ECF Game Fee - Club internal games

[Paul Buswell]

I am of the view that the present Game Fee of £2 (£1 rapid) is inappropriate to the casual player whose only competitive chess is within their own club's internal tournaments. I think it is a disincentive to their taking their first steps in competitive chess, and that one alternative - joining the ECF @ £13 - is also inappropriate as it heightens the cost barrier for such casual or social players.

In the case of my own club, Hastings, we have members who only play chess within the club, perhaps socially, perhaps within club competitions, but never ever in leagues or congresses. Do we require them to take on the cost of an ECF sub, which otherwise they don't need, or hit them for £2 per game when they play in a graded club event? We might start losing members at a time when money is tight.

So I wish to propose to the ECF Council a reduction in Game Fee for Club internal games; I accept that some payment is required to cover grading's costs, but not at the presenrt level. In terms of the financial implications, Richard Haddrell advises for 2012/13:
Club halfgames played 31,378 of which 28,658 by Members
Standard 24,242 : 22,659
Rapid 7,136 : 5,999

So if club internal was reduced to 50p (25p rapid) the implication is a maximum loss to ECF of:
Standard: (24,242 - 22,659) * (£1.50 reduction) * (100/120 net of VAT) = £1,979
Rapid: (7,136 - 5,999) * (£0.75 reduction) * (100/120 net of VAT) = £711

Unquantifiable are the following:
Whether any current Members might decide that on that basis they no longer needed to be members: (I suggest that number would be low although of course I can't be sure);
the number of additional games that might be played as a result of the relaxation of the tariff

I myself would regard the idea as a positive step by ECF to make it easy for beginners and novices to take their first steps in competitive chess, easing them in to competition.

An alternative approach might be for ECF to commute the Game Fee for Club internal games into one standard sum, say £50 per season, for Clubs to receive unlimited grading of their internal games.

I have put the observations above to the ECF Directors concerned - Membership, cc Finance - but the matter was not discussed at the Board meeting on 19 January as the Board ran out of time. But I am advised by the Director of Membership that based on e-mails with his Board colleagues he was "not hopeful of a majority of the Board giving it their approval".

So as an exercise of the democratic process I wish to put my proposal - reduced Game Fee or commuted sum for Club internal games - to the ECF Council at its budget setting meeting on 12 April. Are there any organisations out there who will add their name to this proposal to ensure it gets on to the Agenda in proper fashion?

I can be contacted by PM on this forum or at [email protected] or at [email protected]

Thank you

Paul Buswell

[Phil Neatherway]

Paul,

how much does it cost to join Hastings Chess Club?

[Roger de Coverly]

I am of the view that the present Game Fee of £2 (£1 rapid) is inappropriate to the casual player whose only competitive chess is within their own club's internal tournaments. I think it is a disincentive to their taking their first steps in competitive chess, and that one alternative - joining the ECF @ £13 - is also inappropriate as it heightens the cost barrier for such casual or social players.

Given the number of times I have put forward this argument, I think you will find the ECF Board and possibly 70% of the voting membership totally deaf to this very obvious proposition.

I have put the observations above to the ECF Directors concerned - Membership, cc Finance - but the matter was not discussed at the Board meeting on 19 January as the Board ran out of time.

The Board are still having meetings then. The reporting on the website stops with their meeting early in November 2013. But as perhaps revealed on the another thread, they are too busy with the Paulson-Short conflict.

[Sean Hewitt]

So if club internal was reduced to 50p (25p rapid) the implication is a maximum loss to ECF of:
Standard: (24,242 - 22,659) * (£1.50 reduction) * (100/120 net of VAT) = £1,979
Rapid: (7,136 - 5,999) * (£0.75 reduction) * (100/120 net of VAT) = £711

Paul, it would be helpful if you could articulate how you propose this £2700 shortfall would be funded. Do you anticipate raising membership fees to cover it, or are there areas of expenditure which you would seek to cut?

I don't think the voting membership can properly consider the proposal without knowing how it would be paid for.

[Adam Raoof]

I'm running a small weekender in Bexhill-on-Sea on 22-23 March

http://www.sussexweekendchess.blogspot.co.uk/

and it will be interesting to see how many local players take part, given that it is a FIDE rated event, and ECF membership of Gold or above is obligatory for English players. I already know that several have upgraded to play. After all, they can walk up to the ECF Office in Hastings if they need to!

[Paul Buswell]

Paul,

how much does it cost to join Hastings Chess Club?

Full adult membership: £60

Other rates available

PB

[Paul Buswell]

I'm running a small weekender in Bexhill-on-Sea on 22-23 March

http://www.sussexweekendchess.blogspot.co.uk/

and it will be interesting to see how many local players take part, given that it is a FIDE rated event, and ECF membership of Gold or above is obligatory for English players. I already know that several have upgraded to play. After all, they can walk up to the ECF Office in Hastings if they need to!

Although this is rather off topic, I think that having the lower section at U1900 will not be attractive in the first place to the sort of Club player - casual and social - I think most likely to be covered by the Game Fee reduction that I propose. It is too strong for me, an ECF 'silver' member.

PB

[Ray Sayers]

£13 to join a national federation for a year for anything is peanuts, really.

My AA membership renewal for me and my wife came through recently - £185!!

However - I think it is reasonable that ECF membership fees may be reduced or cut to zero for:

1. Unemployed/retired
2. Juniors

£13 a year is a lot of money for those who don't have it, but for most people, they lose track of that sort of sum almost weekly.

[Adam Raoof]

I'm running a small weekender in Bexhill-on-Sea on 22-23 March

http://www.sussexweekendchess.blogspot.co.uk/

and it will be interesting to see how many local players take part, given that it is a FIDE rated event, and ECF membership of Gold or above is obligatory for English players. I already know that several have upgraded to play. After all, they can walk up to the ECF Office in Hastings if they need to!

Although this is rather off topic, I think that having the lower section at U1900 will not be attractive in the first place to the sort of Club player - casual and social - I think most likely to be covered by the Game Fee reduction that I propose. It is too strong for me, an ECF 'silver' member.

PB

Understood - if we get enough players to make it viable, we will add a third section and find a bigger venue for the next one. Advice always welcome!

[Paul Buswell]

So if club internal was reduced to 50p (25p rapid) the implication is a maximum loss to ECF of:
Standard: (24,242 - 22,659) * (£1.50 reduction) * (100/120 net of VAT) = £1,979
Rapid: (7,136 - 5,999) * (£0.75 reduction) * (100/120 net of VAT) = £711

Paul, it would be helpful if you could articulate how you propose this £2700 shortfall would be funded. Do you anticipate raising membership fees to cover it, or are there areas of expenditure which you would seek to cut?

I don't think the voting membership can properly consider the proposal without knowing how it would be paid for.

This is reminiscent of an argument I recall Harry Lamb emphasising 30+ years ago... do you approve an expenditure budget and then decide subs, or do you decide subs and then see what can be afforded.

I have personal views on areas of ECF expenditure I would wish to see cut but I do not think those views are directly relevant: far more importantly it is impossible to suggest increased fees and/or reduced expenditure without knowing what the ECF board is going to propose anyhow for 2014/15. The point about this proposal going on the Council Agenda is so that the Board itself can have an idea of its potential impact and be ready with its own contingency plan if it is passed: "... if Council approves this we would have to reduce spend on a/b/c"

Or the ECF could choose to absorb it, as a reduction in income of less than half of one per cent of budgetted overall income, or under two per cent of budgetted membership income, based on the 2013/14 budget: the amount is covered by the Contingencies of £5,000, assuming that appears again in the 2014/15 budget.

PB

[Paul Buswell]

£13 to join a national federation for a year for anything is peanuts, really.

My AA membership renewal for me and my wife came through recently - £185!!

However - I think it is reasonable that ECF membership fees may be reduced or cut to zero for:

1. Unemployed/retired
2. Juniors

£13 a year is a lot of money for those who don't have it, but for most people, they lose track of that sort of sum almost weekly.

I think the AA gives rather more in return, potentially!

There's already a reduced ECF fee of £9 for Juniors, ansd although a reduced fee for the unemployed seems attractive I think it would mean trusting people to a considerable degree.

PB

[Paul Buswell]

Given the number of times I have put forward this argument, I think you will find the ECF Board and possibly 70% of the voting membership totally deaf to this very obvious proposition.

So only 20.1% to persuade then!

PB

[Alex Holowczak]

I'm running a small weekender in Bexhill-on-Sea on 22-23 March

http://www.sussexweekendchess.blogspot.co.uk/

and it will be interesting to see how many local players take part, given that it is a FIDE rated event, and ECF membership of Gold or above is obligatory for English players. I already know that several have upgraded to play. After all, they can walk up to the ECF Office in Hastings if they need to!

Although this is rather off topic, I think that having the lower section at U1900 will not be attractive in the first place to the sort of Club player - casual and social - I think most likely to be covered by the Game Fee reduction that I propose. It is too strong for me, an ECF 'silver' member.

PB

Didn't you say this about e2e4 Gatwick a while back, shortly before it had to close entries early at 156 because the venue was full to capacity?

Certainly e2e4 events in Sussex (e.g. Gatwick/Crawley, Brighton) have run FIDE-rated sections for U1900-strength players before. I don't know how many of those entrants were local, but I see no reason why Adam's sections wouldn't work given the other FIDE-rated events held in Sussex.

[Phil Neatherway]

£13 to join a national federation for a year for anything is peanuts, really.

I agree with this. How many Hastings members are we talking about? Perhaps the Hastings club could absorb the cost?

[Paul Buswell]

I'm running a small weekender in Bexhill-on-Sea on 22-23 March

http://www.sussexweekendchess.blogspot.co.uk/

and it will be interesting to see how many local players take part, given that it is a FIDE rated event, and ECF membership of Gold or above is obligatory for English players. I already know that several have upgraded to play. After all, they can walk up to the ECF Office in Hastings if they need to!

Although this is rather off topic, I think that having the lower section at U1900 will not be attractive in the first place to the sort of Club player - casual and social - I think most likely to be covered by the Game Fee reduction that I propose. It is too strong for me, an ECF 'silver' member.

PB

Didn't you say this about e2e4 Gatwick a while back, shortly before it had to close entries early at 156 because the venue was full to capacity?

Certainly e2e4 events in Sussex (e.g. Gatwick/Crawley, Brighton) have run FIDE-rated sections for U1900-strength players before. I don't know how many of those entrants were local, but I see no reason why Adam's sections wouldn't work given the other FIDE-rated events held in Sussex.

No, I don't recall saying that about e2e4 events... certainly not in the context of the casual and social players this thread is looking at most closely, those who never play in congresses or leagues. I wish Adam's event every success and no doubt he will analyse carefully where his entries come from.

PB