Local match fees

[BritinUSA]

There is an interesting topic about women in shooting (here) and one of the posts mentions the cost of match fees with regard to multiple members of the same family.

My question is this; Does your local club offer a discount to shooters from the same family, ie. Husband/Wife, Wife/Daughter... etc.

I am thinking that some kind of discount may encourage more family participation which may also help to grow the sport.

[Nik Habicht]

Here's what the Mid-Atlantic Section does:

4. Club Match Fee for Husband & Wife USPSA members $ 35.00 *

5. Club Match Fee for Junior Shooters (under 18 years of age) $ 10.00

6. Club Match Fee for Junior (under 18 years) shooting with Parent/Guardian $ 5.00

Non club, but USPSA members, pay $20 each to shoot a match.While we're trying to encourage couples, we're really trying to encourage junior shooters -- and we need to balance that with the need to contribute financially to the facilities that host our matches, and the prize structure (cash payouts) and all the other expenses that a match incurs.

[TRev1911]

In my area, the fee's are normally as follows:

1st Gun - $15

2nd Gun - $5

1st Gun and help set up - $5

RO - Free

Junior - Free

We don't offer any incentive for couples.

[chbrow10]

There is a match here in Mississippi, the South Mississippi Practical Shooters (http://www.smsps.com/SMPSA.htm) that offers a club membership program. Yearly membership is only $25.00, and if you pay that at a match, it covers the USPSA fee and the match fee. With having paid that fee, one member gets a $5 discount on the match fee, and additional members of that familiy only pay the $3 classifier fee. My two boys shoot with me often, so I pay $13 for me, and $3 for each of them. 3 people shoot for $19! This club doesn't offer discounts for juniors or ROs.

[larry cazes]

Yes. Families are at a slight discount from single members.

[CHA-LEE]

Maybe I am just strange but to me I think it’s a pretty lame if shooters are whining about not getting a $5 discount when bringing family members. A $5 discount is total chump change when compared to how much you invest in guns, gear, ammo, snacks, gas, etc to shoot a match. Especially when each shooter in the family is using at least $1,500+ worth of guns and gear to shoot the match.

The club hosting the match stands the most to gain by not losing $5 per family member shooter. The more funds the club has the better quality matches they can produce. Matches cost money to host and if the income from hosting the match isn't viable then there won't be a match. If there isn’t a club to host the match then who cares if the match fee is $5 less or not.

If you put the $5 savings into perspective against all of the other expenses in competitive shooting it's really nothing in the big picture. I would much rather pay full price to shoot a match and know that my money is going to further the clubs future success verses save $5 and not know if I will have a place to shoot the next time I come.

[old506]

As a business owner I am thinking about sponsoring some "family" shooters to help them out.

I would like to see a jack/jill match. Something where your spouse has to come out with you at this "special" match.

I like the idea of no charge to shooters who help, you will find out who can/can't afford it real quick.

I don't think that we should charge juniors. I am willing to throw in a couple of bucks for a junior to shoot for free, I am thinking that I would like it even better if they are wearing the name of my business?

[Joe4d]

This questions touches on the issue of the total disconnect people have of taxes and benifits,,, look at it this way, If on your next match signup you have an extra block, with the question,,,

Should this club allow juniors to shoot free ? I bet you will get about 100% in favor,,,,

If you put out the statement, We are going to raise the price of all male adult match fees $2 to cover the cost of the juniors and women that are shooting for free you may not get as much agreement even though the two statements basically are the same.

If people are shooting at a discount or free someone else is paying their way, If I dont have kids why should I subsidize yours ?

If the intent is growing the sport and seeking long term gain, subsidizing people that arnt gonna stick around isnt the answer,, Juniors are not the answer to numbers, They will leave in mass as soon as they turn 18 ish or go off to school or dad quits paying their way. The growth market is the people that already shoot and have time and the disposable income to get involved with an expensive sport. Very few women that get dragged to a shooting match by husband/boyfriend will stick around on their own. Our market is the over 30 men in stable careers that already are gun owners and shooters.

Match discounts as recruiting tools should be aimed at New to the sport shooters,, New shooters shoot free first match or two regardless of age or gender. After that everyone pulls their weight.

Edited September 18, 2010 by Joe4d

[old506]

We were all juniors once.

[open17]

Regular match $17, club membership not required. $2 of the $17 goes to a father/son team that does teardown

and puts stuff away.

Juniors $10

People who help set up on match day $8

No discounts for family. Have seen local clubs do "women shoot free" matches, but it doesn't seem

to make any difference in participation.

[Matt Cheely]

A couples discount would get me to more local matches for sure. It's expensive with both of us.

[CSEMARTIN]

1st Gun and help set up - $5

I see a lot of clubs doing this. If you help set up for a match, you pay $5 dollars. Why not let the guys that do all the work shoot for free?

[SLM]

1st Gun and help set up - $5

I see a lot of clubs doing this. If you help set up for a match, you pay $5 dollars. Why not let the guys that do all the work shoot for free?

I think the $5.00 is to cover the fees due to USPSA.

[colt]

see a lot of clubs doing this. If you help set up for a match, you pay $5 dollars. Why not let the guys that do all the work shoot for free?

Are set crew shoots free. Most drive a hour one way to set up on Saturday. They spend more in gas than the fee. No way can I charge them.

We charge $15.00

Brent

[texbran]

Our club charges 10 bucks for everybody that are members.15 non members.our membership is only 25 a year and includes that match that week when you pay up.Its hard enough for small clubs to make it with the fees and almost impossible if we had to give people discounts.We all shoot and spend to much money on our hobby.We need to save money some other way. Maybe commute with other shooters or eat at home instead of going out that extra time once a week.

[lmccrock]

We have a $5 discount for each family member after the first. Considering $5/shooter goes to the host range, and there are real expenses for each shooter, not sure low low we can go. Normally $15/member, $25 for a member couple.

A $5 discount is total chump change when compared to how much you invest in guns, gear, ammo, snacks, gas, etc to shoot a match. Especially when each shooter in the family is using at least $1,500+ worth of guns and gear to shoot the match.

Well...our club has a family which came in sharing guns and holsters. Another member shares rides to save a few bucks on gas. And how many started with $1500 in guns and gear? Saving a few bucks getting started is a good away to attract new members.

Lee

[chbrow10]

Wow, I am really surprised by the responses here.

Joe4d: “Juniors are not the answer to numbers”.

CHA-LEE: “The club hosting the match stands the most to gain by not losing $5 per family member shooter”

Joe4d, there are several organizations that would disagree with you. Just about every religious organization in the world for one. Scholastic Steel Challenge for another.

CHAL-LEE, I would argue that the hosting club has the MOST to gain. They get more shooters, more competition, and more fun. Folks come out and see juniors shooting safely. It promotes the sport and the club. Would you want to shoot at club that had 10 shooters in the entire match? That match exists.

Youth are the future of everything. Every other activity I have ever been involved in recognizes this. Scuba Diving, Yacht Racing, you name it. The more we can do to involve the youth with family based activities, the less time they are not getting obese playing video games, at risk of drug use, or getting pregnant.

I have seen folks sharing guns, holsters, car rides, etc to save money. I have shot local matches where they reuse targets match after match until there isn’t anything to staple to sticks or put a pasty on. Money is tight everywhere.

My two cents.

Edited September 20, 2010 by chbrow10

[Joe4d]

Religious organizations dont require big bucks to join, they wait until they have you hooked to bleed you dry. Besides we are not talking about yachts or scuba, we are talking about USPSA, Look at the membership numbers, look at the new members showing up at matches, they are middle age men, Keeping kids off drugs and not fat, is all fine and dandy, But USPSA is not social services. Nothing in USPSA has anything to do with making the world a better place. Its a game, Its an expensive game, focus on recruiting people that can afford the game men, woman and juniors. The rest of us shouldnt be forced to subsidize those that cant. If individually people or businesses want to sponsor a junior or woman or any one else thats great, If you want to start a hole new game that let kids shoot free and foot the bill yourself thats great too. My last gun club did that with a .22 program.

As a recruitment tool match fee discounts are best used for any new shooter.

[CHA-LEE]

I am not saying that we should "Punish" shooters by not giving them a discount. The point I was trying to make was that if someone is seriously financially worried about spending a few extra dollars to shoot with their family then they are in the wrong hobby.

The whole juniors need to shoot for little or nothing for a match fee is an enigma to me. If you have Juniors shoot for little or nothing then how do you teach them the value of something? If a Junior pays fill till for an entry then he is going to value what he does with that investment more than if he didn't pay anything. The parents are always going to be supporting 99% of the shooting expense anyway the vast majority of the time as they are usually the child's source of income (allowance, etc).

If there isn't a tangible price to achieving something then when you succeed its not worth anything. What are we really teaching our juniors or family members by giving arbitrary discounts?

[HuskySig]

A family discount is a completely new idea to me. Where do you draw the line though? Do you give a family discount to a father-son pair who show up when the son is a full grown adult, no longer living at home with his parents?

[konkapot]

I would have to say that Joe4d's post (#18)is probably one of the most rational, normal, logical down to earth things ever posted on this forum.

Spot on.

FY42385

[Nik Habicht]

The whole juniors need to shoot for little or nothing for a match fee is an enigma to me. If you have Juniors shoot for little or nothing then how do you teach them the value of something? If a Junior pays fill till for an entry then he is going to value what he does with that investment more than if he didn't pay anything. The parents are always going to be supporting 99% of the shooting expense anyway the vast majority of the time as they are usually the child's source of income (allowance, etc).

We had that discussion at a section meeting a few years ago -- and largely because someone made your point, we decided to not offer juniors free admission. We decided to charge a reduced entry fee instead; but then we're on the East Coast where match fees tend to be higher than in some other places. We think we struck a balance -- between something of no value, and something that might be slightly more affordable....

Doesn't mean that anyone else has to adopt that principle....

[Nik Habicht]

A family discount is a completely new idea to me. Where do you draw the line though? Do you give a family discount to a father-son pair who show up when the son is a full grown adult, no longer living at home with his parents?

We limit the serious discount to juniors, i.e. folks under 18 years of age......

[chbrow10]

I'm pretty sure that if we took a survey of hobby related activities across the county, continent, or planet, it would show that kids have reduced barriers to entry to the activity. These organizations do this to get kids into the sport and get them hooked. They do this because kids are the future of the activity. Why should we do any different? Why do most big matches offer a discount to juniors?

When kids turn 18 they can vote. And who would vote against something they've been doing and enjoying for years with thier family? It is about making an investment in the future of our hobby/pastime.

I guess I'm the only one who feels this way. I'm just glad that those who disagree with me are not running my club!

Peace, Love, and Alphas,

Chris