What Is Being Proposed?

We propose that TCRI:

Reduces affiliation fees to $10 per member per annum, for the equal benefit of all clubs and members.
Reduces the membership categories from 6 to 2, to simplify reporting requirements and align with TNZ’s 2 categories of 11 years and under; and all others.

How Does This Differ From TCRI’s Proposal?

TCRI has proposed an increase to affiliation fees, whilst maintaining the status quo of a six category model with different affiliation fees applying to three different age groups depending on whether they are members of metro or country clubs.

TCRI’s proposed affiliation fee increase will not only add financial strain to tennis clubs and players region-wide, but it is also unnecessary given the significantly improved financial position of TCRI.

Why Is This Change Being Proposed?

We believe our proposal will benefit all clubs and all existing and future members region-wide whilst still allowing TCRI to run at a budgeted surplus. Some of the benefits that this change will achieve are listed below.

Benefits of the $10/$10 Model

Lower affiliation fees provide a better (improved) value for money proposition for existing members.
Reduced costs should encourage participation and growth in individual membership numbers.
Becomes more attractive for unaffiliated clubs to affiliate with TCRI.
All tennis players benefit equally (within their age group category) from a reduction in affiliation fees.
Non-participants in interclub and competitions will not be forced to subsidize the users, unless of course the members feel that non-participants should continue to subsidize participants.
Any new increased user pay charges will still need to remain a good value for money proposition and be acceptable to the participants.

Benefits of the 2 Category Model

Affiliation fees should be based on the ability to pay (i.e. each member improves the ability of the club to pay more affiliation fees).
Affiliation fees should also be based on the services provided, when these services are provided equally to all club members.
Town and Country members will be treated equally because they will receive equal services from TCRI.
Replacing six fee categories with only two makes membership returns simpler to complete and easier for TCRI to verify their accuracy and compliance.
Easier to define membership types and to introduce more cost effective memberships through "equivalent memberships".
Introducing two TCRI fee categories aligns TCRI with TNZ's affiliation fee model of two fee categories ($5 p.a. approx ages 11 and under / $20 p.a. approx all others).
Leverage is provided to obtain lower TNZ levies, especially in the "all other" category where TNZ will be adding approx $20 to the $10 affiliation fee collected by TCRI.
TNZ maintain that increased membership numbers will assist TNZ in obtaining more funding for Tennis, just as it has done for Golf.
Will improve the accuracy of membership returns by reducing the potential benefit from any under-reporting.
Will allow for an accurate and meaningful database to be established and maintained.

Keep in Mind

TCRI has already increased the metro interclub team entry fees by $10,000 approx. and more increases are certain to follow to recoup any TCRI affiliation fee revenue foregone.
TCRI should have saved significant costs from the recent reorganisation of employment positions.
TCRI is a not-for-profit organisation.
The Strategic Plan 2015-2018 page "Key Result Area" under "Organisational & Financial Excellence" states "Balanced annual budget ..........etc" and while the BPTC motion impacts on the current budget it complies with the current TCRI Strategic Plan and is anticipated to still leave a satisfactory budget surplus.
And of course any Club, Sub-Association and or individual, with the ability and motivation, may donate what they are able if they wish to further increase TCRI revenues and help the sport of tennis.

How Will This Change Affect My Club?

In the interests of complete transparency, a schedule has been prepared detailing the exact impact on every club. This schedule is based on the most recently reported membership numbers for each club, as per the 2016 TCRI Annual Report.

Download the Schedule which shows TCRI revenue foregone of $41,360.47 before any proposed user-pays increases.

What Is Wrong With TCRI’s 6-Band Model?

TCRI have proposed a 6-Band model that creates numerous inequalities and which may even encourage clubs to under-report their membership and discourage growth of tennis in the Tennis Canterbury region. They have suggested 6 bands as follows:

Band	Members	Combined Fee
1	0 – 150	$2,500
2	151 – 300	$5,000
3	301 – 450	$7,500
4	451 – 600	$10,000
5	601 – 750	$12,500
6	751 – 900	$15,000

Download the 6-Band Schedule which shows TCRI revenue foregone of $57,825.47 before any proposed user-pays increases.

It’s easy to see the problem. Clubs are strongly incentivised to under-report their members – and receive a dramatic cost reduction for doing so.

Let’s take Opawa for example. Note: this is for illustrative purposes, and is no way a reflection on the good people of Opawa.

With 157 members, Opawa is on the low end of Band 2. If they under-reported their membership by just 7 members, they would save $70 under our proposed $10/$10 model. Under the 6-Band model, by under-reporting just a little, they would literally halve their affiliation fees and save $2,500 p.a.. Opawa’s gain would be TCRI revenue foregone.

As another example, let’s look at Edgeware. With 149 members, they are strongly discouraged from growing their club. If they add just 2 more members, that second member will double their fees and increase costs by $2,500 p.a..

Furthermore, the different bands create dramatic inequalities between the affiliation fees charged per member. If Edgeware gains 2 more members, their affiliation fee per member will be over $33. By contrast, if Elmwood gains 2 more members, its affiliation fee will be just $18.75 per member.

No matter how you slice it – no matter where you place the bands – there will always be clubs encouraged to under-report and discouraged from growing the sport.

We believe that collecting affiliation fees on a per-member basis is the only fair way for TCRI (and TNZ) to collect affiliation fee revenue.

Are There Any Other Alternatives?

Yes. It is always an option to retain the status quo and not get the benefits of the $10/$10 model.

Why Wasn’t This Proposal Included In The AGM Papers?

We provided details of our intention to put forward this proposal as a motion to TCRI. They have not taken the opportunity to include it in the AGM papers and notify other clubs of our proposal.

Burnside Park Tennis Club sent the following email to TCRI:

From: BPTC Admin
Date: Sun, Aug 28, 2016 at 2:40 PM
Subject: Amendment to TCRI motion
To: Hamish Cain

Hamish,

It [is] our understanding that, under the TCRI Constitution, Rule 16 sets out the business to be conducted at the AGM and part of the business is to set the affiliation fee.

We also understand the board has already carried out its determination under Rule 11 and this will now go to the AGM to be ratified by way of a motion at that meeting.

That being the case, BPTC/Avonhead hereby serve notice of intention to move (Burnside Park will move and Avonhead will second) an amendment to TCRI's motion, to alter the Board's proposed determination of membership fees to:
All (Town and Country) Juniors 11 and under $15.00
All others (Town and Country) $30.00
these being inclusive of all TCRI, TNZ levies, CPI adjustments and GST.

Mary Dollin
BPTC Administrator - on behalf of Burnside Park Tennis Club Committee

In response to this email, we were informed that this was not a valid motion, and that it would not be included in the AGM papers. We disagree with this assessment, which is why we have taken the extra step of producing this website to aid in discussion at the AGM.

Where Can I Find Out More?

If you’d like any further details, email Bruce McDowell of Burnside Park Tennis Club.
Bruce can also be reached at (021) 222-1928.

VOTE TO LOWER TCRI AFFILIATION FEES

Support Burnside and Avonhead’s motion for change at the next TCRI AGM on 28th September, 2016.

Download the Campaign Poster for your Club (includes TNZ Fees)

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