Oooo Oooo!! Me! but then again, maybe it's because I interact with them more than just complain about them...The problem with AGB as I see and feel it is one of disengagement. How many of us can honestly say we have feelings of fondness or loyalty to AGB.
The problem with AGB as I see and feel it is one of disengagement. How many of us can honestly say we have feelings of fondness or loyalty to AGB. I’m a member because I have to be. My county and regional fees come to the princely sum of £5 per annum. I’m not sure what I get from these bodies on a day to day basis but for a fiver a year I don’t much care
My AGB membership costs me £47 a year.
I’m not sure what I get for that either. So £52 of my annual £100 subscription which I pay to my Club each year flies straight to organisations that don’t seem to benefit me at all.
I absolutely do not begrudge paying my Club fees. I feel I get real value for money for my Club fees. I enjoy the fellowship and society, the sense of belonging, the shooting days, club comps, inter club comps, social events, BBQs, maintenance days, training and coaching days, beginners courses, have a goes, taster sessions, outdoor leagues, indoor leagues, 252 badges, etc etc. None of the above have any input whatsoever from AGB.
So let’s be honest. AGB exists exclusively to win medals at the Olympics and international events. Medals mean money. Money pays the suits’ salaries. The suits want more money and so the merry-go-round continues.
Like others here I very much doubt that AGB will do anything to help any struggling club at the end of this pandemic. But you can bet your best bow the “elite” archers will be fully supported no matter what.
The value for money thing really is at the root of the matter. The current crisis is hitting people in the pocket and is really making people question the return that they get for their fees.Most of us don't have any reason to interact with them unless something goes wrong - we don't work for them or provide services to them. We might enter a few competitions.
And when other UK archery organisations do pretty much the same things for their bog standard members without the large fee and no Olympics to support you are always going to get questions (cue Kernolad and his regular 2p).
I'm sure the actual people are lovely. But are they value for money? And does an arrogant email designed to stop us asking questions really make them seem approachable and as if they are serving us or themselves?
Unfortunately I think that AGB will be getting a restructure whether it wants one or not.I’m an IAM member of 22 years and pay £30 a year; I don’t mind that.
I’m a Surf Life Saving Club member (and qualified Beach Lifeguard through it); £25 a year. No problem.
Then there’s NFAS; £30 for me and my son then tiny club fees. I actually LIKE paying that.
So £140 ish for a club that offered no progression, no suggestion of competition apart from an annual club tournament, occasional expensive coaching two hours away and not a lot more, it grated.
For the hobby shooter, AGB simply offers very poor value. We are simply subsidising elite archery and some flashy offices. I think AGB needs a complete restructure into a much more grass roots orientated organisation.
1. Safeguarding £0.34 2%For the hobby shooter, AGB simply offers very poor value. We are simply subsidising elite archery and some flashy offices.
Is that a AGB gripe or a club gripe?So £140 ish for a club that offered no progression, no suggestion of competition apart from an annual club tournament, occasional expensive coaching two hours away and not a lot more, it grated.
like meOr maybe I'm just cynical.....
You can choose to shoot under the NFAS, or some others. You can set up and run an target archery club/association completely outside AGB. You could run target leagues and comps outside AGB. The trouble comes when things get too big and professionals are needed to be paid. It's hard to go backwards by that time....you can always shop around for a new club. But you can't do that for AGB. With AGB you either pay up or stop shooting. It's basically a monopoly.
I don't see why NFAS and AGB cannot do the same with some jigging around and insurance alignment....They also have a joint agreement for NFAA (their NFAS) members receiving free temporary NAA (their AGB) membership for competitions so you don't need to pay twice if you shoot both styles.
It seems to work pretty well, and it makes it fairer in that those who interact the most by attending competitions pay the most.
lol, don't think I'd describe the NFAA as their NFAS... they organise the largest target shoot in the world. It'd be more like AGB split into two, one smaller half running the national squad, and tier 1 level shoots like the National Tour, County Team Shoot, and the other, larger half covering the majority of the regular competitions, majority of clubs, counties, etc... The majority of members would be in the larger half that was looking after domestic archery, and those wanting to push themselves on, especially those wanting to shoot internationally also joining the small half.They also have a joint agreement for NFAA (their NFAS) members receiving free temporary NAA (their AGB) membership for competitions so you don't need to pay twice if you shoot both styles.
It seems to work pretty well, and it makes it fairer in that those who interact the most by attending competitions pay the most.
If you had asked me last year I would have said AGB is so big it would take a juggernaut to move it. Perhaps Covid-19 will be that juggernaut for all the wrong reasonsHow many happy NFAS “customers” are there compared to AGB ones?