Chico, there is no red herring here, honestly. I raised the issue of automobiles because it seemed like a good example (to me, at least) of the kind of sponsorships that CESA has that allow them to offer these "better and more comprehensive services" you speak of.
Now, Land Rovers aren't exactly my thing, but a quick glance on the web shows them going from the 30s all the way up to well over $80k. Admittedly, I have absolutely no idea what the Land Rover sponsorship consists of. Heck, maybe there is no cash involved, merely the use of some vehicles for a period of time. And, I am by no means faulting CESA for these sponsorships - personally, I think it’s pretty awesome. But, I certainly am not suggesting any sort of bribes to anyone - for you to suggest that is fairly ridiculous.
Again, I contend that the activities you mention - “spring training and a full spring program for U15+ that includes college scrimmages as well as inter-club scrimmages” cost money, and plenty of it. Sure, the Bridge could run out and drum up forty or fifty thousand dollars in sponsorships – that should not be a problem (dang, why didn’t anyone think of that BEFORE), but until that mysterious cash cow is discovered, you have to work with what you have.
