[BD] Tournament economics

[John Paul Taylor]

Didn't companies start making chocolate bars and packets of crisps smaller to keep the prices the same?  Why not just make pitches smaller every year!  What a genius idea!
 
Didn't cadbury's cream eggs used to be massive?  Or was I just smaller then?  
 
Just to throw into the argument for people who don't realise, loads of people don't go to tournaments because they can't afford it.  When I was a student we were lucky because the club made money from hosting tournaments so we could help out with travel and entry fees, but even then a weekend away was still expensive when you're surviving on £60 a week and earning less than minimum wage (since you're under 21) at McDonalds.  
I haven't got an answer to the problem though, but if I come up with one I'll let you know, and just keep grumbling about tournament costs like I've always done (even though I have a proper job now).  
 
Although thinking about it I've kind of given an answer above, when I hosted indoor tournaments we would charge the standard amount at the time and make enough money to keep the club going for the rest of the year.  A guy I used to live with rowed at college in the US, which costs a fortune, so they did loads of fundraising to pay for entry fees and travelling.  Didn't Bliss do loads of fundraising to go to Worlds a few years ago (I remember buying lots of cakes!) - how successful was this?  
 
Anyway, just a thought, sorry for wasting your time, back to work!
 
Ernie
 



> Date: Tue, 20 Feb 2007 08:58:46 +0000> From: eurogig at gmail.com> To: paulhurt at phmm.com> Subject: Re: [BD] Tournament economics> CC: britdisc at ranulf.net> > I think £150 for an event is still quite a bit but going on that...a> £2.50 difference does matter actually. Particularly when the cost> rises by this much at least every year. When you add up the costs as> Wayne pointed out there is plenty of little individual costs involved> in playing a tournament. This £2.50 extra is a part of just one of> these we could possible control in a situation where so many are out> of our control.> > An avid student player without the means of some of the older players> might actually be doing their best to be able to play without spending> a fortune. That could means a packed dinner for saturday night> instead of heading out for Curry and Chips. You can find ways trim> £2.50 here and there off each of your individual costs and it can add> up to a significant amount of savings especially over many events.> It's like doing a budget. Without realising it you'll find lots of> little ways to save bits, of money that add up to a lot. The bits> matter.> > The argument that £2.50 more is insignificant is a marketeers dream as> well. Products are always pushed on you where the standard price is> X but the next level up Y is only £2.50 more...and the next level> after that...only £2.50 again! Wow supersize me! What a deal. The> advertiser is hoping you'll be concentrating on the incremental> amounts because they are so small such that you'll never mind paying> the extra. In the end they'll get you to buy the pricier option you> probably wouldn't have considered if they hadn't priced you up to it> in little insignificant increments. It's also a bit like buying a car> as well...why not get the sat nav for £400...I'm already spending> £12000 so what's £400. Very few situations can make you think £400> isn't significant but car sales is one of them.> > Although I've argued it, the point never really was the little> differences on the individual it was the potential better use of the> total profits gained from UKUA Tour events to benefit the many over> the few which in the end highlighted a huge need for more tournament> venues and bidders so that competition (if that's what it takes) will> bring pricing down. Apologies for the run-on sentence.> > > Two reliable ways of making yourself unpopular with some players: 1)> > Captain a team 2) TD a tournament> > You missed...3) sending email arguments to britdisc> > 
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