Here are the usta league fees for 2014 in my area

[Gut4Tennis]

These are indoor matches based on 2hr timed matches

When finished, click “Submit” and provide the necessary credit card information. Each player is charged $119.02 at registration, which covers:

a non-refundable TennisLink fee of $8.77;

a ******* Section fee of $5.25;

a ********* District fee of $20.50;

an **** administrative fee of $12.50; and,

$72.00 as pre-paid court fees for four matches ($18 per match).

**** requires players to pre-pay a portion of season court fees because placing that entire burden only on captains was having an adverse impact on persons willing to captain teams. We credit your players’ pre-payments specifically to your team and doing so reduces the amount each captain must pre-pay out of his own pockets. If a player ultimately plays fewer than 4 matches, his captain will refund to him any overpayment he made. And similarly, if a player plays more than 4 matches, his captain will be requesting additional money from him.

Captains note: **** will calculate the total amount of court-fees pre-paid by your team members as of January 31st, and you are responsible for paying **** any remaining balance based on your roster count as of that date.

If additional players join your team after January 31, they will be accounted for in a season-end reconciliation and **** will refund you any overage. It is possible you could owe more money at season’s end if players formally drop off your team without having played in any matches, as **** refunds to them the bulk of their registration fees, including all court fees. Captains are responsible for refunding court fees to players who remain on their roster and do not play in the minimum 4 matches for which they pre-paid (or play 1-2 matches and then are dropped).

 

[spot]

I'll just stop to say how great of a deal ALTA is. You pay $25 a year for dues to join the league and you can play on as many teams as you are eligible for that year. Teams do still need to secure their own courts though in Atlanta this isn't a big deal.

 

[schmke]

What a nightmare. It sounds to me like this is more work for captains with having to deal with and manage refunds and potentially pay more at year end.

In the Seattle area, all our regular leagues are played indoor and so we have court fees to deal with, but each player simply comes to the match with the (usually) $12 (90 minute court times usually) and all is good.

Also, our other fees to join a league are not as high.

 

[Cindysphinx]

I think I am in the same area as Gut4, as that message he quoted sounds familiar.

It's more expensive than ALTA, as we have to pay for two hours of indoor court time.

It sounds complicated, and maybe it is. But it is sooooo much better than it used to be for captains.

In the olden days, the captain had to pay the entire season's court fees for everyone on the team up front. I remember one season we had 16 matches, five courts per team match, and $17/court. That's over $1300, right onto the captain's credit card.

Then you had to hound players to pay you, and every now and then someone would flat out stiff you.

Now, the players have to pay in advance, so it is harder for them to stiff you. You don't have people handing you money at every match (or worse, forgetting to pay your substitute captain or having her forget to pay you).

I just did my end-of-season bookkeeping for the fall season. I e-banked two people refund checks, and two people sent me checks. Everyone else was square. Easy as pie.

 

[Sakkijarvi]

$30 bucks a match from each player to whack some USTA doubles against other old guys -- on top of USTA membership fee, league fee.

 

[Gut4Tennis]

$30 bucks a match from each player to whack some USTA doubles against other old guys -- on top of USTA membership fee, league fee.

wow I never looked at it that way per match adding all the other fees. comes to 15 bucks per hour per person. Now if you play more then 4 matches the cost per match comes down

 

[Jack the Hack]

If that was the cost in my area, I would never play USTA league. I'd just save my money for tournaments...

In the PNW, we play all indoor tennis for the league, but the cost is low. The USTA league fee is $22 per person. Some clubs impose an additional league and court fee, but mine doesn't - even for non-members. As a captain, this allows me to recruit the whole city (and Section, if needed) for the best players, and promote the fact that our team is the least expensive to play for while being one of the most competitive (my team made the Section final last year).

BTW, the monthly cost for my club is about $160 + tax for a family of four, and that includes all tennis court time, two swimming pools, basketball and racquetball courts, and the workout facilities. This is a huge bargain in my mind, especially considering that it's a private club.

 

[Gut4Tennis]

If that was the cost in my area, I would never play USTA league. I'd just save my money for tournaments...

In the PNW, we play all indoor tennis for the league, but the cost is low. The USTA league fee is $22 per person. Some clubs impose an additional league and court fee, but mine doesn't - even for non-members. As a captain, this allows me to recruit the whole city (and Section, if needed) for the best players, and promote the fact that our team is the least expensive to play for while being one of the most competitive (my team made the Section final last year).

BTW, the monthly cost for my club is about $160 + tax for a family of four, and that includes all tennis court time, two swimming pools, basketball and racquetball courts, and the workout facilities. This is a huge bargain in my mind, especially considering that it's a private club.

they must have some limit on free court time?

 

[schmke]

they must have some limit on free court time?

I don't know how it is at JtH's club, but at mine there is no actual court time limit imposed. However, there is an effective limit simply through competition with other members to book a limited number of courts. We are allowed one reservation up to 7 days in advance, and one 24 hours in advance. But if there is a free court, we can walk in and play any time.

 

[Jack the Hack]

they must have some limit on free court time?

Gut, there is no limit on the free court time. However, like schmke said, you just have to compete for reservations during certain prime hours.

When I practice at 6:00 AM, I am usually the only person there (on the ball machine or with a hitting partner). From 3:00 PM to 7:30 PM, the courts are usually full. After 7:30 PM, they start opening up again until the club closes at 10:30 PM. I play in the off peak hours, and I rarely am unable to get a court... and I usually don't even bother with reservations.

Again, I feel extremely lucky to have this situation because I know indoor court time in other parts of the US is anywhere from 2 to 10 times more expensive.

 

[mmk]

If that was the cost in my area, I would never play USTA league. I'd just save my money for tournaments...

In the PNW, we play all indoor tennis for the league, but the cost is low. The USTA league fee is $22 per person. Some clubs impose an additional league and court fee, but mine doesn't - even for non-members. As a captain, this allows me to recruit the whole city (and Section, if needed) for the best players, and promote the fact that our team is the least expensive to play for while being one of the most competitive (my team made the Section final last year).

BTW, the monthly cost for my club is about $160 + tax for a family of four, and that includes all tennis court time, two swimming pools, basketball and racquetball courts, and the workout facilities. This is a huge bargain in my mind, especially considering that it's a private club.

That is a bargain. My wife and I belong to a club in the DC area and pay not much less than that per month for the two of us, and she doesn't have tennis rights (doesn't matter, she isn't physically capable of playing). The club has a bunch of outdoor clay courts that are no charge, indoor racquetball courts that are no charge, 6 indoor tennis courts (and 4 outdoor that are bubbled from fall through spring) that are pay to play, a basketball court, workout facilities and an indoor pool.

 

[Bdarb]

I played my first season this past fall of usta. Ended up being 32 a match plus team registration fees plus usta member fees. For a reasonably broke 25 year old it was too much. I may play again someday if I'm flush and have no one to play with but for the moment I work at a club part time so my tennis is free and I meet more people than I can hit with there so that hasn't been an issue either. I can see the value for some but I'd prefer to just set up a match I know I'll enjoy rather than risk paying to get hustled or smoke somebody.

 

[cartel]

BTW, the monthly cost for my club is about $160 + tax for a family of four, and that includes all tennis court time, two swimming pools, basketball and racquetball courts, and the workout facilities. This is a huge bargain in my mind, especially considering that it's a private club.

thats so cheap --

vancouver- nothing similar-- we have a couple places of tennis only - i go to one where $1000 is a "winter" membership for up to 5 hours a week- sept to may-- it is pretty good if you can go early day - then there is no time limits as the courts are open..

the other close country club is $160 a month dues PLUS $8 hr for court time-- or $28 hr drop in without membership and no reservations.

 

[GlennK]

BTW, the monthly cost for my club is about $160 + tax for a family of four, and that includes all tennis court time, two swimming pools, basketball and racquetball courts, and the workout facilities. This is a huge bargain in my mind, especially considering that it's a private club.

That is a great price. We have two options in our area. There are indoor tennis only facilties where you pay $25-32 per hour for a court but no monthly fees. Only problem is there are very limited times when the courts are open (well, pretty much all day M-F till 5 pm. But for working folks, hard to use). The evenings are filled with regular groups.

We then have a rec facility with an indoor pool, weight room, 6 tennis courts, and racquetball courts. Problem is it costs about the same as yours but then you still have to pay $25 per hour for the tennis court. For someone interested in tennis only , not worth joining.

Of course, from early Spring to late Fall, outdoor tennis at public parks/colleges/high schools is free.