Lots of teams, but not organizations

[Lance Steckler]

there is a bunch i could address on this , but at the risk of having a bunch of Butt-hurt people, i'm going the silence is golden route.

 

[Gambler Bob]

Which top level team are protecting their brand name? I can only think of a few.

Personally, I would not have my daughter play for a Franchise team unless it was the real National Team. Tried playing for a Franchise team for 1 year, it was nothing more than a pig dressed up in makeup. Over priced makeup. These Franchise teams are a joke if you expect them to be like the original name brand team.

 

[Orange Socks]

When you say "protect their brand", I think of an organization being picky when taking on another team. Making sure there is quality coaching, above average athletes and decent pitching established before ordering the uniforms. I don't know of any.

I'm not an organization head, nor do I make a living in TB like some folks. I like to see 2-3 teams per age division. Maybe 4 at the younger ages. Keeps it manageable and the Head knows every kid in the org. But there's no money in that! Plenty of high level programs with success that follow this model.

If you are looking at these Huge franchises and want to play for the top Gold teams in the program there is not a lot room. The program will take you, but you will be assigned to one of the satellite teams that don't get the attention. Let's say you are a great athlete but don't want to play P5 ball, but could. Those top programs won't put you on THE team. You are better off going to one of the smaller programs that have a good reputation that also get to play against the those top teams on the best fields. Nothing wrong with being ranked in the top 35 playing great competition, not necessarily winning every game. But you are in the mix! Don't be fooled by the shiny objects.

 

[radness]

there is a bunch i could address on this , but at the risk of having a bunch of Butt-hurt people, i'm going the silence is golden route.

Ohhh some secret no one else knows
LOL...

 

[LEsoftballdad]

Which top level team are protecting their brand name? I can only think of a few.

Personally, I would not have my daughter play for a Franchise team unless it was the real National Team. Tried playing for a Franchise team for 1 year, it was nothing more than a pig dressed up in makeup. Over priced makeup. These Franchise teams are a joke if you expect them to be like the original name brand team.

Same here. We played for a LD franchise team last fall for which we paid $3,600 for dues and uniforms. We were promised front fields in the big events with lots of college coach interaction. Fast forward to Scenic City in November where we played at a beautiful complex in Chattanooga with three coaches in attendance for 24 teams. Ten miles away, the complexes were crawling with coaches.

It was all done to line Lamar's pockets.

 

[SBmom8992]

Beverly Bandits comes to mind when it comes to an program that has limited expansion and had quality teams throughout the organization


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[Gambler Bob]

Same here. We played for a LD franchise team last fall for which we paid $3,600 for dues and uniforms. We were promised front fields in the big events with lots of college coach interaction. Fast forward to Scenic City in November where we played at a beautiful complex in Chattanooga with three coaches in attendance for 24 teams. Ten miles away, the complexes were crawling with coaches.

It was all done to line Lamar's pockets.

DD played in the Scenic City also (14u team). Saturday they were at Bradley North Park. Not a single coach at that complex, which is understandable since it was all 14u teams at the Bradley North Complex.

They played at Edwards Park on Sunday. There were a lot of coaches at Edwards Park on Sunday. I would say 80% of the coaches at Edwards Park were watching the Birmingham Thunderbolts, Tampa Mustangs, both Beverly Bandit teams. There were probably 50 coaches lined up watching the elimination game were the Bandits were playing the Bandits.

If you were not at Edwards Park, it was probably not the best exposure for your money.

 

[_MIA_]

Parents need to spend more time paying attention to the landscape and less time bragging on FB. By the time the issues brought up matter (maybe 14’s but definitely 16’s) IMO there is no good reason a parent should be bamboozled…they have been around the block long enough. If a team promises you the world but has a history of being “back fielded” well..

This also includes realizing how good your kid actually is….

 

[uncdrew]

part of the things that I keep seeing, and NOT bashing the names, is the Franchise fee / Name type arrangements. Like Texas Glory. great org from what i've heard. But does that mean Texas Glory in Ohio is to same level??? again, NOT bashing the org, just a recent example i've seen.

There are Lady Dukes, Bat Busters, etc, teams all over the place now. It's just hard for me to imagine that all these teams being renamed, are at the same upper echelon level as the original namesakes.

Yup.

Texas Glory and Lady Dukes popped up in Georgia big-time, a few years ago when Vipers and EC Bullets were the big names in town, with Atlanta Premiere and Georgia Power fairly prominent.

Texas Glory hasn't gone crazy yet, but Lady Dukes are everywhere. Bombers and Thunderbolts are too.

 

[_MIA_]

There is a running joke amongst the parents on DD’s team about me knowing every team we play, regardless of where they are from. They make fun of me for it, usually behind my back..