All-Star D2 Summit Headed To Disney

[catlady]

D2 is another money making master piece...I really really hate the whole D2 concept. It's like the Summit Consolation Competition. Disney competitions are expensive for parents...so having it back at ESPN bumps the price up. D2 is a win-win for EP's, not a small gym. Small gyms now feel pressure to chase a D2 bid because Suzie's mommy thinks Suzie should have this experience too. I just don't get it? Someone please explain? I know for a fact if your team is from a small gym and is good enough they absolutely CAN win a bid to The (real) Summit. Ok phew i'm done now ....just had to get that off my chest. Now back to our scheduled program...


Amending to add: After reviewing what I posted....I apologize for the way this sounded. It was not my intent to be disrespectful. However, I do think cheer is heading into the "You get a bid and you and you!" Can't get a bid at D2 Summit either? Come to the D3 Summit for gyms with less than 50 athletes. Super Large Mega Gyms still keep winning everything at "The Summit"? I have the answer for you! The Super Mega Summit is the most prestigious and exclusively for gyms with more than 300 athletes! Where does it stop?

The cheer season will soon be two years long:D. EP's are going to continue putting the latest and greatest out there until gym owners can't effectively tryout, manage and train their athletes, and parents put a halt on their checkbooks. The good news, there is a limitation to both. No doubt, these are money makers for Varsity and USASF but, the Summit, more bids, fairer playing field are things Varsity has listened carefully to and implemented. It's interesting to go back on the boards prior to the Summit and see how many parents and athletes were saying a "World's" for lower level athletes would be incredible.....lo and behold, The Summit. More bids.....Wild Cards. Fairer playing field....D2. Ask, and if it is profitable, us consumers shall receive.

I have no doubt the powers at be are listening, they know once the middle class is priced out, then they're going to be in trouble. It does not benefit the gym owners or EP's to out expense parents with travel that neither one benefits from. While EP's may get rebates from STP, it hardly outweighs the benefits if they can shift some of those hotel, airfare, dining dollars to their pockets by increasing attendance at local comps. I get the fact that gym owners want to see how their teams measure up at these large comps and are possibly afraid of politics but, if Varsity is as smart as I think they are, they're working on those concerns to ultimately shift those travel dollars to their pockets. Just think, if they can master the live stream and make it profitable, the possibilities are endless. :cool:

 

[Bellabooker]

I'm waiting for the day that the summit rule of only crossing over to one level up or one level down team will become the rule at all varsity comps. That will help elaminate the kids who are on level 4and 5 crossing over to level 1 and 2. Until that is stopped d2 AND d1 summits will never be a "fair contest". I think varsity has been taking steps in the right direction by saying only a percentage can be traded out, but that does not stop a gym from forming, say a j2 team made up of their level 4 and 5 kids and competing that team all year.

 

[amy1k]

The cheer season will soon be two years long:D. EP's are going to continue putting the latest and greatest out there until gym owners can't effectively tryout, manage and train their athletes, and parents put a halt on their checkbooks. The good news, there is a limitation to both. No doubt, these are money makers for Varsity and USASF but, the Summit, more bids, fairer playing field are things Varsity has listened carefully to and implemented. It's interesting to go back on the boards prior to the Summit and see how many parents and athletes were saying a "World's" for lower level athletes would be incredible.....lo and behold, The Summit. More bids.....Wild Cards. Fairer playing field....D2. Ask, and if it is profitable, us consumers shall receive.

I have no doubt the powers at be are listening, they know once the middle class is priced out, then they're going to be in trouble. It does not benefit the gym owners or EP's to out expense parents with travel that neither one benefits from. While EP's may get rebates from STP, it hardly outweighs the benefits if they can shift some of those hotel, airfare, dining dollars to their pockets by increasing attendance at local comps. I get the fact that gym owners want to see how their teams measure up at these large comps and are possibly afraid of politics but, if Varsity is as smart as I think they are, they're working on those concerns to ultimately shift those travel dollars to their pockets. Just think, if they can master the live stream and make it profitable, the possibilities are endless. :cool:

This is SUCH a frustration for me. I'd much rather spend my money locally, at my daughter's gym, to increase her skills. My daughter hasn't had a private lesson since last summer...previously she was regularly in private lessons. Our gym holds classes on Saturdays for $10 each...until the end of last summer, she would take about five classes every Saturday. I just can't afford those things any longer...my money, unfortunately, is going to travel and bid chasing. [emoji17] My daughter really likes her gym and the other gyms around here have similar schedules, so...

 

[MissCongeniality]

This is SUCH a frustration for me. I'd much rather spend my money locally, at my daughter's gym, to increase her skills. My daughter hasn't had a private lesson since last summer...previously she was regularly in private lessons. Our gym holds classes on Saturdays for $10 each...until the end of last summer, she would take about five classes every Saturday. I just can't afford those things any longer...my money, unfortunately, is going to travel and bid chasing.

My daughter really likes her gym and the other gyms around here have similar schedules, so...

This! This is what gets me... the cost spent on bid chasing, boutique comps, and end of season comps. The travel comps have gotten more and more expensive. I look back and there is no way I could afford my daughter's cheer career (and the classes etc required) if we started travelling the way so many teams at every level do in this day and age. Back then we had one hotel/airplane trip comp each season... It made it so I wasn't dead broke by the time she was Level 5 and needed to travel to face competition. I speak as a West Coast parent but the cost... just yikes!

 

[catlady]

@amy1k @MissCongeniality I think it is a frustration for everyone. We all want the bids, we want the ultimate trip at the end of the road but, the battle of the budget is getting all too real with travel. If Varsity can strengthen and offer more bids at more local and mid range competitions, they will save parents travel expenses and they can increase profitability in the majority of their comps.

I tend to think outside the box but, I can foresee (if a good and reasonable live feed is found) level 5 and 6 comps being held simultaneously in venues in the North, South, East, West, and Mid West with a shared judging panel all throughout the season. Is it as exciting as a massive live event? No. But, Varsity can have the local teams compete on stage and have huge viewing screens for the spectators to view the other teams at their venue locations. They could have a good live feed for fans and family, and ultimately save parents thousands of dollars in travel expenses. We would get to see the majority of the teams and would get to see where they fall on a score sheet throughout the season. Gyms would benefit by more time spent in the gym and parents would spend more on classes, ultimately allowing these athletes to train harder for the ultimate travel destination comp at the end.

 

[amy1k]

I can think of one group who is NOT frustrated by the status quo. [emoji23]

 

[Charolais]

@amy1k

I tend to think outside the box but, I can foresee (if a good and reasonable live feed is found) level 5 and 6 comps being held simultaneously in venues in the North, South, East, West, and Mid West with a shared judging panel all throughout the season.

Isn't this partially addressed with The One competition?

 

[catlady]

Isn't this partially addressed with The One competition?

I'm sorry, I'm not very familiar with "The One" but, I thought that was still a destination competition. Can you please tell me how it works in line with how I think comps are headed?

 

[Nikki Moore]

I'm sorry, I'm not very familiar with "The One" but, I thought that was still a destination competition. Can you please tell me how it works in line with how I think comps are headed?

Currently it looks to only be the eastern states - but you get bids to it from different comps throughout the season. You pick which comp you want to compete at - Orlando, New Orleans, Poconos, and Chicago. The first place winner of each division then has their best day video submitted and that is judged to determine "the one". Apparently the virtual finals can be watched live as well - though I'm not entirely sure how that works.

CP actually had a bid for this and now I wish we would have gone to it.

 

[Charolais]

I'm sorry, I'm not very familiar with "The One" but, I thought that was still a destination competition. Can you please tell me how it works in line with how I think comps are headed?

There are non-simultaneous regional finals. Winners from each region then compete head-to-head in a "virtual" final. IIRC, it is based on a video submission of the best performance at each regional finals but they could provide a live stream feed of each performance. In either case, no travel is required.

 

[luv2cheer92]

There are non-simultaneous regional finals. Winners from each region then compete head-to-head in a "virtual" final. IIRC, it is based on a video submission of the best performance at each regional finals but they could provide a live stream feed of each performance. In either case, no travel is required.

So, pretty similar to US Finals, right?

 

[catlady]

There are non-simultaneous regional finals. Winners from each region then compete head-to-head in a "virtual" final. IIRC, it is based on a video submission of the best performance at each regional finals but they could provide a live stream feed of each performance. In either case, no travel is required.

Interesting, and yes, not exactly what I had envisioned but, very similar. I still feel World's and Summit are here to stay for a long time as the coveted final travel destination events...we all want our Dippin' Dots at the end of the day. But, I envision the actual bid earning events to be simultaneous, entail live feeds at several locations across the Nation, with the feed flipping live, venue to venue to compete. Other than the "experience" of getting to travel somewhere, travel is a huge negative to All Star and it isn't necessary to identify a winner. Kids wouldn't miss as much school. Parents save thousands on travel. The athletes have more time in the gym. Varsity would gain more sales on live feed subscriptions than they would from actual seating.

 

[shawtyyBHADDx3]

So, pretty similar to US Finals, right?

US finals is similar to the one though, and both are similar to the predecessor to the summit, All-levels. what I believe the poster is referencing is a comp in multiple locations but all teams are competing against each other at the same time. With a live stream of other locations shown at all events and sharing a judging panel.

 

[amy1k]

Interesting, and yes, not exactly what I had envisioned but, very similar. I still feel World's and Summit are here to stay for a long time as the coveted final travel destination events...we all want our Dippin' Dots at the end of the day. But, I envision the actual bid earning events to be simultaneous, entail live feeds at several locations across the Nation, with the feed flipping live, venue to venue to compete. Other than the "experience" of getting to travel somewhere, travel is a huge negative to All Star and it isn't necessary to identify a winner. Kids wouldn't miss as much school. Parents save thousands on travel. The athletes have more time in the gym. Varsity would gain more sales on live feed subscriptions than they would from actual seating.

This makes a lot of sense to me.

 

[luv2cheer92]

US finals is similar to the one though, and both are similar to the predecessor to the summit, All-levels. what I believe the poster is referencing is a comp in multiple locations but all teams are competing against each other at the same time. With a live stream of other locations shown at all events and sharing a judging panel.

Sorry, I was clarifying that The One and US Finals are pretty much the same thing.

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