High Gate Fees

[YoungBuck]

I've always taken issue with paying to attend a regular season high school game. Most high schools in the area I live in charge as well...typically $5. I think supporting these programs is very important, however, how you do that is also important. The wrong message is being sent when the 'poor' are being 'locked out' of public facilities and activities such as high school sports.

 

[Indiana]

^^^ I agree. There are scholarships in place for students for whom the "per sport" fee would be a hardship; however, the parents still have to pay the gate fee to watch their child play, especially during playoffs. There seems to be a disconnect here.

 

[redbirdone]

Here in East TN I've paid $12 for most one days, with the occasional $10 here and there. Two-days run around $20. And don't even think about asking for a penny back if you get rained out...

 

[Momo'sDad]

Conceptually, I don't have a problem supporting youth programs, municipalities, or even TDs' kids' college funds with daily or weekend gate fees, but they need to be reasonable and should offer some amount of parking lot security as well.

I don't mind paying a premium price to watch softball in a nice 'stadium' environment either. My only issue with BLD is that my ipod/speaker got me tossed (figuratively) at the one in Manteca, and I was somewhat disturbed that the players' equipment bags were searched on their way into the facility. Redding BLD was totally cool, however.

 

[Jdaddy]

Here in East TN I've paid $12 for most one days, with the occasional $10 here and there. Two-days run around $20. And don't even think about asking for a penny back if you get rained out...

Sounds like you were in Crossville last weekend.

 

[redbirdone]

Sounds like you were in Crossville last weekend.

Yep...very briefly but apparently briefly enough to be out $24.

 

[Coach JV]

The only gate fee I have seen in FL (an it is exorbitant)
ESPN WWOS in Orlando ($16/day) no coolers allowed
outside of team cooler

 

[Jdaddy]

Yep...very briefly but apparently briefly enough to be out $24.

A lot of people were upset about that one. Probably cost him some future revenue. We got rained out in Fountain City, but they did refund gate fees.

 

[absdad]

USSSA tournaments here are typically free, though cost the team nearly twice as much as an ASA tournament. So really, the parents are paying about the same amount if you think about it. The ASA tournaments typically run $4-6/day and sometimes there is a weekend pass if it's a 3 day tournament. We play almost exclusively ASA so you just deal with it.

 

[MTR]

MD/DE USSSA usually doesn't charge a gate fee for tournaments, however an open tournament is $500 for 4GG so i'm guessing the gate fee is factored in. Gate fee for USSSA world series in Salisbury MD is $800 for the team. Must be paid with your registration or you won't be registred. It was $500 last year, i'm guessing $1000 next??? Oh and they did this because it's cheaper to charge us than it is to staff the place and try and make people pay. Really wish there were more ASA, NSA, PONY around here as they tend to be cheaper, better run, better comp and more games.

DE JO commissioners tried to get in downstate DE for years, but no one wanted to be bothered including the umpires in that area that couldn't care less what color shirt they wore. When ASA approached the folks who ran the complexes, those people more than welcomed ASA as long as they could use their own umpires, not ASA trained umpires. Personally, I don't think ASA really gives a damn about the JO program in DE/MD/DC