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I was looking at LPH and reading the ads for upcoming winter association tournaments and have a question:

I see that there is a fee for entering the tournament, and then there is a "gate" fee. What is a gate fee? Sometimes it was a set amount and on others I saw it was something like $20 per skater.

Thanks in advance.

HD41

HockeyDad41,

A gate fee is a lump sum charged to each team in lieu of having association volunteers set up at the door charging for single game and weekend passes per individual attending.

7-8 years ago, standard practice was to charge each individual at the door that attended a tourney or a game. Typically $5 per game or $15 for the weekend. With limited volunteer time, and parents wanting to do less and less, a gate fee solves the problem by charging a lump sum to each team participating.

Most gate fees amount to about $20-25 per player depending on team size.

The other 'upside' to paying a gate fee is that Grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc. can come watch a game and not have to pay individually as the team gate fee has covered all entrants into a tourney.

No Political Connections wrote:Most of the time a gate fee is added to the tourney registration fee and not broken out like that for you to see. They are very common especially with some of the rinks and associations now hosting tourneys that they do not have a team in but choose to host it as a fund raiser.

Just another added cost that could be supported by admission.. It's the easy way out, like many decisions made at the association level..

Thank you for clearing that up for me!

Quasar wrote: Just another added cost that could be supported by admission.. It's the easy way out, like many decisions made at the association level..

Yeah, let's gouge grandma and grandpa, or leave little brother or sister at home because of the exhorbitant weekend ticket prices. Forget about friends or extended family. Having been to way too many hockey tournaments I really appreciate the ones with a gate fee. Attendence is always better. I'm willing to pay a little more and work a few more volunteer hours if it puts more butts in the seats.

Quasar wrote:

No Political Connections wrote:Most of the time a gate fee is added to the tourney registration fee and not broken out like that for you to see. They are very common especially with some of the rinks and associations now hosting tourneys that they do not have a team in but choose to host it as a fund raiser.

Just another added cost that could be supported by admission.. It's the easy way out, like many decisions made at the association level..

Man, you have to be the most bitter person I have seen on this board in a long time. How can you be against EVERYTHING. It really hurts your credibility in my book.

After 10 years of paying gate fees at the door, I think this is a good idea. You are going to have to pay for it either way. This is a no brainer.

1. It eases the burden on the number of voluteers needed.

2. At $20 - $25 it is cheaper for most families. Our HS team just participated in an STP tournament in Eagan. The cost was $4 per game (which is reasonable). Four games, three people per game cost us $48 for the weekend.

3. Hopefully more fans would show up at the games, improving the atmosphere.

4. I don't have to worry about losing my gate pass and having to pay again (which has happened more than once)

Agree with most of the info posted. My biggest "complaint" is that it costs say $700 for a tourney team entry that is split amongst player families. Sure it may only be an additional $20 per player so that there is not a gate fee but guess who ends up paying for all the non-player family members who attend......the families. So instead of a tourney costing $700, it really costs the families a total of closer to $1000 to enter the tourney....to me, that is getting very expensive........I'd rather have a gate fee but the challenge is for the host arena to keep this "reasonable" so that the parents who have footed the bill for the tourney don't have to pull out their wallets again.........just sayin...........

nahc wrote:Agree with most of the info posted. My biggest "complaint" is that it costs say $700 for a tourney team entry that is split amongst player families. Sure it may only be an additional $20 per player so that there is not a gate fee but guess who ends up paying for all the non-player family members who attend......the families. So instead of a tourney costing $700, it really costs the families a total of closer to $1000 to enter the tourney....to me, that is getting very expensive........I'd rather have a gate fee but the challenge is for the host arena to keep this "reasonable" so that the parents who have footed the bill for the tourney don't have to pull out their wallets again.........just sayin...........

You make a good point. This only works if the tournament organizers don't gouge players families by jacking up the "gate fee". The stated $20-$25 gate fee is reasonable and is about the same or lower than two weekend passes. Too much higher and a good idea implodes.

nahc wrote:Agree with most of the info posted. My biggest "complaint" is that it costs say $700 for a tourney team entry that is split amongst player families. Sure it may only be an additional $20 per player so that there is not a gate fee but guess who ends up paying for all the non-player family members who attend......the families. So instead of a tourney costing $700, it really costs the families a total of closer to $1000 to enter the tourney....to me, that is getting very expensive........I'd rather have a gate fee but the challenge is for the host arena to keep this "reasonable" so that the parents who have footed the bill for the tourney don't have to pull out their wallets again.........just sayin...........

Huh? Not following. If the team pays a gate fee spectators are still charged admission? I'm not a manager, but I don't think I've seen that model. Well, Stilwater had a tournament where admission was a penny, but I don't think you're talking about that. I must be missing something.

Grandparents shouldn't have to pay to see their grandson/daughter skate, period. You want to gauge me out of another 25 bucks, fine, but if you are part of an organization that hosts tourney's, consider the Jancze imposed GRANDPARENT rule for charging....

First, this thread is about association hockey. The tournaments are set up as fund raising opportunities to help defray the cost of hockey to the associations members. It's not a sinister plot to steal your money. If you don't like how much it costs, then go to a cheaper tournament (caveat emptor - you get what you pay for; most expensive tourney are expensive because they already have a waiting list of teams to get it; you can sign up for a $700 tournament if you're willing to accept that there may only be 6 teams, or the tourney may get cancelled altogether).

Second, there are a host of reasons why tournaments are changing to the pay-the-gate-up-front format. 1.) It's easier to budget for the year when you know what the gate will be, rather than guessing how many will come to watch. 2) You just have less unaccounted for cash floating around the arena. 3.) You have fewer volunteer hours used up at the door. 4.) You can allow, not only grandparents but, the community in general to attend the tourney - buddies get in free, parents unfamiliar with hockey get in free, parents of little kids unsure of whether they want to sign up will get in free. 5.) Most adults walk around with the same amount of money in their pockets each day + or - a few bucks. The parents may be irritated at writing a check in October to cover the gate, they'll have forgotten about it by December when the tourney is played. Most importantly from a marketing standpoing, if you don't swipe $20 out of their pockets right away at the door, they'll spend more than that twenty on chuck-a-puck, the hotdog eating contest, ugly T-shirts, and the ubiquitous air-brushed hat.

nahc wrote:Agree with most of the info posted. My biggest "complaint" is that it costs say $700 for a tourney team entry that is split amongst player families. Sure it may only be an additional $20 per player so that there is not a gate fee but guess who ends up paying for all the non-player family members who attend......the families. So instead of a tourney costing $700, it really costs the families a total of closer to $1000 to enter the tourney....to me, that is getting very expensive........I'd rather have a gate fee but the challenge is for the host arena to keep this "reasonable" so that the parents who have footed the bill for the tourney don't have to pull out their wallets again.........just sayin...........

Nahc I am liking alot of your posts and feel inclined to respond to them. I think that sometimes associations have a gate fee is the fact that it takes so many volunteers to stand at the door collecting money. I know that numerous associations have parents volunteer hours at the rink, however some do not. In addition, you sound like a parent that do not have any relatives in the area where you play. by having a gate fee, relatives in this great state can attend the games of their loved ones without having to pay to watch say a slow paced squirt game. ( I have been there, not all that exciting to watch and the main motivation for being there is to support the team and players)

Janz-I agree w/the grandparent "rule". I would go one further, "other siblings" you may have in the car that skate somewhere else. It sucks to pay for them. They certainly could care less about watching older brother or sister skate.

InigoMontoya wrote:First, this thread is about association hockey. The tournaments are set up as fund raising opportunities to help defray the cost of hockey to the associations members. It's not a sinister plot to steal your money. If you don't like how much it costs, then go to a cheaper tournament (caveat emptor - you get what you pay for; most expensive tourney are expensive because they already have a waiting list of teams to get it; you can sign up for a $700 tournament if you're willing to accept that there may only be 6 teams, or the tourney may get cancelled altogether).

Second, there are a host of reasons why tournaments are changing to the pay-the-gate-up-front format. 1.) It's easier to budget for the year when you know what the gate will be, rather than guessing how many will come to watch. 2) You just have less unaccounted for cash floating around the arena. 3.) You have fewer volunteer hours used up at the door. 4.) You can allow, not only grandparents but, the community in general to attend the tourney - buddies get in free, parents unfamiliar with hockey get in free, parents of little kids unsure of whether they want to sign up will get in free. 5.) Most adults walk around with the same amount of money in their pockets each day + or - a few bucks. The parents may be irritated at writing a check in October to cover the gate, they'll have forgotten about it by December when the tourney is played. Most importantly from a marketing standpoing, if you don't swipe $20 out of their pockets right away at the door, they'll spend more than that twenty on chuck-a-puck, the hotdog eating contest, ugly T-shirts, and the ubiquitous air-brushed hat.

As usual a very good post IM. Tournaments can and should be used as a marketing tool to rope in those unsuspecting friends of our kids so they can share in the "rewards" of hockey.

In favor of gate fee's. Nothing worse than inviting freinds and relatives to a game and they have to pay.

I actually prefer pay at the door tournaments. I walk past the ticket table, nod and smile to the volunteer Mom's and go into the rink. Never pay to watch my kids play. Rarely pay for a HS game either. Maybe I just have the knack for evading the ticket takers? Zamboni room doors another viable plan B.

BadgerBob82 wrote:I actually prefer pay at the door tournaments. I walk past the ticket table, nod and smile to the volunteer Mom's and go into the rink. Never pay to watch my kids play. Rarely pay for a HS game either. Maybe I just have the knack for evading the ticket takers? Zamboni room doors another viable plan B.

Typical freeloading Badger, taking money from the kids.

Freeloading? Not in this instance. But when I sit near a door and collect $4.00 from people going in the door at a "gate fee" tournament. THAT is freeloading.

During my 15 years on the board I was tournament director for a few, back when we charged at the door. Our assn recently switched to "guaranteed gate", 300.00 per team I think.

A guaranteed gate is SO MUCH easier. You don't have to slot in volunteers, no sticky fingers in the cash. We always found it hard to keep the concession stand staffed for 3 straight days. Not charging at the gate frees up volunteer hours to sell popcorn.

The Edina tournament has a $20.00 per adult weekend pass, $8 adult daily, $5 dollar daily senior and student and kids 11 and younger are free. If I can figure out my math right for my family to go to the tournament and add in the grandparents and other relatives it will cost me over $100 in gate fees. but its just money right??????????????

If you don't want to pay the entrance fee, then kindly suggest that your association not participate in that tournament in future years. Tournaments run by associations are great fundraisers, so consider it an opportunity to support another hockey association, and if your association isn't running a tournament, suggest that they do so you can reap some benefit from one.

Kudos to the EP association for recently charging me $4 for my 7 year old to get into their Thanksgiving tournament.

7 year old siblings don't even watch the game, much less wanna even be there.

Really? Charging admission for 7 year olds now?

LowLight21 wrote:If you don't want to pay the entrance fee, then kindly suggest that your association not participate in that tournament in future years. Tournaments run by associations are great fundraisers, so consider it an opportunity to support another hockey association, and if your association isn't running a tournament, suggest that they do so you can reap some benefit from one.

I don't know about the rest of you and I don't know why but I have hard time supporting Wayzeta and Edina hockey associations.

edit : add EP to that list plus our rivals

Why? Just because they have larger numbers? They still want to provide an affordable experience for the youth in their association, so fundraising isn't any less important.