All-Star Should Usasf Limit Bids/people?

[JumpingJackFlash]

If this is truly the case then what's the problem? Why's the milkhouse so flippin' full if everyone's there for the parks? Which is it? First everyone says they gave too many bids and all those teams that didn't make it through were the ones filling up all the seats... Now it's that we can't move it out of Disney because that's why people really go. If the people who don't make it through are going to watch finals on Sunday with Disney Parks 10 feet away, they'll go to watch on Sunday anywhere.

If you take Disney away, some teams will not come. Some of the at-large bids who know its pretty much a given they will do ONE routine on Friday, then be done....go to Disney but will come to the Milkhouse to watch to watch the premiere teams (such as Sunday morning at the Milkhouse). Where were the Saturday? Did the venue get closed down? If you make it less of a vacation to these teams and more of a competition, I believe some teams won't spend their money coming. Put Worlds in North Dakota and you'd probably have about 100 teams decline their at-larges.

 

[newcheerdad]

There is always the Amway Center in Orlando a few miles up I4 for the actual competition.

Amway isn't close to Disney. It's at least a 35-40 minute drive, provided you don't hit traffic. At that point, you might as well look at another major U.S. city that can house athletes in closer vicinity to the competition site.

 

[newcheerdad]

If you take Disney away, some teams will not come. Some of the at-large bids who know its pretty much a given they will do ONE routine on Friday, then be done....go to Disney but will come to the Milkhouse to watch to watch the premiere teams (such as Sunday morning at the Milkhouse). Where were the Saturday? Did the venue get closed down? If you make it less of a vacation to these teams and more of a competition, I believe some teams won't spend their money coming. Put Worlds in North Dakota and you'd probably have about 100 teams decline their at-larges.

While our gym doesn't have a Worlds team, we do go to UCA. And I know for a fact that more than one kid and parent on our squad is completely over Disney as an attraction. It's exciting the first time you go, maybe the second, but it loses its appeal after a while.

 

[JumpingJackFlash]

While our gym doesn't have a Worlds team, we do go to UCA. And I know for a fact that more than one kid and parent on our squad is completely over Disney as an attraction. It's exciting the first time you go, maybe the second, but it loses its appeal after a while.

I agree! After being at Worlds a few times, I have no desire....but for the one's that want to just "experience" Worlds, being at Disney may make that experience much easier to swallow when putting the money out.

 

[L5cheermom]

It is a very complex issue. First, I do not believe that limiting bids will have any effect on this problem. There will just be certain divisions that attract an excess number of spectators. The division that started this problem only had 5 teams competing for goodness sake. Scheduling could have some positive effect. It was poor planning to have LS, LSC, and SS all at virtually the same time. Although I am a parent that nearly missed seeing her child compete because of this situation I do not support having someone else who paid the same $$$ as I did be forced to give their seat to me. Disney has a unique appeal because of the accommodation and transportation accessibility. Finding a comparable venue that would provide similar opportunities would be difficult. In my opinion there is a limit to the size a venue could be and the experience still be positive. Who wants to watch a cheer routine in a venue that is so big that the athletes look like ants from the nosebleed section? They could, however, limit the number of tickets sold. I was disgusted to hear that while I was standing behind a barrier in the hot sun - hoping to get to see my son compete in his first Worlds event - Disney was still selling tickets to this event!!! Perhaps they should charge a premium to attend these high demand divisions. I don't know, but I'm afraid that next year people will be lined up before sunrise to get in and we will progress to a Black Friday situation quickly (at least it's not December.) What i DO know is I bought a ticket to a day long event and was allowed to spend 2.5 minutes in the venue and was quickly ushered back out the door. I did not get what i paid for although i am thankful that i did see my child compete.

 

[rosebud]

In 2010 my daughter competed in Worlds and won a bronze medal, the most exciting thing to experience in her lifetime. In 2011 since they had gotten rid of the Junior division at Worlds we went to just watch for Saturday only to support 2 of our other teams from our gym. I sat in a seat with another mom whose daughter was competing from 10:30am to 10:30pm. I got to see the teams that are the most well known and I was comfortable. I cannot imagine not being able to walk into the Milkhouse to see a team! I agree that a football stadium with specific assigned seats would work great as long as the parents of teams competing got to go down closer to watch because some of those nosebleed seats, I'm sure the kids on the floor would look like ants. You would need the big jumbo tron screens to even see what was really going on plus where would the other teams warm up? Would you set up tents for the teams to warm up in and then go into the venue? It would have to be an indoor venue because of weather. Another problem with charging for specific seats is will it by like concert tickets that as soon as they go on sale it seems like they sell out in 10 minutes and then if you want one you need to go through a ticket broker and pay 4 times the price? What they did for the Majors at Jamfest Super Nationals seemed to work well.

 

[ASCheerMan]

Hey Guys, a couple of general responses to comments I read throughout this thread.
1. Yes, the USASF does make money off
of registration fees and housing packages (and, FYI, the package is optional). But Worlds is basically the one event that has to fund the entire USASF for an entire year AND payback their Start Up Loan. So nobody is rolling around in cash when it's all said and done.
2. I believe in passing down bids--not because it means more $$, but because there are so many competitive teams at NCA, sometimes the 7th place team IS worthy of a bid. In fact, I'd argue that a competition where 6 teams already have a bid of some sort is more justifiable of a bid then a small bid event where there are 6 bids to pass out and only 5 Level 5 teams registered.
3. Feel free to write letters to the USASF re: seating on Sunday. I encourage you to do your part. BUT rest assures that we are COMPLETELY aware of the situation as we had to deal with the 'crisis' firsthand. Your letters will be effective, but the memory of getting screamed at, threatened, and verbally abused by passionate spectators will be the most effective means of persuading us to resolved it in 2013.

 

[TheUltimateFan]

I was in that line outside the Milkhouse, waiting to get in. If USASF and Disney aren't concerned about liability issues, they should be. At one point I talked to a young man who was 'guarding' the door and he admitted to me that he was truly frightened. He felt the crowd was near rioting and "nobody inside" was listening to him.

First, there were those of us who politely took our place in line, which didn't move one step for 20 minutes. We watched people walk from the gate to the front of the line and stand at the door, while the guard did nothing. When the people in the area pointed these line-jumpers out and complained he said "there's nothing I can do about it". And that is what he did. Nothing. I heard more than one person say, "Well what are you going to do if all of US just decide we are going in? Will you stop us?" Can you picture the consequences if that crowd just broke loose and pushed in the doors? Someone would have been hurt. I wonder if USASF or Disney realizes how serious that situation was and how close they came to a disaster.

Second; They kept announcing that you could watch the competition on the screen. Well, if you happened to be in the 30-40 feet of line that was in viewing range of the screen, I suppose you could. The other 90% of the people would have had to give up their place in line to see the screen. Um, yeah, not. AND, if I wanted to watch the competition on a screen, I would be home, on my comfy sofa in my cozy living room, with a pitcher of Margaritas, some chips and dip, in air conditioned comfort watching it on TV for $50. It wouldn't have cost me well over $1000 to be there to watch a screen.

Third; I shamelessly slipped in a side door. Not feeling at all guilty about that. And once I was in a seat there is NO WAY I was leaving it. It was up to USASF to prevent the situation or recover from their incompetence, not me or any other paying guest to leave to accomodate their failure to plan and adapt. This overcrowding is not new to them. They knew it was getting worse every year even BEFORE they renewed the current contract. Who makes these decisions? I have seen Girl Scout troops with better leadership. I would expect a lot more from the people responsible for running a multi-million dollar business.

Fourth, what a joke moving awards for Small Senior and Large Coed to a baseball field. Teams in 4th through 10th got their trophies tossed up to them in the stands and teams in 1st through 3rd got to stand in the dirt. Nice experience. Not quite the photo op you dream of - that of your team getting your trophy on one of the competition floors, in front of the backdrop and surrounded by all of the finalists.

I agree with all of those who say there are plenty of other venues that offer up 'vacation opportunities'. And even if they didn't I think just as many people would come for the competition. And I bet a lot of people would be happy not to have to pay for a Park Pass they don't want or use. Offering up 'special parent passes' and other solutions are only bandaids. Nothing else resolves all of the issues except for finding a location that is large enough to serve the fans and the athletes.

Has someone started a petition? I didn't see one here.

 

[cheerKT]

I've heard through the grapevine that it was @SharkDad's idea to walk the parents of the competitors in to priority and straight back out so they could see their team. Props to him for getting things moving.

 

[cheerKT]

Also wanted to add how incredibly awkward it was being asked to leave the event that I had just paid to attend because I was not kin to a competitor. I don't know what's going to have to change, but something will. I've always been a huge supporter of keeping it at the Milkhouse and at Disney, but sitting in there on Sunday might have just changed my mind. A new venue is needed to keep up with the times.

 

[tumbleyoda]

Hey Guys, a couple of general responses to comments I read throughout this thread.
1. Yes, the USASF does make money off
of registration fees and housing packages (and, FYI, the package is optional). But Worlds is basically the one event that has to fund the entire USASF for an entire year AND payback their Start Up Loan. So nobody is rolling around in cash when it's all said and done.....

Please correct me if I am wrong but wasn't that start up loan was given to them by Varsity/Jeff Webb?

I know you can not tell us details but is there a general ball park estimation as to when that loan will actually be paid in full?

 

[cheeringcrazy]

There certainly is not enough room, the demand is growing and the venue stays the same size. It's really unfair to the parents and fans to have to deal with this nonsense.

 

[Admin]

I know I have mentioned Anaheim before but I still think the venues here would be better than in Florida.

For the people who think taking Disney out of the equation is bad, Disneyland and California adventure are in Anaheim.

The two venues in Anaheim that I would consider worlds worthy would be

1. Anaheim convention center.
The arena holds 7500 seats. There are also tons and tons and tons of attached halls that could be set up just like the jostens center.

The Anaheim convention center is within walking distance of Disneyland as well as most hotels.

2. Honda center of Anaheim
This arena holds over 17,000 seats. If 17,000 seats isn't enough for now, I don't know what is. The worlds staging could absolutely be done in this venue no problem. It is 10-15 minutes from Disneyland/ California adventure.

There are multiple affordable hotels in Anaheim. Finding somewhere to stay doesn't seem like it would be a huge issue.

 

[cheeringcrazy]

I know I have mentioned Anaheim before but I still think the venues here would be better than in Florida.

For the people who think taking Disney out of the equation is bad, Disneyland and California adventure are in Anaheim.

The two venues in Anaheim that I would consider worlds worthy would be

1. Anaheim convention center.
The arena holds 7500 seats. There are also tons and tons and tons of attached halls that could be set up just like the jostens center.

The Anaheim convention center is within walking distance of Disneyland as well as most hotels.

2. Honda center of Anaheim
This arena holds over 17,000 seats. If 17,000 seats isn't enough for now, I don't know what is. The worlds staging could absolutely be done in this venue no problem. It is 10-15 minutes from Disneyland/ California adventure.

There are multiple affordable hotels in Anaheim. Finding somewhere to stay doesn't seem like it would be a huge issue.

I've been to both places and I believe Anaheim would be the better location. However, wouldn't it be very expensive to book the Honda Center for 3 full days? That's a busy pro sports arena and this time of year there is often hockey playoffs and I doubt they would be able to do 3 days in a row. Im sure there are other options in the area though, like you said the convention center is a great place to hold it.

 

[Knowcheering]

I think AL bids should be decreased

That wouldn't do anything besides punish cheerleaders for the venue being too small and the schedule poorly though out. Limiting bids any further won't magically shrink a crowd size down to anywhere near 5000. And if you don't want an At-Large bid cheerleader taking up a precious seat in the Milkhouse, I can only imagine how you feel about a high school cheerleader from Orlando, or a Level 1 cheerleader there with her mother for fun, or a college student who stopped cheering four years ago who are there taking up seats.

Fourth, what a joke moving awards for Small Senior and Large Coed to a baseball field. Teams in 4th through 10th got their trophies tossed up to them in the stands and teams in 1st through 3rd got to stand in the dirt. Nice experience. Not quite the photo op you dream of - that of your team getting your trophy on one of the competition floors, in front of the backdrop and surrounded by all of the finalists.

Was the baseball field really not big enough to have 10 teams stand on it? Why even move Awards there? If it was because they were running so far behind, what's another 15 minutes for Awards? And if it was in an effort to get some people to clear out of the Milkhouse, they were going to start leaving after that Awards anyway because International was starting.