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Pay to Play?

Submitted by Degan on Sat, 2004/07/17 - 13:58. Martial Activities
I've got to get some opinions from some of you (mainly Heavy fighters but ALL input is welcome). You see, I "grew up" in the East (Stonemarche to be exact) until 2001 when my wife and I moved to Ansteorra where we lived for 2.5 years. Now we've moved to Atlantia and I've got to get my heavy authorization back. Now please keep in mind, I've been fighting heavy for a little over 7 years with Sword/board, 7' pole (unpadded of course) and 2-stick. Heres the problem... I attended a local baronial event and had arranged with a friend to have a re-authorization bout (or three, hehe) so that I could participate in some of the local tourneys and the "Big Three" (Estrella, Gulf, Pennsic) in the upcoming year. After arranging things with the marshallette, I was told to see the MoL (before my fight... odd but okay). This "Lady" politely (not) informed me that before I could re-auth that I'd have to front her $5.00. You could imagine my shock... the SCA is NOT a pay-to-play organization, correct? Are we required to purchase memberships? No. So why should I be required to pay to fight? I politely left the table (muttering under my breath as I don't dare offend this "Woman"....yet... to head home and research this oddity. As it turns out, in the "Great Book of Policy" in Atlantia, it's stated that this $5.00 fee is required PER authorization if you intend on adding other fighting styles in the future (It's still only $5 to auth in ALL styles if you do it all that day). This fee is described in TGBoL as "Office supply costs and postage". Well, that may seem resonable BUT... Best Buy sells 25-sheet card stock for business card for less that $10 (thats 250 cards PER package). Postage? Hmm, even if you mailed a whole package back from corperate it'd only cost you about $5 for the whole package. This is beginning to look like "Fuzzy math" created to hide funds being used for something else. Oops, I didn't say that, forget it... that rings of bad book keeping and conspiracy, something the SCA would NEVER participate in. So, I ask you all... does it make sense to have to pay to re-authorize? Are there other kingdoms that are attempting to pull this? I've heard folks here state "Atlantia at least does things right". Um.. I never had a problem with my cards back home... it took a few weeks to get the "real one" but it showed up just the same and I NEVER had to fork out $5 of my hard-earned cash. Atlantia "does things right"... Yes, their events arent over-populated with blue tarps and demin garb or blue plastic armour but where does the SCA end and an elitist clique begin? In Service to MYSELF Degan
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Good fellow Degan, I

Submitted by Kveldulfr on Sat, 2005/01/29 - 10:02.
Good fellow Degan,

I send hail and greetings to you. I have read your posting and understand your grief. Why indeed, should we "pay to play"? The answer is simple (kinda?). We should show our support for our Kingdoms by contributing to it as we see fit. Now I'm not sure what your membership status is nor am I informed on Atlantian law. I do know here in Meridies if you reauthorize and are a member it is free. However if not your card costs $25.00 ( I think). Obviously this is in place so as to develop more memberships. A bit sneaky but it works and I'n good with it. Perhaps this is Atlantia"s way of doing the same. After all, a rich Kingdom is a happy Kingdom or is it the other way around???

Again I understand your frugalness, and congratulate you for it the big wars get a bit pricey. However, we really should put our Kingdoms before ourselves, but not put ourselves out for it.

Sincerely your brother in armor

Kveldulfr Skaldsson
(Vel-Doolf)

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IIRC, the Kingdom of Meridies

Submitted by Runolfr on Tue, 2004/07/27 - 16:03.
IIRC, the Kingdom of Meridies charges an authorization fee to non-members, but I'm not aware of any extra charges for SCA members.
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Would you like a little chees

Submitted by Jean Richard on Tue, 2004/07/20 - 17:36.
Would you like a little cheese with that whine? I'll bet you have not submitted heraldy either, because that costs $8.00. Atlantia has decided to fund their martiallate office via "user fees" as opposed to having the funds come from kingdom coffers. You are not required to pay to fight, you are required to pay the expenses involved in administering an authorization system. Why shouldn't the users pay for it? Someone has to! The word is TANSTAAFL, learn it, use it. (There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch) Duke Richard, Ansteorra
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I was in Atlantia for a while

Submitted by dpolensky on Tue, 2006/02/28 - 01:58.
I was in Atlantia for a while. I can't say that I enjoyed it. And he's not complaining that it is 5 bucks he's only stating that at 5 bucks a pop (if you do not authorise multiple styles in a single go) is a bit much, considering postage is not a high cost item. I agree with him (though this post is almost two years old) if you want me to pay for the expenses for authorising then I will bring an envelope and a stamp and gladly provide a pen to write with. What funds are required to run the martiallate office? if everyone would bring the required materials to take care of there obligation what is left for this office to purchase? I know I will not get a response to this but maybe other people will read it, from my experience with Atlantia the whole "We do things right" mentality kinda kills the fun. after all this is just for fun.
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