Originally Posted by
RJ
I was not asking whether the benefits were worth it TO YOU, I was asking for clarification of what they were. To repeat myself:
Second, what are the benefits to joining? The site says "USPSA Members can login for access to member-only features, including tracking your USPSA scores and classifiers, downloading classification cards, finding matches, classes, and more!". I can't locate these, does anyone know where this list of features are on the USPSA web site? Or is this it? How would a prospective member know what the "member-only" features are? And what are the "...and more!" benefits?.
In particular, do I need to be a member to "find matches" these days? Aren't match registrations on Practiscore anyway? I am not sure I need to be a member to register for a match, do I? (I don't think so). Also, can't I track my scores (match results?) on Practiscore as well?
So far as I can tell, the primary benefit is for me to have a Classification Rating, and to receive a Magazine (print or online). What am I missing? It just seems to me the org could do a better sales job at showing folks what they get for the money, since at the moment it is pretty hard to figure out.
Try and look at it like you are trying to sell me on rejoining USPSA. Or not, I don't mind really. But it would be an idea to take a step back to consider how to better encourage people to join this voluntary, not-for profit organization. I make value judgements all the time about how to spend discretionary funds. This site, for instance. I am a paid supporter, many many years over, because I believe in the mission of pistol-forum. It is peanuts compared to the sanity this site brings to the gun world.
I've also spent four figure sums to belong to professional organizations, both at work, and within another hobby of mine (Scuba diving). I got a lot of perceived value there too. The bottom line is if I don't have the information I need to evaluate the value for money, I'll pass. Which is where I am with USPSA.