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Online now: 2 members: 199geek, TABLE SETTER 11; 96 anonymousDiscussion: 4 DAYS NOW FOR VEGAS MASTERS?
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| June 15, 2018 USMC21 122 posts | 4 DAYS NOW FOR VEGAS MASTERS? Why is the Vegas Masters now 4 days??? Doesn't SSUSA realize that it is difficult for 50/55's who are not yet fully retired to take 2 DAYS OFF OF WORK just to go to a softball tournament? Why not just limit the number of teams allowed in each division and make it a first signed up first allowed in. You don't make the cut off you don't get in? Keep it at 3 days like it has always been. Just SSUSA wanting more money from more teams...I hope they realize they are going to lose teams by doing this because it is difficult and costly for players to take off 2 days of work just to play softball!!!! |
| June 15, 2018 DaveDowell Men's 70 4313 posts | USMC21 ... You may be a bit behind the curve on this news ... We announced the 2018 World Masters schedule late last year, about seven or eight months ago ... It's in response to increasing demand for participation (we don't limit entries in ANY of our SSUSA Home Office administered events), coupled with a degree of declining field availability and a desire to limit/eliminate the extremely late nights in many divisions ... You also fanned it entirely on your economic shot at us ... The 2018 entry fee was NOT increased over last year's $745 amount ... But we DO get to pay for an two extra days of [1] field rents, [2] rental cars, [3] director fees, [4] staff and umpire lodging, [5] equipment rentals and [6] a multitude of other (expensive) budget line items ... The normal way to get more money is to increase revenue and decrease expenditures, not the other way around like this! ... We certainly welcome your attendance, but it's not mandatory ... Hope we see you there and good luck! ... |
| June 15, 2018 Wizard of Oz Men's 50 16 posts | With all these extra expenses you say you occur adding an extra day..... are you saying you are losing money now? Of course not, you’re not going to run a 4 day tournament for the same price of a 3 day and lose money doing it. That just goes to show how much you guys make in 3 days that you can now stretch it out to 4 and still make money. You high rate for admission may have not increased. However as you stated, your reasoning for a 4 day tournament is to let more teams in. More teams in paying $745 a pop sure adds up to the bottom dollar. Please don’t get me wrong, you and everyone involved DESERVE all the money you make putting on the show and you all do a great job! That is an undertaking I would never want to attempt. There is NOTHING wrong with making making money either. We all need to make it to be able to do the things we enjoy. You need to make make money to continue to do what you do. SSUSA needs it to do what they do. Please just don’t act as though money is not part of the decisions that get made. |
| June 16, 2018 Benji4 Men's 55 289 posts | If I recall: All the bitching and whining about late night games or games with several hours between them was the reason SSUSA went to a 4 day schedule. So next time you unnamed keyboard cowboys complain; watch what you wish for. |
| June 16, 2018 Jawood Men's 50 943 posts | Four days in Vegas is a bad thing? Plan your vacation! 50,55,60+ can't get a couple of days off? |
| June 16, 2018 DaveDowell Men's 70 4313 posts | Wiz ... Maybe a re-read of what I wrote would be an aid to comprehension ... • We did NOT change two (of the four) sessions to the four-day format for any reason other than to accommodate what has been a modest projection of 2½-3% annual entry growth ... Last year's 612 teams is projected to be somewhere around 630± this year ... It would be irresponsible for us to allow teams commit to air fares and housing costs, sometimes months in advance, only to be told "you can't come, we have too many teams and can't accommodate you" ... • The City of Las Vegas has seriously restricted our historical field availability ... Their Risk Management Department has forced Parks and Recreation to close half of Lorenzi Park (Fields #2-3) because of purported "safety concerns" over balls being hit into the homes outside #2 and the commercial parking lots outside #3 ... They have also restricted Doc Romeo Park #5 for the same reason as it relates to the Skate Park ... Previously, those two parks were unaffected by Local League considerations, but now the former 7-field CLV inventory between the two parks is down to four fields, two at each facility ... That circumstance makes the former seven (now FOUR) fields virtually unusable as currently permitted for both the Southwest Championships and the World Masters ... • Senior Softball World Championships, Inc. is a not-for-profit entity under IRC §501(c)(4) and, accordingly, is required to "zero-base-budget" ... That means we budget to BREAK EVEN every year, and some years we actually DO ... Our tax returns are a matter of (required) public access ... Take a peek at them and hopefully that will dispel the fallacy about "..all that money [we] make.." ... As the SSUSA's accountant and tax return preparer, I'd LOVE for you so show me where it is/was! ... Two last things on that point: [1] If you like to play in SSUSA sanctioned tournaments, it's in our mutual best interests that SSUSA stay in business; and [2] Don't fall into the trap so many before you have about having ALL the answers (except for one BIGGIE) for what it takes to run a perfect senior softball association: The answer to the question of "..How do I found, capitalize and run my own association to perfection, avoiding all of the SSUSA's failings?.." ... We strive to improve every day, and will continue to do so ... But ill-informed and logically faulty rants are counter-productive ... Thanks for writing ... Carry on! ... |
| June 17, 2018 Nancy Allen Men's 55 1438 posts | Dave, Layla has your back and is smiling on you know. In the words of the local legend, Tim Fisburn, people can add, but they sure can't subtract. Logic? What the heck is that? |
| June 18, 2018 r4pitch 92 posts | no reason major plus teams have to be there for 4 days....we will have 12 teams play on the outdated fod ..the least favorite of all national/worlds reid miller |
| June 18, 2018 DaveDowell Men's 70 4313 posts | Reid ... If some divisions, like Major+ and possibly smaller AA's, don't require four days, we will likely schedule them to be concluded in three ... Those days will be Thursday thru Saturday if it works out for some three-day sessions ... We'll get a better feel for it as the entry deadlines start to roll through ... The teams/games demand, coupled with CLV field availability at Lorenzi, will be highly influential in any final decisions ... Thanks! |
| June 18, 2018 Utility Men's 55 8 posts | Benji - Please call Ron Graham @ 623-262-0716. Thanks, |
| June 19, 2018 curveball Men's 65 705 posts | r4 Locals had a Flag Day tourney at FOD. You may be surprised, they are updating. Had a pretty good size crew going when I was there Tues/Thurs. |
| June 19, 2018 r4pitch 92 posts | My problem FOD is just too short for major and major + teams..Throw in that crazy rock ball...just not a fun tourney.. |
| June 19, 2018 DaveDowell Men's 70 4313 posts | curveball & 4rpitch ... Allow me to get a bit out front of this thread diversion ... TENTATIVE Field Assignments for the 2018 LVSSA/SSUSA World Masters Championships are a LONG way off right now ... To date, NO decisions have been made ... This is due principally to the uncertainty regarding the City of Las Vegas' Lorenzi Park fields problem being resolved in a timely manner (if ever) ... Thanks! |
| June 20, 2018 2awesom Men's 50 308 posts | Mr. Dowell! Thank You! I'd rather play 4 days then not at all. In May we tried to get into another association's October Tournament. Nope No Can do. We are full they say. So would you rather play 4 days in an association that takes all teams or one that limits teams due to "being full"? That's Ok we will play SSUSA and only SSUSA. |
| June 20, 2018 Webbie25 Men's 70 2414 posts | Hi Dave-overall I think you do a great job. One thought, and I know there are contractual obligations involved, but is it time to reconsider Phoenix for worlds? Vegas has been a pain for you to schedule for years and the city really doesn't care. Thanks. Mark Weber Timberworks 65M+ |
