Re: LD non-member fees

[jlong@mti.net (Joe Long)]

On Mon, 30 Nov 1998 16:34:48 -0700, renegade12@juno.com (Randy H
Eiland) wrote:

>You are missing the point...it was the LD Committee, made up of LD
>riders, who came to the Board at midyear and asked for equal footing with
>other AERC members...asked for Regional recognition, and more National
>recognition. The Board agreed to their requests, but that equality is a
>two way street.  If LD Riders are on equal footing with all other AERC
>members (and I think this is the right thing), then they must pay
>equally, too.  

Randy, that only applies to members -- this fee is imposed on
NON-members.

>The statement that they must ride twice as far has about
>as much validity as saying 50 milers must ride twice as far as 100
>milers....I can't argue with the black and white of the statement, but it
>has no bearing because it is the choice of the rider as to what distance
>they ride.   

I have never seen a ride that charges the same entry fee for the 25,
50, and 100 mile ride.  Have you?  Do you charge the same entry fee
for all distances?

>I can't bring myself to make a legitimate comment on whether
>$5.00 instead of $10.00 would be a deciding factor in entering a ride.  I
>will tell you that I manage 17 rides each year, most have LD distances
>and it costs me exactly the same per rider regardless of the distance
>ridden....and I think it costs AERC about the same per rider, regardless
>of the distance ridden.  

Not counting awards programs, maybe.  But it costs the AERC a lot LESS
for NON-members, as they don't award them patches, plaques,
medallions, etc.  So the AERC is charging non-members MORE for LESS.
Why?  Because the non-members have no vote to prevent it.  But even if
you think that's fair, the ride managers -- who are members -- get
hurt in the process.

Also, it is not true that riders of all distances cost the ride
management the same.  Riders at shorter distances require less time
from the vets, for example, and vets are usually the highest expense.
One reason that no ride I ever heard of charges the same fee for all
distances.

Also, as there are no plans for any mileage tracking or awards
programs for rides LESS than 25 miles (at least I sure hope there
aren't!) it is even more unfair to charge these riders a non-member
fee.

Do you really believe the (possible) increased revenue to AERC is
worth the cost in alienating members and prospective members alike,
decreasing ride entries (mainly among new prospects who are thinking
of giving the sport a try), the financial hardship on ride managers,
and the loss of rides and prospective new rides?  I don't.

There is a solution, of sorts, for ride management.  Set up a separate
organization to put on "fun" rides or competitive trail rides at the
same date and location, and not have any AERC sanctioned rides below
50 miles at your event.  A bit of trouble, but the AERC is making it
worth the effort.

-- 

Joe Long
jlong@mti.net
http://www.mti.net     Business
http://www.rnbw.com    Personal