All-Star Jambrand's Major Prize.....

[njallday]

I knew something was up when i was watching the major's feed. i believe i even commented on the thread at the time. i found it peculiar that the announcer kept saying "a possible trip to england" and they "might get to go overseas." It seemed shady and completely raised a red flag for me, and it looks like i was right.

I commend nfinity for following through with their promises, and am disappointed in jambrands. as others have said, the potential of this event was amazing. just in its first year, it was a phenomenal event, but with the false advertisement, I am sure they just lost a few big programs in attendance.

Also, as mstealtoyou said - these kids flew to Indy for the majors and gave up their potential bid at supernationals. so most of them had to travel again to attend another bid comp, when all teams would have been contenders there. Truly unfortunate all around.

 

[lucyemma]

There are some kids who didn't need to fund raise at all and some who needed to fund raise the full amount. Coed, like most teams I would think, are made up of kids from many socioeconomic backgrounds. I am praying that those who can make it happen get to go. What an amazing trip for them!!!


Just so people know what kind of money we are talking about. $2300 to just get there and have a hotel. (No food or pocket money yet). $500 allotted per kid from JamBrands. That's an $1800 difference. Times 36 kids. Coed Elite needed to raise $64,800 to cover airfare, train fare to Liverpool from the airport and hotel rooms.

Do you know which airport they are arriving in the UK at?

 

[mstealtoyou]

Something tells me they are back rethinking what they did, and in the future those trips will actually be full paid trips! They have to know they screwed up i dont see them just letting this blow over......IMO!

I hope so! But that doesn't help the kids who were promised a trip this year.

And the Major's happened in January. By the end of Feb we're all figuring out this trip isn't going to happen. At least the way they promised it would. JamBrand's could have decided in March, April or May to do the right thing and yet they haven't. (shrug)

 

[The Sixth]

While it is disappointing for the athletes, the worst part to me is that they potentially ruined what may have changed the game. The majors had so much potential and was a step in the right direction for our industry. What now? Who is going to go after they fell through the very first year? It is such a shame.

Absolutely agree. My support is less pro Jambrands, as it is anti Varsity...lol. Just wanted somebody to help spur some much needed change on the Varsity side thru legitimate competition. I thought everything leading up to the event with the videos was cool, up thru the buzz of ppl desperately seeking tickets. And it sounded as though there were lots of positive comments about how it was run, etc. But the unfortunate fallout of the prize situation, seems to have killed a promising event. As well as let possibly let down a lot of athletes on both sides of the pond.

While being disappointed in JamBrands I want to also give a shoutout to Nfinity Shoes who delivered exactly what they promised these teams as their part in the "prize". Nfinity backpacks, very nice warmup suit with Major's Champion on the back, Spankies and a new pair of Vengeance. I wouldn't be afraid to say that the retail price on their contribution matched JamBrand's very closely.

Wow, hats off to Nfinity. That's a LOT of swag!

 

[yojaehs]

Has anyone contacted or heard directly from Jamfest? I'm just curious what their backpeddling position is?

 

[MiniReeRah]

Surely jam brands are making enough money from JAMfest Europe (as well as their other events) to be able to pay for the whole trip for all members of the team without the team having to fundraise. If I was jam I would give the teams the prizes they won - it can't do any harm, and in the long run it'd get even more people to your events if they knew they had a) the opportunity to compete at an exclusive event and in Europe and b) if Europe teams got to actually see the top American teams - it's not every day an opportunity like this arrises for both sides. I'd be super disappointed if no American teams turned up and I'm disappointed that the kids who won the majors haven't been given what they were promised. If I were a gym I doubt I'd attend the majors if I were asked, seeing how the first year has turned out.

I thought what my team are paying for 2 nights accommodation, entry fees and coach travel to Liverpool (which is going across the country for us) at £225 (363 dollars) was getting a bit pricey, seeing your figures I'm glad how cheap it is for us...

hopefully jam brands will see the error of their ways and stump up the money so both CA and CEA can come over!

 

[SarahS]

Did anyone at JamBrands think outside the box in order to try and fulfill their promises? I mean, I don't know the legalities of it all, but I would wager a bet that there would be tons of teams in the UK willing to "sponsor" athletes by housing the teams (private homes? gyms?) and providing transportation to and from the airport and events. I mean, how cool would that be, to have one of your favorite "cheerlebrities" stay at your house or at your gym? And then gyms in the US could reciprocate by housing the Jamfest Europe winners. Again, I don't know the legalities of it, and if parents would be comfortable with the idea, but c'mon - if you're not going to actually provide the full trip, at least think of creative ways to help the teams get there.

 

[mstealtoyou]

Has anyone contacted or heard directly from Jamfest? I'm just curious what their backpeddling position is?

I'm sure there are those in our program that have contacted and heard directly from Jamfest but as a parent I am definitely not privy to that information. LOL I would also like to hear from them.....perhaps someone will come here and tell us why.

 

[lucyemma]

Did anyone at JamBrands think outside the box in order to try and fulfill their promises? I mean, I don't know the legalities of it all, but I would wager a bet that there would be tons of teams in the UK willing to "sponsor" athletes by housing the teams (private homes? gyms?) and providing transportation to and from the airport and events. I mean, how cool would that be, to have one of your favorite "cheerlebrities" stay at your house or at your gym? And then gyms in the US could reciprocate by housing the Jamfest Europe winners. Again, I don't know the legalities of it, and if parents would be comfortable with the idea, but c'mon - if you're not going to actually provide the full trip, at least think of creative ways to help the teams get there.

I expected that the money for clinic being hosted on the Saturday night would go to Coed Elite but I recently heard that coed elite weren't getting anything from it. Jamfest could have EASILY given that money to the athletes to help fund the trip!

 

[MiniReeRah]

I expected that the money for clinic being hosted on the Saturday night would go to Coed Elite but I recently heard that coed elite weren't getting anything from it. Jamfest could have EASILY given that money to the athletes to help fund the trip!

I reckon that clinic has sold out already (or will sell out) at £15 per competitor or £25 per non competitor, that's surely more that enough to give to them.

So not only are they paying to get themselves over, they are then hosting a clinic that they don't get anything for doing.....nice one jam brands!

 

[The Sixth]

Did anyone at JamBrands think outside the box in order to try and fulfill their promises? I mean, I don't know the legalities of it all, but I would wager a bet that there would be tons of teams in the UK willing to "sponsor" athletes by housing the teams (private homes? gyms?) and providing transportation to and from the airport and events. I mean, how cool would that be, to have one of your favorite "cheerlebrities" stay at your house or at your gym? And then gyms in the US could reciprocate by housing the Jamfest Europe winners. Again, I don't know the legalities of it, and if parents would be comfortable with the idea, but c'mon - if you're not going to actually provide the full trip, at least think of creative ways to help the teams get there.

I heard that WAS offered as a potential solution. But really that's still not addressing the issue of *Jambrands* not providing adequate support. Not to offend, but to me I think yes possibly cool for a hosting family, but maybe a little too awkward for the US athlete/family. It could just be me, it's not that big a deal over there and maybe I'm just watching too many Hostel movies...lol.

I think it was mentioned elsewhere, but I thought I remembered somebody saying part of the selling point to European teams for Jamfest Europe was that the US teams would be there. If so, I think that reflects doubly bad on Jambrands.

 

[lucyemma]

I reckon that clinic has sold out already (or will sell out) at £15 per competitor or £25 per non competitor, that's surely more that enough to give to them.

So not only are they paying to get themselves over, they are then hosting a clinic that they don't get anything for doing.....nice one jam brands!

I don't believe that it has as I contacted Jamfest 2 days ago but I was also shocked at how cheap it was. They could have surely added on at least £10 per entry for the clinic to go towards coed elite's efforts for hosting the clinic!

 

[Born2Tumble]

Yeah id be mad if i was living overseas and were promised that certain big name gyms would be there, and come to find out they werent coming all because JamFest was being CHEAP!

 

[mstealtoyou]

I don't believe that it has as I contacted Jamfest 2 days ago but I was also shocked at how cheap it was. They could have surely added on at least £10 per entry for the clinic to go towards coed elite's efforts for hosting the clinic!

Let's not forget this affects Cheer Athletics Panther's too. Both teams were "hosting" the clinic. (As per Bluecat who confirmed that in the Cheer Athletics Rumor's threads) The point of this thread isn't to say Oh Poor Coed Elite, but just to make people aware of the promises that weren't kept!

I'm hearing from my husband that he was told at the parent meeting that when Jamfest was only awarding 1 winner it was a free trip to Europe. When they decided to do a Coed and All Girl winner is when it became a "bid" situation where there was money toward the trip but not a free trip. But, even if that's true, our $20K and Panther's $15K combined still isn't enough for 1 team to go.

 

[MiniReeRah]

I don't believe that it has as I contacted Jamfest 2 days ago but I was also shocked at how cheap it was. They could have surely added on at least £10 per entry for the clinic to go towards coed elite's efforts for hosting the clinic!

I thought it would have, but then again maybe people are a bit hesitant if there is no guarantee of the US teams are going to be able to come. Yea I was shocked at how cheap it was, I was expecting at least like you said another£10 or even £20 on top of what they are charging and I know I would have paid that for an American team.