The State of Master Swimming.

How do we bring up this merge of fees?

The AARP has approximately 7-million members. What they offer their members is the following discount benefits: Groceries, Health clubs, Restaurants, Hotels, DVDs, Internet, Health insurance, Apparel, Credit Cards, Auto Insurance, and more. AARP probably charges a fee to each vendor for access to their membership and/or a commission on sales. (Perhaps they bundle their own insurance?) That is where they probably monetize their organization. It only cost $40 to become a USMS member. If the USMS offered services like the AARP which included discounts on swim related products, bicycles, race packages, casualty insurance, health club memberships, personal trainers, swimming instructors, Costco discounts etc. etc.. I am sure they could easily make $100 off each member. 50,000 is a good start to raise the venture capital needed to go with an AARP model. I think this could really grow swimming in amazing ways. I would be willing to write up in detail the business model and business plan for this if the USMS if they are interested?

Maybe. But if we offer free membership and get an additional 50,000 members, how many of them will actually compete? My opinion: almost none of them, since $40 annually is apparently a deal-breaker. "Finishing" seems to be the new ethos of endurance sports. I get it, but still find it depressing if it means that hardly anyone "races." If "finishing" is the chief appeal, USMS will have to market the 200 fly. I can't finish that one. $40 seems very low to me as well. The USAS fee is much higher at $90 (or at least that's what it was last year when I was a member of both.)

For those who like numbers, I would love to see who has the most members per capita of population. California should have high numbers of members due to their high population of people. I agree that Potomac Valley is high compared to their (somewhat) state size. I say somewhat since PV also includes part of Northern VA.

Both USAS and USMS are great national programs with good resources, and both offer benefits to their respective groups. Both "promote" swimming at every age. How about a "reciprocal" arrangement where if you sign up for one, you "get" the other membership for free? I still struggle with the idea that these two programs can't work this out. I have to maintain a coaching status in one, and a swimmer status in the other. How inane is that? This would be perfect! Is there something, that would prevent a meet director from allowing an entry from a member of either organization? Are there currently any events that host both groups at the same time?

Maybe. But if we offer free membership and get an additional 50,000 members, how many of them will actually compete? My opinion: almost none of them, since $40 annually is apparently a deal-breaker. I wouldn't say $40. is a deal breaker, but it can be a deterent. Especially for those who have no experience with the warm open welcoming master's swim community. A community and programs which helps swimmers "dedicated to improving their fitness through swimming". So.... we are brainstorming ideas for growing USMS membership. We're on the same team here.

I'm making these numbers up as an example. Full disclosure, I have no idea how much master's meets cost... I would love an all you can eat option on...meet fees. Depending on the number of events entered per meet, can run around 12 to 25 bucks for a local meet, 30/45 for Championships (3 of 'em in Pacific) and as high as 74 for Nationals. 2 Nat's plus 3 Champs plus 12 or so local meets = we're up around 500 bucks. Or I should say I am up around there (closer to 600) since I tend to enter towards the max amount of events allowed...

"Finishing" seems to be the new ethos of endurance sports. I get it, but still find it depressing if it means that hardly anyone "races." If "finishing" is the chief appeal, USMS will have to market the 200 fly. I can't finish that one. My experience is that the coach drives the enthusiam for event participation. But USMS has evolved so much in the last few years that events now include open water, triathlon, surfing, body surfing, etc. Even running races for athletes using our programs for therapy. All this in addition to our regular pool meets. I've gone into 3 large masters clubs as an assistant coach where the coach told me not many of their swimmers participate in swim events. Lo and behold after a few months of encouraging the more novice swimmers and triathletes, the championship teams were the largest in the club history. True not every one wants to swim in swim meets. Its up to the coach and the athlete to find the challenge that keeps them content and swimming with the club. Some potential members are afraid if they come to a USMS club they will have to swim in meets. Coaches have to be aware of these people too. USMS offers so many ways to keep everyone challenged in the water.

Making USMS free is overall a meaningless thing to do. We are adults and we can afford $40 per year. That's just a few beers or hamburgers. Compared to what we pay to actually swim at a pool the USMS fee is nothing. One thing about our fee-paying members - we are serious enough to pay a little money. The sponsors of USMS know we are at least a little bit serious. If suddenly we add 25,000 members who joined because it was free - how many of them will actually go to practice and/or race? If they don't invest I think they'll see no reason to try to get value out of their membership. In many ways I think USMS has more in common with USAT than USA-S. USAT members are adults, spend lots of money, and of course generally train with adults. A linkage to USAT might be more fruitful than doing more with USA-S. USAT is growing far faster than any other adult sport. Capture some of that enthusiasm and momentum.

The question of what fee or structure of fees is optimal for maximal participation is outside of my area of expertise.From what I do know of human motivation however,the answer is not zero.It is simplistic but true that investing money in something gives it perceived value. There is the anecdote about the woman with a litter of kittens who could not give them away for free,but found she could sell them.Putting a price on them gave them perceived value.