Try $600 for my son to be in the Bassett Bengal Marching Band. That's the fee. Not a uniform fee or anything else, but the annual fee.

 

http://www.bassettband.com/

 

Our boosters pay for clinicians, travel, music, everything you can think of with no help from the school system. I'm not happy about it but that's what we do.

 

This $600 in no ways covers it all. We also have a partner in a local Bingo game that contributes about $35,000 per year and various fund raisers, concessions at football games, and hosting our own competition. We have about $160,000 budget to meet.

 

 

Are you saying the band spends $160,000 annually on Clinics, travel , and music only? Sounds a little over inflateded to me. If you aren't paying for uniforms or whatever the anything else part is, who is?

I was talking more about paying an organization (ie Bluegrass Baseball, Shooting Stars...etc) more than a league fee. Some make you pay a certain amount before a certain date before they allow you to play.

 

For the most part, schools pay more expenses than these 'club' teams. All have uniforms, tournament entry fees, officials, equipment...etc. However, school teams also have to provide insurance and transportation. Both industries prices have inflated in the recent past...

 

I think this is also why parents should be demanding quality people coaching their kids, same as they should with school fees and teachers...

 

Thanks for the info STicky. Totally makes sense to me now.

The kids on my golf team pay $50. That gets them free golf from July 15-Oct. 1, 2 Adidas golf shirts, an Adidas golf cap, 1 dozen Pro V1 golf balls and all the range balls they want to hit. Pretty good deal I think.

The kids on my golf team pay $50. That gets them free golf from July 15-Oct. 1, 2 Adidas golf shirts, an Adidas golf cap, 1 dozen Pro V1 golf balls and all the range balls they want to hit. Pretty good deal I think.

 

That's worth 50 bucks right there. I spend more than that a week sometimes.

That sounds like a heck of a deal!

That's worth 50 bucks right there. I spend more than that a week sometimes.

 

Two rounds of golf cost more than that. Someplaces one round is more than that.

At Highlands athletic fees are $90 per sport.

 

Band fees are $500 per year.

Are you saying the band spends $160,000 annually on Clinics, travel , and music only? Sounds a little over inflateded to me. If you aren't paying for uniforms or whatever the anything else part is, who is?

 

First of all, it cost the band $28,000 two years ago to go to Indy for the BOA finals. We cut that nearly in half last year by joining USSBA and going to their finals in Baltimore. The trip there was $15,000 (includes 4 charters, lodging). Shows are not cheap to purchase and/or their props. Our flag corps clinician costs $1600 per month and the Boosters pay him that. Flag Corps uniforms and flags are different and new every year. The uniforms get altered some but were purchased four years ago and should last a while longer.

 

Our current school administration charges us $2 per mile to use the school buses on local trips. (The trip to Bristol this fall will cost about $3,500 for school buses) There are two winter groups: Drumline and Winter Guard. They come out of the budget as well. Winter Guard cost $25,000 last year between clinicians, travel and uniforms. Drumline was closer to $8,000 for those expenses. Those individuals pony up $350 per person beyond the $600 for Marching Band.

 

I assure you it's not inflated and the books are audited every year by the school system.

First of all, it cost the band $28,000 two years ago to go to Indy for the BOA finals. We cut that nearly in half last year by joining USSBA and going to their finals in Baltimore. The trip there was $15,000 (includes 4 charters, lodging). Shows are not cheap to purchase and/or their props. Our flag corps clinician costs $1600 per month and the Boosters pay him that. Flag Corps uniforms and flags are different and new every year. The uniforms get altered some but were purchased four years ago and should last a while longer.

 

Our current school administration charges us $2 per mile to use the school buses on local trips. (The trip to Bristol this fall will cost about $3,500 for school buses) There are two winter groups: Drumline and Winter Guard. They come out of the budget as well. Winter Guard cost $25,000 last year between clinicians, travel and uniforms. Drumline was closer to $8,000 for those expenses. Those individuals pony up $350 per person beyond the $600 for Marching Band.

 

I assure you it's not inflated and the books are audited every year by the school system.

 

Sounds like you could trim a few things. Just really sounds like alot of extras. The extra is fine if everyone wants to pay and aren't concerend about the cost, but if folks are upset that it is too expensive, then I would look within to make some cuts. One cut could be props. Never liked them anyway. I just want to hear good marching band music (isn't this why kids are in the band in the first place). Flag outfits and flags don't seem like they need to changed every year. Heck the band unis aren't new every year so why does the flag corp need new ones?

 

Fees really don't matter as far as I'm concerned. If you want to participate then pay. Nothing is free these days. Don't expect anything to be and plan for the cost.