All-Star Paying For Admission At Competitions

[mdcheerdiva]

Okay let's play devil's advocate here for a minute. How are the EP's supposed to pay their workers, rent the location, pay for EMT's, buy the trophies, plaques, jackets, sweatshirts and participant gifts? I am sure that I am missing some other things that registration fees and entrance fees pay for. There are some people on the board that used to be EP's hopefully they can shed some light on this for everyone before we start jumping to conclusions and blasting EP's.

I would also like to add that there are a lot of competitions that barely have 20 teams attend what are they supposed to do to break even?

 

[bobbi]

All I know, is that recently I took one of my squads to a ECC " national". We paid $40 per person. Their award for their 2nd place win? A metal stop sign looking plaque. That was it. Oh and we got to pay $15 per spectator for that one as well. Needless to say, we never returned.

 

[CF1erce]

As a gym owner, we take into consideration parent admission fees when we make our event schedule for the next season. Granted, it's not a huge deciding factor, but we are more likely to choose a local event with free admission and slightly higher participant cost over a lower priced event with $10-15 admission, because it's a great chance for our all stars' family and friends to come watch . There are several large companies that offer free admission, and it is greatly appreciated.

 

[cheergirlbrey]

Okay let's play devil's advocate here for a minute. How are the EP's supposed to pay their workers, rent the location, pay for EMT's, buy the trophies, plaques, jackets, sweatshirts and participant gifts? I am sure that I am missing some other things that registration fees and entrance fees pay for. There are some people on the board that used to be EP's hopefully they can shed some light on this for everyone before we start jumping to conclusions and blasting EP's.

I would also like to add that there are a lot of competitions that barely have 20 teams attend what are they supposed to do to break even?

Insurance im sure is another big bill.

 

[cheermom5678]

Okay let's play devil's advocate here for a minute. How are the EP's supposed to pay their workers, rent the location, pay for EMT's, buy the trophies, plaques, jackets, sweatshirts and participant gifts? I am sure that I am missing some other things that registration fees and entrance fees pay for. There are some people on the board that used to be EP's hopefully they can shed some light on this for everyone before we start jumping to conclusions and blasting EP's.

I would also like to add that there are a lot of competitions that barely have 20 teams attend what are they supposed to do to break even?

Then factor all that in when making up the competition fee.
Free admission = more fans= more prospective new cheerleaders

With free admission my daughter can invite a lot of friends (some on the high school team) many who
may later tryout for our gym.

 

[Just-a-Mom]

Its all about the money , money, money. Think about it. You have say, 75 teams attend, that would be what I would consider a small competition. Figure each team may average about 20 kids, thats 1,500 participants. If each person has a Mom and Dad attend times $10 admission that is a whooping $30,000 in profits. They know what they are doing.

I sincerely doubt it's "profits"! It costs a fortune to put on one of these events. Do you know how much just liability is involved with something like cheerleading? As others have said, staffing, location, prizes, etc. also factor in. I think most of you would be surprised how much of that money is not profit at all.

And I sort of agree that I'd like to see the admission fee rolled into the comp fees too, but not so other people can come. I'd like it that way just because it's easier on my budgeting--spread out over the months before comp season. And because I hate waiting in line. And I definitely LOATHE the cash only thing--comps are about the only thing all year that I ever get cash out of the bank for and I'd rather not have to.

But think about this--if you guys are saying you'd like the admission rolled into the registration fee so you can bring people, how many people are you talking about??? Friends, family...let's go low and say an average of 4 spectators per athlete. If the event is charging $20 for a 2 day comp and they don't want to lose that money, they're supposed to pass on that extra $80 per athlete, per comp into the registration fees? So most of us would be looking at an extra $500-800 per season??? Good lord I can imagine the Fierce Board the day that goes into effect!:rolleyes: I guess my logic just says if you don't want family and friends to have to pay, and you're saying you'd rather it be rolled into the reg fee so they don't have to pay...wouldn't YOU have to pay it? And if that's ok, then why don't you just pay it for them? I just see the admission fees as a necessary evil. I've learned to bring cash, get there early, but tickets in advance when possible, etc.

 

[Mom Jeans]

admission for 2 days $35, parking $15 each day plus registration fees for 2 kids, way too much, we're done. not doing it anymore this is our last year in cheer, we cant invite anyone to watch, if we do I pay for them to get in, but i'm done

 

[cheermommaRN]

I've just learned to budget my comp expenses into my yearly cheer "budget". At a local comp I can get away with spending $60, I pack lots of snacks and lunchables. This year I hardly ever fell victim to the Dipping Dots monster. We only go crazy at two comps each year (NCA and whatever is the "last" comp of the season), at these two we fully indulge in the nationals experience buying t-shirts, pins, lanyards, sodas, funnel cakes, ect.....This year at NCA I spent $160. Traveling to Cheer America I spent $300 (hotel, admission, parking, Olive Garden team lunch, snacks, gas, Buck-ee's).
It has taken me 7 years to fine tune my spending at cheer comps. My oldest cp's first season I bought every t-shirt, light up toy, ice cream snack they offered. I do much better now :-)

 

[ACEDAD]

I would also like to add that there are a lot of competitions that barely have 20 teams attend what are they supposed to do to break even?

Umm, I'm all for the free market and it's not up to us to make sure unsuccesful competitions survive. And if there are only 20 teams, I use the phrase "competition" very loosely.

 

[newcheerdad]

Our gym puts on a competition as a fundraiser every year. I can tell you that it is mad expensive to put one on, so I think that $10 per day (which is the going rate around here) is pretty reasonable.

I really don't mind paying entry fees at the smaller comps that I know are fundraisers for other gyms, because those parents are going to pay at ours.

 

[stuntaholic]

I understand that there are costs. But if other competitions can do it all for free then the ones that charge admission need to figure out a way to cut their costs. If people are really thinking about not going to competitions because of admission fees then they are losing business. And in the competitive market we are in they need to compete. In order to do this they need to cut costs or pull out.

 

[ACEDAD]

I understand that there are costs. But if other competitions can do it all for free then the ones that charge admission need to figure out a way to cut their costs. If people are really thinking about not going to competitions because of admission fees then they are losing business. And in the competitive market we are in they need to compete. In order to do this they need to cut costs or pull out.

Let's be real careful about throwing around the word "free". Different events are priced differently, but nothing is free.

 

[stuntaholic]

What i am saying is free admission. There are competitions with free admission.

 

[ACEDAD]

What i am saying is free admission. There are competitions with free admission.

I'm just trying to get everyone to understand that not charging spectators at the door isn't the same thing as free.

 

[emmabug95]

i find it rare when the admission is free!

Same! Even at tiny competitions like in high schools