GOHL assessment fee

[Seth]

Want to play Junior B hockey? There's a new $750 assessment fee for that
Cambridge Times
By Bill Doucet
CAMBRIDGE – Though there hasn’t been a formal announcement, the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League will now charge every player a $750 “assessment fee” to play Junior B hockey.

That is on top of the $300 participation fee that was implemented by the Ontario Hockey League prior to the 2012-13 season.

Cambridge Winter Hawks president Joe Machado said the implementation of the fee is “to provide greater resources to the league – the GOJHL – so that it’s able to advance certain items to the development of the league and making it stronger”.

Machado noted some of the money will go to paying full-time commissioner Chuck Williams, which is contrary to what Chatham Maroons assistant general manager Bill Cumming told the media last year about the intent of the then-rumoured assessment fee.

The fee will also go toward helping the GOJHL board of directors promote the league, negotiate products and services that better every team in the league, league governance, and strengthening relationships with colleges and universities.

“All of these things require funding and we needed to make sure the league has the necessary funds to be able to advance these causes. Essentially we are a much stronger league than we’ve ever been. I think that by working through some of these projects it will only make the league stronger, and in turn, provide better opportunities for players.” Machado said.

GOJHL officials have prided themselves in the past for not charging players to pay, other than the OHA fee, and Machado said he doesn’t think the fee will sway people into believing the league has turned into a pay-to-play endeavor.

The Ontario Junior Hockey League already imposed a fee on all their players, with no maximum ceiling. The standard fee is $4,500 a season, not including room and board.

“Different people are going to obviously draw their own conclusions from this. I think that the stronger we are as a league and the stronger our business model, the better and more opportunities we can provide for our players. It’s no different than any business, if it’s not properly funded it won’t succeed.

“I thin the players will certainly understand it’s a small price to pay to give them an opportunity to succeed through hockey.”

Machado said he doesn’t think the fee will negatively impact drawing players and that it is much cheaper than the price of the high level of minor hockey they once played.

“We certainly don’t want to create a situation where players are being prevented from playing the game with not being able to come up with the fee. I think that on a team per team basis, and I’m not speaking for all teams and I’m not speaking for the league … certain accommodations can be made if they so choose to do that.

“But, let’s face it, at the end of the day if our league isn’t strong financially to ensure we keep moving ahead, there won’t be a place for players to play.”

[RocketGirl]

http://guelphhurricanes.pointstreaksite ... r_2015.pdf

This is the release from the GOJHL, posted on Guelph's website, about the assessment fee.

[boaaa17]

I believe this fee maybe because of pressure caused by the tier 2 leagues that have expanded down this way