Re: Increase in Duck Golf fees and transparency
First off, I’d like to thank everybody for their patience on letting us come out with a breakdown and transparent budget structure for the new increased Duck Golf fees. We take Duck Golf very seriously, as we know you the players do as well, which is why this price structure adjustment has been on the table and discussed at meetings over the past eight months and we’ve had to take a hard look at what is the priority here and how to manage it all within the growing demand of the sport, both from a player perspective and from a financial perspective. It has been 14+ years since we have had any variable change in the Duck Golf pricing structure. In that time we have seen major growth in all facets of the series, from player participation, cost of running the series and the BCDS’ involvement in providing equipment, logistics, community outreach and grants to local clubs and tournaments around the province. In prior years – specifically in the 2012-2014 time period, the BCDS qualified for government gaming grants to the amount of $40,000+ annually. This money went a long way to absorbing many external costs within the Duck Golf series, and to helping the BCDS grow the sport across the province by providing grants to local clubs, purchasing portable baskets for the BCDS to be used for various sanctioned and non-sanctioned events, running clinics and community outreach programs, providing full comprehensive insurance for all tournaments and local clubs and keeping up with operating costs for the BCDS. Over the past three years the criteria for these grants has changed significantly, and the BCDS no longer qualifies for these grants. As great as the grants have been, they have glossed over the fact that we have to restructure our budget and tournament fee structure to get with the times. We cannot expect to operate as a society and board across the province on grant money alone; this is one of the extenuating parameters with the new grant guidelines. Now on to Duck Golf fee structure breakdown:
We realize that this may seem like a considerable jump in fees, but considering we have not had an adjustment in 14+ years, we feel that it is essential to the growth and prosperity of the Duck Golf series as a BCDS-run and PDGA-sanctioned series of events. The fact of the matter is this, if you the players want the BCDS to be more than a glorified insurance provider than things need to change. If you would like the BCDS to be a champion for growth in the sport and the local communities, provide new baskets and equipment for growing demand, help with course development and bringing new courses to the province, advocate on behalf to local municipalities on why their community should have a course and further the growth of the province-wide, than you will understand and support why we need to move forward with this new fee structure. It’s still the best value going for sanctioned disc golf tournaments anywhere, so hopefully you will still come out and play the sport we all dearly love. The BCDS has, and will continue to stand on its own 2 feet, only with the help and support of its members and the disc golf community in BC. Each and every one of you has benefitted from the efforts and support of the BCDS over your disc golf career. As a volunteer-based board who dedicates their time, energy and skill set to helping grow and prosper disc golf in BC, and I think the results are pretty amazing. The only direction is onward and upward from here and we appreciate your support. The Treasurer & Members of the Board Included below is a price chart breakdown:
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Tara Lynch
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