Details are emerging on a new fee structure for USA Track & Field membership. According to a series of posts on the USATF Associations mailing list (on Yahoo Groups), adults will begin paying $29.95 (starting in 2007?) but have the option of buying two, three- or four-year USATF memberships at a discount. The typical annual fee now is $20. The head associations guy for USATF, Andy Martin (who helped out at Charlotte nationals, BTW), wrote this today: “I am working on the memo which will detail the specifics of the fee increase. I expect to have that out tomorrow. I am trying to get some clarity on exactly what was passed before sending out the memo.” So stay tuned.

Here’s all I know at this point — from the listserve messages:

Re: [usatf_assoc] Membership Fee Increase
There was a Board conference call on Wednesday night. It was mainly
oriented to the drug situation. After a couple of hours on that, the
membership fee was dealt with. Linda Phelps and I had spoken privately
earlier that evening about fine tuning the fee to cover increased cost
but keep the fee increase to only what was necessary. We tried to have
the Board look at the youth fee separately from the adult fee but after
more than two hours on the call, there wasn’t interest in that. It went
through $29.95 for adults and $19.95 for youth. There was discussion
following the vote that some associations will probably discount the fee
from the posted amount. If people sign up on the national website, they
will pay the full amount.
Andy was preparing an announcement but Joe apparently found out and
that’s why you learned of it through his posting. I would have waited
for Andy but I know that the information will be on the listserv from
others and I thought it appropriate that I post it. Andy will probably
have more to say about it. He was a participant on the Board call.
The Board’s position isn’t surprising. It was clear from the Board
meeting in Indy in July that most Board members favored pushing the fees
up to be closer to other NGBs and getting more revenue for the National
Office so that services can be as professional as possible. On the
conference call, Linda made the point that a high fee for youth will be
a big burden on many of our youth athletes. However, Stephanie Hightower
countered that with the opinion that these same youth athletes buy very
expensive gear so they could certainly afford the higher fee. I think
that was the telling blow. The effort to separate the youth fee vote
from the adult fee vote was a motion that Linda and I voted for and
maybe there was one more vote. We were clearly in the minority.
We know that there will be a lot of unhappy associations. The Board
members expect that but the consensus was that the higher fees will work
out okay over time. So Andy and I and others on the AEC will work with
the associations as best we can to help the transition. Joe’s question
about whether to discount it or not is a big question for associations.
We really don’t know how people will react when it comes time to paying
the fee. Some associations may have no trouble at all while others may
face a lot of discontent and lower membership numbers. You need to feel
out your membership to decide what course to take. This listserv may be
helpful for associations to compare notes and work towards the best
solution. I welcome phone calls if you wish to discuss it with me.
Alan Roth
Re: [usatf_assoc] Membership Fee Increase
Actually, I seconded Linda’s motion to separate the Youth fee for consideration
from the main motion but it failed as only five board members voted for Linda’s
amendment.
Alan neglected to mention that one concession that the Board made was for
adult multi-year discounts: $54.95 for two years, $79.95 for three years, and
$99.95 for four years.
All the fees are to be split 50-50 between national and Associations (except
that National takes the nickel less because the fees are not an even dollar).
However, as Alan points out local Associations can offer local discounts below
the listed amount if they absorb the cost and process the application. If an
athlete registers directly online on the national website, it will be for the
full amount.
The issue of allowing the local discounts was debated at some length. It was
not allowed in the original motion but I offered an amendment to allow it and
that amendment carried. My view was that we needed to allow Associations
flexibility to deal with this increase. I am guessing that more Associations
will discount the youth fee than the adult fee, and also that some Associations
will offer an “early bird” discount for early renewals (say before Christmas or
New Years) especially this first year of the price hike – to pull in
price-sensitive members. The multi-year package can also be marketed to try to
attract price-sensitive members.
I have been quite public that I thought the increase should have been more
gradual and was the most vocal opponent seeking instead a more modest increase
at the Board meeting in Indy, but what is done is done and we should all try to
make the best of it.

Ed Koch
To all:
As Alan mentioned, I am working on the memo which will detail the
specifics of the fee increase. I expect to have that out tomorrow. I am
trying to get some clarity on exactly what was passed before sending out
the memo.
Andy Martin
Director of Grass Roots Programs
USA Track & Field
One RCA Dome – Suite 140
Indianapolis, IN 46225
317-261-0500 x316 (Phone)
317-261-0481 (Fax)