Stay to Play Tournaments.

[Guest]

Heading up to the CCM Blue Chip invite next weekend, and I do firmly believe that 200 X 85 runs some of the best organized and competitive tournaments in Youth Hockey.

Having said that, Stay to Play as a policy sucks. Completely get that it is a part of the fabric of youth hockey, and a revenue stream for tournament organizers.

All of that considered, it's almost an abusive policy that makes the sport even more expensive. This hotel that the tournament organizers offered has a 3 night minimum stay, and when you consider that we have an early afternoon 1st game on Friday, there is no reason on earth why we should have to decide between staying ether Thursday or Sunday night to meet this completely unnecessary obligation, when we live less than 2 hours away.

If the organizers really need to squeeze more profit out of the tournament, just increase the tournament fee to what they capture in grift from the hotels, and save everyone the mandated extra night.     

[Guest]

Unfortunately, they are here to stay, as it is embedded in all of youth hockey that we must travel for tournaments. And if you want to enter the best tournaments (and not just best talent, best managed as well), these companies know that and profit from it (as they should)

Until parents start refusing these tournaments it will never stop. A lot of problems with youth hockey would be solved if parents changed

[Guest]

Unfortunately, they are here to stay, as it is embedded in all of youth hockey that we must travel for tournaments. And if you want to enter the best tournaments (and not just best talent, best managed as well), these companies know that and profit from it (as they should)

Until parents start refusing these tournaments it will never stop. A lot of problems with youth hockey would be solved if parents changed

Parents are idiots and think they have to keep up with the Jones's for their kid to succeed. All of this is BS until your kid reaches 15-16 anyway. Save your money on travel, do privates & clinics, play AA or lower and have your kid play multiple sports. By the time they reach puberty you will know if they have enough athletic ability to play after HS/Club. 90% will not cut it. If this is just for fun, play lower level and let your kid have fun. Fun is what this is all about! Also, my family refuses to pay for more than 2 hotels a season, will not get on an airplane for any youth sports and won't drive more than 1 state away. Wake up, you have the power, not the rink!

[Guest]

Think you hit the nail on the head; until people start pushing back it will definitely remain the reality.

To be clear though, I am not questioning whether the organizers should profit or even how much they profit. That is how capitalism works, and the marketplace does a good job dictating that; everyone will pay more for quality.

What I am questioning is the device that they use to profit instead of a much more straightforward one.

To use some simple math; I have to pay $250/night times 3 nights or $750 all in for next weekend. Let's assume the organizers get 10% from my $750, so they net $75 in grift for the weekend from me. There are 15 players on the team so $75 X 15 = $1,125.

What I am suggesting is that instead of making myself(and most every family going to their tournament) book an extra night for a hotel room that they do not need; just add that theoretical $1,125 to the tournament registration fee.

Participants Benefit: We don't have to book a hotel that we do not need. Myself and every family saves $175($250-$75) and will probably be spent on merch.

Organizers Benefit: They get their $75/family in grift and everyone doesn't feel taken advantage of.

It's a much more high brow way of conducting business; it's even less work for the organizers and "cleaner" from an accounting perspective.   

[Guest]

Kicking up an old thread. The aggressive, doom and gloom "you must stay at this hotel", "your club will be fined", "your kid will not be able to play" stay to play emails are coming out.

We typically just play ball and stay, but I was wondering if anyone is aware of a club or kid that has actually seen negative consequences by not staying at the stay to play hotel?

[Guest]

So did anyone actual stay in a nice hotel in Boston. Ours was a dump- no bar, dirty rooms, no parking, and terrible breakfast. I would not mind the stay to play if they picked nicer hotels!