- Nov 3, 2012
- 480
- 16
Ive noticed that more and more, that our team is signing up for "Stay to Play" tournaments. For those who don't know, "Stay to Play" means you have to stay at and reserve a specific hotel as designated by the tournament director or whatever tournament authority running the tourney. A lot of times, they have a mileage rule. For example if your teams address is over 75 miles from the tourney, then you have to stay at the designated hotel. And if you don't, your team will be penalized or fined a specific amount normally in the range of 100s of dollars or even threatened to not allowed to play in the tournament.
This wouldn't be so bad if the tournament would negotiate a discounted rate, but from my experience, the parents end up paying a higher rate than what they normally could reserve the room for.
I think the tournament directors negotiate an agreement where they guarantee a certain of number of rooms to the hotel, then the hotel probably "kicks back" some money to the tournament director. Notice I said the word "Kick back". I really question if this is an ethical arrangement. If a govt was doing this, I think somebody would be going to jail.
I wont name hotels or tournaments, but the rate offered by the "Stay to Play" reservation site was $126 for our upcoming tournament. I checked on line and could have got the same hotel room for $101 through the hotels reservation system. Also, there were other hotels closer to the tournament site. Seems kind of crappy, since we all spend a boat load of money on travel softball. This seems like another way to squeeze more money out of parents. What to do other parents think about this? Maybe they should call these "Stay to Pay" tournaments.
This wouldn't be so bad if the tournament would negotiate a discounted rate, but from my experience, the parents end up paying a higher rate than what they normally could reserve the room for.
I think the tournament directors negotiate an agreement where they guarantee a certain of number of rooms to the hotel, then the hotel probably "kicks back" some money to the tournament director. Notice I said the word "Kick back". I really question if this is an ethical arrangement. If a govt was doing this, I think somebody would be going to jail.
I wont name hotels or tournaments, but the rate offered by the "Stay to Play" reservation site was $126 for our upcoming tournament. I checked on line and could have got the same hotel room for $101 through the hotels reservation system. Also, there were other hotels closer to the tournament site. Seems kind of crappy, since we all spend a boat load of money on travel softball. This seems like another way to squeeze more money out of parents. What to do other parents think about this? Maybe they should call these "Stay to Pay" tournaments.
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