote:
Originally posted by baseball_fan
bpa always has high gate fees and charges for kids.. I would assume it is to compensate for low entry fees
any tournament that has entry fee lower than 250.00 is going to strong arm teams at the gate.
when you see a lower than normal entry fee ask them what thier gate fee is and run some numbers on it.
most the time you are entering a tournament that will cost you just as much or more and less quality run. |
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touchemall
145 Posts |
Posted - 11/07/2012 : 12:24:21
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| Nope Big League - we played rec ball from 4 to 8 and then moved to travel ball at 9. Did the Dizzy Dean thing each summer and had a blast and paid the gate fees. But we did not go out at 7 years and form a travel team and the complain about paying gate fees. I agree it should always be 12 and under free. |
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gameday
4 Posts |
Posted - 11/07/2012 : 20:22:40
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I don't believe I ever said my 7 year old was playing travel baseball. It is a fall pick up team of all stars to improve skills. I do have an 11yr old son who plays travel "big boy baseball" and we never see these kind of fees unless maybe a SNIT and even they don't charge for young kids.
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Big League Chew
5 Posts |
Posted - 11/07/2012 : 21:05:42
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Here is the main problem. Everybody wants a piece of the pie. Majority of the event coordinators must pay a rental fee to use the fields. This ranges from $150 and up per field per day. Most parks won't allow the tournament directors to get control of the concessions. Either the park or an outside group runs the concessions. The only money the director's control control is the tournament fees and gate fees. Then, they must pay the umpires, field rental, balls, trophies, etc out of this money. Oh yea. A little profit. This is not every case, but a lot of them.
I hate the gate fee, but I see their point. Some events include a gate fee with the tournament fee. Now, I like this idea. |
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biglucy13
99 Posts |
Posted - 11/08/2012 : 09:11:52
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| IF THEY DONT CHARGE A GATE FEE,THEN THE TOURNAMENT FEE WILL BE HIGHER FOR SURE. |
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LLH
98 Posts |
Posted - 11/08/2012 : 10:32:47
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@ Game Day, this is how you started your post
"I had to pay $7 to watch my son's 7u team play a tourney "
You can call it a pick up team or whatever you want. Enter a tournament and and there is always a chance of a gate fee. If you also have an 11yr old son playing travel the only shocker for you should have been the $7 charge instead of $5.
I will agree with you that I don't like paying for 12 and under. It's not like they want to be there and can't be left at home.
Gate fee's are always gonna be part of tournaments. If your team does not like paying them either pick tournaments without them or put together round robins an your own.
Try paying paying $10 a day for 1 game a day with Perfect Game 0r your boy's high school will also collect a gate fee. |
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HITANDRUN
436 Posts |
Posted - 11/08/2012 : 11:39:13
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| I have been to over 30 tournaments and only twice were the balls included and 1 of those was Cooperstown. |
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Big League Chew
5 Posts |
Posted - 11/08/2012 : 14:14:07
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At most USSSA tournaments, the director provides the balls. It all depends on the director. I can't speak for Triple Crown or TBS.
I would rather pay a higher tournament fee so there is no gate fee. Normally, they charge $100 more per team. So $10 extra to bring my whole family (Fri-Sun) is a great deal. |
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kthack
182 Posts |
Posted - 11/08/2012 : 17:46:07
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My son played in this same 7u tourney and I have to admit I thought the gate fee was a little high but we didn't have to pay for the tourney so it cost me about the same, I paid $24 for my family and we were there to the end so not that bad but I totally agree about the kids should have been free....Also I don't agree that 7u is to early for travel ball it's not like we are pitching and ruining anyones arms, it's really no difference than playing 12-16 league games and picking up for tournaments....It's more organized and your kids play with and against better competition...thats just my opiniion....
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BPAMAN
252 Posts |
Posted - 11/09/2012 : 15:17:22
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| The balls were included last Sunday ......& last Sunday was a Two day tournament condensed into 1 day......Your 7yr old team (actually 8U) Played two pool games & single elimination....the same as a two day tournament.....So, you got the same # of games for $7 that you would have payed $10-$12 at a two day...not to mention spending your whole weekend at the ballfield....Your team was charged $95 to enter this event...Oh yeah ...balls & trophies furnished .... |
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peashooter
297 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2012 : 13:27:55
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DON'T play tournaments. They are nothing but a money grab for teams. Call some coaches and play 2 double headers on Saturday and Sunday. You will save a ton and have more fun I promise. The gate fees off-set charging high tournament fees, unless you play in a Triple Crown even when they hose you on all sides. So it will either come out of the team budget or your pockets, but you will PAY for it either way.
On a side note, go watch some travel basketball...one tournament had the guts to charge $15 a head |
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fall gate fees
