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club membership fees timing

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    #32
    ArielAtom
    Registered Users Posts: 2,574 ✭✭✭ArielAtom


    I pay €305.00 for two non playing adults, a 16 and 17 yr old. For me it is great value, training twice a week, 3g pitch for winter, gym session once a week, discount in bar. Dublin club.


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    #33
    searay
    Registered Users Posts: 436 ✭✭searay


    The difference between clubs is vast. Our club, in the Midlands, increased underage membership from €5 to €10 per child 2 years ago and there were complaints.

    This year's fees are €10 per child, €50 per family. There are no ongoing contributions. The club runs a lotto but I don't think there are too many contributors. I think the club should charge more. At €30 per child and €150 per family, parents and kids would still be getting good value.

    The local soccer club charges €100 for the first child and weekly contribution of €2 for astro or referees.

    I find it hard to understand what they do with the €140 per child. In our club all underage teams are coached by parents, like myself who volunteer to do so. We've never paid referees for matches up to under 10 levels. I'd be concerned the club are missing out on kids whose parents see it as bad value or are struggling.


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    #34
    kippy
    Registered Users Posts: 18,441 ✭✭✭✭kippy


    searay wrote: »
    The difference between clubs is vast. Our club, in the Midlands, increased underage membership from €5 to €10 per child 2 years ago and there were complaints.

    This year's fees are €10 per child, €50 per family. There are no ongoing contributions. The club runs a lotto but I don't think there are too many contributors. I think the club should charge more. At €30 per child and €150 per family, parents and kids would still be getting good value.

    The local soccer club charges €100 for the first child and weekly contribution of €2 for astro or referees.

    I find it hard to understand what they do with the €140 per child. In our club all underage teams are coached by parents, like myself who volunteer to do so. We've never paid referees for matches up to under 10 levels. I'd be concerned the club are missing out on kids whose parents see it as bad value or are struggling.
    The reality in most clubs is that their juvenile membership fees support the overall running costs of the club, which usually involve senior club costs.
    Then, as mentioned earlier, many clubs are spending significant money on facilities which may or may not be a historic costs that is spread out over a number of years.
    Again, every club is different with different funding streams and facilities but I generally think that it's a value for money activity for kids and even more so as they get older where the club pay a larger number of costs towards supporting them.


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    #35
    franglan
    Registered Users Posts: 1,366 ✭✭✭franglan


    dobman88 wrote: »
    €130 for a senior playing member in my club. It comes down in price for unemployed, students and underage but not 100% sure of each price.

    When I lived at home in Kerry it was €80 for a senior player, €60 for unemployed or student. €30 for a kid.

    €140 for a kid is absolute robbery.

    Where's the club. Myself western club 60 euro for adult playing membership. Training 3 times a week. Typically Jan to December unfortunately due to relegation/promotion games last couple of years!


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    #36
    joebloggs32
    Registered Users Posts: 1,596 ✭✭✭joebloggs32


    kippy wrote: »
    Yeah, the treasurer has feck all else to be doing in fairness.

    Yeah....he's busy counting all that cash!


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    #37
    joebloggs32
    Registered Users Posts: 1,596 ✭✭✭joebloggs32


    Midlands club. €10 minor and younger. €50 for adults and €25 for students/non playing.

    I had an argument with someone lately who told me we shouldn't charge the kids! I said it should be €30 and we could spend the extra income on gear or equipment.
    I must show him this thread.....


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    #38
    Edgware
    Registered Users Posts: 5,875 ✭✭✭Edgware


    kippy wrote: »
    Yeah, the treasurer has feck all else to be doing in fairness.

    Oh is he a busy club official with a so important post he can't help anyone?


    If he cant divide the annual subscription by twelve and multiply the result by the number of months the person wanted he should be off in "little sums" college
    instead of handling large sums of money


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    #39
    Paulzx
    Registered Users Posts: 1,967 ✭✭✭Paulzx


    Dublin club. Annual family membership 360euro for 2 kids and 2 non playing adults (1 is a mentor/coach). That covers:

    Refs fees, team equip(balls etc.), clubhouse, all weather pitch so there is no weekly collection at matches etc.


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    #40
    kippy
    Registered Users Posts: 18,441 ✭✭✭✭kippy


    Edgware wrote: »
    kippy wrote: »
    Yeah, the treasurer has feck all else to be doing in fairness.

    Oh is he a busy club official with a so important post he can't help anyone?


    If he cant divide the annual subscription by twelve and multiply the result by the number of months the person wanted he should be off in "little sums" college
    instead of handling large sums of money
    Generally, yeah, the treasurer is one of the busiest officials in the club.
    The facilitation of part annual payment isn't as straightforward as you make it out to be either and would have some consequences were it to become the norm.
    That said, my advice to the OP would be to approach the club and outline the situation and rational - see what they say.


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    #41
    threeball
    Registered Users Posts: 7,967 ✭✭✭threeball


    €120 Family membership, Galway. €280 is taking the pi€€


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    #42
    Edgware
    Registered Users Posts: 5,875 ✭✭✭Edgware


    kippy wrote: »
    Generally, yeah, the treasurer is one of the busiest officials in the club.
    The facilitation of part annual payment isn't as straightforward as you make it out to be either and would have some consequences were it to become the norm.
    That said, my advice to the OP would be to approach the club and outline the situation and rational - see what they say.

    Its quite straightforward if a treasurer has the belief that the club is there to encourage participation in Gaelic games and not to screw money out of families.


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    #43
    kippy
    Registered Users Posts: 18,441 ✭✭✭✭kippy


    Edgware wrote: »
    kippy wrote: »
    Generally, yeah, the treasurer is one of the busiest officials in the club.
    The facilitation of part annual payment isn't as straightforward as you make it out to be either and would have some consequences were it to become the norm.
    That said, my advice to the OP would be to approach the club and outline the situation and rational - see what they say.

    Its quite straightforward if a treasurer has the belief that the club is there to encourage participation in Gaelic games and not to screw money out of families.
    You can't encourage participation in GAA without facilities and fairness to all members.
    Spot solutions are fine, but what ends up happening is people start to abuse the system.
    What if every parent only wanted to cover the months their child played with different fee levels on a per member or group of member basis?
    Again, I suggest the op talk to the club.
    Again, there are plenty other activities out there that cost far more and deliver less that don't get half the complaints that the GAA does.


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    #44
    Stationmaster
    Registered Users Posts: 828 ✭✭✭Stationmaster


    Every club has it's own unique financial commitments. Some clubs have just basic facilities and no loans and very little running costs. Others might have great facilities that require larger running costs and loan repayments. I think most clubs should look at what it costs to run the club, where they can get additional revenue streams form and then look at the balance and their membership base and see what's the best membership rate they can come up with.

    Also, affiliation fees, insurance costs, levies etc are increasing year on year and I'd imagine most clubs (my own is a senior club with hurling teams only) could be paying €7k/€8k or more per year alone on these charges.

    Lastly, I've 3 kids who are all at the age now where they are doing various activities and most of these would be payable at each session and a minimum of €5 per session and usually more. I think most GAA club's membership fees compare quite favourably with these prices.


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    #45
    willbeuptuesday
    Registered Users Posts: 121 ✭✭willbeuptuesday


    Lads I am delighted that this debate has commenced, firstly let me state that I train both an under 10/11 football and hurling teams and I am the father of 3 kids aged 10,8 and 6. The GAA is by far and away the best value for money of any kids activity out there and my kids do gymnastics, swimming, soccer, scouts and Irish dancing (this is spread over the three of them). My club charges €40 per kid, which is way too cheap in my opinion as the modern parent only equates value to money. The reason I say this is that I experience it every day, the parents won't miss something that they have paid good money to do. My son is playing his 27th game tonight this year and he has many more training sessions, we are going on a trip on the 5th of October to Croke Park Doing the tour and getting lunch before playing a team in Dublin on the way home. We are bringing 5 mentors and 30 kids, the cost of the trip is broken down as follows, Bus €700 Croke park tour and lunch for 35 is €375 which totals €1075, the club will charge €10 per kid and the rest will be subsided by sponsors and the club. As GAA people we have this notion we cant charge kids but the reality everyone else does and its left to the committee to undertake endless fundraising to compensate for this mentality. That's a thankless job and its time those parent who only see the clubs as a babysitting service pay up and realise what the GAA does for their kids, would they be welcome at the other activities if they did not pay?? I can guarantee you that if a kid did not have the money they would nt be turned away from the GAA. We need to value what we do ourselves.


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    #46
    kippy
    Registered Users Posts: 18,441 ✭✭✭✭kippy


    willbeuptuesday wrote: »
    Lads I am delighted that this debate has commenced, firstly let me state that I train both an under 10/11 football and hurling teams and I am the father of 3 kids aged 10,8 and 6. The GAA is by far and away the best value for money of any kids activity out there and my kids do gymnastics, swimming, soccer, scouts and Irish dancing (this is spread over the three of them). My club charges €40 per kid, which is way too cheap in my opinion as the modern parent only equates value to money. The reason I say this is that I experience it every day, the parents won't miss something that they have paid good money to do. My son is playing his 27th game tonight this year and he has many more training sessions, we are going on a trip on the 5th of October to Croke Park Doing the tour and getting lunch before playing a team in Dublin on the way home. We are bringing 5 mentors and 30 kids, the cost of the trip is broken down as follows, Bus €700 Croke park tour and lunch for 35 is €375 which totals €1075, the club will charge €10 per kid and the rest will be subsided by sponsors and the club. As GAA people we have this notion we cant charge kids but the reality everyone else does and its left to the committee to undertake endless fundraising to compensate for this mentality. That's a thankless job and its time those parent who only see the clubs as a babysitting service pay up and realise what the GAA does for their kids, would they be welcome at the other activities if they did not pay?? I can guarantee you that if a kid did not have the money they would nt be turned away from the GAA. We need to value what we do ourselves.
    Great post and 100% agreed.
    To be fair to most clubs, if you cannot pay or have some special circumstances you will be facilitated.


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    #47
    kevin7
    Registered Users Posts: 307 ✭✭kevin7


    If you any trouble understanding your club's fees, go to the AGM and see the accounts.

    If you feel some of the money is being spent where it shouldn't, raise that as an issue. Of if you feel too much money is being taken in, sitting in a bank account and not getting spent, raise that. (Chances of that are zero!)

    Some clubs may own the land, be debt free, and have few overheads to run their teams, so don't need to charge much for membership.

    Others do new developments, get what grants they can and borrow large sums of money to get things done. These loans need servicing.

    What I saw as a big success in my club a few years ago was proper budgeting was done, and instead of an endless cycle of fundraising events, badgering the same people to contribute, the fees were set at a proper level to cover the budget. Fees went up quite a lot, but it was so much simpler than bag packing, car washing, table quizes, etc etc etc every other month!


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    #48
    Edgware
    Registered Users Posts: 5,875 ✭✭✭Edgware


    kevin7 wrote: »
    If you any trouble understanding your club's fees, go to the AGM and see the accounts.

    If you feel some of the money is being spent where it shouldn't, raise that as an issue. Of if you feel too much money is being taken in, sitting in a bank account and not getting spent, raise that. (Chances of that are zero!)

    Some clubs may own the land, be debt free, and have few overheads to run their teams, so don't need to charge much for membership.

    Others do new developments, get what grants they can and borrow large sums of money to get things done. These loans need servicing.

    What I saw as a big success in my club a few years ago was proper budgeting was done, and instead of an endless cycle of fundraising events, badgering the same people to contribute, the fees were set at a proper level to cover the budget. Fees went up quite a lot, but it was so much simpler than bag packing, car washing, table quizes, etc etc etc every other month!

    The amount of energy spent on fundraising is quite high. Some people do expect everything for nothing when it come to the G.A.A. Nurseries on a Saturday morning are used as a free babysitting service which allows some parents to go off for cappucinos and avocado on toast. In our club where we have the hurling following the football nursery on a Saturday morning the non contributing parents have two hours free babysitting


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    #49
    moycullen14
    Registered Users Posts: 870 ✭✭✭moycullen14


    kippy wrote: »
    Great post and 100% agreed.
    To be fair to most clubs, if you cannot pay or have some special circumstances you will be facilitated.

    GAA, of all organisations, seems to have a tax and spend mentality. I was involved in a local rugby club where if it costs X to run the club and we have Y members so set the subscription at X/Y - the club was more or less self funding.
    The local GAA club would set the subscription at a very low rate and then spend the year endlessly fund-raising. They were to be commended at trying to make it as inclusive as possible by keeping the sub down but the attitude that the community was obliged to fund the GAA became very tiresome.


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    #50
    Edgware
    Registered Users Posts: 5,875 ✭✭✭Edgware


    A lot of the fundraising within the clubs would be done by individual teams for individual projects e.g. Feile competitions, trips to tournaments up and down the country, kitting out squads for final appearancs etc.
    In any case a lot of the fundraising has a social aspect too, quiz nights, poker nights etc where members across the club come out and support each other


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    #51
    LoughNeagh2017
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,074 ✭✭✭LoughNeagh2017


    The last time the club did memership collection I turned off the lights and did my best Disney villians laugh when they left, scrounging around looking money from a minimum wage wage slave and if you refused to buy you would be the talk of the parish, to be honest though I probably am talk of the parish anyway.


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