[NSRCA-discussion] Muncie's reason to exist

[Fred Huber]

between the membership dues, sanction fees, NATS participation fees ($40 per member per event they fly in!) advertising in Model Aviation and income from the DVD, credit card program and such... there's really no excuse for the AMA to have a financial problem ever.  THEN add all the donations....

I see no problem with the NATS on thier own running at a deficit and Membership dues supporting that event.  Thats part of the original purpose of the AMA... to organize and hold the annual national competitions.

I do see a problem when the NATS use contestant/volunteer judging and lot of volunbteer labor and still can't break even on $40 per contestant...  Clubs MAKE A PROFIT on contests when charging $20 per entrant.

Someone is doing something wrong somewhere.  Thats the only possible explaination for the NATS comming out $25k in the red.  And raising entry fees won't cure it.  Its sounding to me like its time for an audit.
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Jerry Stebbins 
  To: Discussion -NSRCA 
  Sent: Tuesday, May 01, 2007 5:26 PM
  Subject: [NSRCA-discussion] Muncie's reason to exist



  Tony,I do know, and as voiced by others around at the time, that Muncie was defined, justified and implemented as a common location to hold AMA NATS Events. Whatever else it did, or could do, was secondary. 
  That being the case, why isn't the real question "How do we expand all the NATS and cover any associated expenses".
  We have heard these same old complaints about the NATS for many years, and yet the EC seems to let them fester, rather than solving them.
  I also have heard threats that if "it" don't get fixed then the NATS will go away. I have news for that position-if AMA takes that road--they will go away since  they could not stand a large Membership reduction. They could quickly be replaced by a new viable "service the membership" organization holding all the NATS! Maybe that is what they want?
  Wonder what the Greater Muncie CoC would have to say about that?
  The cost deficit I have heard has always been expressed based upon Membership $. What about the large $s given to AMA every year by donations/bequests, and what about Event fees? How about all the revenue taken in from the family members and contestants on shirts/caps/whatever, and at the Museum?  Don't they all provide additional resources, or are new tasks/jobs created to absorb them. Maybe the answer is to reduce overall AMA growth/costs. 
  The majority of facilities/support items (tents,tables,trailers,chairs,etc.) used to support the NATS are already sunk costs-with typical periodic maintenance  or replacement costs.
  What is it that "doesn't get done" for the time when a few staff support the NATS, rather than their "normal" jobs?
  It would be interesting to hear a candid position of each Member of the EC, to see what they actually think
  the role of AMA at Muncie is.
  It sounds like they may have in mind a totally different mission for Muncie than was originally defined. 
  Looks like that would be a good project for AMA Members from each AMA District to find out. 
  In any case it smells like AMA is moving away from a "service the Membership" mentality, and towards a "do more-different/create more" growth business mentality, using complaints/costs as a justification.
  Jerry

    


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