Different costs of RI premier clubs?

[Unregistered]

South County has one of the best town soccer programs in the state. But they are not premier club quality. The few times I saw them play against premier teams they were not competitive. I have only seen U12 and up. I wouldn't doubt that at younger ages they would be fine.

Town merging is a great idea. I am also from Northern RI and feel your pain. I doubt you would take back many kids currently playing premier but it would stem the tide for future players leaving.

How is the Ocean State club organaized? They seem to put some good town teams together with kids from all over the state.

Good question - I never completely understood how Ocean State was not considered a premier club, but I know I don't know all the facts. I do know SRI allows town teams to have kids from up to 3 towns, so maybe Ocean State limits their teams to 3 towns?

Yes, northern RI towns are sucking wind to keep any quality players. It's especially painful on the boys side. Cumberland's lost all their boys to Lusitana; Lincoln has lost theirs to RISC, among others. Smithfield's teams are generally ok, but not as good as they used to be.

But what are the choices? Spend through the nose for your kid to play for a premier club or suck it up and have them play for your town team?

If the powers-that-be in Lincoln, Cumberland, and another nRI town could put their egos aside and put their heads together, they could offer a competitive alternative.

[Unregistered]

Just looked at CYSA website. They now have something called "Cumberland Select" in addition to usual competitive program.

Now all they'd have to do is contact Lincoln YSA, get their ok to invite Lincoln boys to the Cumberland Select tryouts.....

[Unregistered]

Just for fun, I did the math on what it costs to put a premier club team on the field in New England. Here's what I came up with based on costs published on websites, etc.:

Fall season league fee (MASC, MAPLE) = $725 or $890 per team
Referees for Fall season; 9 games x $100 per game divided by 2 teams (estimate ) = $450

Winter workouts indoors: 20 weeks x $150 per week = $3,000

Tournaments; 3 per year at $750 per = $2,250

Indoor league 1 session = $900

Spring league fee (MASC, MAPLE) = $750 or $900 per team
Referees for Spring season; 7 games x $100 per game divided by 2 teams (est.) = $350

Uniforms = $100 per player (est.)

What else?
Coaching stipend?
Field rentals (assuming team must rent a field for games)?

Am I missing anything?

Total for actual expenses (excluding uniforms as some clubs charge separately) = $7,850 per team.

$7,850 divided by 15 players (assuming no freebies) = $523 per player.

You left out equipment - goals, balls, corner flags, etc.

And field rentals can be pretty expensive too. Teams who rent turf fields can pay anywhere from $150 to $300 per game.

[Unregistered]

You left out equipment - goals, balls, corner flags, etc.

And field rentals can be pretty expensive too. Teams who rent turf fields can pay anywhere from $150 to $300 per game.

Field rentals are the single biggest line item in a premier club's budget -- town teams generally get free access to local fields. Premier coaches get paid $3000+ per team per year.

[The_Beautiful_Game]

You must be ignorant to the facts

True, but I also want to get my money's worth. Premier clubs used to include at least one session of indoor soccer, but now they seem to be getting away from that. But, the prices haven't gone down.

What do you guys think is a fair price to play for premier club soccer?

****Probably the BEST program out there relative to quality coaching, training, number of opportunities to touch the ball and quality of competition is RHODE ISLAND SOCCER CLUB. The coaching staff is top notch, not a bunch of 20 somethings from England who intoxicate the uneducated parent with their posh accents; they have a solid partnership with the New England Revolution Academy, they play in top leagues and also offer indoor in a 10v10 format for the u12 and up ... if Bruno is $1600 how can RISC offer 43 weeks or training, two outdorr leagues, indoor league and/or jamboree, mutliple tournaments and a one week team traning session (with 2 tickets to Revs match, a ball, a Tshirt and a visit to a Revs training session) for $1200 ?

My guess, based on the respect I hold and reputation of the DOC and board that they are doing if FOR THE KIDS ... NO ON AT RISC makes a penny from this program ... unlike some of their "peers" in the East Bay ...

enough said

[The_Beautiful_Game]

You must be ignorant to the facts

True, but I also want to get my money's worth. Premier clubs used to include at least one session of indoor soccer, but now they seem to be getting away from that. But, the prices haven't gone down.

What do you guys think is a fair price to play for premier club soccer?

****Probably the BEST program out there relative to quality coaching, training, number of opportunities to touch the ball and quality of competition is RHODE ISLAND SOCCER CLUB. The coaching staff is top notch, not a bunch of 20 somethings from England who intoxicate the uneducated parent with their posh accents; they have a solid partnership with the New England Revolution Academy, they play in top leagues and also offer indoor in a 10v10 format for the u12 and up ... if Bruno is $1600 how can RISC offer 43 weeks or training, two outdorr leagues, indoor league and/or jamboree, mutliple tournaments and a one week team traning session (with 2 tickets to Revs match, a ball, a Tshirt and a visit to a Revs training session) for $1200 ?

My guess, based on the respect I hold and reputation of the DOC and board that they are doing if FOR THE KIDS ... NO ONE AT RISC makes a penny from this program ... unlike some of their "peers" in the East Bay ...

enough said

[Unregistered]

****Probably the BEST program out there relative to quality coaching, training, number of opportunities to touch the ball and quality of competition is RHODE ISLAND SOCCER CLUB. The coaching staff is top notch, not a bunch of 20 somethings from England who intoxicate the uneducated parent with their posh accents; they have a solid partnership with the New England Revolution Academy, they play in top leagues and also offer indoor in a 10v10 format for the u12 and up ... if Bruno is $1600 how can RISC offer 43 weeks or training, two outdorr leagues, indoor league and/or jamboree, mutliple tournaments and a one week team traning session (with 2 tickets to Revs match, a ball, a Tshirt and a visit to a Revs training session) for $1200 ?

My guess, based on the respect I hold and reputation of the DOC and board that they are doing if FOR THE KIDS ... NO ONE AT RISC makes a penny from this program ... unlike some of their "peers" in the East Bay ...

enough said

If no money is being made then they will always be on verge of financial collapse. Only a fool prices a product to not make money and try to make it up on volume.

They are priced below market value to grow the club. Let's hope they are making enough to keep it going.

[Unregistered]

If no money is being made then they will always be on verge of financial collapse. Only a fool prices a product to not make money and try to make it up on volume.

They are priced below market value to grow the club. Let's hope they are making enough to keep it going.

Not a bad idea to grow the club, though. Maybe the others simply charge too much? It's nice to have choices as a parent, including price point choices.

What I find difficult is when clubs are not clear about what you are getting for your money. Indoors/no indoors? Where indoors? What field do we play on? What league? Tournaments? I don't understand why there has to be a big secret about this stuff.

[Unregistered]

don't worry, we'll only be in d3 one session so you'll only have to play us once (wouldn't want the parents on your team to see a real team too often, they might leave). We'll be right back in D1 right about the same time you'll be playing in MASC.

Ha Ha!! Good One! and TRUST in the fact that WE WILL be back in D1... don't you worry! and We do have a say in it, love these uneducated people and their Rays Bashing! Whatever...he obviously has was too much time on his hands and has a bone to pick with someone...

[Unregistered]

If no money is being made then they will always be on verge of financial collapse. Only a fool prices a product to not make money and try to make it up on volume.

They are priced below market value to grow the club. Let's hope they are making enough to keep it going.

I thought premier clubs were 501(c)3 non-profit org's? What's all this about making money and pricing products?

[Unregistered]

Not a bad idea to grow the club, though. Maybe the others simply charge too much? It's nice to have choices as a parent, including price point choices.

What I find difficult is when clubs are not clear about what you are getting for your money. Indoors/no indoors? Where indoors? What field do we play on? What league? Tournaments? I don't understand why there has to be a big secret about this stuff.

My experience has been just the opposite. They have been upfront with all the costs and plans.

[Unregistered]

I thought premier clubs were 501(c)3 non-profit org's? What's all this about making money and pricing products?

As you probably already know. Non-Profit does not mean that people don't get paid and that there isn't enough cash reserves to run the program. The surplus funds just can't be distributed to the owners but must be used for self preservation. I feel that a club needs to be financially stable. I want them to have some cash reserves. Most cheap bastards in RI want to pay $1 more than the cost and then they will be the first to make some stupid comment about how the program wasn't run well when it just disappears.

So yes. It is very important to charge enough per kid. And yes, make enough money to maintain a solid financial structure.

[Unregistered]

As you probably already know. Non-Profit does not mean that people don't get paid and that there isn't enough cash reserves to run the program. The surplus funds just can't be distributed to the owners but must be used for self preservation. I feel that a club needs to be financially stable. I want them to have some cash reserves. Most cheap bastards in RI want to pay $1 more than the cost and then they will be the first to make some stupid comment about how the program wasn't run well when it just disappears.

So yes. It is very important to charge enough per kid. And yes, make enough money to maintain a solid financial structure.

Good answer. That makes perfect sense. As long as I know what I'm getting for my money, I can live with the fees.

[Unregistered]

As you probably already know. Non-Profit does not mean that people don't get paid and that there isn't enough cash reserves to run the program. The surplus funds just can't be distributed to the owners but must be used for self preservation. I feel that a club needs to be financially stable. I want them to have some cash reserves. Most cheap bastards in RI want to pay $1 more than the cost and then they will be the first to make some stupid comment about how the program wasn't run well when it just disappears.

So yes. It is very important to charge enough per kid. And yes, make enough money to maintain a solid financial structure.

It is all about value for money. Promises are made and not lived up to, for whatever reason. Clubs loose credability. Vote with your feet, if you dont think your kid is getting what you pay for leave! I am a cheap bastard from RI and that is exactly what I would do.

[Unregistered]

It is all about value for money. Promises are made and not lived up to, for whatever reason. Clubs loose credability. Vote with your feet, if you dont think your kid is getting what you pay for leave! I am a cheap bastard from RI and that is exactly what I would do.

Fair enough.