Another change to the Membership fees

[Andrew S.]

In yet another magnificent demonstration of forward thinking and advanced planning, TBA has again decided to revise its membership registration fee structure for 2008.

This time they have reduced the fees to be charged to Juniors, Seniors, Disabilities and Pensioners.
Those groups will now be charged $7.50 instead of $12.50.

Those State Offices that have passed on the previous fee structure will now have to go back to all their Associations and tell them sorry we got it all wrong.

Local Secretaries, some of whom will already have started to collect fees for 2008, will now have to start issuing refunds

All of these new fees are highly commendable, but as this is revision 4.0 we can only wonder what the final figure will be, and whether they will they adjust the $12.50 upwards to balance out the loss of income from the new $7.50 fees?

Most of us will have no problem with these concessions as the groups concerned are more than deserving, but why on earth can’t the Board of our NSO make a decision and stick to it?

 

[Samael]

How on earth can they expect to run an organisation on these sort of fees? whats the national membership down to now?, does anyone have any accounting abilitiy? or is it just a case of pulling a figure out of a hat?

 

[Kellie]

I think after reading a lot of posts on here, a lot of people were saying a price for the higher average bowlers and a price for oldies that come in and bowl there league and don't know TBA exist.

So I think maybe TBA took what was being said on board and made the change, too late of a change you say, maybe, but at least they are willing to read and take what members have to say in consideration, and try and work to either improve or correct the way things are done, I mean things may not happen over night, but at least they are willing to start the ball rolling.

I thought that TBA made their prices and then the local associations could put there charge on top of that, so I think any local association can still make money, maybe not as much as they would like but hey any little bit helps.

I look forward to the uproar that my post will get.

 

[sampson1791]

Personally the price for anyone other than juniors, seniors, disability & pensioners should have stayed at $12.50 & put the rest of us up to $25 or even $30.

But what's done is done! Good on them for listening though - sorry Kellie but I agree with you.

Now I'm going to build a shelter to stop the slings & arrows

 

[Vaughnn]

Fee's changing = Lobbying

 

[Andrew S.]

I really dont understand how they can afford to keep funding these overseas trips for the CEO. I believe he is off on another one right now.

 

[DaleS]

Personally the price for anyone other than juniors, seniors, disability & pensioners should have stayed at $12.50 & put the rest of us up to $25 or even $30.

But what's done is done! Good on them for listening though - sorry Kellie but I agree with you.

I 100% agree with both Sampson and Kellie, please make room in the shelter for the rest of us as well

 

[Towie]

Ask Jase how much his license is to race karts is? You will find out that what we pay is far less than in motorsport. I used to pay $177 for a licence then pay up to $2000 per event now that is a bit dear if you ask me. But we payed it because that was the sport that we choose to do. This was as well a full medical each year how many people in this sport would pass a medical to play . I still think this is a cheap form of sport. Like Kellie I will be shot down in flames aswell.

 

[old spinner]

I think we must remember that most of the members of TBA are league bowlers, not tournament bowlers. Most bowl once a week and do not care about were the CEO is, just how mush do I have to pay to bowl. How many bowlers bowl more than 5 tournament a year. I don't like paying to much for a card that gets me not one thing.

Shaun

 

[JWhitty]

I used to pay $177 for a licence then pay up to $2000 per event...

How much is your weekly 'spin' around the track?

 

[Sydpies]

Personally I think for once TBA have moved in the right direction, too bad that it has taken so long for them to act. However if all these fees were discussed and voted on at the AGM then we would have all known this ages ago.

Lets hope that this is the start of more good news from TBA in the near future.

 

[Towie]

How much is your weekly 'spin' around the track?

I only did 5 events per year that was enough

 

[sampson1791]

I think we must remember that most of the members of TBA are league bowlers, not tournament bowlers. Most bowl once a week and do not care about were the CEO is, just how mush do I have to pay to bowl. How many bowlers bowl more than 5 tournament a year. I don't like paying to much for a card that gets me not one thing.
Shaun

Shaun

That's OK but what if one night you just happen to bowl a 298 or 299 or 300? Do you want it recognised?

I know I would.

Personally up until a few months ago I didn't care either about the TBA CEO, but now I do. The is no Nationally sanctioned junior bowler program similar to AusKick or Milo's cricket program. But I'd hope the TBA would recognise the average age of league bowlers is vastly rising while TBA memberships is dipping to seriously dangerous lows.

If we pay our registration/sanction fees then please put some back into grass roots bowling.

Jason

Jason

 

[JWhitty]

I only did 5 events per year that was enough

So you only drove five times in a year? I meant, regular club-meets style things, ie your league equivalent.

 

[JWhitty]

That's OK but what if one night you just happen to bowl a 298 or 299 or 300? Do you want it recognised?
I know I would.

There is an interesting statement. What's the value of 'recognition'? I haven't put in an honour score award request in years - what do we acheive by honour scores in league these days?

 

[Deadman Inc]

I can't understand why TBA has reduced the fee for juniors etc from $12.50 down to $7.50. TBA should be concentrating on increasing membership and the $5 difference in fees could have been used on junior recruitment and development programs. It just doesn't make sense in my opinion. Tenpin Bowling membership is one of the cheapest of any sports in this country and there is no logic in reducing the $12.50 a year membership fee. Soon TBA wont have enough funds to send there "hard working man on a mission" CEO anywhere. Can someone explain to me in detail why people think this reduced fee is a good thing??

 

[Kellie]

The reduce rate is only for juniors and Pensioners; it isn’t for youth or adult bowlers unless they hold a pension card. The fee of $7.50 is cheap enough, why wouldn’t it encourage parents to get there children involved at that price, recruiting bowlers ins't that the centres job, when people are on the lanes having a bowl the staff should go down and chat and see if they are interested in joining a league etc.

I think it is a good move, maybe next year they might put the fees up for tournament bowlers I mean I can see it now the ones whinging that the fee is so low, just think if it went to $50 a year how many bowlers would stay in the game? I mean a lot of bowlers are giving the game away now because of the cost of bowling each week, and the cost of tournaments, buying new homes etc, gees throw another $50 a year for membership and see how long they stick around for. You are saying you get nothing for your fees now, but it seems like you are all happy to pay so much more, now to me that doesn’t make sense. I think the lower fees are a great move in the right direction.

Just my thoughts.

 

[Nighteyes300]

I have said it in the past and i will say it again, Charge tournament bowlers an extra $5, for example, for each event, do the math roughly. Say there are 50 accredited tournaments averaging 150 bowlers @ $5 per bowler thats about $37,500 - it may not be much when you look at the grand scheme of things but it could definitely be used on grass roots, or high performance or to even subsidise some of the clinics that are run.

Just my thoughts

 

[Peter Coburn]

What you guys are overlooking is that tournament bowlers already pay significantly more to TBA than the once a week league bowler.

FYI, based on a 100 entries in a nationally ranked tournament then $2.50 from each bowler's entry fee goes to TBA.

Those that bowl many tournaments could feasible be paying another $50.00 each to TBA.

This income to TBA is called Tournament Accreditation and the fee per national event is $250.00, while there is a sliding scale for state and local events.

 

[Andrew S.]

The original point of this thread was not the actual charge to these groups but the timing of the announcement. The original paperwork from the TBA Office was dated November 1st.
It was the 4th change of mind regarding the fees for 2008 and these constant changes and adjustments only serve to lower the credibility of those setting the fees.
If anyone thinks its not important they should try announcing these different amounts to their Leagues every so often and see what the response is like.
You'll probably learn several new words.
It goes to show that the NSO is still totally out of touch with the mechanics of Local Associations and their Leagues.

Maybe one of the requirements for TBA Board Membership should be that the candidate hold a Committee position in an accredited League.
That might be a real learning curve.