How much $$ is too much?

[Alice]

I am curious what you experienced travel ball folks consider to be reasonable dues? In our research to find what team tryouts to go to, I have found a wide range of dues. Some seem reasonable and others bordering excessive. I know it would not be proper to post what teams pay what. But if you could provide a range and what you would consider top dollar, I would appreciate it.

[fpmom]

There really isn't an unreasonable or amount too much; you should know what your daughter will get for the money paid. For example, know how many tournaments the team will enter, fees for entry, uniform and equipment costs, etc. If you are paying $1000, but daughter is only playing four small tournaments and receives one cheap uniform and must provide everything else, you are being taken advantage of.

Our team coach provides a budget, showing what daughter will receive for money rendered. It also shows that no money will be spent by coach for his own expenses....some coaches charge extra so their hotel fees and gas expenses are paid, even though they have a daughter on the team and would have to travel and lodge anyway!

Parents are also given the option of fundraising, and can choose to do as many as they want. It can mean you play for next to nothing, and end up with travel money to boot!

[Martin]

What is your team's schedule and what are it's goals? Obviously the fees of a team that intends to travel locally about six months out of the year will be significantly different from a team that intends to play year-round in tournaments across the country (and possibly overseas) while getting the best professional instruction/facilities possible.

[bucndranch]

50.00 - 100.00, with a few fundraisers a year can carry a team. I would stay away from paid coaches. Its about the kids and there are a lot of very good coaches out there not trying to pull in an extra few dollars from youth sports!

[Martin]

50 x 12 = $600. What does that buy? How many tournament registration fees, uniforms, affiliation dues, etc... does that cover? Where will you workout in the winter? How many pitching machines, hitting nets, catcher's gear, practice balls are you going to buy?

IMHO, $50 (even when combined with two or three fundraisers) amounts to a shoe-string budget even for a team with very modest goals.

[bucndranch]

We also charge a winter start up and another in Jan.

[KT93]

The cheapest team fee or dues that DD has ever had to pay to play for a team was $300 + many, many, many fundraisers. I think fpmom hit the nail on the head... You should know what to expect & what your are getting for your money upfront before any money swaps hands.

I guesstamate the # of tournaments we will play in Spring, factor in new uniforms(if needed), team insurance, scantion fee (usually $25 for 4-5 diff ones) then devide that by the # of players & whala...Team fee is set. We pay for winter workouts seperately, usually 2 weeks before we start work outs. Team fees are due 2 weeks befor the first tournament date. We allow players to apply there fundraising money towards there team fees & uniforms or we hold it until the end of the season just before Nationals then it is handed out to them to do as they see fit with... Works well for us... No problems so far...

[coolstuff]

We've paid $800-$1000 in start-up fees that includes all uniforms, 17-20 tournaments plus nationals, and indoor practice facility. On top of that are the fundraisers which I hate. I'd rather just pay more money, and I take advantage of buy-outs when available. So there's an additional $300 whether you take the buy-outs or buy a case of garbage bags or candy or whatever. One year, we were asked to come up with $20 per player because the team ran short for nationals. This past year, we got $80 back. I've seen full accounting and I've been kept in the dark. At no time have I ever felt we were being taken for a ride (unless the team was losing!)

[daylightkate]

I think it also depends on your demographics. For us, we charge each family $500.00 per player plus they are required to do fundraising and hope that they can bring a team sponsorship. For that, you get the following

-Cost of 2 sets of uniforms, bag, socks, sliders, leg sliders, dry fit shirt, jacket, hat, pretty much head toe exluding cleats and glove per player ($350)
-Catchers buy their own gear catching gear
-6 tournaments plus a qualifier and championships if you qualify (average $400 each)
-insurance, league affiliation, national affiliation, US affiliation ($800)
- 10 months indoor batting facility ($4000)
- 6 months inddor gym training ($1500)
Then there's diamond fee's, umpire fee's, equipment purchases, etc, etc.
Our total budget is about $17,000 and about $6000 of that is made up on fundraising which is not that difficult to do if you do it right.

So at the end of the day, $500 and a few hours doing fundraising is not all that bad for a 10 month program. Much cheaper than hockey eh! Oh ya, we don't pay our coaches or their expenses and none of them have a DD on the team.

[Alice]

Wow. Interesting. The team we wanted to try out for charges $150 a month plus run fundraisers plus buy uniforms. I had a feeling this was high but now I know! I will scratch this team off my list. It's a good team, but.....

More comparisons would be welcome. Especially from So Callers.