Youth Select Soccer Costs Explained
Pumas Futbol Club explains the costs associated with supporting a select soccer club/team in North Texas.
(PRWEB) July 2, 2005 -- The costs associated with supporting any select
soccer are mostly fixed and should be generally the same across clubs. Only a
few of the costs are variable and these are the ones you should be looking at
most closely as members to determine whether you are paying for additional value
or are simply paying extra to improve someone's lifestyle. Also, YOU have the
right (by law) to see what the club is collecting and spending! Remember, soccer
clubs are non-profit entities and are NOT allowed to purposely generate profit
for themselves. That doesn't mean it doesn't happen especially if you have a
board that is not necessarily representative of the membership. The tax laws
COULD hold the board personally liable, however. In any case, this cost guide
will help you understand what the real costs are and how they are broken down so
you can stay on top of things.
Generally, the following costs are
associated with playing competitive soccer in North Texas. Amounts collected
vary from Club to Club, but should not be in excess of what is actually needed
to pay for the team’s expenses. Again, as a non-profit organization, which
soccer clubs are, revenue should not exceed expenses. Non-profit organization’s
are not intended to be a money making entity for any one individual or
individuals.
Examples of common per player expenses are:
- Club Dues
- League & Tournament Fees
- Coaching Fees
- Uniform Fee
A
breakdown and actual examples of these fees can be found at www.pumasfc.com.
*When
reading over the NTSSA fact sheet received at any tryouts look over what the
total cost to play does not include. Many times, Clubs or teams will list indoor
fees, uniform fees and tournament fees as additional costs not included in the
base fee per player to play. Don’t forget to ask how many out of town
tournaments the team will be traveling to also. These tournaments may or may not
be within a reasonable driving distance and therefore require an overnight stay
at a hotel in addition to meal fees while out of town.
*Additional Club
Dues, not mentioned above, which can significantly raise player fees, can
include DOC (Director of Coaching) Fees, DOC (boys), DOC (girls), Field
Development Fees. In addition to these, some Clubs also use Club members monies
to help defray costs associated with their Academy programs, such as brochures
& t-shirts. While this is ok if the Academy and the Club have joint
non-profit status under the umbrella of one application with the IRS, it is
another issue if the Academy is in no way a part of the non-profit designation
the Club has received from the IRS. Remember, just because the name is the same
doesn’t mean they are the same per IRS rules and guidelines. In reality, if your
fees are being used for the benefit of another entity, you are paying too much.
In a true non-profit organization...revenue cannot exceed expenses.
**Keep in mind that this is an estimate and should not be considered
indicative of either the Pumas Futbol Club or any other club that chooses to
defray their membership's costs through donations, fundraising, etc. Some of the
costs listed above are fixed for all clubs, but there are variable costs (such
as coaches fees) that could raise or lower the total to some extent. It does,
however, provide a good guideline of the cost "ceiling" associated with running
a select team within North Texas to assist you in your analysis and decision
making.
For more information on this and other select soccer topics,
visit www.pumasfc.com.
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/7/prweb257578.htm