Is this Legal?? Mandatory Academy Club Fundraiser

Is it legal for a club to require a mandatory club fundraiser for an academy team that has not signed a contract? The funds go directly to the club and not to the team. I have never heard of this before. I know this happens when you go select and after signing a contract; but never before signing a contract.

Just curious of the legality of this mandatory requirement?

What happens if you do not do it?

Yes it's legal, however the address, and payee to send your checks to has changed. PM me for the new beneficiary and address.

I would say no. You have dues to be part of their academy program. Period, if they are requiring more money to cover an academy expense they should be able to tell you what its for.

what??? wrote:Is it legal for a club to require a mandatory club fundraiser for an academy team that has not signed a contract? The funds go directly to the club and not to the team. I have never heard of this before. I know this happens when you go select and after signing a contract; but never before signing a contract.

Just curious of the legality of this mandatory requirement?

Please share the academy name so we can all stay clear. Thanks.

Shelby427 wrote:

what??? wrote:Is it legal for a club to require a mandatory club fundraiser for an academy team that has not signed a contract? The funds go directly to the club and not to the team. I have never heard of this before. I know this happens when you go select and after signing a contract; but never before signing a contract.

Just curious of the legality of this mandatory requirement?

Please share the academy name so we can all stay clear. Thanks.

Liverpool requires all its teams both academy and select to have its players do a fundraiser. Players have to sale at least $220 worth of flowers or you can do a buyout for $100. This money doesn't go directly to the team. I'm not sure what happens if you don't participate.

Liverpool Programs:

Player programs
Coaching Education
College Program
Open Skills
Coaches Retreat
Coaches Gear
Equipment purchases
Tryouts
Hawaiian Falls
Field improvements
Field acquisition and development
Scholarships
Parent education

The reason the club does this fundraiser is to defray the costs of most of these programs.
How many other clubs pay to educate their coaches?
How many other clubs offer Academy open skills to their own players for no cost?
How many other clubs help their coaches buy equipment?
How many other clubs pay for fields if you want to scrimmage another team or club?
I can tell you... not many.

This club really cares about its coaches. They want to make sure they are getting their proper education so that your son or daughter is getting the best soccer education possible. They want to make sure that all the coaches are teaching from the same curriculum so the retreat is a great weekend for them to share ideas, techniques, and brainstorm to better that education for your child.

Need a field for a scrimmage... the club has your back. Why? Because this successful fundraiser allows the club to have the funds to rent that field for you. Have lit fields? We do. Need to build more fields because the club is growing like crazy? This fundraiser will help with that I am sure.

Sure beats setting up a car wash, selling candy, selling magazine subscriptions, frozen pizza, cookie dough....

This is our third year doing this with the club and we have repeat customers. How many of you out there actually have your neighbors knocking on your door asking if they are selling cookie dough again or if they can buy another magazine subscription?

I kid you not... it took my daughter one afternoon in her uniform to sell 16 flats. She is up to 21 now. So... $55 in her tourney account. Yep, $5 per flat over the required 10 goes into your tourney account. Not bad for a few hours of work and she can pay for 2 tourneys!

Now... this is not an official response from the club, but I am just giving you my observations as a parent who has been here since the Spring of 2010. I have seen the bennies of this fundraiser and my garden likes it too.

You dont HAVE to do it

RoidRage wrote:

Shelby427 wrote:

what??? wrote:Is it legal for a club to require a mandatory club fundraiser for an academy team that has not signed a contract? The funds go directly to the club and not to the team. I have never heard of this before. I know this happens when you go select and after signing a contract; but never before signing a contract.

Just curious of the legality of this mandatory requirement?

Please share the academy name so we can all stay clear. Thanks.

Liverpool requires all its teams both academy and select to have its players do a fundraiser. Players have to sale at least $220 worth of flowers or you can do a buyout for $100. This money doesn't go directly to the team. I'm not sure what happens if you don't participate.

Get used to it as it is a fairly common practice and mandatory fundraisers are in some of the select contracts.
Mandatory fundraisers are just a different term for incremental fees.
You can do the fundraiser to offset the fee, or you can just pay the fee.
At Academy level it is probably only enforceable by less play time or suggestion that your DD is not a good fit for the club. But again that depends on how important a player she is as most things are negotiable.

This may be a dumb question, but if the club can cover all that by taking a $100 "buyout" , since that is an option for all... What does the other $120 go towards if every child sells the required $220?

They couldn't say $100 is an acceptable minimum if it put them in the hole every year.

It's ridiculous. If they were doing it to pay for an expensive out of town trip or something like that, I wouldn't mind. But parents are already paying monthly fees to take care of coaching fees and field fees.

Androfan wrote:This may be a dumb question, but if the club can cover all that by taking a $100 "buyout" , since that is an option for all... What does the other $120 go towards if every child sells the required $220?

They couldn't say $100 is an acceptable minimum if it put them in the hole every year.

The $100 is probably equivalent to the profit from the $220 in sales.

Androfan wrote:This may be a dumb question, but if the club can cover all that by taking a $100 "buyout" , since that is an option for all... What does the other $120 go towards if every child sells the required $220?

They couldn't say $100 is an acceptable minimum if it put them in the hole every year.

I'm just guessing that's the difference between revenue and margin. If you pay the $100 buyout, all those funds go directly to the club. If you DD sells $220 worth of flowers, some of that money goes back to the nursery that grew the flowers. You could probably assume that for each flat, $12 goes back to the nursery and $10 goes to the club. Maybe that's not exact, but I'd bet my Mega Millions ticket it's pretty close.

As an aside, you may have a gambling problem if you start using your lottery ticket as collateral in a separate betting situation on a youth soccer forum.

I hate fundraising. I don't even care what it's for. Don't even give me some crappy excuse. If I wanted a second job I would have applied for it.

When I was in my teens my select team had a fundraiser selling cookie dough. My mother was I charge of it so the expectations for my success were "a little high". She literally locked me out of the house one morning and told me to sell cookie dough to the entire nieghborhood. I was not allowed to come back until dinner time. She even packed me a small lunch so I wouldn't have to come back in the middle of the day. I remember that I sold a couple thousand dollars dollars of cookie dough that day. I hated every minute of it. I sold 10X more cookie dough than anyone else on our team.

Did I get a percentage? All I got in return was a "Good job." from my coach at the end of our next practice. (He was probably already calculating the new income in his head.) I saw none of that money ANDDDDDDD as an added bonus I had to walk back through my neighborhood a couple weeks later delivering a couple hundred pounds of cookie dough.

That experience has turned my off to fundraising entirely. I hate it. Good luck to you with this thing though. I'm sure your experience will be a lot more fun.

bigtex75081 wrote:I hate fundraising. I don't even care what it's for. Don't even give me some crappy excuse. If I wanted a second job I would have applied for it.

When I was in my teens my select team had a fundraiser selling cookie dough. My mother was I charge of it so the expectations for my success were "a little high". She literally locked me out of the house one morning and told me to sell cookie dough to the entire nieghborhood. I was not allowed to come back until dinner time. She even packed me a small lunch so I wouldn't have to come back in the middle of the day. I remember that I sold a couple thousand dollars dollars of cookie dough that day. I hated every minute of it. I sold 10X more cookie dough than anyone else on our team.

Did I get a percentage? All I got in return was a "Good job." from my coach at the end of our next practice. (He was probably already calculating the new income in his head.) I saw none of that money ANDDDDDDD as an added bonus I had to walk back through my neighborhood a couple weeks later delivering a couple hundred pounds of cookie dough.

That experience has turned my off to fundraising entirely. I hate it. Good luck to you with this thing though. I'm sure your experience will be a lot more fun.

ROFL... this is a HILLARIOUS story. Surely it gets a few laughs and is less traumatic all these years later.

Reads like a scene from a movie.

Shelby427 wrote:

bigtex75081 wrote:I hate fundraising. I don't even care what it's for. Don't even give me some crappy excuse. If I wanted a second job I would have applied for it.

When I was in my teens my select team had a fundraiser selling cookie dough. My mother was I charge of it so the expectations for my success were "a little high". She literally locked me out of the house one morning and told me to sell cookie dough to the entire nieghborhood. I was not allowed to come back until dinner time. She even packed me a small lunch so I wouldn't have to come back in the middle of the day. I remember that I sold a couple thousand dollars dollars of cookie dough that day. I hated every minute of it. I sold 10X more cookie dough than anyone else on our team.

Did I get a percentage? All I got in return was a "Good job." from my coach at the end of our next practice. (He was probably already calculating the new income in his head.) I saw none of that money ANDDDDDDD as an added bonus I had to walk back through my neighborhood a couple weeks later delivering a couple hundred pounds of cookie dough.

That experience has turned my off to fundraising entirely. I hate it. Good luck to you with this thing though. I'm sure your experience will be a lot more fun.

ROFL... this is a HILLARIOUS story. Surely it gets a few laughs and is less traumatic all these years later.

Reads like a scene from a movie.

I was just wondering if it was in a blizzard and 5 miles uphill in both directions?

my2cents wrote:

Shelby427 wrote:

bigtex75081 wrote:I hate fundraising. I don't even care what it's for. Don't even give me some crappy excuse. If I wanted a second job I would have applied for it.

When I was in my teens my select team had a fundraiser selling cookie dough. My mother was I charge of it so the expectations for my success were "a little high". She literally locked me out of the house one morning and told me to sell cookie dough to the entire nieghborhood. I was not allowed to come back until dinner time. She even packed me a small lunch so I wouldn't have to come back in the middle of the day. I remember that I sold a couple thousand dollars dollars of cookie dough that day. I hated every minute of it. I sold 10X more cookie dough than anyone else on our team.

Did I get a percentage? All I got in return was a "Good job." from my coach at the end of our next practice. (He was probably already calculating the new income in his head.) I saw none of that money ANDDDDDDD as an added bonus I had to walk back through my neighborhood a couple weeks later delivering a couple hundred pounds of cookie dough.

That experience has turned my off to fundraising entirely. I hate it. Good luck to you with this thing though. I'm sure your experience will be a lot more fun.

ROFL... this is a HILLARIOUS story. Surely it gets a few laughs and is less traumatic all these years later.

Reads like a scene from a movie.

I was just wondering if it was in a blizzard and 5 miles uphill in both directions?

No, it was in the middle of summer, bare feet on 115 degree pavement.

Shelby427 wrote:

bigtex75081 wrote:I hate fundraising. I don't even care what it's for. Don't even give me some crappy excuse. If I wanted a second job I would have applied for it.

When I was in my teens my select team had a fundraiser selling cookie dough. My mother was I charge of it so the expectations for my success were "a little high". She literally locked me out of the house one morning and told me to sell cookie dough to the entire nieghborhood. I was not allowed to come back until dinner time. She even packed me a small lunch so I wouldn't have to come back in the middle of the day. I remember that I sold a couple thousand dollars dollars of cookie dough that day. I hated every minute of it. I sold 10X more cookie dough than anyone else on our team.

Did I get a percentage? All I got in return was a "Good job." from my coach at the end of our next practice. (He was probably already calculating the new income in his head.) I saw none of that money ANDDDDDDD as an added bonus I had to walk back through my neighborhood a couple weeks later delivering a couple hundred pounds of cookie dough.

That experience has turned my off to fundraising entirely. I hate it. Good luck to you with this thing though. I'm sure your experience will be a lot more fun.

ROFL... this is a HILLARIOUS story. Surely it gets a few laughs and is less traumatic all these years later.

Reads like a scene from a movie.

Or it shows how he was always lazy. I bet he went by coachr's house and got sucked into a debate about flowers and how they're ruining the landscape. He probably also caught a water balloon in the face by a BMX Blank77 drive by.

First of all most clubs are listed as "non-profit" so fundraising is a good way to bring in extra revinue under the radar. Yes some of the money goes into a team "account" and gets to be used by the coach as they desire for the team. Unfortunantly sometimes its for something ridiculous like FDC game outing, Hawaiin falls or I will even give the club the benefit of the doubt and it be used for a tournament. But it would be cheaper and less time consuming for me to just give the manager $40-$50 to pay for a tournament. And the FCD ticket is only $10. The math never adds up. Lets buy the team some hoodies or some other form of spirit wear, something to show for the hard work and extra effort....oh wait a minute, the club makes money on that too. But I'm not bitter.

soccerpop76 wrote:First of all most clubs are listed as "non-profit" so fundraising is a good way to bring in extra revinue under the radar. Yes some of the money goes into a team "account" and gets to be used by the coach as they desire for the team. Unfortunantly sometimes its for something ridiculous like FDC game outing, Hawaiin falls or I will even give the club the benefit of the doubt and it be used for a tournament. But it would be cheaper and less time consuming for me to just give the manager $40-$50 to pay for a tournament. And the FCD ticket is only $10. The math never adds up. Lets buy the team some hoodies or some other form of spirit wear, something to show for the hard work and extra effort....oh wait a minute, the club makes money on that too. But I'm not bitter.

Yea personally just tell me what it costs and I'll pay for it.

The fundraisers orginally started for kids who couldn't afford the dues/uniforms/league fees ect. Now, the clubs have figured out they can "profit" from EVERYONE doing it AND still charge them all for all of the fees ect.

Sad thing is, the kids who can't afford have little option as fundraising is not really for them anymore.

Pretty sad if you ask me.

Like when the boy scouts come and try and sell popcord. I always ask their parents, can I just contribute directly to the local troop without buying crap - blank stare in return. I always wonder on the $80 pack of popcorn I buy, how much goes to the kid pushing it?

butt3r wrote:

Shelby427 wrote:

bigtex75081 wrote:I hate fundraising. I don't even care what it's for. Don't even give me some crappy excuse. If I wanted a second job I would have applied for it.

When I was in my teens my select team had a fundraiser selling cookie dough. My mother was I charge of it so the expectations for my success were "a little high". She literally locked me out of the house one morning and told me to sell cookie dough to the entire nieghborhood. I was not allowed to come back until dinner time. She even packed me a small lunch so I wouldn't have to come back in the middle of the day. I remember that I sold a couple thousand dollars dollars of cookie dough that day. I hated every minute of it. I sold 10X more cookie dough than anyone else on our team.

Did I get a percentage? All I got in return was a "Good job." from my coach at the end of our next practice. (He was probably already calculating the new income in his head.) I saw none of that money ANDDDDDDD as an added bonus I had to walk back through my neighborhood a couple weeks later delivering a couple hundred pounds of cookie dough.

That experience has turned my off to fundraising entirely. I hate it. Good luck to you with this thing though. I'm sure your experience will be a lot more fun.

ROFL... this is a HILLARIOUS story. Surely it gets a few laughs and is less traumatic all these years later.

Reads like a scene from a movie.

Or it shows how he was always lazy. I bet he went by coachr's house and got sucked into a debate about flowers and how they're ruining the landscape. He probably also caught a water balloon in the face by a BMX Blank77 drive by.

You all can go ahead and make fun of me. Shortly after that experience I made myself keenly aware of the child labor laws in Texas and I made sure my mother knew it.

bigtex75081 wrote:

butt3r wrote:

Shelby427 wrote:

bigtex75081 wrote:I hate fundraising. I don't even care what it's for. Don't even give me some crappy excuse. If I wanted a second job I would have applied for it.

When I was in my teens my select team had a fundraiser selling cookie dough. My mother was I charge of it so the expectations for my success were "a little high". She literally locked me out of the house one morning and told me to sell cookie dough to the entire nieghborhood. I was not allowed to come back until dinner time. She even packed me a small lunch so I wouldn't have to come back in the middle of the day. I remember that I sold a couple thousand dollars dollars of cookie dough that day. I hated every minute of it. I sold 10X more cookie dough than anyone else on our team.

Did I get a percentage? All I got in return was a "Good job." from my coach at the end of our next practice. (He was probably already calculating the new income in his head.) I saw none of that money ANDDDDDDD as an added bonus I had to walk back through my neighborhood a couple weeks later delivering a couple hundred pounds of cookie dough.

That experience has turned my off to fundraising entirely. I hate it. Good luck to you with this thing though. I'm sure your experience will be a lot more fun.

ROFL... this is a HILLARIOUS story. Surely it gets a few laughs and is less traumatic all these years later.

Reads like a scene from a movie.

Or it shows how he was always lazy. I bet he went by coachr's house and got sucked into a debate about flowers and how they're ruining the landscape. He probably also caught a water balloon in the face by a BMX Blank77 drive by.

You all can go ahead and make fun of me. Shortly after that experience I made myself keenly aware of the child labor laws in Texas and I made sure my mother knew it.

Don't tell my daughter about those... I have informed her she better sell 30 of these suckers or I am selling her ipod to help fund her soccer and puppy expenses.

FriscoSoccer05 wrote:

bigtex75081 wrote:

butt3r wrote:

Shelby427 wrote:

bigtex75081 wrote:I hate fundraising. I don't even care what it's for. Don't even give me some crappy excuse. If I wanted a second job I would have applied for it.

When I was in my teens my select team had a fundraiser selling cookie dough. My mother was I charge of it so the expectations for my success were "a little high". She literally locked me out of the house one morning and told me to sell cookie dough to the entire nieghborhood. I was not allowed to come back until dinner time. She even packed me a small lunch so I wouldn't have to come back in the middle of the day. I remember that I sold a couple thousand dollars dollars of cookie dough that day. I hated every minute of it. I sold 10X more cookie dough than anyone else on our team.

Did I get a percentage? All I got in return was a "Good job." from my coach at the end of our next practice. (He was probably already calculating the new income in his head.) I saw none of that money ANDDDDDDD as an added bonus I had to walk back through my neighborhood a couple weeks later delivering a couple hundred pounds of cookie dough.

That experience has turned my off to fundraising entirely. I hate it. Good luck to you with this thing though. I'm sure your experience will be a lot more fun.

ROFL... this is a HILLARIOUS story. Surely it gets a few laughs and is less traumatic all these years later.

Reads like a scene from a movie.

Or it shows how he was always lazy. I bet he went by coachr's house and got sucked into a debate about flowers and how they're ruining the landscape. He probably also caught a water balloon in the face by a BMX Blank77 drive by.

You all can go ahead and make fun of me. Shortly after that experience I made myself keenly aware of the child labor laws in Texas and I made sure my mother knew it.

Don't tell my daughter about those... I have informed her she better sell 30 of these suckers or I am selling her ipod to help fund her soccer and puppy expenses.

As a final footnote to my story, you should all know that I loved my mom just a little bit less after that day. (And I do hope my mom somehow ends up reading this.)

Shoot, I just left her a little sore and tired - I'll turn around go back to the corner and show her the thread.