I am wondering what other organizations do for how they structure fees for their organization. We are not in Minnesota, so I thought I'd ask thee Hockey State for how some structure theirs. We currently collect a set amount per division, say $800, for the season. This includes practice ice and then the club then provides a set amount back to each division to allocate for tournaments. This amount seems to be one set amount that each team gets and does not seem based on numbers of players, number of teams or any such thing. If a team wants to spend more than that amount, they collect more from the team parents and do so. If a team does not use that amount of money, the remaining stays in the club funds.
I am not sure how our club ever came up with this and seems arbitrary to me. I am wondering what others do for fees, what fees include and any issues related to fees that could provide some insight. Thanks.
Small Organization Fee Structure
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bestpopcorn
- Posts: 127
- Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2013 11:47 am
Our small assn does a rough calculation of what it costs to run each team including ice, tournaments, games etc and divides that over the average number of players.
People complain. They take the time to figure out that this team got an hour more ice than that team, etc.
I know of some associations that keep their registration costs to a bare minimum, just enough to pay USA Hockey, MN Hockey and their district fees. They then hand each team manager an empty checkbook and tell them good luck. Money is collected from the team for ice, tournaments, even money to pay the refs. While this is more complex, it his probably the fairest way to go. I like it because people see where the money goes.
People complain. They take the time to figure out that this team got an hour more ice than that team, etc.
I know of some associations that keep their registration costs to a bare minimum, just enough to pay USA Hockey, MN Hockey and their district fees. They then hand each team manager an empty checkbook and tell them good luck. Money is collected from the team for ice, tournaments, even money to pay the refs. While this is more complex, it his probably the fairest way to go. I like it because people see where the money goes.
Re: Small Organization Fee Structure
It is probably not arbitrary and there is a method to the madness, do fees fluctuate from season to season, not usually alot because most associations don't see huge drop offs or increases in numbers for their travel teams from season to season and what little change their might be is not worth upsetting the apple cart, some "good" seasons then make up for some "bad seasons" financially so it all washes out over time and keeps the association afloat. In Wisconsin most associations have a list of players for their travel teams that is usually a pretty good indication of how many players they can anticipate for the upcoming season. They then figure out ice times and most of the set and anticipated costs. They then set the costs for all U8s, all Squirts, all Pee Wees and all bantams. Usually Pee Wees and Bantams have similar costs, squirts are usually a little less and U8s are usually slightly less than squirts. Team size is not taken into consideration, size of age level is and then fees are levelized for the age level. In relaity that is actually the only way to manage it properly for the association while also being as fair as possible to the individuals who make up each team. No way is perfect but if you sit and try and itemize for your player and team for a given season it will never work and the association will never stay afloat. Trust me at $800 you are not getting gouged, in fact it's a pretty great rate, I'd let it go......smallhockey101 wrote:I am wondering what other organizations do for how they structure fees for their organization. We are not in Minnesota, so I thought I'd ask thee Hockey State for how some structure theirs. We currently collect a set amount per division, say $800, for the season. This includes practice ice and then the club then provides a set amount back to each division to allocate for tournaments. This amount seems to be one set amount that each team gets and does not seem based on numbers of players, number of teams or any such thing. If a team wants to spend more than that amount, they collect more from the team parents and do so. If a team does not use that amount of money, the remaining stays in the club funds.
I am not sure how our club ever came up with this and seems arbitrary to me. I am wondering what others do for fees, what fees include and any issues related to fees that could provide some insight. Thanks.
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OldManRiver
- Posts: 85
- Joined: Wed Feb 05, 2014 4:31 pm
We are a small association and have moved from the team manager checkbook approach to the estimated fees approach. We pull numbers from the previous years for hours of icetime and then look at the numbers of players per team / teams at each level, come up with the dollars that will be required for each family, and then create a monthly estimated ice bill. Also built in are three tournaments.
If, at the end of the season, the estimated amount is over/under prediction, it is either subtracted from the final ice bill or added to the final ice bill. For the most part, our parents like the estimates so there are no surprises - and the monthly breakdowns for payment purposes.
If, at the end of the season, the estimated amount is over/under prediction, it is either subtracted from the final ice bill or added to the final ice bill. For the most part, our parents like the estimates so there are no surprises - and the monthly breakdowns for payment purposes.