What is the 'typical' amount for mat fee and is it charged for one time roll or if you're in town for the week? Also, does it apply to say judo or muay thai schools as well?
I can believe some places charge for a one time roll.
There is a place near me that wanted $25 to let me try a class before I joined. I told them I was willing to sign a year contract, they wouldn't budge...
damn, that suuuuuux
smart business men
'..but people are usually welcome at other schools, as long as they don't abuse the priviledge.'
that begs the question: where do they draw the line about abuse?
No offense, but using Brazil as a business model is not a great idea. I understand your point though.
JMO...but I think Mat fees are fine. Instructors pay tons of money to train, compete, travel to Brazil, privates, etc. Not to mention the regular expenses of rent, insurance, etc. Plus this is not like Karate or TKD, where schools sign up 20+ students a month. BJJ is popular, but it is still way behind the times. I would prefer an instructor that made BJJ his life and taught full time, than someone who had to live off something else and did this on the side.
Considering all of this, I think Mat fees are justified. $25 would be alot if you paid that every class. But if you are visiting somewhere or just trying a school, I think $25 is nothing.
I just watched 'Sesame Street Live' at MSG and they had a friggin' Elmo balloon that was $10...for a fucking ballon.
I know that the "Animal House" Gym in Lodi Ca(Old home of Shamrock 2000) wanted $5.00 a day.
MarsMan and WowUTapFast both have good points.
my take is that if you're a total beginner, then a trial class (which seems to be the general case) should be free of charge.
however, if you train at another school and you drop in (as opposed to being invited) then i feel a $20-25 fee is appropriate. i look at it as someone wanting to test their skills outside of their own academy in a friendly, but competitive environment.
but there is the matter of balancing brazilian courtesy and paying the bills. that's what my instructor's facing right now.
TTT
Courtesy is definitley a part of it. But I think both are important factors.
My instructor typically gives you the first class free. If you want to sign up in a program ie. year, then you do that. If you want to just come and go or are visiting...then $20 mat fee.
I think that is fair.
3T
I like to visit other schools when I travel. I find Judo clubs welcoming and tend not to charge a visiting fee, and often have open mat nights.If on a budget college teams are very welcoming (both bjj/judo). (thank you Penn State / Slippery Rock!). Where I train both Judo and Bjj we love visitors and don't charge them fees, we want the different practice partners (small clubs). On that note..when I visit a different school I consider it to be a type of "clinic", and am very interested in seeing how others train and view the art and what they think are my strong and weak points. I am more than willing to pay $10-$30 for a 1-3hr class.
$20-25 mat fee is insane. I'd never pay that much.
$10 is just right.
Yeah, $10 isn't too much, and it's enough to encourage someone to come to class more often and pay for the whole month.
I dont think $10 is enough honestly. Think about the average school that charges $90 for 2x weekly.
That would mean that the average class is $11.25. But if you are on contract then it should be discounted for your commitment.
I think $15-20 is fair...
$90 for 2x weekly is ABOVE average, IMO.
i've paid $20 mat fee out of town on a business trip. the top student and head instructor were crazy cool and kept rolling with me to make sure i got my $ worth.
Really? $90 is a lot to train 2x weekly under a BJJ Black Belt?