Spring frag swap! 05/18/13 @ the odeum
- Thread starter Superman92088
- Start date
BigKev23
Member
According to the posts on a different site from CMAS board members, it is what it is. So basically CMAS is ok with making it's $5 per member for the swap and then losing $20 a year from all of the same members who decide not to renew since it's more expensive for members to attend swaps now.
DopeCantWin
Active member
Probably just a coincidence. I suggested they make this meet earlier at the January board meeting.
DopeCantWin
Active member
I think the disagreement here is, and correct me if I'm wrong, that people thought they could attend the frag swaps for free if they bought the membership. I'd bet that 95+% bought it for only that reason. Now you're turning around and charging us more and making the membership useless, or worse making it cost more for members to attend these swaps. We're all paying a lot more than $5 to be in this hobby, and that's not the real complaint. We would appreciate a bigger space for the event, but not at the cost of you going back on your word. Don't kid yourselves that you didn't say swaps would be free for members. You even reiterate it on cmas.net. Now if you were to say you're hiking the membership or entry fee without a membership and the entry would still work the same way, that would be a different story. Many of us hated the old location. It was small, dirty and a terrible location.
jlnielsen13
New member
To the CMAS board:
If more money was needed, why weren't non-members charged more? Wouldn't that kill 2 birds by not only bringing in more money but also more memberships as it would make even more sense to become a member?
Since our membership came with the promise of free admission to the swap and now that isn't true can we get a refund on the year of membership that hasn't been used yet since I bought a 2 year membership?
This is how funny that would work out. I paid 30$ for my 2 year membership. I have over a year left but if I just asked for the last year back in a refund:
2nd year was a discount $10
Price for me to get in swap $5
TOTAL AS OF NOW to attend: 15$
_______________________________________
If I got a refund:
Refund amount: -$10
Cost of non member to get in: $10
Cost for me to attend swap: 0
Talk about false advertising?? Again it isn't the 5$ people are hung up on, it's the principle. I will easily spend 2-300$ at the swap and wouldn't even know the $5 was gone because so much money is being thrown around at a rapid rate. Just not right to be promised one thing and then given another.
Thank you,
JIM
If more money was needed, why weren't non-members charged more? Wouldn't that kill 2 birds by not only bringing in more money but also more memberships as it would make even more sense to become a member?
Since our membership came with the promise of free admission to the swap and now that isn't true can we get a refund on the year of membership that hasn't been used yet since I bought a 2 year membership?
This is how funny that would work out. I paid 30$ for my 2 year membership. I have over a year left but if I just asked for the last year back in a refund:
2nd year was a discount $10
Price for me to get in swap $5
TOTAL AS OF NOW to attend: 15$
_______________________________________
If I got a refund:
Refund amount: -$10
Cost of non member to get in: $10
Cost for me to attend swap: 0
Talk about false advertising?? Again it isn't the 5$ people are hung up on, it's the principle. I will easily spend 2-300$ at the swap and wouldn't even know the $5 was gone because so much money is being thrown around at a rapid rate. Just not right to be promised one thing and then given another.
Thank you,
JIM
jasimek
New member
I agree with most who spoke above me that it isn't the $5 charge to members but it is the point on going back on the cmas's word that memberships included free admission to the swaps. If cmas wants to start charging members upon renewal or new memberships that's fine but don't penalize those who are in the middle of a membership. If money is an issue instead of charging extra to members it should be passed on to non members to cover the costs of the new venue. If this continues I will no longer renew my membership after it expires
onepoorreefer
Member
I 100% agree with jasimek
blackhawks423
New member
really?
really?
Wow... This is the kind of stuff that really ruins the hobby. Greed.
If you need more money in the pot, do fund raisers, have more raffle items, charge more for the raffle, or non members, accept donations, charge vendors a little bit more.
I easily spent 900-1000 dollars a the last swap, but as it stands (as a CMAS member as well) I won't be going to this event even though its a lot closer than the last one to me in the city.
Not to mention, the line to get in for CMAS members was a big advantage too, you got to have first picks on the cherry corals, etc... Now, you want to slow the CMAS line down and allow the regular members in at the same rate.
/rant
really?
Wow... This is the kind of stuff that really ruins the hobby. Greed.
If you need more money in the pot, do fund raisers, have more raffle items, charge more for the raffle, or non members, accept donations, charge vendors a little bit more.
I easily spent 900-1000 dollars a the last swap, but as it stands (as a CMAS member as well) I won't be going to this event even though its a lot closer than the last one to me in the city.
Not to mention, the line to get in for CMAS members was a big advantage too, you got to have first picks on the cherry corals, etc... Now, you want to slow the CMAS line down and allow the regular members in at the same rate.
/rant
DopeCantWin
Active member
Could be a majority of the people who got their membership for the 2011 spring swap.
jfuka78
New member
I do not see what the difference is you pay to go to any other event wheter you buy or not. You are paying to have the venue in your area. Look at any show that comes to Chicago auto, rv, fishing, motorcycle, and I can go on and on. We spend more than that fee on electricity to run our tanks each month. Every entrance bag ussually has a gift card for Dr fosters that is $20 plus what ever other vendor goodies are in the bag.
Just don't get it.
Just don't get it.
DopeCantWin
Active member
They didn't promise free frag swaps with a membership.
Caragol
Caragol
I don't think that people are questioning the value of the swaps. I think people are starting to question the value of the memberships if they're only signing up for the swaps, and not attending meetings or using it for discounts.
BigKev23
Member
Exactly. I am sure the swap will be great in the new location. The problem is that members are basically being penalized by having to pay to enter this swap. It has now become cheaper to be a non-member and just pay your own entry into the swaps since a large number of people only use the CMAS membership for the swaps. The extra cost of the swap should be passed on to the non-members.
If they upped the entry for non members to $15 they would make up for the $5 they are trying to gain. And i bet if the entry was $15 non members would be more willing to buy memberships. Which would add another $5 into the cmas pocket. just seems like they didn't think things through. Or they just care about the money.
goat585
New member
Other fish clubs in the area charge their members to attend swaps at the same price as the non members. I have never heard any complaints about this.
I think everyone is under estimating the amount of additional money needed to afford this venue. In my opinion upping raffle tickets prices would not generate more money. If you go to an event you have a dollar amount in mind for spending on the raffle that is what you are going to spend. The increase in price may drive people away from the raffle.
Charging non members more is unlikely to add more dollars. $10 seems to be the limit of what someone would pay for an event like this. When I was involved in events like this if we charged more there was a major uproar about the price and attendance suffered.
I am not sure what they promised but I assume they thought they would continue to hold the events at the VFW. I think we need to see how this one goes and then voice the concerns to the CMAS board to they can make a decision about the next event.
I think everyone is under estimating the amount of additional money needed to afford this venue. In my opinion upping raffle tickets prices would not generate more money. If you go to an event you have a dollar amount in mind for spending on the raffle that is what you are going to spend. The increase in price may drive people away from the raffle.
Charging non members more is unlikely to add more dollars. $10 seems to be the limit of what someone would pay for an event like this. When I was involved in events like this if we charged more there was a major uproar about the price and attendance suffered.
I am not sure what they promised but I assume they thought they would continue to hold the events at the VFW. I think we need to see how this one goes and then voice the concerns to the CMAS board to they can make a decision about the next event.
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