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Online now: 3 members: TABLE SETTER 11, ace42850, dawg888; 170 anonymousDiscussion: Bad idea by SSUSA
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| Feb. 5, 2009 SoCal'er 76 posts | Bad idea by SSUSA Has anyone noticed that World and other 'ring type' tourney's have a huge increase in fee's when you don't use SSUSA's hotels. Phoenix example, $660 fee and a $140 refund when you verify 5 rooms or more at accomadations set up by SSUSA. What about the teams that stay in 'economy type' lodging so they are able to go. I think the idea is outrageous. |
| Feb. 5, 2009 taits Men's 65 4548 posts | Maybe it's a mistake, but the schedule shown Rockin Reno as a qualifier and a chance for the TOC. The redirect to specific lodging places for a fee discount is really questionable. |
| Feb. 6, 2009 DoubleL10 Men's 70 907 posts | And, to carry this idea out further, local teams who are able to drive to these tournaments each day and stay at home are PENALIZED by higher entry fees? Sounds like a truly bad idea to me! |
| Feb. 6, 2009 THECAT 65 posts | What are we getting back SSUSA for endorsing this action? Does this put more monies into the organization? I also agree with the question for those who live within driving distance. Who checked with whom before THIS ACTION WAS TAKEN? |
| Feb. 6, 2009 einstein Men's 50 3112 posts | If you listen to those closest to SSUSA they are a private org and can/will do just as they please and often do. |
| Feb. 6, 2009 kbl Men's 60 544 posts | this is not a very good idea in the very least. ken |
| Feb. 6, 2009 Bermuda Punch Men's 65 15 posts | We have a team meeting scheduled soon and as manager I am going to recommend we boycott all SSUSA tournaments because of this money grabbing move. SSUSA needs us more than we need them. I have yet to see a hotel rate SSUSA offers that can't be beat. So they stick it to you on entry fee then gouge some more with their hotel rooms. And, while I'm venting, St. George has also priced itself out of the market as well. When it costs a team $1,200 to $1,500 plus travel, lodging and meals it's much to expensive for me. |
| Feb. 6, 2009 Duke Men's 65 908 posts | Gentlemen, I was bombarded with emails from other teams today. I have not been on the board recently, so I had to check this out for myself. Sounds like Michael Phelps isn't the only person on drugs lately. I checked some of the bigger tournaments out, and it is true. I saw it in more than one tournament, so it is not a mistake. Well, maybe it is a mistake, by SSUSA. Just for the record, I did want to help out the organization, and checked the prices of hotels for the last Phoenix Worlds. It was just a $5-$15 savings at the few that I checked, versus calling and not using the discount. The hotel that our team stayed at was over $50 less per night and very nice and near the fields. I went a little further and checked out the Advantage rent a car fees through SSUSA, and it was 50% cheaper to NOT say that you were from SSUSA. That was a shock. Sounds like SSUSA is making a killing on that sponsor. What is next guys? Does anyone wonder why some obvious teams do not get bumped up in the ratings? If you are curious, I would be happy to tell all, but I will probably get bumped off before I can. Will our fees go up if we do not buy equipment from a specific sponsor, or book our trips through a specific agency, or buy our trophies from a specific sponsor, or insurance from another sponsor, or will we have to eat at certain restaurants because they are a sponsor?? Where will it stop? I say SSUSA takes back this absurd decision or we do not go to their tournaments. It is time for other organizations to set up shop here in the West and anywhere else. I have already been contacted by 16 teams asking me to join them in a boycott, if this is not taken back. I am sure that other teams have done the same. You have made some bonehead decisions, but this one is the worst of all of them. Just my opinion and others. Andy Smith, Double Nickels, Manager/Coach |
| Feb. 6, 2009 Chief144 Men's 70 160 posts | Our team is having a meeting tomorrow and I am going recommend that we not go to SSUSA tournaments until they do away with this policy. Our team just doesn't have the money to support "their" hotels. We have for years been able to attend only because we have been able to find affordable hotels. Why did SSUSA ask how the teams that have supported them in the past about this change? Win Downing Game On, Manager/Coach/Player |
| Feb. 7, 2009 mad dog Men's 65 4191 posts | i have yet to use a SS-USA host hotel.they are always $20 a nite more than anything i can find on -hotwire dot com and priceline dot com.i posted somewhere else(in another post) that $79 a nite is not a bargin.i'm on my way to jaks,fl for this classic spring training and am staying at la quinta for $35 a nite,vs our host hotel that wants $79 a nite(this is not a ssusa event),so alls ya have to do is a little research to get better deals.Spa might be another assoc to check out. |
| Feb. 7, 2009 taits Men's 65 4548 posts | There are at least two major companies that seek out tournament, the associations that put them on and their TD's that run them. They "arrange" hotel \ motel accommodations in advance, (block off a number of rooms), with a pay back or kick back (according to a set amount and set number of teams expected or arranged for in advance by those parties. I knew someone years ago who was in the industry and it was very lucrative for all three sides. Hotels\motels, Assns, etc and the company. |
| Feb. 7, 2009 Jawood Men's 50 943 posts | It's been a bad off season for senior softball and their "ideas" so far! |
| Feb. 7, 2009 #6 Men's 60 1173 posts | If this doesn't get some of you to start thinking about senior softball, NOTHING WILL!!!When we go to the Winter World, a lot of us get our rooms comp from the casinos.THIS IS A SAD DAY FOR SOFTBALL. WHAT'S NEXT? |
| Feb. 8, 2009 Joncon 328 posts | In SSUSA'a defense, they do provide a forum for people to complian about them. Ya gotta respect that! |
| Feb. 10, 2009 Duke Men's 65 908 posts | Hey Guys! I cannot believe that this has not received more comments. In my opinion, I thought it was very sneaky to put this in their flyers, without making an annoucement or explaining their reasoning. Irregardless, it does not work for me or a lot of teams that I spoke to this past week. With the price of these tournaments, we have enough for 4 big tournaments or 7-8 small ones. When the money is gone, we are gone. To be quite honest, our team is going to have to have a team meeting to discuss what to do. We are going to have to go to smaller tournaments or play elsewhere. We pay are own way, and to spend more on hotels for SSUSA, just does not work for us. To save some dollars on the tournament fee and spend much more on hotels, is not going to work. Many teams that I have spoken to, off the board, feel the same way. Besides all of that, we do not have enough in our budget to buy softballs like other Major teams for our singles hitters. LOL! This is a sad day for a fun and huge organization. We will either move on to another organization, or play in SSUSA till our money is gone. Andy Smith, Double Nickels, Manager/Coach |
| Feb. 10, 2009 Dbax Men's 65 2101 posts | Duke,I totally agree! This is total B.S. They should be lowering entry fees for us during this economy. And we can always find hotels that are much cheaper, and closer to the parks than the host hotels. Also it is a very good point about the home teams that don't have to travel that weekend. They get screwed! Well with all that extra money and kickbacks from the hotels, second place finishers can probably get a few extra hats! |
| Feb. 10, 2009 Chief144 Men's 70 160 posts | Terry just posted news that they are lowering the fees to $495 for teams not using the host hotels. About the same as last year. Look under the "tournament" message board. Seems like someone listened to the members! Win |
| Feb. 10, 2009 Duke Men's 65 908 posts | Hi Guys, I am kind of surprised how some of you even have my email address. Must be in my profile, or most likely, a previous message that I posted. Thank you for all of your comments and opinions. SSUSA has finally spoken and given everyone their reasoning, thank you. We can play the numbers game till we are blue in the face. I only have 2 comments to make, then I am finished with this issue on the board. 1) Why is it that other organizations can hold a tournament for a lot less, and everyone says that they have a great time and cannot wait for the next one? I do not have an answer for this, because my team has not attended any of these tournaments, therefore, here say, but I am convinced from meeting some these guys and teams. Usually no rings, but who cares, if you can pay $200+ less for a tournament, and stay where you choose. 2) A math problem for you. What is 350 times 575. Answer: approximate number of teams that attended ONE tournament times the entry fee, $201,250 not including kickbacks from hotels, shirt sales, softball sales, etc. I know there are a lot of expenses that go along with this, but why stick it to us for trying to scrape enough money to pay for travel to attend these tournaments. You would not be doing this, if you were not making a comfortable profit, nor have all of these people working for you. It has been a huge hardship for some of my players to attend, because of the expense and trying to take off a Friday from work. Some of the guys on our team have helped out some of these guys, so we could have a full team, and some players still cannot afford to go to every tournament, regardless, in these hard times. Enough said and I am done with this topic. Still open to any emails that anyone that wants to send me one. Have a nice day everyone! Andy Smith, Double Nickels, Manager/Coach |
| Feb. 10, 2009 Duke Men's 65 908 posts | Absolutely my last comment. I just posted the math, so everyone knows that there is plenty of monies being collected, and there is no need to increase the prices of tournaments and force teams/players to support sponsors, when it is not economically feasible. Hopefully, we can get the same quality tournaments in the future and continue to have fun. Andy Smith |
| Feb. 10, 2009 kbl Men's 60 544 posts | i just took back a lot of words i wanted to say. i am glad the people in charge reversed their original ideas. i think it was a bad idea and was not thought out very well. thank you. |
| Feb. 10, 2009 kbl Men's 60 544 posts | ken leisey, player 60s reading pa |
| Feb. 10, 2009 Lecak Men's 60 1026 posts | Andy you should seriously think about applying as an advisory board member. Your contacts would probably provide a good sampling of data for the associations. |
| Feb. 11, 2009 SouthernLeather 22 posts | Spring Nationals in Florida has the same thing....one rate if you use a tournament hotel, another if you don't. About $150 difference. Terrible idea... You are asking coaches to stick their guys for an extra $20-25 a piece per night to reduce their team entry fee? to stay at a tournament hotel! How does that happen, easy...everywhere we go, we beat the tournament rate at hotels by using priceline. Example> $69 plus task for tournament hotel xyz or $45 plus tax for a Sheraton, Hyatt, or Hilton using priceline? Easy choice for us, we are poor....sometimes we actually stay at a tournament hotel, but always at a much lower rate...even than the negotiated rate by Senior Softball.... Wake up guys...what the hotels are telling you is that they will charge your customers more and tell you it is a discount, yet allow others to stay at the same hotel for a substantially lower rate than your supposed discount.. Bad idea.... |
| Feb. 11, 2009 GORILLA4S Men's 60 20 posts | This explains the fact that while reserving rooms in Phoenix (Embassy Suites 44th & McDowell) this past October for the "Senior" rate of I believe it was $149/night, I discovered on their website a rate of $109. After a direct and somewhat stressful conversation with the general manager and the obvious listing on the website, an agreement was made to honor that reduced price. However once I relayed that information to my teammates that rate in a matter of hours was discontinued. Hmmm. Jeff AMR50's |
| Feb. 11, 2009 taits Men's 65 4548 posts | Gorilla4s, I've have had to go through the same thing (Vegas). Copying it before and after with seasonal rates etc works. Check their room door signs to look for discrepancies. Chances are that next Monday the web site was back to the other. In Reno I had a laptop w\me once, and showed them the site rate which was changed during the conversation. Still got the lessor rate. |
| Feb. 12, 2009 gary#27nor.ca.storm Men's 55 58 posts | after reading this post we chubb ins. will not go to spring championships nor will we go to any other senior softball tournaments till they get there head out of the sand and do the right thing.Iam with andy and hope others will do the same.They should look how ncssa is run and rated before they loose everyone.To many rule changes and higher entry fees means less teams.Wake up senior softball you were at the top boy you are really sinking now. |
| Feb. 12, 2009 DesertGuy Men's 60 224 posts | gary#27- If you're talking about the Mesquite Spring Worlds, doesn't seem that tournament is in the hotel deal. No different entry prices based on hotels and from being there before, those 3 hotels are all owned by the same company. It's a small town! But I guess we have to take a stand sometime, even if the one you're taking is based on false facts. |
| Feb. 12, 2009 einstein Men's 50 3112 posts | Andy and Gary, way to go. |
| Feb. 12, 2009 SoCal'er 76 posts | gary#27-concerning Mesquite Spring Worlds,my guess as to why they are not doing the room thing there is, because I don't think they can reserve enough rooms to accomadate all the teams. Tried there resv. hotline,they can't give any room rates out because they havn't been given any info from SSUSA.So hard to compare rates if your trying to plan ahead. |
| Feb. 12, 2009 SoCal'er 76 posts | sorry should add, they can't give out res. info for ANY up coming tourney. |
| Feb. 12, 2009 gary#27nor.ca.storm Men's 55 58 posts | chief144 terry lowering fees from 525 to 495 gee thanks terry thats 30.00 we have 15 man team lets see thats 2.00 a guy that should help out "NOT" whats next pay for parking.A lot of teams just do not have that kind of money. |
| Feb. 12, 2009 Chief144 Men's 70 160 posts | Gary, I tried to call about rooms for Reno and they have not posted any prices for the "host" hotels. We are waiting to compare the rates with what we know we can get. I know that at the Peppermill rooms can be had for $39 or $49. So, we will wait and see. Mesquite is not one of the "host" hotel tournaments. My point was that at least some progress was made with SSUSA. I hope they decide not to do this because it will ruin a lot of tournaments as a lot of teams will not play. |
