URGENT - Rackets Section Meeting Thursday 9th October

Dear Rackets members,

I am convening a meeting of your section on Thursday 9th October @ 8.30 pm in our club house.

The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the issue of Racket fees with you.

Currently, Sam Kompfner and myself as Club Officers will be attending. This will also be an opportunity for you to meet Alan Lowbridge who has stepped up to be your Rackets Rep following Andy Goode stepping down. This fills a gap on General Council that has been there for a considerable amount of time: and has hampered discussions around how we improve both Rackets and our clubs fortunes.

As you know membership fees etc are set by General Council in line with our constitution. Consequently, the level of fees which have been presented to you have previously been agreed by your section reps. I am also aware that historically there have been presentations around your fees demonstrating their competitiveness even with up front membership costs.

However, General Council was aware that there an undercurrent existed of members unhappy with the upfront membership costs in comparison to other sections. I sent out an email to you through Sam asking for your views on this as while some members were unhappy with the level of fees they were paying currently, other members felt that what was on offer was not unreasonable and really quite cheap. The fact that I got 5 replies is not representative of your sections membership as a whole: and certainly not enough to make a considered decision.

As BMSA is at a critical point financially, what revenues we either do, or do not bring in matters in terms of keeping the club going. Consequently, it was suggested that you be consulted again. However, due to the lack of response it would not be unreasonable to send out the proposed fees - as they were essentially unchanged from last year.

Therefore, with the fees going out this has polarised your section into members who want change in terms of pricing, and members who do not. There are members who feel that what we have to offer represents good value for money, and others who do not: and with people threatening to leave which polarises the debate further.

Consequently, the main focus for this meeting is to clarify what is a fair price for your sport based on your understanding of your market? And putting it bluntly, getting bums on seats.

You need to remember that Rackets memberships and associated court costs have been set by your Reps when in post based on their understanding of your "market". Just as I look at my Judo market in relation to other martial arts such as MMA and BJJ to see what we can charge. Consequently, when we are looking at differences between sections in terms of what is being charged, its not a sensible comparison due to both the differences between sports and what we require in terms of facilities, coaches etc.

My apologies that this email is a little like an epistle to the Ephesians. However, many of you will not have been involved in conversations that have taken place so far. Therefore it's important that you have some context for the meeting being called.

I look forward to meeting you all on the 9th. A clearer agenda will be circulated closer to the time.

If you are unable to attend, and there is a point you want to make please email me. If you are intending to attend, and there is a question you want to ask, again contact me. I may however be slow in replying due to other commitments from October 1st onwards.

Kind regards

Graham

Graham Benson - Director and treasurer BMSA