Program Financial Report

2024-25 OPERATING BUDGET

REVENUE

Registrations $1,353,000
Includes season fees, tryouts and camps
Fundraising $135,000
Includes sponsorships, donations, golf outing revenue and contributions from the Columbus Blue Jackets and Columbus Blue Jackets Foundation (scholarships)
Total Revenue $1,488,000

EXPENSES

Programming $672,000
Includes all ice rental, league fees, tournament registrations, officials and external services
Payroll (Coaches & Staff) $523,000
Includes staff, head coaches, assistant coaches and specialty/skills coaches
Administration $155,000
Includes program administration, bookkeeper/billing coordinator, CPA, taxes, benefits, credit card processing fees, office expenses, technology, staff travel and other administrative charges
Equipment $138,000
Includes all equipment, apparel, print materials/signage, facillity/storage and training tools
Total Expenses $1,488,000

2024-25 SEASON FEES

Fees for the 2024-25 season include all practices, games, tournaments, coaching, tournament/league fees, trainers, referees, off-ice training (starting at 14U), power skating/specialty skills coaching, video, administrative fees and equipment such as bag, gloves, track suit, practice jerseys, game/practice socks, t-shirt and shorts.

Fees DO NOT include helmet, game jerseys, player pants, supplemental skills sessions, coaches travel shares and personal travel.

*The reason for not including helmet, game jerseys and pants into the budget is with the hope that players can get multiple seasons out of them.

Team Roster Size Fees
18U (2006/07) 20-22 $8,200
16U (2008) 20 $8,200
15O (2009) 20 $8,200
14U (2010) 20 $7,100
13O (2011) 18-19 $7,100
12U (2012) 18 $6,000 *
11U (2013) 17 $5,600
10U (2014) 17 $5,600
Team Roster Size Fees
16U Girls (2008/09) 17-18 $5,500
14U Girls (2010/11) 18-20 $4,900
12U Girls (2012/13) 17-18 $3,900

*additional costs and fundraising strategies for the 2012 team for the Quebec tournament (pending acceptance) will be communicated with the team prior to the season.

Coaches Travel Shares

Coaches' travel expenses are shared equally between all families on each team. These expenses include flights, mileage, hotels and per diem.

These charges are billed as separate invoices throughout the season. Our billing coordinator, France Taber (ftaber@aaabluejackets.com) will provide each team a full breakdown of the charges and give you advance notice prior to invoices being sent out.

The reason we handle coaches travel shares in this manner and do not include them within our budget is to save you money in the end. Team travel details are not finalized at the time that the budget is communicated. We would rather provide you with accurate costs rather than a projection.

The chart on the right represents the average costs for coaches travel for each age group over the past few seasons.

18U/16U bills are significantly higher because they include trips where the team travels on a bus and stays together in a hotel. These instances will be communicated with families prior to those decisions being made.

Team Average
18U $3,659.09
16U $2,106.25
16U Girls $622.43
15O $757.96
14U $695.76
14U Girls $625.37
13O $475.89
12U $440.47
11U $645.05
12U Girls $330.59
10U $723.61

FUNDRAISING INITIATIVES

We operate as a 501(c)(3) non profit organization (EIN 42-1633311). Donor support is vital to helping our program manage the extraordinary costs of playing travel hockey at the highest level. Areas of support include but are not limited to: General Donations, Scholarships, Holly Frank Excellence Fund, Girls Program and the Quebec Fund.

All gifts are tax deductible as allowed by law. To learn more about our fundraising areas, visit our fundraising page.

BEYOND THE ICE

In 2023, we established the Holly Frank Excellence Fund, which aims to provide support and extra growth opportunities for everyone in our program at no additional cost to our families. Thanks to this fund, all finances related to this program are not included in our annual operating budget.

Through the Beyond the Ice Program, we are committed to teaching and developing the life skills and character that will empower our student-athletes to become great teammates and future leaders in society.

Beyond the Ice is focused on providing education, resources and support to our players, coaches and parents to grow and develop off of the ice.

We have raised more than $30,000 so far to support this initiative. To learn more, visit the Beyond the Ice page below.

HOW CAN YOU REDUCE YOUR COSTS?

In 2023, the Ohio AAA Blue Jackets partnered with Vertical Raise, a fundraising platform that offers digital discount cards that offer more than 775,000 deals around the country. 

Through this partnership, each team in the organization will host a 21-day virtual fundraiser selling $25 digital discount cards that include deals at restaurants, hotels, shops, entertainment and more! The digital cards are GPS activated so the discounts available are always relative to the card holder's current location. 

At the conclusion of the fundraiser, Vertical Raise will redirect 70% of all sales back to the program and each family that participates will have 100% of the proceeds that they were responsible for applied to their balance due in travel bills and fees. A total of $51,054 was raised in 2023-24 by participating families!

In 2024-25, we will host our Digital Discount Card Fundraiser from August 27-September 17, 2024.

  • During training camp, each team in the program will have a 30 minute onboarding session around their practice time with our organization's Vertical Raise representative.


Each year, thanks to the generosity of the Columbus Blue Jackets Foundation, our program is provided the opportunity to be the beneficiary of a 50/50 night at a Blue Jackets game

On that night, we split the 50% of the proceeds from 50/50 ticket sales with the CBJ Foundation. We will dedicate 100% of the proceeds from the funds raised by each volunteer to go towards reducing travel invoices for a player of their choice... and YES, you can choose yourself!

In 2023-24, our volunteers sold $29,630 in raffle tickets. This resulted in $7,407.24 of support towards travel fees for our volunteers.

As a non-profit 501-c3 organization, the Ohio AAA Blue Jackets have partnered with different local organizations in their community rewards programs. Through these programs, families and friends can link their personal rewards accounts to the Ohio AAA Blue Jackets and that respective company will donate a portion of your spendings back to the program.

Each season, any amount raised by you, your family or friends that is directed towards the Ohio AAA Blue Jackets will be credited towards your player's year travel bill at the end of the season.

We are committed to helping our players achieve their dreams. Our scholarship fund was created to support families in need to help reduce barriers so that any player that earns a spot has a chance to play.

Thanks to the support of the Columbus Blue Jackets Foundation, Rosie's Gear for Goals and other donors, we have awarded more than $200,000 in scholarships in the past 5 years!

It is also common for companies, friends and family members to help support your fees. If you receive a donation that you would like applied to a specific player, please write "player name scholarship" in the note/comment section and it will be directed towards their fees. 

If you are a family in need, you can complete the grant application below. All information will remain confidential!

We are excited to be hosting our annual golf outing presented by Tansky Sawmill Toyota at The Club at Tartan Fields on Monday, August 19, 2024! The Club features an award winning Arnold Palmer Signature Course and will make for a phenomenal experience.

Proceeds from this outing will benefit the operation of Ohio AAA Blue Jackets to reduce costs for all families and the program's scholarship fund for players in need.

HAVE AN IDEA?

We are always looking for ways to help reduce costs. If you have an idea on a team specific or all-program fundraiser, please contact Nick Petraglia (npetraglia@aaabluejackets.com)

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