Match fees ... Are they too high?

I've know 0f many clubs

'specially in the south that have stopped having registered group matches because it was not much more than a break even situation. There is a lot of work that goes into preparing, during and after a match. The firing line has to be closed from Wed thru Sun. The frames and moving backers have to be placed and repaired. The targets need to be labeled, Maint. on hook ups etc. There is the expense of not only NBRSA/IBS fees, the targets, the postage for the results (which everyone expects the next day) the target crew which no one wants to volunteer for. Some of the time a scorer and a range officer will step up but its still a lot of work and expense.***** If we are gonna dance we are gonna have to pay the fiddler
 
You do know,

that the directors only hold the shoots for the money, don't you? :D We have cut down our mailing costs by using e-mails whenever possible with the help of the "Bug Hole" program via Steve Lee. Too, this year we'll be following the lead of the Folsom Bench rest Club when it comes to awards. This will certainly help our financials. Last year our awards for 5 Registered matched ran about $1200.00 and that is tough to recover with a mere 12 to 15 shooters in attendance. We may be able to lower the shooting fees this year depending on the award costs. As a side note, we will be hosting the Long Range Varmint Nationals for the 5th year this June on the 12th and 13th. This shoot is contested with LV and HV rifles at 200 and 300 yards. We would appreciate your support! Be well, shoot well. Jan
 
Match Fees

A better idea for match fees. Instead of IBS and other organizations collecting two dollars. They should collect five dollars per shooter at each match. Three of the five should then be sent to the NRA to help us keep our rifles and continue to have rifle matches.:cool:
 
Dean that is a great idea.
Most clubs require you to be an NRA member. At least, the 2 clubs I belong to.:)
But, visitors at matches. NO one does a card check.
I guess that is why they are visitors and not members.
 
Match fees

Great Idea , but it will never fly.
We have to do this on our own.
IBS asked the NRA yeears ago to recognize them
The Answer was no. And that was when Doc Garcelon was
President of IBS. He was a former NRA president'
 
Match fees

shooters shouldn't object with a portion of match fee money going to the NRA and I don't think that the NRA will have any problems with a check from shooting sports in their mail box.
 
Match fees

Question: How can the IBS or the NBRSA help the NRA or in there minds what was probably said years ago was (what can IBS do for us?) . Nothing is the answer and that is probably why it failed. :rolleyes:
 
Hi-jacked Thread

I wasn't trying to Hi-jack this thread but the idea of IBS / NBRSA only call for 2.00 a match and the host club retains the rest of the match fee. Spured the idea of extra support from our shooting sport. Jackie , we as NRA and Benchrest community members shouldn't mind a small portion of match fees going to a group that we are members of. 2.00 goes back to IBS/NBRSA but we are members that paid a membership fee right? Another idea NRA sanction benchrest matches?
 
Hey Dean,

You make a good point regarding the IBS considering NRA involvement. I would be surprised if more than a few shooters had any objection to a few bucks going toward protection of our constitutional rights...All of them...The Second Ammendment is the key to keeping/losing them.

Gerry mentioned the NRA refusing to recognize the IBS years ago.......Does this necessarily mean that they never will? I don't know how may years have passed since Doc Garcelon was President......Have there been any recent attempts at gaining recognition? There have been many discussions here about how to increase membership & match attendance; NRA affiliation could be the answer.

-Dave-
 
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Doc Garcelon...

Dave Short said:
Hey Dean,

You make a good point regarding the IBS considering NRA involvement. I would be surprised if more than a few shooters had any objection to a few bucks going toward protection of our constitutional rights...All of them...The Second Ammendment is the key to keeping/losing them.

Gerry mentioned the NRA refusing to recognize the IBS years ago.......Does this necessarily mean that they never will? I don't know how may years have passed since Doc Garcelon was President......Have there been any recent attempts at gaining recognition? There have been many discussions here about how to increase membership & match attendance; NRA affiliation could be the answer.

-Dave-
Click to expand...

was a Lewiston ME native and dentist in Augusta, ME. He was a spark plug at the NRA national level as others have said, and also locally. He was actively involved in the Capital City Rifle and Pistol Club...Auguata, ME...where several IBS score nationals have been held and if memory serves me was involved in the IBS beginnings. As a matter of fact I think the IBS is a Maine corporation? I remember attending an NRA rally at the Bangor Me Library years ago. Doc was there with then president Harlon Carter. A dynamic duo to say the least.

http://www.nytimes.com/1985/11/06/us/alonzo-garcelon-72-rifle-association-head.html
 
Greg,

Thanks for the link. It sounds like Doc played a big role in gun politics in his day. However, he has been gone since 1985.........I think its safe to say circumstances regarding NRA recognition of the IBS may have changed.

-Dave-
 
Dave,

Dave Short said:
Greg,

Thanks for the link. It sounds like Doc played a big role in gun politics in his day. However, he has been gone since 1985.........I think its safe to say circumstances regarding NRA recognition of the IBS may have changed.

-Dave-
Click to expand...

I would hope the NRA has changed its mind. It would be an interesting discussion between IBS officers and NRA in todays environment. Maybe we will see sometime. Stay warm! I wonder what record he set??
 
Get real

As long as I've been shooting, the match fee has been $15.00. Since I started I have bought guns that cost $3-4000.00, barrels that went from $230.00 to $320.00, bullets that have gone from $250.00/1000 to $380.00/1000, gas has gone up along with every other cost. People hoard old powders, buy more primers than they can shoot in their lifetime and rush like lemmings to buy the new powder that promises to be a guarantee agg winner. Buy a couple packs of smokes and it equals a match fee. IBS's coffers are not over flowing with match fees. Most clubs are struggling to "break even."
Pay to play. Simple concept. Don't like the fee schedule??? Sell your junk and go mow the grass.:cool:

David~:)
 
We up here in Maine are very lucky, we have a small but very dedicated following of helpers, scorers and support persons, most are at all events, not just local club events. Our matches are also reasonably priced at $15.00 per gun/day. We have had to hold back on some awards, most likely the highest cost of any one part of the match. We tried a certificate award this year for third place, not a plaque. Our State clubs are very dedicated to maintain the number of shooters and growth in numbers of out of state shooters. Several non resident shooters can be seen at almost any given match at any given range. We consider then as our own. There is a fine line between breaking even and putting on a well managed and run event. I'm sure we will be discussing this further next year if not sooner if costs keep going the way there are now. Cant even imagine what it would be like without volunteers. Thanx to all of you ..
Andy
 
Now David please tell us how you really feel! :D Actually, well put. As mentioned throughout this thread, there are many costs borne by match fees that many shooters may not be aware of. Just think of this - if ranges had to pay for the mega hours put in by the match director and other key personnel then what would happen to the fees? So, in reality, we are not paying the true cost of what we enjoy, thanks to the volunteer labor and expertise freely given by shooters and club members that support competitive benchrest.
 
Gentlemen ...

Sounds like the consensus is:

Bring on the fees ... we're willing to pay whatever we're charged. Is that correct?

At what point would you say enough is enough? What if a CLUB match was $100 a day. Would you be willing to pay that?

Should there be a two-tier fee system?

One for the established shooter ... and one for the factory shooter?

One for the factory shooter to keep him or her enticed so they'll stay around, get hocked, move up, and then eventually pay the regular fees.

What's a reasonable fee for a CLUB match? :)
 
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