Time to set the record straight.
Before this becomes a runaway train, let me speak.
Last years fees were 150.00 to start the season. With many incentives to lower it. Like pay early, Help with the Youth camp, sponsor a fund raiser, Bring in a sponsor, sell fan packs, or do a service that helps the team, like player coach. May players did those things and got their fees down low. ( at least 20% )Some didn't even have to pay for those reasons.
When the season starts you do a budget. Income vs expenses. usually I will work in 25.00 per bus trip ( anyone that knows about bus cost, 25.00 per player does not cover the cost of a bus. Last year I knew that we would have at least 3 bus trips.Two to Canada and Cleveland. And a playoff game.
Because We did good at the first game and we had a couple of good fundraisers. we lowered the fees early be 25.00.
At mid season we lowered it be another 25.00 with the understanding and agreement by the players that if we needed another bus for playoffs they would all kick in 25.00. Now again if you want to check bus prices, A last minute booking of a bus to Pittsburgh costs. So the 25.00 that the player paid ( and not all paid, pretending they did not know even we talked about it for weeks ) only covered half the cost.I took the middle cost one because I was unsure of those I did not know. It had to be paid cash up front. Because I was tied up with my dad in the hospital, our Announcer Kevin had to drive it to Oak Park during rush hour to make sure we had the bus.
This years fees will be 75.00 to start and if we get in a jam we might ask for another 25.00 late in the season. But I don't see that happening. We have some good plans this year for marketing. As far as a budget, the player fees only make up 25% of the total cost of the year. Anyone thinks that I am getting rich, come and look at my mansion I live in ( South Dearborn Heights, Annapolis and Beech Daly ) I think that we try and supply the best that we can with what we have to work with. Good field, good busses, etc. I am not a rich man and only ask that we can pay the bills at the end of the season. But we always seem to have some left over bills that need to be paid.
We have been taking care of things for 6 years and will keep doing it.
So that is the story behind the team fees and the bus story.
Someone did a post of the best run teams. Someone said that just surviving is success. I agree. The success of any Small Business is the challenge of keeping your doors open. And even though some of the players don't agree, A team is a small business, with a large budget and many bills to pay.
.
As far as the meeting last week. I thought it went good and the feed back I got from some of the players were positive. Everyone met the new Coaches, and seemed to get the answers they wanted. We talked about future plans, but never said anything about getting paid this year. It was loud in there and maybe hard to hear. And I think everyone had their mind on the Christmas Carol serving them drinks and food. Too bad we couldn't use her as a recruiting tool. But as I said we will be watching films there on Tuesdays after a lite practice. Something I wanted to do last year But was over ruled.
For those of you out there that are still trying to tear us down. Stop hiding behind a message board and be a man and have the guts to put your names up. Either that, or keep it to yourself.
We will be having our next meeting in late January and the next in mid February, with the combines in March as always. I will put the Information out here for all to see.
As I said at the meeting. Things will be different. With our new staff, everything will be on the up and up. No favorites, no deceptions, and everything out front.
Anyone have any questions feel free to contact me. I will answer all questions 313-303-5980 alseder@hotmail.com
Coach AL
Wow! Now you guys did it you brought Diesel Deb into all this way to go. You know its deep when Deb has something to say. I sure wish you clowns would just grow a set and say what you gotta say and sign your names to it.