Through no one's fault, a local swim meet was recently cancelled in our area due to the northeast snow storm. This is the first time in my 8 USMS years I know of a meet being cancelled at the last minute (some past were cancelled with notice).
Several of our team members sent in registrations for the meet. Of course there are expenses with organizing/planning a meet that must be paid, but the meet directors have indicacted that no fees paid will be returned. Needless to say, this has upset some members, especially those paying more by entering the maximum number of events.
I ask what past experience others have had when a meet is cancelled at the last minute. Did meet directors make contingency plans, especially for winter meets? Were there partial refunds? (It would seem that some expenses would not exist - mailing results, officials, pool rental) Were other types of redress offered if money was not refunded? How did swimmers affected understand and accept their forfeit if any? Do host teams share some/all/none of the risk of hosting meets? How usual or unusual is this?
We have one meet in Kentucky that is particularly vulnerable to weather (imagine a meet in January being subject to weather!). The first time the meet had to be postponed, they refunded the money to people who couldn't make it to the new date (and who requested a refund). Since then, they have always announced a potential makeup date, and stated their policy that refunds will not be given. You have to understand that just because a meet doesn't take place doesn't mean the host hasn't shelled out money. Often you have to pay the pool rental up front, and you don't get that back if the meet has to be cancelled. You may have other commitments that you can't get out of. It's a very nice goodwill gesture if the host gives a refund, but many times it's just not financially feasible.
We have one meet in Kentucky that is particularly vulnerable to weather (imagine a meet in January being subject to weather!). The first time the meet had to be postponed, they refunded the money to people who couldn't make it to the new date (and who requested a refund). Since then, they have always announced a potential makeup date, and stated their policy that refunds will not be given. You have to understand that just because a meet doesn't take place doesn't mean the host hasn't shelled out money. Often you have to pay the pool rental up front, and you don't get that back if the meet has to be cancelled. You may have other commitments that you can't get out of. It's a very nice goodwill gesture if the host gives a refund, but many times it's just not financially feasible.
