SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums Club Soccer & ODP ECNL Winter Showcase

Is the ECNL league run by the clubs who are members of it? Do the member clubs get any kickbacks, compensation, etc from being members of ECNL?

Not sure who is making out on the hotel deals, all I know is that most times there seems to be a higher rate when you go through mandated(or highly suggested) booking system. Could it be the hotels are just not crediting the soccer folks much in the way of a discount???

The Clubs have got to be receiving a "kickback". In a city like a Greenville, a Raleigh, a Knoxville, their hotels are typically less full on a weekend, yet for a soccer tournament, you will pay much more than their typical weekend rate. I have actually called hotels, we as a Club soccer team were staying at for a tournament and was quoted a lesser rate as an individual than we had to pay as being part of the team.

In all honesty, who cares? The other option is that the tournaments cost more. I don't personally care if the cost is paid from my left pocket or right pocket.

Tournaments are one way a club helps fund operations. Does anyone think it's an invalid method of funding operations? If it's an acceptable method of funding operations, does anyone care if part of that funding comes from lodging as opposed to tournament fees (as opposed to anything else)?

Has anyone told you it doesn't happen? The comments make it sounds like you asked and it was denied.

And as an FYI, I have no knowledge of how any of this works and no involvement in running any club. My responses are just my personal reaction to what seems like a perfectly reasonable business practice.

I see the EXACT same thing at trade shows, user conferences, dealer conferences and many other business events. It's a normal business method of getting additional funding from events. So I'm fine with it costing more if you have to travel to "be in the tournament". It's a way to get more of the funding from traveling teams than local teams. Seems smart and perfectly reasonable to me.

Hey JAK, I've got some rooms at the Econolodge in San Antonio, available same weekend as Viking Cup.
They are only $299 a night. Call me.

CajunKid - Were you trying to make a point with that comment? If so, please clarify so I can understand.

Although we have gotten far a-field from the opening statement where the SC girls were being given thier credit for some great play.

I would answer your question by saying, no, no one ever "told" me it was not happening and I have never specifically asked a club offical about it either. I was simpliy commenting on the statement you made where the word honesty seemed to be at odds with what was actually happening. Perhaps it is another funding steam that clubs have found a way to tap into to suck a little more money out of the visiting teams, but do you really think they would charge more to enter if this funding stream was not there? My point was that they try and drive everyone to these hotels mostly by saying they have "good" deals there when you find out that the "good" deal is for the hosting club and not you. Paint it as the "accepted" way if you want but on its face it does not look ethical (in the grey zone at least) to me.

Now do I really worry about it? No not really I just call and get my room with my discount and feel sorry for those who let the club/system suck that extra dollar from thier pockets. Me I am just the dummy putting that money into the stupid cleats my child say she needs to play "better" this season, go figure there is just no way a soccer parent will ever win when it come to the dollar game and big time club soccer!!