Was it less than I had expected to see? Absolutely.
So what happened? The problem was a major communication snafu between the NCAA and the Sheraton Downtown Hotel and Convention Center. The Sheraton (very nice place BTW) took the NCAA's request to not have vendors parked right outside meeting rooms and took it a little too literally by placing the 5 retailers that were there two floors away. Combined with a schedule that allowed for shorter breaks for umpires in attendance and/or meetings that went longer than scheduled, it made for not a very good combination from a quantity perspective.
From a quality point of view, it went very well! I enjoyed seeing again those who I met for the first time in Chicago last year. I enjoyed hearing some very positive comments from some very good customers as well as showing them and some potential ones many of our newest items in our 2010 umpire gear selection.
I also enjoyed meeting Pete Reiser of the Midwest Umpire Blog and talking with him extensively about gear, trends and safety issues (more on that very good multi-part conversation in a separate post).
Regardless, I got the sense that those who really wanted to see us made a point to hike up 2 escalators and down the hall to stop in. So I made the most of not-the-best-of-setups.
Several of the vendors were very vocal in their level of discontent about the lack of umpires who made it. Me? What could I do? At least it was equal across the board. And at least I didn't bring oodles and oodles of boxes of umpire gear and clothing to sell - as typical at such events - filled with expectations of money to be made and requiring much too much labor, set up time and shipping costs to be profitable if you ask me.
You know me. I was looking to establish some relationships, educate on some newer items that I brought and garner some good feedback. So we accomplished some of that.
So, it could have been better. But all in all, not too bad, considering the quality of interaction I had while also taking the opportunity to come a day earlier and visit with Dalco, one of our suppliers, who is located less than 20 miles outside of Dallas in Garland, Texas. (Thanks to Mike Carter and Gene Feil for their hospitality while there.)
Note: To anyone attending the Atlanta clinic this coming weekend, we are told we will have 2 tables just outside your meeting rooms. If so, we'll see you and, hopefully many more of you, there.
4 comments:
Hey Jim! I was one of the 40 and enjoyed our talk. It was a great benefit to be able to put my hands and eyes on the newly designed Reebok shoes. Thanks again. Doug Weiss
I've been to many of these NCAA Umpire meetings and found the Dallas one to be the worst I've ever attended, for several reasons:
* The content could have been covered in a virtual meeting or online format due to its brevity and ease of understanding
* No breakout sessions which would have allowed for more focused material
* Vendors were located in what seemed like Fort Worth while the meeting was in Dallas
* The cost to now "register" with the NCAA through arbitersports.com, meaning I now have to PAY $100 for the privilege of being a D1/D2/D3 NCAA Umpire and take the online test. This is on top of a yearly cost of roughly $100 for membership in NASO (or a bit less if I choose the AUA); my $200-$400 yearly cost for insurance protection (game fee protection especially); my over $300 to attend the clinic; etc.
These are just a few complaints that I have. These are shared by MANY guys I know, so I am definitely not alone in this sentiment.
Baseball umpiring is already the most expensive sport for its officials to officiate, and the NCAA turning this into a money-making machine for its own whims doesn't make it easier.
As a respected veteran umpire, I've about had it.
Im one of the guys who really wants to know why there is a fee to use arbitersports, when in the past years we used eofficials and go the same stuff out of it. Now some one is really putting alot of money in there pocket.. Imagine that all these D-1 guys pay, well we know there are about 300 maybe more, that is 30k.... Arbiter charges only $4 per official per sport, per year.. so some really is making alot of money.
I know people have been making video's, but it doesnt take that much money for that.
Also have to agree about paying the fee, and all of our assoc dues.. I will be forking out almost $300 just to umpire?
NCAA is all about making money. If you work a weekend series in a major D1 conference you're going to make about $1650. With that said, the NCAA feels it can justify charging that for the arbitor. Do I think it's right? No Do I have a choice? Yes, actually I do..I can call crappy high school ball the rest of my life for crappy wages. I choose to add that fee to the list of things I deduct yearly for taxes and move on. I read how the one guy complained about the insurance fees, travel to the clinic, etc. That's a good chunk of money you can write off on your taxes.
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