To all Sports Fans, Coaches, Spectators, athletes, officials:
Just a heads up of a strong possibility that Holmdel Park will not be the site of any
NJSIAA cross-country meets because of the current situation facing the NJSIAA,
These are the figures for the direct expenses for running the cross-country tournaments:
Revenue Expenses
2008 63,847 63,932
2009 65,250 71,864
Normally, this would not be a problem, but with the restrictions on NJSIAA's ability to
raise money from football, basketball, and wrestling ticket sales to cover situations like
this, we have to seriously consider not using the park. By switching to Thompson Park we
would save $3,000 on spectator bussing, $2,000 on the stage rental, $2,000 on portable
toilets, and about $1500 on rental of the facility.
NJSIAA's total net profit on a 5 million dollar budget was approximately $10,000. We are
cutting everything we can think of administratively, like only the executive director will
be going to the National Federation Summer Meeting in July (normally all six directors plus
the president would go), No more rules interpreters for any sport going out to the National
Federation meetings, they will be done on line at our office.Recommending cutting executive
committee meetings from 10 to 8, cutting out all luncheons (like the volleyball luncheon)
that are not paid for by corporate funds, freezing all officials and workers fees for the
foreseeable future (this affects about 10,000 people - these are just the people we hire
directly), and where ever possible reduce the number of officials and workers we hire for
each event (like going back to two officials in baseball, softball, soccer, basketball), to
mention a few areas we will be cutting. If this isn't enough to sustain the programs, then
all Tournament/Meet of Champions will be next. If we cannot afford to replace one of the
directors who plans to retire in August, then all individual championships will go (like tennis,
bowling, golf, wrestling) and just team tournaments would be held. Winter Track Relay Tournament
would definitely go. We are going to do our best to avoid direct program cuts, but if we cannot
charge admission for any of our spring tournaments, as this new price control law says, the above
scenario is even more likely.
I know that most of the outside world thinks the NJSIAA is a money-making machine that is
filled with over-paid and underworked staff. It is far from reality. We do not have the
manpower or financial resources to mount a p.r. campaign to fight these perceptions, even
when the assemblyman has had a resolution passed implying that we are even committing criminal
acts.
With the present atmosphere concerning schools, our members are also too busy deciding how to
handle massive revenue cuts to be of much help to us. The outlook for our survival as an
organization given these conditions is indeed very dim. The above cuts, especially if we lose
a director, is more likely than not.
If everyone throughout the state who is concerned about Holmdel and the possible loss of
tournaments would just go to http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/legsearch.asp
Find his/her state assembly and senate representative and send them an e-mail (which you can
do right from this site) and tell them they should advise Assemblyman John Burzichelli to
repeal his law and stop trying to run high school sports. His misguided efforts are only
going to cause havoc in the long run. His proposed investigations will cost both the state
and NJSIAA money better spent on high school sports.
Sincerely,
Don Danser
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