Favor or no favor?

Most of the players participating of the APTA tournaments have probably noticed the rising entry fee prices. To participate in one a team needs to pay $200 and for some of them as much as $250. A combination of items drives the price up. For a one-day tournament the fee usually includes coffee and donuts in the morning, lunch, snacks and bananas throughout the day, beer, wine, balls, prizes, and of course a favor. A bigger two-day tournament will require additional expenditures.

One way to reduce entry fees is to give tournament directors an option to offer no favors. In theory favors should be a nice memorabilia. In reality, both occasional and tournament players usually find no use for them. Moreover, favors present dilemma for tournament directors – how to get a useful favor for participants.

However, because of the budget limits it usually ends up being a hat, a t-shirt, or a light jacket that will most likely will end up at the back of a closet. Consider the Lake Invitational Women’s NRT/PCQ, directed by 3-time National Champion Ana Brzova. The tournament offered no favor and the entry fee was reduced to $150. Instead of complaints Ana received an overwhelming positive feedback for sparing participants a hat and thus reducing the price.

What would you choose – a higher entry fee and a favor, or no favor and lower entry fee.

Do you have an opinion?

• Click HERE to vote. Type YES or NO on the subject line. Pretty simple.