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Post by georgiasoccerdad on Sept 23, 2019 10:54:42 GMT -5
So we have a tournament coming up and the hotels on the list are:
Above market rate Far from the fields Lower quality
We have a couple of parents who have spent their own time researching blocks of rooms and negotiated a better rate at closer fields. The question is, can the tournament organizers toss us from the event for not fulfilling the stay to play requirement? Has this ever happened to anyone on the board? |
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Post by atlfutboldad on Sept 23, 2019 11:03:06 GMT -5
Good questions. Which tournament?
I think this whole hotel-mandate-with-likely-kickbacks-situation needs to investigated. We are doing a nearby out-of-state tournament with this requirement, which I think is ridiculous. Depending on first game time, its totally drive-able from home both days. None of the ATL clubs have this requirement at our tournaments I assume.
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Post by hattrick07 on Sept 23, 2019 11:25:26 GMT -5
I agree- the hotel rates are a complete joke. I understand teams wanting players stay together but this should not be at the expense of the families. From what I understand, many leagues will disqualify the team if they do not get a certain percentage of players staying at the selected hotel. Not sure you can 'force' people to stay at a hotel, yet I see this happening at every tournament or out of state away games They also won't allow you to use/transfer points for your stay.
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Post by oraclesfriend on Sept 23, 2019 11:41:39 GMT -5
Good questions. Which tournament? I think this whole hotel-mandate-with-likely-kickbacks-situation needs to investigated. We are doing a nearby out-of-state tournament with this requirement, which I think is ridiculous. Depending on first game time, its totally drive-able from home both days. None of the ATL clubs have this requirement at our tournaments I assume. ATL clubs do often have this requirement as well and often put a drive time distance on it. I have seen this for many years. We usually don't stay for anything in metro Atlanta unless it is an 8 am start time. Certainly the whole team does not stay...that is a personal decision. Out of state tourneys often have the stay to play and I think it is poor form for the hotels to raise the rate. Frankly there should be a discount. |
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Post by footyfan on Sept 23, 2019 11:47:50 GMT -5
The clubs that host pay to play tournaments get a part of those proceeds.
Sometimes you can call the Travel company involved and see if there are non-listed hotels that you can stay in thru the travel company. We have done so more than once and saved money and/or upgraded the hotel
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Post by atlfutboldad on Sept 23, 2019 11:51:52 GMT -5
Yeah, no doubt there should be a block discount, otherwise what's the purpose of buying in bulk? Convenience of a single hotel is nice.
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Post by Soccerhouse on Sept 23, 2019 12:04:52 GMT -5
I'd be happy paying the increase in room costs if the coaches rooms were provided either free or at a discount.
Work with us, not against us! Find a way to make it cheaper not more expensive.
Book 10+ rooms get your coaches room for 1/2 off etc.
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Post by footyfan on Sept 23, 2019 12:30:57 GMT -5
If other hosting clubs did it for you, your club would have to reciprocate at their tournament. It is a money grab by the host club. Ask your club if they get a portion of room fees for your tournaments. If(when) they say yes, tell them to put that $$ toward your hotel rooms at other tournaments.
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Post by SoccerMom on Sept 23, 2019 12:38:03 GMT -5
The only tournaments that I know require you to stay in their hotela are the Disney ones, maybe Jeff Cup now that its Anthony Travel.
USYS Regionals also use to require teams to stay at certain hotels, but our hotel gave us a free room
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Post by hopesdad on Sept 23, 2019 12:38:05 GMT -5
Last December, while at my kid's previous club, I worked really hard to ensure our team secured a block of discounted rooms for the "2019 Savannah United Elite Cup". Just before the manager at the Hampton Inn & Suites Savannah Midtown was to email me the agreement... I was asked, "Hey, this isn't for a soccer tournament - is it?" Turns out, he wasn't allowed to offer me anything. I HAD to go through a 3rd party company that did nothing except: raise the rates for families, include a 100% non-refundable deposit, and ensure that any bonus/points we got went directly to the 3rd party company. I reached out the that "business" to voice my concerns... but the owner was away in Australia. (Probably easy to do when you get to collect everyone else's frequent traveler perks!) When he finally replied to me I emailed back: " I learned that we could not make our own lodging arrangements for that tournament - and therefore every family on our team has to spend just over $96 extra. Enjoy Australia." What a scam!
Here's that 3rd party's contact info:
Company name: THE TOURNAMENT OFFICE, Inc.
Contact: Jeff Welch
Email: jeff@the-tournamentoffice.com
Phone: 704-629-8221
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Post by Soccerhouse on Sept 23, 2019 12:59:35 GMT -5
Its tough, because we have also had times where for example we went to Nashville for a tourney the weekend of Vandy's graduation -- I don't think we would have been able to get the # of rooms we needed/wanted without the help of the agency.
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Post by slickdaddy96 on Sept 23, 2019 13:20:19 GMT -5
Here's that 3rd party's contact info: Company name: THE TOURNAMENT OFFICE, Inc. Contact: Jeff Welch Email: jeff@the-tournamentoffice.com Phone: 704-629-8221 That organization is straight up the worst of them. I have had to deal with them before, and if you complain they go rat you out to your club to try to quiet you down. It's all a big scratch my/your back thing..... |
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Post by Keeper on Sept 23, 2019 13:32:47 GMT -5
Last December, while at my kid's previous club, I worked really hard to ensure our team secured a block of discounted rooms for the "2019 Savannah United Elite Cup". Just before the manager at the Hampton Inn & Suites Savannah Midtown was to email me the agreement... I was asked, "Hey, this isn't for a soccer tournament - is it?" Turns out, he wasn't allowed to offer me anything. I HAD to go through a 3rd party company that did nothing except: raise the rates for families, include a 100% non-refundable deposit, and ensure that any bonus/points we got went directly to the 3rd party company. I reached out the that "business" to voice my concerns... but the owner was away in Australia. (Probably easy to do when you get to collect everyone else's frequent traveler perks!) When he finally replied to me I emailed back: " I learned that we could not make our own lodging arrangements for that tournament - and therefore every family on our team has to spend just over $96 extra. Enjoy Australia." What a scam! Here's that 3rd party's contact info: Company name: THE TOURNAMENT OFFICE, Inc. Contact: Jeff Welch Email: jeff@the-tournamentoffice.com Phone: 704-629-8221 Omg! Yes! We were looking at one of the SSA Savannah tournaments and have found the same issue! “Jeff at The Tournament Office” only uses high end hotels that he can jack up the prices. A room through Marriott that he offered at $170 a night, they gave us at $109 a night. He’s a con artist! I spoke with SSA and of course they don’t want to deal with it because they get a lot of $$$ kickbacks too. We have decided to attend another tournament now because we just don’t want to give our money to such a corrupt club like SSA. |
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Post by atlfutboldad on Sept 23, 2019 13:34:43 GMT -5
We have decided to attend another tournament now because we just don’t want to give our money to such a corrupt club like SSA. Heh. Gloves off. |
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Post by Keeper on Sept 23, 2019 13:44:23 GMT -5
But to answer one of the questions to the tournament can kick you out for not using their scam artist/hotel booking but they don’t know unless you tell them. Most tournaments only ask while you perform the online check in where you are staying so unless they want to kick you out and screw up the schedule last minute, then no they won’t kick you out. Especially if they really need teams which some of these tournaments, like SSA Savannah, really do.
Also ways around this is if you own property near the tournament, years past I’ve known teams use a family relatives home address in Savannah or elsewhere to stay officially.
The other option is look at how many rooms have to be booked. Most don’t have a minimum option so book one for the coach or a parent, and the team books their own. Just like someone else said don’t mention “soccer” when booking.
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Post by 4theloveofsoccer on Sept 23, 2019 14:12:59 GMT -5
The only tournaments that I know require you to stay in their hotela are the Disney ones, maybe Jeff Cup now that its Anthony Travel. USYS Regionals also use to require teams to stay at certain hotels, but our hotel gave us a free room Here we go again with Anthony Travel. Wasn't there a thread or two about AT and how unsatisfactory that company is. |
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Post by footyfan on Sept 23, 2019 15:28:51 GMT -5
We were given 3 hotel options from the link our club gave us(Anthony Travel). One was low end for $125 the other two were middle of the road for $160. We went direct to the AT website(not via the team link sent), found a hotel that was high end for $165 and called AT to see if it was ok. They said sure, as long as we booked through them. Was best tournament hotel we've stayed in.
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Post by slickdaddy96 on Sept 23, 2019 15:39:29 GMT -5
We have decided to attend another tournament now because we just don’t want to give our money to such a corrupt club like SSA. Now I will tell you though SSA Savannah still handles their own tournament down there. SSA's main branch does not set-up nor organize that tournament. Same goes with the SSA Jekyll tournament as well. It is likely that Savannah branch down there is just using what they have always used before they turned into SSA. For instance look at the SSA Fall/Summer/Spring Classics that are run by the main branch. Their site says teams can book wherever they want to book that fits their budget and requires no one to book through an agency. So the Savannah organization is behind this not SSA. So lets not lump them all into one category. The SSA Jekyll Tournament doesn't require anyone to use any agency either. It is just this Savannah site. |
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Post by soccerdad76 on Sept 23, 2019 20:03:50 GMT -5
I was TM for 2 years... Jeff Cup was the only tournament to ever complain about not having enough official hotel rooms.
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Post by greenmonkey on Sept 24, 2019 8:30:53 GMT -5
Disney ... let’s talk about Disney
Anyone ever been denied play at Disney for not enough rooms?
Unbelievable the rate increases this year and minimum night stays.
Even Anthony Travel had much better rates for Disney last year than what is being quoted for this year!
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Post by girlcoach on Sept 24, 2019 16:58:06 GMT -5
The answer to this is easy, don't use them. As long as you let clubs shake you down they will continue to do so. Make your own arrangements. Where you stay is nothing to do with them. I have never used one of these services and never will. The consequence of not using them is nothing. It is an empty threat., meant for suckers. Don't be one.
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Post by guest on Dec 6, 2019 16:46:38 GMT -5
Along these same lines, had one bite us this weekend at ECNLSC. I am well aware of the practice of overpaying for the room and $X goes back to the organizer. Happens everywhere. Usually, you get the ability to cancel at the last minute if the tourney is rained out. That I think is the only benefit.
This weekend though, we got a lottery hotel 30 min away from the park. Not too bad you might say, but there are two other properties of this same hotel closer and cheaper. Grumbles all around but the team just deals with it.
The kicker though is all three days we got the early game. Be at the field at 7 for stretching/warmups. Must leave at 630 because it’s far away. But the blasted hotel bfast doesn’t begin till 630?! Whoops - No Breakfast! Why book us so far away for the early game in a hotel that cannot supply bfast at the times needed (and pay extra for the privilege). Had to make special arrangements. I am resigned to leagues, tournaments ripping you off for the hotel givebacks. But at least let us get the full value of the hotel you picked for us! Crazy.
(Hey, I was told that complaining anonymously online is the best solution. Amirite?)
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Post by guest on Dec 6, 2019 16:48:56 GMT -5
It’s like an out of state team playing in a tournament at GSP and getting a hotel in Marietta.
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Post by soccernotfootball on Dec 6, 2019 16:52:34 GMT -5
Along these same lines, had one bite us this weekend at ECNLSC. I am well aware of the practice of overpaying for the room and $X goes back to the organizer. Happens everywhere. Usually, you get the ability to cancel at the last minute if the tourney is rained out. That I think is the only benefit. This weekend though, we got a lottery hotel 30 min away from the park. Not too bad you might say, but there are two other properties of this same hotel closer and cheaper. Grumbles all around but the team just deals with it. The kicker though is all three days we got the early game. Be at the field at 7 for stretching/warmups. Must leave at 630 because it’s far away. But the blasted hotel bfast doesn’t begin till 630?! Whoops - No Breakfast! Why book us so far away for the early game in a hotel that cannot supply bfast at the times needed (and pay extra for the privilege). Had to make special arrangements. I am resigned to leagues, tournaments ripping you off for the hotel givebacks. But at least let us get the full value of the hotel you picked for us! Crazy. (Hey, I was told that complaining anonymously online is the best solution. Amirite?) If I'm not mistaken, in those hotel lotteries for tournaments, etc - you may only have a choice of a couple of hotels (if you have a choice at all). Maybe the hotel you got was the best of option your team was given. |
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Post by soccernoleuk on Dec 6, 2019 19:45:13 GMT -5
It’s like an out of state team playing in a tournament at GSP and getting a hotel in Marietta. Hey, you could be playing in your own club's tournament but be scheduled to play about a hour away at 8am Saturday morning. At least it will be an early day correct, nah the second game is scheduled at 5pm. It is a stay to play tournament, I wonder if they enforce it for their own club members who decide to get a hotel instead of driving to/from the site. |
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Post by atlfutboldad on Dec 6, 2019 23:01:40 GMT -5
GSA I assume? Have they used Mt Carmel before?
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Post by SoccerMom on Dec 7, 2019 1:59:39 GMT -5
Along these same lines, had one bite us this weekend at ECNLSC. I am well aware of the practice of overpaying for the room and $X goes back to the organizer. Happens everywhere. Usually, you get the ability to cancel at the last minute if the tourney is rained out. That I think is the only benefit. This weekend though, we got a lottery hotel 30 min away from the park. Not too bad you might say, but there are two other properties of this same hotel closer and cheaper. Grumbles all around but the team just deals with it. The kicker though is all three days we got the early game. Be at the field at 7 for stretching/warmups. Must leave at 630 because it’s far away. But the blasted hotel bfast doesn’t begin till 630?! Whoops - No Breakfast! Why book us so far away for the early game in a hotel that cannot supply bfast at the times needed (and pay extra for the privilege). Had to make special arrangements. I am resigned to leagues, tournaments ripping you off for the hotel givebacks. But at least let us get the full value of the hotel you picked for us! Crazy. (Hey, I was told that complaining anonymously online is the best solution. Amirite?) We have asked hotels in the past to serve breakfast earlier when we ran into this issue and most had no problem doing it |
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Post by guest on Dec 7, 2019 6:29:52 GMT -5
Along these same lines, had one bite us this weekend at ECNLSC. I am well aware of the practice of overpaying for the room and $X goes back to the organizer. Happens everywhere. Usually, you get the ability to cancel at the last minute if the tourney is rained out. That I think is the only benefit. This weekend though, we got a lottery hotel 30 min away from the park. Not too bad you might say, but there are two other properties of this same hotel closer and cheaper. Grumbles all around but the team just deals with it. The kicker though is all three days we got the early game. Be at the field at 7 for stretching/warmups. Must leave at 630 because it’s far away. But the blasted hotel bfast doesn’t begin till 630?! Whoops - No Breakfast! Why book us so far away for the early game in a hotel that cannot supply bfast at the times needed (and pay extra for the privilege). Had to make special arrangements. I am resigned to leagues, tournaments ripping you off for the hotel givebacks. But at least let us get the full value of the hotel you picked for us! Crazy. (Hey, I was told that complaining anonymously online is the best solution. Amirite?) We have asked hotels in the past to serve breakfast earlier when we ran into this issue and most had no problem doing it That’s just what we did. You don’t get the full spread but at least you get some muffins and juice. No coffee though! :-( |
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Post by 4theloveofsoccer on Dec 7, 2019 11:02:49 GMT -5
We have asked hotels in the past to serve breakfast earlier when we ran into this issue and most had no problem doing it That’s just what we did. You don’t get the full spread but at least you get some muffins and juice. No coffee though! :-( Same in the past with contacting hotel to have breakfast earlier than they usually have it to help teams out. NO COFFEE!? I need my coffee fix in the mornings especially those 8am games. |
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Post by Keeper on Dec 7, 2019 22:18:41 GMT -5
That’s just what we did. You don’t get the full spread but at least you get some muffins and juice. No coffee though! :-( Same in the past with contacting hotel to have breakfast earlier than they usually have it to help teams out. NO COFFEE!? I need my coffee fix in the mornings especially those 8am games. Hotel Coffee??? Ewww no no no. That’s like drinking prison coffee. I just pack the French Press and ask for some hot water. |
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