Comments on: Soccer Leagues May Lose Registration Fees http://onthepitch.org/2008/12/24/soccer-leagues-may-lose-registration-fees/ Thoughts on Youth Soccer from a Soccer Dad, Fan, Coach and Administrator Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:10:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Soccer Dad http://onthepitch.org/2008/12/24/soccer-leagues-may-lose-registration-fees/comment-page-1/#comment-49685 Soccer Dad Wed, 24 Dec 2008 18:33:53 +0000 http://onthepitch.org/?p=1182#comment-49685 It tends to be a lot more involved than that, though it varies by vendor. Some of the better systems provide complete league management - registration, player records, volunteer calendar mgmt, risk management, practice/match schedule, picture galleries, email notification, and much more. I've written our league's software with a focus on administration ease - we still do cash/checks for fees. But even if we moved to a commercial mgmt system, I'd probably push for an in-house setup using Google Checkout or PayPal. The fees are a 'bit' higher (PayPal costs you about 3%), you get the money directly. We'll probably add online payments in the next year or two - mostly to save backoffice hassles. Granted, this is only one company out of many - but it does highlight the problems that can arise if a company goes under and they're collecting money for you. It tends to be a lot more involved than that, though it varies by vendor. Some of the better systems provide complete league management – registration, player records, volunteer calendar mgmt, risk management, practice/match schedule, picture galleries, email notification, and much more. I’ve written our league’s software with a focus on administration ease – we still do cash/checks for fees. But even if we moved to a commercial mgmt system, I’d probably push for an in-house setup using Google Checkout or PayPal. The fees are a ‘bit’ higher (PayPal costs you about 3%), you get the money directly. We’ll probably add online payments in the next year or two – mostly to save backoffice hassles.

Granted, this is only one company out of many – but it does highlight the problems that can arise if a company goes under and they’re collecting money for you.

]]> By: Dennis Murray http://onthepitch.org/2008/12/24/soccer-leagues-may-lose-registration-fees/comment-page-1/#comment-49684 Dennis Murray Wed, 24 Dec 2008 18:29:29 +0000 http://onthepitch.org/?p=1182#comment-49684 With free, open source applications like Joomla's VirtueMart, teamed with Google Checkout, if a league can have someone tech-savvy volunteer and set it up there's little reason to use third parties. If the only function of league registration is get a parent's name, athlete name, contact info and athlete info and then charge a fee (and insert all of this to a database) this isn't rocket science...seems like something that could be pretty easily worked into an open source shopping website. With free, open source applications like Joomla’s VirtueMart, teamed with Google Checkout, if a league can have someone tech-savvy volunteer and set it up there’s little reason to use third parties.

If the only function of league registration is get a parent’s name, athlete name, contact info and athlete info and then charge a fee (and insert all of this to a database) this isn’t rocket science…seems like something that could be pretty easily worked into an open source shopping website.

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