PGF perspective on the ASA JO Cup (2/20)

[Pdiddy]

just read the PGF response....it reads like someone wrote in an "emotional" state of mind for sure. IMO, it comes across as "that's not fair"...."they can't do that"....I'm sure the Gary dude is a good softball leader and all his National Championships are impressive, but he is obviously not a businessman. His numbered responses are pretty much a disaster from a "spin doctor" perspective and new ideas are formed everyday in business and technology and not expecting a competitor to counter the market share the PGF captured from the ASA is utterly amateur like.....they should have not responded publically, as they come off as desperate and a victim now, especially with the language about "personal threats" and "black balling"....very unprofessional IMO.

we all know why the PGF was formed by the Cali teams. My DD has been to California ("Cali") for the PGF National Championships the last two years and one thing is for certain, there are the "haves" and there are the "have-nots" at the highest level of girls pitch. The Cali teams and their coaches are the "haves" and there are only a hand full (6-7) of teams outside of Cali. in that club....all others teams are the "have-nots". ASA has turned up the pressure on that "club" and their fraternal relationships with outrageous prize money and entry fees that only "haves" can afford with their rumored $5,000+ per kid annual fees and tryout fundraisers at $500 a pop. The fact that ASA is going to pit those "haves" against each other now with prize money and testing the "haves" loyalty is what's really funny....it may take a year or two, but those "haves" won't sit back for too long watching the "have-nots" come in their back yard and take home a huge cash prize....because a National Championship trophy is not nearly as nice as a National Championship trophy that comes with a big cardboard check for $44,0000....

 

[Jquick823]

Pony is big in Western PA up the North East. We don't play much of it as we travel south towards the Carolina's for most tournaments but it's still alive.

 

[crystlemc]

Pony is big in Western PA up the North East. We don't play much of it as we travel south towards the Carolina's for most tournaments but it's still alive.

Huh, learn something new every day! I'm in NE OH and hadn't heard of any PONY tournaments here or in WPA for years...lol.

 

[Jquick823]

Huh, learn something new every day! I'm in NE OH and hadn't heard of any PONY tournaments here or in WPA for years...lol.

Yeah it's bigger from Chambersburg to Pitt. Guess that's central to western but you get the point lol.

 

[Momo'sDad]

I just read the email too. i think PGF probably woke up the sleeping giant with their foray into the rec world. Maybe they should have left that one alone. They are not just a "choice"; they are making an end run at ASA.

As the parent of a softball player who enjoys playing the best competition possible, I'm a fan of what PGF worked to create with its "best of the best" philosophy for their end-of-season tournament. Even though there will certainly be plenty of strong teams at the ASA Nationals, most of the better teams in our area have PGF Nationals at the top of the priority list.

They have the right to conduct their business as they see fit, but as I see it, rather than focusing on growing a good thing, they've sought to water it down with a not-so-good thing and are trying to get too big, too fast by trying to venture into the rec game.

Pigs get fed, but hogs get slaughtered. I'd like to see PGF continue to be the best at what they do and to continue as an alternative to ASA (Nationals) rather than trying to be "ASA lite".

 

[riseball]

PGF is good at what it does but I do not see how their business model will scale.

 

[MTR]

And paying thousands of dollars over 8 years in hope of a scholarship isn't a gamble? What is the percentage of travel ball players who get full rides?

And while I think the ASA tournament is not a good thing, how can an organization claim they are there so the girls can play for the love of the game when it was initiated based on the carrot chase to the point of excluding age-eligible young athletes who want to play for the love of the game?

 

[SoCal_Dad]

And while I think the ASA tournament is not a good thing, how can an organization claim they are there so the girls can play for the love of the game when it was initiated based on the carrot chase to the point of excluding age-eligible young athletes who want to play for the love of the game?

ASA followed suit a few months later and is still barring college players from Gold for the 6th year. ASA should allow college players back in Gold rather than pervert their amateur JO sport.

Another stated factor in the rationale for excluding college players was saving coaches from the dilemma of being loyal to the players that had been there all year for them vs displacing them with college players for the last 1-2 months. However, it still happens as both ASA and PGF teams pick up hired guns to help them compete in their national - the only difference is they're not college players. There are a number of players that play in both nationals - once with their regular team and also with another team as a pick-up player.

 

[JJsqueeze]

Bump- anyone have any news on this?

 

[CoachKevin]

Here's a look into the cost of travel ball. USSSA tournaments cost $500 for 4 GG. USSSA Regional WS cost $425 for entry and $800 for gate entry (Required to play). $1225 for 5 games minimum winning team played 10 games. That's a $725 increase for 1 game. Rumor has it the director in my region makes upwards of $500K a year. $122.50 a game for the winner. if you play 5 its $245 a game for 90 minutes.

Played a Pony tournament last year that was minimum 8 games but max of 10 games. Cost $825. $82.50 a game. Field rental cost tournament director $400 total and there was 65 teams. $54K in entry fees, average of $2K profit a day on food and the director claimed poverty.

NSA/ASA seem to be the cheapest and most cost effective tournaments. I understand prices in my part of the country might be higher based on cost of living but this is only going to get worse. how do you stop it? Don't pay it, but then you don't play.

Very good analysis, however you didn't figure in a lot of stuff based on your entry fee. Umpire pay, lodging, and possible meals, field rental, supplies to run the tournament (balls, chalk, field crew), so really the $$$$ per game you cited could be, as actually is, a lot less than that when you factor in all the tournament expenses.

Now I'm not saying running big tournaments isn't a money maker for the TD, I'm just saying the $$ per game isn't reflected accurately.

Anyway for the OP, one thing I don't quite get is that most of the teams/Organizations are 501c, how does the prize money affect that status?