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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
do you buy 50/50 tickets at games you are shooting?
Liam Richards, Photographer
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Saskatoon | SK | Canada | Posted: 6:53 PM on 03.31.11 |
| ->> Here is a odd question i would love to have some input on. Do you think buying 50/50 tickets at a game you are paid to shoot is ethical? the chances of winning are low and most of the times the money raised is going to a good cause, but i have always wondered if fans would be pissed off to learn that a photographer won. |
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Paul Alesse, Photographer
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Centereach | NY | USA | Posted: 6:58 PM on 03.31.11 |
->> I wouldn't. But, that's me.
Here's a thought though... if you choose to do it and win, what about donating the winnings back to the school or club in the name of the news organization you are shooting for? That way everyone comes out a winner :-) |
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Eric Canha, Photographer
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Brockton | MA | United States | Posted: 7:12 PM on 03.31.11 |
| ->> I do but I also know that when I win I 'donate' the winnings back to the organization. |
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Brett Clark, Photographer
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Elizabeth City | NC | USA | Posted: 7:42 PM on 03.31.11 |
| ->> Since I don't pay admission because I'm working for the newspaper, I don't because I think there's an ethical issue there. But if I wasn't shooting under those circumstances, I'm not sure I'd have a problem with it. |
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Butch Miller, Photographer
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Lock Haven | PA | USA | Posted: 7:48 PM on 03.31.11 |
->> I always do when asked sometimes the ticket sellers don't find me ... and like Eric and Paul suggest ... when I happen to be fortunate enough to win (and I have on several occasions) I ALWAYS donate the proceeds back to the organization ...
To me it is a win-win situation ... you are supporting the event/organization with your "donation" and promoting good will for yourself and/or those you work for.
I have had folks close to me question my generosity of relinquishing my winnings (once the prize was over $450) ... and I always tell them it is more important that the money go to the kids and help them with what they do ... so I can do what I do ... heck, a $1 is a small price to pay to be a hero ... ;-) |
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Brett Clark, Photographer
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Elizabeth City | NC | USA | Posted: 7:49 PM on 03.31.11 |
| ->> I like Paul and Eric's solutions. Maybe I'll start doing that since often I have a couple bucks in my pocket and have thought I wouldn't mind buying them to help the organization but didn't really want to win for the reasons I stated earlier. |
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Jerome Davis, Photographer
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Rochester | NY | USA | Posted: 8:01 PM on 03.31.11 |
| ->> I don't think it's unethical. I bought tickets to support the event or organization. The expectation of a 50/50 is to give half of the money away, so I wouldn't have a problem if some decided to keep the funds. I think the support comes from purchasing the ticket. |
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Doug Pizac, Photographer
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Sandy | UT | USA | Posted: 8:08 PM on 03.31.11 |
| ->> What are 50/50 tickets? |
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Butch Miller, Photographer
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Lock Haven | PA | USA | Posted: 8:19 PM on 03.31.11 |
->> "What are 50/50 tickets"
It is a raffle where the money collected for the sale of the tickets is split 50/50 between the organization and the winner. |
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Jim Pierce, Photographer
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Waltham | MA | USA | Posted: 8:36 PM on 03.31.11 |
->> I almost always buy the 50/50 and have won and did donate it all back.
In addition to the 50/50 the leagues I work with also have what we call "calanders". These are tickets you buy and every day on a specified month they pull a ticket, certain days are worth more. I can't leave the LL field without at least 2 kids asking me to buy. I buy alot.
One league I work with has $100.00 raffle tickets for the chance of $10K. They sell 300 tickets, rent a hall with a chinese food buffet, each ticket admits 2. The unique part of this is they put all 300 tickets in a bin and the first one picked is the first loser but they announce the name of each loser, so 299 losers names get anounced and the last one in wins the $10K.
I usually buy 2-3 of these and I look at it as marketing since when my name gets pulled and I lose my name gets anounced so all attendes know I give back. My name gets out to many people!! well worth it!
I look at these as part of my donations/sponsorships.
Jim |
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Les Stukenberg, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Prescott Valley | AZ | USA | Posted: 9:51 PM on 03.31.11 |
| ->> I don't buy them... Sorry it is not an ethical issue it's a financial...I can't afford to donate to every organization where i shoot assignments. So i make it simple and say no thanks to everyone. We have two stepsons that play sports and a newborn whom i am sure will do something and I support those sports and events on a personal basis. |
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Paul Alesse, Photographer
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Centereach | NY | USA | Posted: 11:24 PM on 03.31.11 |
| ->> Jim... cool story. |
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Doug Pizac, Photographer
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Sandy | UT | USA | Posted: 11:28 PM on 03.31.11 |
->> No wonder I haven't heard about 50/50 tickets since you're buying a chance to win cash. Gambling is strictly forbidden in Utah.
However, there is always a line of Utah plated cars just across the border in Idaho every week for lottery tickets. And while gambling is illegal, if you win the lottery you can be darn sure you'll have to share the winnings with Utah's tax revenue department. |
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Brett Clark, Photographer
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Elizabeth City | NC | USA | Posted: 11:43 PM on 03.31.11 |
->> I don't know, maybe it just me, or maybe I'm just tired, but doing it for the sake of "marketing" so everyone at the game knows I did it just reminds me too much of all these people that call us wanting to shoot check passings all the time because of how great they or their business is for donating money and getting some free advertising cause they're so great.
Don't get me wrong, many of the businesses are genuinely trying to help out worthy organizations, but plenty also think they're entitled to get their picture in the paper because they did a good dead. |
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Jeff Stanton, Photographer
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Princeton | IN | USA | Posted: 11:56 PM on 03.31.11 |
| ->> I've never bought one, but if I did — and won, I'd keep the winnings. Times are tough and I need any windfall I can get. |
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Mike Janes, Photographer
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Attica | NY | USA | Posted: 3:24 AM on 04.01.11 |
->> I have been asked from youth leagues to pro games, however, I always politely decline. A friend talked me into entering to win tickets to a concert as he was working the booth for a radio station at the game I was working, and it looked good for him to get as many names as possible, but then told him if I win I want it re-drawn to someone else and not announce my name. Just does not look good since I'm working the games, in my area I see no marketing value. Maybe it's a personal thing but I always envision people thinking favoritism.
When I want to donate I head over to the concession stand and buy dinner talking up the people who run the league, not the kids selling tickets. Can't count how many times I went over and bought a vast amount of Gatorades and a few meals while shooting just to support them, that goes a long way more than the $1-5 for a raffle ticket. There's at least one layer around my belly that is supporting the league each season! |
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Lane Hickenbottom, Photographer
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Omaha | NE | usa | Posted: 10:45 AM on 04.01.11 |
| ->> From a strictly ethical standpoint, it might be more problematic editorially covering a team that you are a significant donor to. |
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Sam Santilli, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Philippi | WV | USA | Posted: 11:15 AM on 04.01.11 |
| ->> FCS...it is just a buck! Say yes, say no, there is no ethics here, just a personal choice. |
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Jim Pierce, Photographer
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Waltham | MA | USA | Posted: 5:05 PM on 04.01.11 |
->> Brett, Mike,
Maybe my use of the term "marketing" was off base. Basically these leagues I mentioned above I have done the T&I for for the past 8 years or so. As I am sure you know a donation comes with the territory as far as T&I goes. So rather than just mail in a donation that only a few people see... I perfer that my actuall customers, the parents, know and see that I am donating to the league. This builds the relationship with the entire leagues participants and not just a handfull of board members.
This is not a single game type situation but relationship building in youth sports!
Jim |
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Louis Lopez, Photographer
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Fontana | CA | USA | Posted: 5:08 PM on 04.01.11 |
->> I'm with Sam on this, what ethics?
I think you guys's sit up at night thinking up situations and reading ethical dillemas into them... |
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