RE: Why do we have outlandish fees to join AMA clubs?
In repsonse, our club tried that a few years ago. We actually decreased the price of membership the first year by the cost of joining the AMA. Our dues were $100 and we reduced it to $42 for new members, so that they could pay the $58 for the AMA and their total offset would be $100. We don't now charge any more for a new member than one who is already a member.
That being said, we STILL had some potential new members who would complain about the cost. No matter what you charge there are going to be some who believe it should be FREE, and to that I will just say "Hog Phooey". If it ain't worth the cost of a good glow plug a month to fly at your club field, then they really don't have much interest in contributing to your club in the long run. There are always going to be some who feel like that cannot afford it, and are living on the edge, but there are alot more out there who will complain about the dues while smoking two or three packs of cigarettes a day, spend a couple of days a week in their bass boat or riding their Harley, and are driving a new truck every year. In my opinion it has a lot to do with priorities.
The bottom line that I asked you was how does a CLUB cut down on expenses when you are already operating at a base level and have bills to meet?
Tommy