10-03-2014, 12:01 PM
I have long advocated that Junior events should be contributing something financially. When I took children from my school to events they commented on how cheap entries were compared to other activities they were involved in. Commercialism is now persuading some of the younger generation that if something is cheap it is not worth having.
For Derek to say that the UK Challenge should not have a fee for grading because the entry costs are already so high is puzzling. I can only interpret that as saying that it is OK to (grudgingly) give money to an individual (Mike Basman) who runs the event for profit but not to give something to the national body to promote the game. (OK I admit I am exaggerating but that is what it boils down to.)
Mike Hanley will be able to confirm that I was working on ideas to run a schools tournament in competition to the UK Challenge. It would have been more affordable and brought income into Scottish chess. (I gave up my idea following the original 'split' of SJC and CS.)
The proposed figures are certainly higher than I would have advocated but that is probably influenced by the loss of the government grant.
Leagues already have a different system of fees from congresses. I would be amazed if junior events could not have similar schemes.
For Derek to say that the UK Challenge should not have a fee for grading because the entry costs are already so high is puzzling. I can only interpret that as saying that it is OK to (grudgingly) give money to an individual (Mike Basman) who runs the event for profit but not to give something to the national body to promote the game. (OK I admit I am exaggerating but that is what it boils down to.)
Mike Hanley will be able to confirm that I was working on ideas to run a schools tournament in competition to the UK Challenge. It would have been more affordable and brought income into Scottish chess. (I gave up my idea following the original 'split' of SJC and CS.)
The proposed figures are certainly higher than I would have advocated but that is probably influenced by the loss of the government grant.
Leagues already have a different system of fees from congresses. I would be amazed if junior events could not have similar schemes.