$48.88 for USTA Singles!

[volleyman]

Originally Posted by Craig Sheppard

Man, there's a local tournament that is charging $48.88 for a singles tournament. What the heck!!!

Yeah, that tournament was looking really good to me as well: 20 minutes from my house, hard court (most tournaments close to me are on har-tru) and feed in consolation, so at least two matches.

And then I saw the price for singles. And then I saw the price for the second event: $51.00 per person. Now, normally, I like to play singles and doubles in a tournament, but $51 per person for doubles is way steep.

And doubles is single elimination.

That's right, if you want to play doubles, you'll pay at least $48.88 per person to play in a single elimination event. I can't see too many folks going for that.

Then again, this is the public facility that charges you per person to play, even when all their courts are empty, even if you are one of the taxpayers who subsidizes the place. And these are all outdoor courts.

Oh, and I should mention that they rip off the USTA leagues that play there as well.

As the tournament, I'm still considering playing singles. It's just so close that the savings on travel and food will more than make up for the high entry fee.

[10sguy]

Originally Posted by kevhen

It used to be about $15 here but now many tournaments are $19 to $23 for singles. I think the USTA is going to keep pricing itself out of business. Team registration fees for winter leagues are too high.

Grassroots tennis currently pays the bills but for how long? I am dropping out of the USTA when my 5 year membership expires this summer. I plan to play with friends, at the club, and at the local university, and skip the pricier USTA matches.

Probably obvious to most readers but this needs to be pointed out to some:

USTA does not set tournament entry fees, amenities/goodies, etc. Those are all decided by the host organization.

[goober]

Originally Posted by 10sguy

Probably obvious to most readers but this needs to be pointed out to some:

USTA does not set tournament entry fees, amenities/goodies, etc. Those are all decided by the host organization.

That may be true but I have found that nonUSTA tourneys to cost consistently less than USTA tourneys usually by 50%.

[10sfreak]

Wow, that's steep. We play in this tournament every year in a town about 20 miles away, and the entry fee is $25. The proceeds go to a charity for underpriviledged children. We get Subway sandwiches, fruit, drinks, t-shirt, a door prize, etc. Of course, a lot of the cost for the tourney is absorbed by local businesses who "sponsor" a court, team, etc.

[max]

I'm not in the USTA for this kind of reason; I can find tournaments elsewhere.

[Cruzer]

Originally Posted by Doc Hollidae

Norcal USTA tournies are usually around 40, give or take a few bucks.

Yeah, they are and the costs have now exceeded the benefits from playing Norcal tournaments and so I have stopped playing them.

[cmb]

haha I spent my whole life playing that crap in the states ( im american), but I currently live outside of amsterdam...they have tournaments here every week of the year, only 7 Euro entry fee...around 9 dollars, normally the tournaments I play offer between 300 and 1000 Euros to the winner (450-1300 dollars). Its really a shame what is happening in the states with tennis. They charge that much for entry fees, they rarely offer prize money, and teh traveling is crazy. Here the only way I have to travel more then 30 minutes by car for a tournament is if I choose to, I am playing one next week about 3 hours away, only because my friends live in that city.
BUt it just costs too much money to play tennis, it seems like the USTA could do more.

[Craig Sheppard]

Originally Posted by volleyman

Yeah, that tournament was looking really good to me as well: 20 minutes from my house, hard court (most tournaments close to me are on har-tru) and feed in consolation, so at least two matches.
...
As the tournament, I'm still considering playing singles. It's just so close that the savings on travel and food will more than make up for the high entry fee.

I agree, it's about 20 minutes from me as well--but I really feel like I don't want to play this specifically to jam the facility and the tournament's organizers. Not that I think they'd miss one player not playing... I just don't feel like supporting them.

You're right, I remember when that facility was free to play at for city residents--that was great. I didn't even mind paying the $2 or so it was for a non-resident to pay there. But then they tried to get elitist by going to that "everyone pays" structure, even for tax payers. I don't know who runs the facility, but they haven't won any friends that I know of.

I've played twice down in Wilson... smaller tournament and longer drive but I'd gladly drive down there than play since the people who run those are really nice and don't gouge anyone.

[Craig Sheppard]

Originally Posted by goober

That may be true but I have found that nonUSTA tourneys to cost consistently less than USTA tourneys usually by 50%.

I wish I could find non-USTA tournaments around here... just don't see any. Maybe someone else knows where to look in the NC area?

[bad_call]

Originally Posted by cmb

haha I spent my whole life playing that crap in the states ( im american), but I currently live outside of amsterdam...they have tournaments here every week of the year, only 7 Euro entry fee...around 9 dollars, normally the tournaments I play offer between 300 and 1000 Euros to the winner (450-1300 dollars). Its really a shame what is happening in the states with tennis. They charge that much for entry fees, they rarely offer prize money, and teh traveling is crazy. Here the only way I have to travel more then 30 minutes by car for a tournament is if I choose to, I am playing one next week about 3 hours away, only because my friends live in that city.
BUt it just costs too much money to play tennis, it seems like the USTA could do more.

dang!! another reason to move...

[cmb]

and other countries like France and Germany are even better with the tournaments. In addition to the tournaments, there is also 6-8 weeks of club competitions in which the clubs will pay you (depending on level), I normally get around 300 Euros, about 450 dolalrs all the way up to 1000 Euros per match I play, depending on the country gotta love europe

[goober]

Originally Posted by cmb

and other countries like France and Germany are even better with the tournaments. In addition to the tournaments, there is also 6-8 weeks of club competitions in which the clubs will pay you (depending on level), I normally get around 300 Euros, about 450 dolalrs all the way up to 1000 Euros per match I play, depending on the country gotta love europe

Yah but what level player are you talking about? From what I understand those would be very high level players if they were in the USA probably 5.5-6.0. Your typical 3.0-4.5 club player is not going to see that kind of prize money even in Europe. In the US there are nonpro tourneys that have prize money as well.

[cmb]

but the entry fees are still around 9 or 10 dollars and no travel is involved and they have tournaments for all different levels

[cmartin]

Craig: I called the tournament about the fees because I was curious. They said it was one fee for up to two events and there was a service to use the software per event. There is an explanation on the website now.

[Craig Sheppard]

Originally Posted by cmartin

Craig: I called the tournament about the fees because I was curious. They said it was one fee for up to two events and there was a service to use the software per event. There is an explanation on the website now.

Thanks for doing that, I should have really confirmed... I looked at the site, but still only playing one event you get charged $48.88! So if I want to play singles, it's $48.88, if I want to play singles & doubles, it's $51. I might as well play both--but still, that's ridiculous pricing for *North Carolina* at $50 for singles, when there are other events around for $23-25 for one event. I wouldn't have any problem if it was $25 or 30 for singles and $50 for both, but $48 for just singles is crazy.

[Venetian]

This is the problem with tennis today, the USTA tournies and club rates are so high. I'm a grown man with a decent job and I can't justify spending money on this sport anymore. I'm stuck hitting against walls and scrounging for competition at the local park. I miss being in high school and hitting with my friends all summer.

[Craig Sheppard]

Originally Posted by Venetian

This is the problem with tennis today, the USTA tournies and club rates are so high. I'm a grown man with a decent job and I can't justify spending money on this sport anymore. I'm stuck hitting against walls and scrounging for competition at the local park. I miss being in high school and hitting with my friends all summer.

I agree... I'm in the same boat. 30 yrs old, good job... and I don't want to pay $100+ per month to play tennis at a club, which is what they go for here it seems. So I play through the parks & rec leagues and some USTA tournaments for fun. Is it really that expensive to run a court facility? It seems once someone says "tennis club", it's more about the social scene and having a clubhouse with a fitness center & marble counters & wood lockers & a restaurant, etc. rather than a facility that revolves around tennis players and their improvement.

[waves2ya]

Yep - here in N. Jersey it is absolutely insane (country clubs, tennis clubs, etc.)...

But check this out: http://www.foresthillstennis.com/

A stipend if you are above 4.5, pretty reasonable rates for one of most classics facilities in the US - and an Oly pool...!

Queens is looking good...!

[Morpheus]

In the "old" days of the eighties, we used to get draws of 64 or more for all the local tournaments. Today, we are lucky to get 16 -- sometimes just 8! Junior tourneys get all the action.

Increasing the price won't help but maybe it doesn't really matter since the interest is not there anymore.

[Craig Sheppard]

Originally Posted by Morpheus

In the "old" days of the eighties, we used to get draws of 64 or more for all the local tournaments. Today, we are lucky to get 16 -- sometimes just 8! Junior tourneys get all the action.

Increasing the price won't help but maybe it doesn't really matter since the interest is not there anymore.

Can't argue with that... twice I've had my division cancelled in tournaments b/c not enough competitors signed up. :-/