Why are we complaining?

[Andrew S.]

This article about Sport Fees for Kids is in the current issue of the Sunday Mail.

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,24990032-5007190,00.html

 

[JWhitty]

Firstly I agree, the fee TBA asks for isn't worth complaining about to me, however I think this comparison is faulty.

This article mentions $254 for the football (the round one!) season. So fo 26 weeks of competition. Even add that much again for new boots and shin guards, call it a $500 season of football.

I make it that I paid $780 for the same 26 weeks of my Tuesday league. $572 for Monday night. No new equipment in either of those leagues.

My point is, we keep comparing the full competition fees against our registration fees, which is not accurate.

 

[RobbieB]

Firstly I agree, the fee TBA asks for isn't worth complaining about to me, however I think this comparison is faulty.

This article mentions $254 for the football (the round one!) season. So fo 26 weeks of competition. Even add that much again for new boots and shin guards, call it a $500 season of football.

I make it that I paid $780 for the same 26 weeks of my Tuesday league. $572 for Monday night. No new equipment in either of those leagues.

My point is, we keep comparing the full competition fees against our registration fees, which is not accurate.

Firstly, I doubt it is a 26 week season, and it is for a 10 year old, not an adult. So add entry fees to the ground fot the parents. Plus, further on in the article there is this:

"While registration and membership fees vary across clubs and associations, a season of junior AFL costs about $190 per player, a season of soccer $120, rugby league about $100 and the state's most popular girls' sport – netball – about $110. These fees also cover insurance.

Parents often also have to pay match fees of $8 to $15.

To encourage volunteers, Ipswich City Bulls soccer club is offering to reimburse volunteer members some of their children's fees at the end of the season."

Again, these are junior fees, adults will very likely be more. For comparison, it costs our juniors $262.50 for their first 6 month season including rego and social fees (3 games, 20 weeks). With the rego already paid for the 2nd 20 week season.

I reckon that is pretty good value, myself.

 

[Jase]

I just payed $860.00 for 3 kids under the age of 9 to sign on at there local Soccer club...There was a line up a mile long on the two days...

That included Shorts, Socks and a Training shirt each...(only ongoing fees will be) Shin guards and Soccer boots... OH and of course medical bills...

Any sport is expensive, just have to live with it...I am sure that if it was free to join Tenpin Bowling then they would just find something else to complain about...

 

[amagill]

Last time I played cricket (a few years ago now), I paid approx. $280.00 for the season, this fee included registration, and match fees. I still had to buy gear though, whites, shoes, etc... So the fees that the TBA are asking for, are rather miniscule in my opinion.

 

[Bowling Balls Australia]

Firstly I agree, the fee TBA asks for isn't worth complaining about to me, however I think this comparison is faulty.

This article mentions $254 for the football (the round one!) season. So fo 26 weeks of competition. Even add that much again for new boots and shin guards, call it a $500 season of football.

I make it that I paid $780 for the same 26 weeks of my Tuesday league. $572 for Monday night. No new equipment in either of those leagues.

My point is, we keep comparing the full competition fees against our registration fees, which is not accurate.

Here also highlights why ignorance is bliss..and that is not having a go at you Jeff, but at the uninformed.........

Of the $254.00, and working off comparable percentages, approx $90.00 (30%) of it is going to the governing body (local association) who in turn hand over a percentage to the state body who then pay a percentage to the national body BUT - I bet not one parent questions where the $254.00 is going. They would be absolutely none the wiser, and as long as little Johnny is getting a game - they would not care. Those registration fees are set by clubs in accordance with what they need to operate effectively, including the payment to the GB.

In a nutshell, in those other sports the registration fee is approx $90.00 (18%) of the season cost based on Jeff's assumption and nobody knows or cares about it. Yet, in Jeff's case alone, his 6 monthly league cost is $1370.00 and his TBA registration fee for that same 6 months is $13.75 which by my calculations is nearly smack on a mammoth 1%. What saddens me is some people are b*tching about the cost when it is such a tiny factor......

Another factor - for $27.50 a bowler can bowl as many leagues as he/she likes, whereas the fees for the other sports are for that association only - if little Johnny wanted to play in 2 different competitions (even in the same sport) - he would have the $254.00 twice and therefore paying the registration fee of $90.00 TWICE.........$180.00 compared to the $27.50 we are paying.........

Are we really all that badly off after all?

 

[Bowling Balls Australia]

Again, these are junior fees, adults will very likely be more. For comparison, it costs our juniors $262.50 for their first 6 month season including rego and social fees (3 games, 20 weeks). With the rego already paid for the 2nd 20 week season.

I reckon that is pretty good value, myself.

Robbie - you and your staff are to be commended for encouraging the young to bowl.

By my calculations, after deducting registration fees, you are charging $3.92 per game & that includes social fees if I read it right.

You are a credit to the sport.

Max

 

[xballs]

Its simple - people are are always complaining we want more for our money - more more more more more more more more! . It's the same thing world wide its called - GREED.

WE are all programmed to want more. People just can't be happy. So no matter what, if charge is $100 year - unless you get car a new car and 2 bowling balls they wont be happy.

No wonder this world is screwed.

Dave K
ps just be Happy and Bowl. If your that worried about not getting enough for your money - Don't BOWL.

I know there wont be many left - but at least what is left are there for the love of the game.

 

[AdrianS]

This is where we should be hitting other sports promotion wise, unfortunately it seems parents are only getting told to bring their kids down for a birthday party

 

[JWhitty]

Agreed Max, no offence taken at all.

I administrate other sports, I get to see a great deal of where the funds disperse with them. My point was merely that we're comparing apples and oranges, sure they're both fruity but not the same thing.

Bowling is expensive because our game rate is expensive, and I'm not suggesting that's anybody's fault other than demand on the industry. TBA's measly fee certainly doesn't make up much of the overall cost.

 

[RobbieB]

By my calculations, after deducting registration fees, you are charging $3.92 per game & that includes social fees if I read it right.

Max

$3.50 per game junior league rate + $1.50 in social. $12 per week, + $22.50 rego.

League practice is $2 a game. At least pretty much everyone who wants to get better can afford to. State reps at any level practice for free.

 

[wchester]

TAKE NOTE AMF!

A full centre at $3.50 per game is better than an empty centre charging $13.00 for the first game. Plus you can't sell many of those $12.00 Burger and Coke meals if there's no one in the bowl.
TAKE NOTE AMF!

And a huge thank you to Robbie Buckley for keeping it real.

 

[jason_doust]

$3.50 per game junior league rate + $1.50 in social. $12 per week, + $22.50 rego.

League practice is $2 a game. At least pretty much everyone who wants to get better can afford to. State reps at any level practice for free.

God Bless You Rob Buckley.

 

[jamver]

That's what I was paying back when I quit after coming out juniors in 1993! Now, I'm lucky if I can get practice (in Brisbane) for $4/game! I would like to practice more, but it's just too damn expensive. I would be down the bowl 3 days/week instead of 1 practicing if things were different.

Does anybody know any centres in Brisbane that have cheap practice?

 

[kitkat23]

we pay $18 per week per league ($5.50 linage x 3 plus $1.50 to prize fund)
to practice during the week/weekend its still $18.
socially its (adults) $12 x 1, $19 x 2 & $24 x 3 games.
Now the owners want to shut us down during the day due to lack of "social bowlers" on the lanes during the week days. (they dont see league bowlers as being their bread n butter, just the social bowlers)
Current management & I are fighting hard to stop that, with the big push being school groups & day leagues.
When i was told they wanted to close us, i politely informed mgmt that the owners could go up and personally tell my hubby (who was in during the day to pre bowl for league as it's now vintage & harvest time out here) that he could no longer pre bowl for his matches for the next 6-8 weeks due to the fact we were going to shut during the day. I could tell you what is reaction would have been, but i dont think its appropriate on a national forum for the sport.
as xballs has stated, it has all come back to down to greed. people dont want to lose their lavish lifestyles, so they charge us more for something that we love.
I'm in 4 leagues this season (at the moment) & i sub for the other 4 leagues running.Last year i was playing in 8 leagues full time. Thank god i'm a staff member and get league games for $10,cause i would not be in so many, if any at all.