Is this idea to "gimmicky"

Discussion in 'Pro Indoor Soccer' started by mikester351, Sep 23, 2002.

  1. mikester351

    mikester351 New Member

    Jul 24, 2002
    Indianapolis
    Morning Lads,
    I am constructing a new indoor facility and have an idea I would like to bounce off you lot.

    Do you remember the early days of MLS? Anyone remember the "Pepsi Powershot"? This was nothing more than a radar gun behind net to measure the velocity of shots on goal.

    I am thinking about putting the same thing in my new facility, only I am going to put the display above goal. This will allow the players to see the speed of their shot and give keepers a right to brag......

    Thoughts? Comments?

    Mike
     
  2. ranul

    ranul Member

    fc edmonton
    Canada
    Aug 24, 2000
    alberta
    Club:
    FC Edmonton
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    rador

    hey man is a radar gun that display a pitcher speed to gimmicky then if it is then so is your idea . But I don't think so .
     
  3. SJJ

    SJJ Member

    Sep 20, 1999
    Royal Oak, MI, USA
    Club:
    Michigan Bucks
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The early days of MLS had the "Mitre Power Shot," which was the brand of the ball at the time. The funny thing was, every Power Shot was the same speed, I think 52 mph. I think that was the limit of their radar gun.

    But, exactly where would you put the speed gun, so that there aren't people in between the radar and the shooter? Overhead?

    An interesting game would be that if you score a goal, you get as many points as the speed of the shot. So a 23-mph shot would give you 23 points, etc.
     
  4. I would just build a cage and charge people a buck for three kicks so they could see how hard they could kick it. I have seen this at tournaments. I worked at a brand new indoor soccer complex and something like that would make tons of dough...I guarantee it. I wanted the owner of our place to try it, but he wouldn't. If you put the display above the goal, coaches will complain that it is a distraction, and their players will always try to shoot to hard. Trust me, people will complain about it if their team loses. Plus, you will have goalies looking at the display instead of playing the ball out. All in all, it would be way too much of a distraction. Kids will be more interested in the shot speed than in playing soccer.

    I have some other suggestions for you, read them if you wish. Firstly, if you want to make some real money through concessions, you need to serve beer. If you can get the alcoholic beverage service liscense, it is worth it, even though you will need to make sure that you have workers who are over 18 to serve the beer. Older players love to sit around after the game drinking (especially the Germans and Brits as you probably know). They would much rather not have to go to a bar. Plus, the concession workers can make some pretty good money on tips. Other big sellers are Nerd Ropes (seriously, like crack to anyone under 14, we couldn't keep them in stock), slush puppies(very good profit margin), and Nachos. Popcorn sells well but it creates a huge cleaning problem, and isn't worth it in my opinion. If people don't like it, tough. I can't tell you how many hours I spent cleaning up crushed popcorn, but I know it was not cost-effective. I would also try to strike a little deal with a sub or pizza place, because people want real food, and a lot of times can't eat dinner before a game because of time constraints.

    Secondly, when our complex opened, there were way too many people working at some times, and way too few at others. If you have three fields and a concession stand during peak hours, you will need at least two people working the stand, depending on what you serve and one cleaning around the complex. You will also need a manager and someone at the front desk to answer calls and questions about what field teams are on and such. Expect MANY, MANY calls from people who lost their schedules or whatever. If you don't have someone to handle the phone, it will be a problem. You will also need a manager to basically deal with the coaches, who will always be complaining about something. It is also a good idea to hire people who know how to ref, as undoubtably refs will not show up. I would say that during a week day, you can get by with five workers during the peak hours. After dinnertime, one person will be able to handle the concession stand, and you will only need one manager for the phones and stuff, and one person cleaning. It is nice to have a few extra people around to clean up though...you won't believe how sloppy people are, and the glass gets real dirty fast. We usually closed with two workers, which was fine, but if games went until midnight, sometimes I was around until 1:00 or 1:30 closing. High school kids are fine working until 10:00, but you need to make sure that you get some older workers who can stay up late. The manager of your place will have his hands FULL. Try to find someone, preferrably a former pro, who doesn't have a family or a life, as they will be working crazy hours. Try to hire as many soccer players as possible, but watch out for the kids with moppy hair (or you will find $50 bucks missing from the register when they are jonesing for some weed). Only joking! (sort of, it happened a few times at our place) Girls work out better at the concession stand because teenage boys are usually really sloppy.

    Another good idea is a party room for birthday parties. They get an hour on the field, and some food and drink afterwards in the party room. It was booked solid by the end of the first session.

    I have a lot more suggestions for you, if you want them. Starting up an indoor complex is really fun, but I experienced firsthand what hell it can be as well. You probably won't get it exactly right at first, but don't get discouraged. If you build a good complex, and run it well, people will get to like it a lot quickly, and will spend a lot of time and money there. It will also be a huge help for the soccer in your area. Good luck!
     

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