All-Star Legitimate Competition Expense Concern

[AScheer]

I agree that registration prices (especially the last few years) have gotten a little ridiculous! However from a school coach perspective a lot of the comps offer the discounted rate just to get schools in there. They look at it as a little money is better than no money. Most schools (depending on the state) follow different rules and one of those rules is no spring floor. As a result school teams aren't really going to competitions like Jamfest anymore unless its the hard floor division. UCA and other companies that target school competitions have entry fees anywhere from $20 - $60 a person to $100 a team. Jamfest, etc are just trying to keep up and stay competitive in the school teams market.

Look at it from a school coach perspective - I can take my team to a UCA, etc type competitions for fairly cheap or reasonable prices, attend a competition that follows the rules we have to follow anyways, and that uses the same scoresheet at every event. Or I can branch out and do a jamfest comp, pay upwards of $60 per girl and I have to change my routine to fit their score sheets. Obviously I'm going to stick with the UCA type competitions. Just the reasoning behind why they charge less for schools, not necessarily that they should.

 

[bobbi]

Hate to seem harsh, but this is pretty whiny. If you don't like it, don't go! Simple.

It's a free market and there are a billion event producers.

Its hardly " whiny", rather the obvious truth. If you have all the resources in the world and you have no problem with your students paying almost double the price for the same competition thats up to you. As for me, and I am sure many other parents this is really an unfair practice anyway you cut it. Further more for an EP to contact me and offer my girls to compete at $5 when the other squads are paying $40 isnt right either. I am really more interested in improvements. You can hardly say this is ethical. Because IMO it cheapens the experience. I may also add I dont live in texas or florida where quality large competitions are common. We get what we get around here and to attend anything better we have the pleasure of traveling over 6 hours to attend. I get its the nature of the beast but I would really prefer to stop loosing my kids to high school squads because all stars have the priviledge of paying so much more for the same competition.

 

[slapclapdip]

I agree! They are charging way too much. Look at Cheersport! Not only are the one of the highest priced comps, but look at what they charge for food! $9.00 for a footlong hot dog? Come on. You can say that it's the Congress Centers prices, but believe me when I tell you, the prices are so high because Cheersport makes a cut off of everything sold.

For ACEDAD to call this "whiny" is a bit disrespectful in my opinion. You were a member of a gym before and at that gym were you as a parent allowed to choose what comps you would and wouldn't attend? I didn't think so. Granted parents and athletes have a choice in what gym they choose to be apart of, but not the comps. So athletes and parents have a right to voice their opinion to EP's about the fees that are charged.

 

[Brenner]

Hate to seem harsh, but this is pretty whiny. If you don't like it, don't go! Simple.

It's a free market and there are a billion event producers.

I usually agree with EVERYTHING acedad says...but I disagree.
Nobody is being "whiny" and parents can't just "not go"
I think OP is simply starting a conversation and trying to understand.

I also wonder why a highschool team or rec squad can goto the same exact competitions for almost half the price.
I am not talking about EP's offering a "deal" either to a specific team, or because of low attendance.....but when it is advertised on the website. How can they justiy that?

 

[ACEDAD]

I agree! They are charging way too much. Look at Cheersport! Not only are the one of the highest priced comps, but look at what they charge for food! $9.00 for a footlong hot dog? Come on. You can say that it's the Congress Centers prices, but believe me when I tell you, the prices are so high because Cheersport makes a cut off of everything sold.

For ACEDAD to call this "whiny" is a bit disrespectful in my opinion. You were a member of a gym before and at that gym were you as a parent allowed to choose what comps you would and wouldn't attend? I didn't think so. Granted parents and athletes have a choice in what gym they choose to be apart of, but not the comps. So athletes and parents have a right to voice their opinion to EP's about the fees that are charged.

You're obviously free to think it was disrespectful, but let's talk about a few things.

Most if not all of the event producers have NOTHING to do with parking or food vendors in the venue. That is charged by the venue and kept by the venue. It's possible they split the revenue, but not typical.

Much of the rest of this is economics. Parents complaining to the EP's doesn't do much good if (as you point out) the parents don't choose the comps. Parents should complain the the gym owner. If enough parents complain, the gym owner will do something about it.

If enough gyms don't go to the event, they EP will either lower prices to attract customers or fold up their tent. If there are enough gyms looking for an event, then maybe another EP will bring an event.

Gyms can also do something like the NorCal Alliance where they banded together and presented a single "face" to event producers and decided as a group which events to attend.

And if you don't like the $9 hot dog, don't buy it. I don't. You can do the same.

We aren't sheep being led to slaughter that can't do anything. But complaining here will likely do nothing compared to convincing the gym owner to not attend an event.

BTW, my daughter still cheers at ACE and I still have no say in what events her team attends. I only control what events my Bows & Arrows attend.

But I do control what hot dogs I buy.

 

[ACEDAD]

I usually agree with EVERYTHING acedad says...but I disagree.
Nobody is being "whiny" and parents can't just "not go"
I think OP is simply starting a conversation and trying to understand.

I also wonder why a highschool team or rec squad can goto the same exact competitions for almost half the price.
I am not talking about EP's offering a "deal" either to a specific team, or because of low attendance.....but when it is advertised on the website. How can they justiy that?

If it's advertised on the website that makes it better! It's right up front.

Adults (all star teams) $15
Students (schools) $10
Child (rec) free
Senior (open) $5

While more zero's are involved, I think we've all seen something like this at the movies, haven't we?

Absolutely no different. Its Economis 101 and EP's are doing their best to attract customers. If the customers stop going, they will adapt or close.

 

[jazmyne13]

While I agree that things are getting more expensive, I do disagree with this argument. Rec teams are typically public groups or town activities with little to no funding behind them. All Star is a private activity that you choose to attend and quite frankly if you are at a legitimate gym, you should know the expenses going into it. My daughter's gym has an excellent booster club and about 75% of my expenses were covered from fundraising. I realize that with one kid it is a lot easier to fundraise and make the time for it, but maybe everyone should consider what gymnasts go through. They have very strict fundraising restrictions because if they were ever to go elite, any previous fundraising could cause an issue for them, therefore, many do no fundraising at all for fear of future ramifications.

I would rather pay the money and go to a legitimate competition that is well run. My ultimate goal is to keep my daughter in constuctive activities held in a safe environment with top notch training/coaches and I am pretty sure that type of environment will never be cheap. If I feel the event producer is putting the money into the event and the awards, competitor gifts, equipment, etc is top of the line, I have no complaints.

The one thing I will say that bothers me about events is when they have cash only for entrance fees for spectators. That really burns me since they probably aren't claiming a penny of it.

No disrespect, just my opinion.

 

[mdcheerdiva]

I personally believe that school teams are charge less because they are not allowed to use a spring floor which we all know is expensive equipment. I could be wrong but that seems like a resonable reason.

 

[ACEDAD]

I personally believe that school teams are charge less because they are not allowed to use a spring floor which we all know is expensive equipment. I could be wrong but that seems like a resonable reason.

They're charged less because they refuse (or can't) pay the higher prices! That's what the EP's can charge and still get them to attend. If they could charge more, they would! Wouldn't you?

That's how free market economics works.

 

[newcheerdad]

I agree with ACEDAD. The gym owners that pay these "exorbitant" fees are the ones you should be talking to. The only way an event producer is going to lower their fees is if gyms don't attend. If the gym is willing to pay and parents are willing to pay, then an ep has the right to charge what the market will bear.

 

[GymCoach]

This favors larger programs with more financial pull and gyms that are located demographically in an area that offers more competitions.

Holy Heck Batman . . . I don't recommend in massed marching into the gym owners office demanding anything. LOL

 

[bobbi]

Basically my concern is not so much the cost of the competitions, while I dont agree entirely that the prices are really justified. My concern is why rec and school teams receive the same quality competition, the same awards and the same facility for SUBSTANTIALLY less. I know that my parents work very hard to afford for their children to do All Star Cheerleading. I dont think they appreciate paying so much more because their child is an all star. Its just not right.

And while I agree that if the gym owners dont stand up nothing will change, THAT is what I am bringing to light. We need to start standing up against this type of practice. Because as a gym owner I object paying 2 times the amount for a competition just because the EP thinks they can get it. Just because we are all stars doesnt mean we have unlimited resources.

 

[heyheyheyhey]

Not being able to afford to cheer is what kept me out of it my senior year. Just sayin.

me too ..

 

[Ignis Pater]

They're charged less because they refuse (or can't) pay the higher prices! That's what the EP's can charge and still get them to attend. If they could charge more, they would! Wouldn't you?

That's how free market economics works.

This is exactly right.

 

[slapclapdip]

You're obviously free to think it was disrespectful, but let's talk about a few things.

Most if not all of the event producers have NOTHING to do with parking or food vendors in the venue. That is charged by the venue and kept by the venue. It's possible they split the revenue, but not typical. We can agree to disagree. I know that EP's receive a portion of revenue from vendors.

Much of the rest of this is economics. Parents complaining to the EP's doesn't do much good if (as you point out) the parents don't choose the comps. Parents should complain the the gym owner. If enough parents complain, the gym owner will do something about it.

If enough gyms don't go to the event, they EP will either lower prices to attract customers or fold up their tent. If there are enough gyms looking for an event, then maybe another EP will bring an event.

Gyms can also do something like the NorCal Alliance where they banded together and presented a single "face" to event producers and decided as a group which events to attend.

And if you don't like the $9 hot dog, don't buy it. I don't. You can do the same. Trust me I didn't buy it lol. It was just an example of the ridiculous prices. I figured you of all people would get that.

We aren't sheep being led to slaughter that can't do anything. But complaining here will likely do nothing compared to convincing the gym owner to not attend an event. I again disagree. EP's read these boards just as much as the rest of us. This message board is our voice. The parents ultimately are the EP's customers. Not the kids, not the gym owners...the parents. Reason I say that is who pays the comp fees? The CP? The gym owner? I think you get where I am going with that.

BTW, my daughter still cheers at ACE and I still have no say in what events her team attends. I only control what events my Bows & Arrows attend.

But I do control what hot dogs I buy.