Latest update on the NorCal Facility Use Fee - Monday 9-Mar-2020

I wrote about the letter from NorCal to USTA players late last week providing background and their justification for the Facility Fee as they call it.  Players continue to be vocal, and other clubs have come out with their opposition to it too.

First, I've learned the timing of things is a bit suspicious.  While the board voted on this back in December, the playing population was not publicly notified about it or a date when it would go into effect until the letter sent the evening of Friday March 6th.  Specifically, the e-mail I saw had a timestamp of 8:56 pm.

I learned today that the deadline to withdraw a team from the upcoming 18 & Over league was Friday March 6th, so teams that have signed up did so without knowledge of the fee increase.  While it appears a player could sign-up before April 13th when the fee goes into affect and avoid it, if a player or team wanted to boycott USTA League play because of the fee, the team can no longer withdraw from the league.

The timing of this and lack of transparency about the fee until after the team withdraw deadline seems highly suspicious and it will be interesting to see if teams try to withdraw now and if they are allowed to do so.  Players and captains, please report.

Second, I wrote a few days earlier about Spare Time Sports Clubs not being on board with the fee, and I have subsequently heard that Bay Clubs, the second largest organization involved in League tennis, as well as Lifetime Activities have both written letters to members indicating they are against the fee.

Third, the Saving NorCal Leagues blog wrote up a detailed response to the letter sent to players from NorCal.  Read that here.

There is a lot to continue to monitor.  Will the fee be rescinded?  If not, will clubs refund members?  Will players boycott and participation in leagues drop?

Stay tuned, I will write more as I learn more.