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SASS Membership Fees


Misty Moonshine

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We dont have the first amendment so we can all sit around and sing the same song, much like the forums arent here for us all to be in complete agreement. I want to point out how polite Most Wanted and Guitar Slinger were towards each other without getting it personal, that is the way it should be done here. They disagreed but remained nice to each other. Just because people come on here with a different point of view than yours does not make them your enemy or even wrong. People see things differently. Somebody questioning SASS does not make them uncowboy like any more than someone questioning the government makes them unpatriotic. I personally love CAS and the people I have met and will continue to do what I can to help the sport grow in spite of a few people and some issues that I still dont understand with how things are run.

Hopefully this continues to be a place where people feel free to come and chat to get or receive information. With another infection I will not be able to attend the next match or two but I can still come here and check in with the friends I have made and see how things went. Lets try to continue that and stay civil.

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Short Wagon, I hope to shoot with you someday at Tusco! I already git to shoot with Wyatt in FL,,, I wanna meet the guy that got his bp up!!!! thas an inside joke btw,,,

 

CC

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Give it a break!!

 

When you walk into a business establishment (fast food, walmart, restraunt, gas station, hospital, gun shop, Doctor office, garage, Utility Company,,,Airport, whatever), you don't ask for their P&L statement before making your purchase. You look up at the menu board, decide which Happy Meal ya want, look at the price and then decide if you order or not.. Place order,,,, or,,,,, walk. If you walk and find a better deal, then you did good market research. If you insist on a P&L, then expect to be standing there for a while.

 

Same for SASS.,, it is a business,,,,, has something to offer/sell,,, look at the posted prices,,, and decide if you stay on the fence or fly. May not like the price, but that is the bottom line.

 

just a view from my saddle.

 

 

Blastmaster

+100 I get the same view Blastmaster.
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The companies you buy stock in are public companies, and are obliged by law to issue annual reports.

SASS is not a public company so it is a case of 'it's none of our business'.

Anyone on this thread who has even the remotest thought that sass could not be doing the right thing, should maybe think of giving it away then.

With the small staff they have I think they do a wonderful job.

Putting up Good ideas would be more productive instead of whinging about fees.

 

And on the point of the decline in membership, maybe we should be looking at the demographics, young kids today hardly know what the old west was about, so it's inevitable it will be harder to encourage new members, and this is not in our own sport but in many others and in non sporting events. It's called ...change.

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Short Wagon, I hope to shoot with you someday at Tusco! I already git to shoot with Wyatt in FL,,, I wanna meet the guy that got his bp up!!!! thas an inside joke btw,,,

 

CC

We are signed up for High Noon at Tusco. If you are going there, we would be happy to posse with you and it will be a win-win for everyone as NOBODY picks on me more than Mad Hattie.

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We are signed up for High Noon at Tusco. If you are going there, we would be happy to posse with you and it will be a win-win for everyone as NOBODY picks on me more than Mad Hattie.

Good then I'll take Hattie on my posse and Cheyenne can have you! :P:P

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I've been away from the Wire and shooting for the summer, and hadn't kept up. I started at the 1st thread, (this one), and will keep on reading for a bit til I'm up-to-date. I'm still a somewhat "active" shooter. Bought a Life membership back when it was $400 and still shoot 2 State matches and a Regional every year. (would shoot more big matches if time permitted). After retirement (soon), I plan to be more active. I have enjoyed SASS and Cowboy Shooting for many years. I plan to continue, unless God intervenes.

Misty, I appreciate the effort you're putting in to this operation. Zounds!! It must be a headache and a heartache at times.

This shooting discipline is populated by a great bunch o' folks. Including some experienced business people and a lot of sharp minds, useful ideas are sure to come out of the discussion, (along with the inevitable griping, that's just our nature and has been, in every endeavor and organization I've ever been in...). I'm sure this ship will be back on course. I'm looking forward to the changes to come, just as long as I can keep on makin' smoke and sending lead downrange!

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I brought this up on another thread...has anyone picked up a calculator and run the numbers.

 

Membership dues alone bring in $1,287,000 using the new renewal fee. The old numbers were bringing in $891,000. Hardly chicken feed. And NOT counting all the other revenue from Ads, Merchandising, club fees, etc. How EXACTLY is that spent? What percentage on Salaries and Wages and how much is paid and to whom?

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Good then I'll take Hattie on my posse and Cheyenne can have you! :P:P

I am not sure what that man did to you to make him such a terrible offer, but you should at least offer to throw some alcohol in with the deal to make it more palatable. And by some I mean lots. And by lots I mean enough to make the deal worth it.

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The companies you buy stock in are public companies, and are obliged by law to issue annual reports.

SASS is not a public company so it is a case of 'it's none of our business'.

Anyone on this thread who has even the remotest thought that sass could not be doing the right thing, should maybe think of giving it away then.

With the small staff they have I think they do a wonderful job.

Putting up Good ideas would be more productive instead of whinging about fees.

 

And on the point of the decline in membership, maybe we should be looking at the demographics, young kids today hardly know what the old west was about, so it's inevitable it will be harder to encourage new members, and this is not in our own sport but in many others and in non sporting events. It's called ...change.

You're right in that a private company is under no obligation to report anything. Now as members or customers, if someone feels that something fishy is going on at SASS with those membership fees, then they can file a lawsuit. Or if enough feel that way, they can file a class action. What this would do is force SASS to open their books upon discovery. I am not saying that any of this should or will happen. But it is because of this possibility that many private companies post their earning statements online to be above reproach. Whatever "sinister" deeds SASS may be up to can't compare to what's brewing in the imagination of those feeling wronged by the fee increase. In my opinion, it would behoove SASS to just post the darn thing and be done with it. Whatever they do, I really hope this whole mess ends sooner than later. I can't believe I am starting to miss all the WTC threads.

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This year has been the most inactive year for me in regards to shooting in quite a long time - reasons that have NOTHING to do with SASS, local clubs, people or whatever. I VALUE SASS in my life as I hope to be back 'in the game' soon - I will continue to renew my membership each year regardless of price (as long as I can afford it :D )

 

I imagine there is a lot to make this thing work - thanks for sharing Ms. Moonshine.

 

GG ~ :FlagAm:

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MIght I suggest that since there seems to be atound 68,000 non renewing members that SASS might want to do a little marketying to see what it would take to get them back? That's suggestion #1, #2 is that you would have learned from the negativity from making the Chronicale decision without convassing the membership first and now again with raising the individual shooter's annual fee? I think something was mentioned about not charging an afiliation fee to the many clubs, and wilth no listing of that number, but I am thinkint in the hundreds, an annual fee of $30, could give you some needed cash flow, with a certain number of rule books given in that annual package for new members. Charge for the additional ones and make them look the period! Suggestion #3 would be to give an incentive to the clunbs who sign up new or renew old members "bounty of $5" that could be proven by creating a "Wanted" poster elctronic form filled out by both the member and the club, giving you accountibility of both.

 

And while your merchandise may have been a good idea, I think you are picking the wrong style. Would not a Bib shirt look beter with the SASS logo than a polo shirt? We all loved everything western so work out something with suppliers to give us SASS merchandise that are reporduction of the Wild West days, playing cards, poker chips, shot glasses, smile pint bottles with actual corks, etc. These would not only be bought by memebers but by clubs as well for use in their shotting and match scenarios! Got to Fioochi, or one of the other ammo suppliers and get your name on thier old style boxes as officially sanctioned SAASS approved ammo. Thats' why Carlo Fioochi was using authentic printing from bacjk in their history, those boxes are what they looked like in the late 1880's, not new designs!

 

You have a territorial governor from each club, but that's not assisting you in marketing, why not have a SASS rep in each club, non paying, but full of goodies that you send to them and they give out in drawing contests, but more importantly give you a voice and ear to all that is right and wrong with SASS, keep working the "good" and fix the "bad"! You can get your "marketing reps" figuring out why you don't have 68,000 renewing members and they can also come up with promoting SASS at a local level! We used to team up with Bass Pro shop with the huinting classic to show what fun a cowboy shooting sport could be, you have Bass, Cabela's and Gander to do just that with. Why not also contract Shoot Straight and creat an indoor monthly match for those poor cowpokes in the winter time? They get the shooting fees, and additional sales from all guns and ammo, not just Cowboy?

 

All these ideas would prevent you from having to hit up the members who are trying to stick around with higher membership rates after the fact. You have failed to "ask" permission to get us on board with what is going onb. Try being pro-active and you just might see a change in the attitiude.

 

Finally for all of accounting members, don't list depreciation and amortization as "cash expenses" they have nothing to do with your cash flow, you don't pay for depreciation and amortization, just for the assets that you depreciate and amortize. Oh and one more item, since you are going to a bi-annual convention, why not make one in the summer time and in the midwest or east coast? People are just as interested in those 2/3's of the country but can't come all the way west and still do other items and need a break that you can give. Besides you might fiond that you can charge a visitors' fee for all the non-members to come in and see what SASS is all about. I really think you need someone promoting and marketing your company and if you want some suggestions on personnel, let me know!

 

Nimble Fingers

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I brought this up on another thread...has anyone picked up a calculator and run the numbers.

 

Membership dues alone bring in $1,287,000 using the new renewal fee. The old numbers were bringing in $891,000. Hardly chicken feed. And NOT counting all the other revenue from Ads, Merchandising, club fees, etc. How EXACTLY is that spent? What percentage on Salaries and Wages and how much is paid and to whom?

Maybe it's none of our business!! If $20.00 more a year is going to kill you, QUIT!!!

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I am not sure what that man did to you to make him such a terrible offer, but you should at least offer to throw some alcohol in with the deal to make it more palatable. And by some I mean lots. And by lots I mean enough to make the deal worth it.

 

I'll throw in as much booze as ya want to get Hattie!! :wub:

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Well after reading all the posts..opinions…gripes…retorts…pros…cons…I just happened to get my renewal in the mail today. Yep $65 for the year…so after careful consideration I have decided not to renew my ANNUAL membership…I decided to throw in an additional $735 and am become a LIFE member..even did it on line to save 49¢. I figured a few extra $$ today will help SASS move forward a bit easier…Keep it up Misty…your doing just fine. :)

 

Sidewinder Bill…the newest LIFE member.

 

p.s. I's sure there will be a few more as well…. ;)

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Maybe it's none of our business!! If $20.00 more a year is going to kill you, QUIT!!!

 

I think to a lot of folks its not the $20, I can afford and will pay the extra because I go to shoots that require it, but I have a idea that its going to hurt more than help (Hope I'm wrong ), there are some folks out there that dont shoot but keep membership active, and some folks that dont shoot big matches that really dont need a SASS membership to shoot local shoots or new folks to CAS but feel they dont need to join until their "ready" to shoot bigger matches, and then their are some folks that feel like they are paying for Founders Ranch and dont really get anything for their membership fees,some folks probably did not like CC taken away and now raising rates, etc.

 

<_< I think that if the annual fee was $35 folks that list I made above would be a lot smaller , get a little from a lot folks, not squeeze the folks sticking around

 

As far as " none of our business" , I think if they ( WB ) keep asking for more money it is our business, dont think I would buy "investing" in a Life Membership

 

AO

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Posted · Hidden by Allie Mo, SASS No. 25217, September 1, 2015 - insult
Hidden by Allie Mo, SASS No. 25217, September 1, 2015 - insult

Maybe it's none of our business!! If $20.00 more a year is going to kill you, QUIT!!!

Nice to see a such a polite rational response posted by you. BTW I did quit...paying to SASS. I still shoot CAS at 5 Dogs. And I don' t belong to them either. See, because with a Spouse that also shoots its not $65 but $130 for SASS. And the local club has a membership fee as well and a non member premium fee added to each shoot. So we now shoot only when the weather is good maybe four times a year, the difference in savings is considerable.

 

Not that I owe a rude person like you ANY explanation. But KeyBoard Kommandos abound on the Internet...

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Posted · Hidden by Allie Mo, SASS No. 25217, September 1, 2015 - insult
Hidden by Allie Mo, SASS No. 25217, September 1, 2015 - insult

Nice to see a such a polite rational response posted by you. BTW I did quit...paying to SASS. I still shoot CAS at 5 Dogs. And I don' t belong to them either. See, because with a Spouse that also shoots its not $65 but $130 for SASS. And the local club has a membership fee as well and a non member premium fee added to each shoot. So we now shoot only when the weather is good maybe four times a year, the difference in savings is considerable.

 

Not that I owe a rude person like you ANY explanation. But KeyBoard Kommandos abound on the Internet...

If you quit why are you still on the SASS Wire annoying folks when you contribute zero to keeping the SASS Wire operating?

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Oh I have been trying to stay out of this! just love that folks complain about $20 sass membership increase but have no problem dishing out $4.99 a day for a Starbucks coffee when a pound of Folgers cost $7 and last a month, or getting a soda out of a vending machine at a $1.25 each when a 12 pack on sale goes for $2.50 when you buy 4. Yes a $20 hit is hard to swallow but it comes out to $1.67 a month, most of us have that much in our change tray in the truck. OK I have my asbestos undies on

Rafe

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Posted · Hidden by Allie Mo, SASS No. 25217, September 1, 2015 - insult
Hidden by Allie Mo, SASS No. 25217, September 1, 2015 - insult

Not that I owe a rude person like you ANY explanation. But KeyBoard Kommandos abound on the Internet...

 

Speaking of yourself, of course.

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