What is up with SASS

[T J B]

 Dues are now 65.00 and all the talk points to trouble ahead

[Trailrider]

SASS is suffering from what can be a problem for us all: violation of Moelmann's Law..."When your outgo exceeds your income, your upkeep will be your downfall!"  The problem is that when you try to hold off raising dues for ten years, and then try to recover all at once, the results can create problems all their own.  Going from $45 to $65 is going to create problems for some annual members operating on fixed or reduced incomes. That will result in some folks dropping out. It probably won't be fatal to SASS, but it won't do them any good in the growth department.

I will probably renew when the time comes, but it will be a decision when the time comes.  I have seen non-for-profit organizations that tried to do the same thing, and in the end it was badly counterproductive. But their situation was quite different. Hoping for the best...

[John Smith]

TJB, I think it is throughly discussed on the SASS wire, several pinned posts.

[LT Col Long]

Gents, my 2 cents;
And affiliation used to be free.  Key words "used to be", and they are past tense.  Now affiliation will cost a club $100.00 per year to be a SASS affiliated club.  My club is just going to LOVE hearing that!

In service,

LtCol Long

[wildman1]

That depends on what percentage of SASS members your CAS club has. If it is 100% the club pays NOTHING. wM1

[Haole]

Raising dues to $65 per year is probably a good decision for SASS.  The almost 20,000 remaining members out of 100,000+ badge numbers are probably loyal, avid CAS shooters.  If SASS retains 70% or more of the 20,000 current members, their total annual dues revenue will increase. 

Our club won't pay the $100 affiliation fee, but I'm thinking our executive committee would be unwilling to pay any affiliation fee.

Haole

[wildman1]

That depends on what percentage of SASS members your CAS club has. If it is 100% the club pays NOTHING. wM1

  wM1

[1961MJS]

Hi

I belong to OKC Gun Club and we have a good sized group (I don't shoot with them yet).  Even if we had 100 SASS members, that's only 5% of the whole club.  We have about 2200 members in all.

Later

[wildman1]

IT IS THE PERCENTAGE OF SHOOTERS THAT SHOOT THE COWBOY SHOOTS THAT ARE MEMBERS THAT COUNT. IF YOU HAVE 20 COWBOY SHOOTERS AND THEY ARE ALL MEMBERS OF SASS THEN YOU WOULD PAY NOTHING. WHY IS IT THAT PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO GRAB ON THE FIRST RUMOR THEY CAN AND COMPLAIN ABOUT IT, FIND OUT THE FACTS BEFORE YA LYNCH SOMEBODY.  wM1

[Mossy Pops]

As a paying member who doesn't quite see what actual benefit I get from my membership, perhaps someone can answer a couple of questions:

What benefit do I personally get from my membership?
Where do the dues go, has anyone ever seen a line item budget?

In the past, I was satisfied paying my dues because I mentally wrote it off to an overpriced, but entertaining monthly newspaper that came in the mail. Now I get a link to a pdf. That means I'm only able to read it at my computer.

[wildman1]

Have ya tried going to a shoot? wM1

[Pettifogger]

As a paying member who doesn't quite see what actual benefit I get from my membership, perhaps someone can answer a couple of questions:

What benefit do I personally get from my membership?
Where do the dues go, has anyone ever seen a line item budget?

In the past, I was satisfied paying my dues because I mentally wrote it off to an overpriced, but entertaining monthly newspaper that came in the mail. Now I get a link to a pdf. That means I'm only able to read it at my computer.

The Chronicle is going to a quarterly hard copy glossy magazine like Guns and Ammo or The Riifleman.  The off months will still be digital.

[Red Cent]

SASS is the cohesion that keeps us all together. You pay for a for profit organization attempting to carry out their mission. Affiliated clubs shoot monthly. There are special annual shoots an annual state championships. There are regional championship shoots. There is a national championship and a world championship.
There is a website for all of us to discuss all things SASS and more. The website provides a site where you can sell and buy most anything SASS and more.
The convention is a wonderful venue for the cowboys and cowgirls to show off their duds and be recognized for their work and involvement in SASS. A hundred or so vendors set up shop and show off all things new.
All clubs are  invited to send a representative to the convention. This person is the club's appointed rep, the Territorial Governor. This is where we try to change things for the good.
Soon, SASS will convert to a non-profit organization and a new board of directors will be chosen/appointed from the membership. The future of SASS will rest in the hands of this BOD. Be careful of what you wish.

[wildman1]

SASS is the cohesion that keeps us all together. You pay for a for profit organization attempting to carry out their mission. Affiliated clubs shoot monthly. There are special annual shoots an annual state championships. There are regional championship shoots. There is a national championship and a world championship.
There is a website for all of us to discuss all things SASS and more. The website provides a site where you can sell and buy most anything SASS and more.
The convention is a wonderful venue for the cowboys and cowgirls to show off their duds and be recognized for their work and involvement in SASS. A hundred or so vendors set up shop and show off all things new.
All clubs are  invited to send a representative to the convention. This person is the club's appointed rep, the Territorial Governor. This is where we try to change things for the good.
Soon, SASS will convert to a non-profit organization and a new board of directors will be chosen/appointed from the membership. The future of SASS will rest in the hands of this BOD. Be careful of what you wish.

+1 It appears to me that the attitude of the age of entitlement has spread from those on the public dole to others. wM1

[Mossy Pops]

So there was a couple answers about the benefits of membership but not any about where the money goes. $65 a year is pretty high for the privilege of cohesion.

This quote was interesting: "It appears to me that the attitude of the age of entitlement has spread from those on the public dole to others."

Am I to understand correctly that to question where my dues go is to be entitled? If there are 20,000 active members, of which I am one, just how does 1.3 million dollars get spent?

[Major 2]

Salaries , office & business expenses, computer & network , NRA , advertising, taxes...to name a few

   

[Red Cent]

You have all the right in the world to ask the question. As a legal incorporated business for profit, the Wild Bunch, principals of the corporation, can choose not to answer the question. It is a closely held corporation and does not answer to any stockholders 'cause there ain't any other than them. Actually, you are not entitled to have the question answered. None of us have that right.
Only you can determine that the annual fee is worth the amount of fun you derive from shooting in SASS affiliated events.

Red Cent
29170Life

[Mossy Pops]

Red Cent,
Thanks for the answer. I did not know that SASS was a privately held 'For Profit' business. That certainly helps explains things. You are correct also, that ultimately, my vote that is taken the most seriously is the one whether I continue to choose to pay.

[Red Cent]

It occurs to me that a lot of us would be hypocritical to complain about the price of SASS. And at the same time I am aware that the new amount to play SASS will affect a number of budgets.
When we were running up and down the eastern part of the US, the money we spent individually on food, beverage, hotels, and fuel was a bunch.
Now that I am retired, I could not keep up with yesterday.

[Two Spurs]

Folks could spend (and have) countless hours debating/arguing SASS operations. Do I like the bump- no.  Will an extra $20 a year keep anybody at all from shooting?- no.

Realistically, if someone is on THAT tight a budget there's no way on the planet they can afford to shoot period.  That increase equates to about $1.60 a MONTH.  $.80 cents a match if you shoot 2 a month.

I was bellyaching about the increase until someone simply said, okay- don't go out to eat only one time during the year and you break even. It's amazing how much money we "blow" during 365 days. We spend how much money on guns, gear, and ammo each year? 

Like everything in life, it's all about perspective. 

Enjoy life. Best to all.