The trouble with a little knowledge

[Tom Tom]

Just a little rant, But not really a rant, Anyway..........

I was invited by a mate to Skirmish Lasham for his brothers Stag do.

And looked at the prices for it, I know they have to make the money, but when you know what you pay for tourney ball, its hard to go back.

Its not a bad deal they offer but £55 for 1000 balls and lunch,
- 100 BALLS, HOT LUNCH, TEA / COFFEE = £20.00 + 50 FREE BALLS WHEN THE FULL BALANCE IS PAID 1 WEEK IN ADVANCE.

- 200 BALLS, HOT LUNCH, TEA / COFFEE = £30.00 +100 FREE BALLS WHEN THE FULL BALANCE IS PAID 1 WEEK IN ADVANCE.

- 400 BALLS, HOT LUNCH, TEA / COFFEE = £37.00 + 100 FREE BALLS WHEN THE FULL BALANCE IS PAID 1 WEEK IN ADVANCE.

- 600 BALLS, HOT LUNCH, TEA / COFFEE = £46.00 + 100 FREE BALLS WHEN THE FULL BALANCE IS PAID 1 WEEK IN ADVANCE.

- 800 BALLS, HOT LUNCH, TEA / COFFEE = £55.00 + 200 FREE BALLS WHEN THE FULL BALANCE IS PAID 1 WEEK IN ADVANCE.

 

[Baca Loco]

It's a miracle anyone even tries PB at prices like that.

 

[Liz]

Here we go again!

Lets list just a few of the costs a rental site has :


Capital to buy the equipment used, including markers, bottles, goggles, overalls, pots, packs, reffing gear........
The costs of replacing and/or repairing this equipment on a regular basis - any idea just how many pots alone can get lost or broken by 100 rental customers?!? And how often goggle lenses get scratched & have to be replaced? Markers need fixing and of course have to be replaced every few years. And overalls are ripped on a regular basis.
Storage for all this equipment, as many sites can't have it stored there due to space/security issues
Insurance, both public and employee liability
Site maintanance - even when a site runs tournaments, the infrastructure is usually supported by any rental business they have. This also includes having to maintain the fields & their barricades etc. as well as the staging area
Tea, coffee, milk, cups, spoons etc. And the water boiler, gas to power it & so on. A small cost, but there.
The food itself.
The refs, suppport staff & so on.
Gas
Cleaning e.g. overalls/hoods/packs
Toilets, both supply and servicing/emptying if no mains sewage on site
Vehicles, to transport all the equipment
Advertising - a surprisingly large percentage of costs
Something to pay the site owner for his/her time - they DO have to try to make a living out of it!

In fact, the prices you quote are pretty reasonable for rental play, how much do they charge for extra paint per 100 balls?

 

[Flash-Bugout]

Beat me to it Liz, the "extras" prices, which you pay if you go over your package balls are:

100 = £7.00
500 = £30.00
1000 = £50.00
2000 = £95.00

But I agree with Tom and Baca, the paint should be sold at cost. Never mind the fact that the day fee would then be £50 to £60, at least the paint cost would be what we pay in tourneys....

And you forgot plates for the food and sauces for the badger-burgers

 

[Baca Loco]

Actually, my only point was the one stated. "It's a miracle anyone even tries PB at prices like that." No sarcasm intended. Think about it--for whatever the reason(s) we have 8-10 million peeps trying and/or playing PB over here last year and you guys had what? Sufficiently fewer as the normal course of business for threads to pop up routinely bemoaning the state of Brit PB and/or asking however will we get new blood into the microscopic tourney scene?
It may be an economic reality of British PB but by comparison y'all set the threshold for participation, particularly getting started, high enough that you effectively keep people from trying it out in the first place.

 

[frahill]

AT OTE in north west cant go wrong really.

Took all my mates and think the final cost was something like 35-40 quid for all day with 1500 balls.

And they sell 2000 paint for 40 notes which i didnt find bad at all.

 

[Gurney]

Originally posted by frahill
And they sell 200 paint for 40 notes which i didnt find bad at all.

I hope you mean for 2000 - else ur getting done

 

[frahill]

Hehe - yeah i did edited now.

 

[BOOGIE]

Holy crap you guys wernt kidding when yall said you need mad cash to play over there.Well if ya ever get my place well hook ya up

BOOGIE

 

[Tom Tom]

Liz and Flash,

I am not knocking the site for charging this, I did work at maidenhead for a year, and it was those glorious prices that kept me paid

I was only saying its hard to go back.

So Baca and other US people, what kinda prices do you pay for a rental day out?

How does it differ to the UK first timer?