In appreciation of our sponsorship of the FC Dallas machine here in North Texas, our association was treated to a clinic, free to participants, by 6 of the FC Dallas crew/players. Our association and players love the attention, the opportunity to speak and interact with real soccer professionals. FC Dallas ticket sales loves the PR and at a cost of the gas and time to shuttle the players over it's worth it. Seeing all of the FC Dallas gear that was proudly worn by our KSA players, it seems as though the relationship is mutually beneficial.
What many in the association do not know, however, is the relationship is not free. When it's advertised as a free clinic, that's partially true. It does not cost the participants anything to register and participate on that day. But the association is burdened by a sponsorship cost which ultimately comes from the player registration fees since the association is a non-profit organization. Along with a bi-annual clinic, which is mostly a PR tactic, the association is blessed with pretty decent tickets to home games which are used to reward association loyals and those that contribute directly to the success of the association.
When I titled this entry as the clinic being a "Hit," it is a double entendre: it is a hit in that it is a success with the locals but it's also a financial hit, or debit, in the association's budget. Worth it? Definitely.
All four of my kids participated and loved the event. When asked how much they learned, none of them could reply that anything was learned. But when followed up with the question of whether it was fun and worth it, the response was unanimous in the affirmative.
Well done FC Dallas!
What many in the association do not know, however, is the relationship is not free. When it's advertised as a free clinic, that's partially true. It does not cost the participants anything to register and participate on that day. But the association is burdened by a sponsorship cost which ultimately comes from the player registration fees since the association is a non-profit organization. Along with a bi-annual clinic, which is mostly a PR tactic, the association is blessed with pretty decent tickets to home games which are used to reward association loyals and those that contribute directly to the success of the association.
When I titled this entry as the clinic being a "Hit," it is a double entendre: it is a hit in that it is a success with the locals but it's also a financial hit, or debit, in the association's budget. Worth it? Definitely.
All four of my kids participated and loved the event. When asked how much they learned, none of them could reply that anything was learned. But when followed up with the question of whether it was fun and worth it, the response was unanimous in the affirmative.
Well done FC Dallas!
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