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Online now: 4 members: 2 Out Nightmare, Andy215, Matty507, TABLE SETTER 11; 107 anonymousDiscussion: Tee-shirts or other prizes?
| Posted | Discussion |
| May 20, 2014 Adiktiv6 Men's 60 90 posts | Tee-shirts or other prizes? Played in a SPA tourney this past weekend....they gave out crappy bags and coffee travel mugs as prizes....I asked the TD if we got T-shirts....he got pissed at me for asking!! W T $ !! My question is : would players rather get t-shirts or crappy bags for winning or placing in a tournament that costs $400 + bucks to play in? What say you??? A dik |
| May 20, 2014 deep14 102 posts | Being that I myself was once a tournament director, I gave out t-shirts and trophies for first and second place. Unless he is paying a lot for the fields it should work out just fine. maybe this is his job |
| May 20, 2014 Ho 301 posts | I'll chime in on this one. We (THEE BUCKEYE CLASSIC) try to shy away from anything which requires sizes. With 80+ teams and 17+ Division winners which receive individual awards it is impossible to determine what the sizes of 300-shirts would be. The alternative of course is to get the sizes after the tournament and then get the shirts sized and mailed and of course also pick up the shipping costs (and then hear complaints of wrong sizes,should have ordere larger sizes, etc). We have found it easier to award travel duffle bags (about $35 reatail but we don't pay retail), no sizes needed. we can duplicate this year because the majority of last year's champs were moved to major and we don't invite majors to THEE BUCKEYE CLASSIC. As a result we do not run a huge risk of last year's winners winning again and receiving the same awards. For next year we will pribably figure out some way to guess on sizes and give jackets (which retail at $40 and that is definitely not what we pay for 300 of them). Everybody always complains what do TD's do with all the money. So here are some expense we occur which may not be considered..$6,000 for field rental...grounds crew individual wages (Barberton is a union town); $25 weekday; $37.50 Saturday and $50.00 Sunday. Since it is a union town we have to use their union work force. Umpire fee's $7450.00 and awards should (trophies inc) be around $5,000. Throw in softballs, our own help which we hire and other incidental costs there is not that big of a profit margin for a TD. Do not know what the profit margin was at the tournament you were talking about but maybe there was a reason for the awards you received. The other option could be to conduct your own tournament and sit back and watch all the money roll in. Ho |
| May 20, 2014 taits Men's 65 4548 posts | Seen all these as awards, maybe more I forgot about: Large trophies, small trophies, plaques, socks, coffee cups, cheap watches, hats, shirts, wind breakers, sweat shirts, bags of different types ie cheap bat bags &leather bat bags. Good bags to put your travel clothes in for that event. That last one from NCSSA many moons ago was one of the best I've seen other than the Miken leather bat bags SSUSA gave out once a long time ago. Know the credit and debit side of the event as well as the perks on the side possibilities. As I view it a mgr needs to ASK ahead of time if they are worried about what will be given should they win and imo cups are losers. I agree having to come up with correct shirt sizes in advance are a big problem. Perhaps sizes should be put that on rosters ahead of time for each event to allow some idea as to size requirements expected. Any extras they could possibly sell. Its a thankless job. |
| May 20, 2014 Omar Khayyam 1357 posts | One of the best prizes I've seen recently (again this year, in fact) is a windbreaker, not only printed with the tournament name and year and designated as the champion, but also the team name! That's right, a personalized team windbreaker, and in my size! This is the prize for Dean Perkins's Hayward, CA tournament, a $300 tournament, that draws a lot of teams from all over northern California. Of course they can't be handed out when you win, but they are hand-delivered by giving them to the manager of another local team that will be playing in the future in the same tournament in northern California as the tournament winner. We usually get them within four to five weeks this way, and with no postage costs incurred. We turn in the size preference of every player on the team to the TD, and he has them inscribed, and then gets them to us. Neat, huh? |
| May 21, 2014 Caveman Men's 50 68 posts | When I run my NCSSA tournaments, I have recruited sponsors to cover my anticipated awards expense. For my two tournaments with a total of 7 brackets total, I have 4 wineries that cover the cost. Their banners are displayed at the event and their logos are on the backs of the t-shirts I give out. I don't pre-order the t-shirts, but order them to the specifications of the winning teams and send them out Priority Mail. We also provide the Costco shorty bottles of water, I think they are 5 oz free of charge. In the past I have charged $275 per team and still make about $3000 a year for our Big Valley Seniors Club. Treacy Elliott The Saints 60's |
| May 21, 2014 STL0 Men's 60 230 posts | Caps are a pretty good idea. Don't have to worry about sizes if they are adjustable. They gave out SSUSA/Tanel hats at the Brickyard and I thought that was reasonable. It doesn't note the event but it is a pretty nice cap. I wouldn't be too interested in cups or travel bags. Most people have too many of those already. Just my 2 cents. |
| May 21, 2014 wagon487 Men's 55 578 posts | I've been lucky enough to be on a lot of winnings teams in my team with senior softball. I have enough travel bags, overnight bags, shoe bags, travel mugs, cheap hats, towels, tee shirts, pullovers, hitting jackets and medals. The best thing I ever got was for winning the SPA nationals, which was a travel bag that had a telescopic handle and Nations Champions on the side. I think it's time to give out gift cards, one size fits all:) 7-11, Circle K, Sheetz or any other chain of gas/food store. We are always on the road. Thinking out of the box here..... |
| May 21, 2014 AJC Men's 60 218 posts | Omar, you are correct on the pullovers that Dean Perkins gives out for the Hayward tourney, those are very nice. He gives you a nice option as well for ordering by color. Wagon, I hope that was "tongue in cheek " when you mentioned gift cards for 7-11, that would have to go down as one of the cheesiest awards....ever. |
| May 21, 2014 Adiktiv6 Men's 60 90 posts | Guys, so, thanks for all the insite....I suppose I was just venting!! Being just a player and not on the business side of things it's easy for me to overlook all that goes into putting on a tourney! What about giving back the entry fee to the winning team? Or letting them play in the next tournament without payment? My problem is .... I love tee-shirts!! A dik |
| May 21, 2014 taits Men's 65 4548 posts | Adiktiv6, Your last 'idea' does happened but not in either assn's I mentioned that I've been aware of in 15 years. In So Cal I've seen it happen, more than once. |
| May 21, 2014 taits Men's 65 4548 posts | .... does happen not happened |
| May 22, 2014 garyheifner 649 posts | I agree with one above. Got a hat at the Brickyard-great hat. I collect hats so it fit right in. Got a million Tee shirts -don't need more. We won a very nice trophy a few years back and nobody wanted it. I lost a coin toss and now have it taking up room in my trophy case. If you check award catalogs you can find a decent medal with ribbon for a little over $1.00. They are nice, don't take up much room and can be passed on to grand children to let them know you aren't quite as old and decrepited as you look. That being said, if you win the Worlds or a National title, I think something a little more nice would be appreciated. |
| May 22, 2014 Adiktiv6 Men's 60 90 posts | With all the "millions" of t-shirts I've received through my years of softball I've just had them made into quilts for my kids, grand kids and others. They seemed to enjoy them or they hate'em and lie to me about. Either way, the shirts are out of my house to make room for more (if i am lucky enough to win any more)!! Thanks for all the response to this rant !! Adik |
| May 23, 2014 Hookdup 27 posts | I agree with the gift card idea. MLB.com or Amazon, so we can get something we really want. The rolling travel bag is cool too. |
| May 23, 2014 Pricer Men's 50 621 posts | Give travel money back and be done with the complaints! |
| May 23, 2014 tg69 393 posts | Back in the day, when we would host a tourney, not senior,we would give the winners their entry fee back and give runner ups 1/2 their entry back.Had no complaints with that. |
| May 23, 2014 wagon487 Men's 55 578 posts | I forgot one thing, the really best thing I won was from the real TOC (ssusa), a free ring....it was NICE!!! Rings are only good for nationals and the real TOC. |
| May 23, 2014 wagon487 Men's 55 578 posts | 50 major..... |
| May 23, 2014 hitman Men's 70 339 posts | SPA sure didn't spend much on awards for Pensacola, a $2.00 mug and a cheap $5.00 or under travel bag just like they did at the Winter nationals. Just saying!!!!!!!!!!!!! They gave golf type shirts last year, with embroidered logo that told what the tourney was and they got the free advertising. This was also listed as a NATIONAL with the higher entry fees to cover awards!!!!!!!! |
| May 23, 2014 Perl 212 posts | Hitman (Jim), totally agree, the awards left a lot to be desired. Congratulations on you guys win and your MVP. I heard you were 24 for 25 or something like that. Keep it up and we'll see in Maryville or Marietta. |
