I don't imagine prizes - or anything else - would make anyone change federations. That's just human nature, you get attached to a particular group, a bunch of people.
But when they're a new lifters deciding which federation to join, prizes will I think be part of what makes them decide where to go.
To be honest, while I think Markos' approach and ideas are very good here, looking at it objectively, having yet another federation pop up has never really helped any sport. Boxing, anyone?
Great point Kyle, and here is my response.
For those of you that dont know, I have been organizing comps since January 2007, well before PTC.
At AD10, I had 40 lifters. At the 2009 CAPO state titles, they had 12. After an unsavoury incident with a rival organization, I threw our support behind CAPO.
I feel that I helped boost there numbers, we had 31 lifters at the 2010 State titles, 16 from PTC.
Now I dont feel as though I am another Fed, I have been doing this for a few years with more success (in terms of lifters) than the other feds, all out of a garage.
At AD10, every single competitor got a prize that was greater in value than the entry fee. I have always been able to get sponsors to support lifters, as well as talk lifters into competing, and not just in Vic.
At this years CAPO Nats, I feel a played a role in some interstate lifters competing, Scott from Qld, Michael and Matt from Qld,Mitch from the NT.
At the WA titles, I convinced Paulie and Alvin to compete.
Now if PTC could get 40 lifters to compete, and none were from CAPO and only 2 from PA, imagine what I could organize now.
I'm pretty confident that I could get more than 40 from PTC now, plus a host of current competing CAPO, plus a bus load of new guys who have started at PTC since, as well as a couple of internationals.
This is simply an extension of the PTC comps I have already been running for 4 years now. I had plenty of disappointed clients when I called off BATB this year. The feedback I get, and its been posted on these boards before, is that the comps I've run at the past were tremendous fun.
Even since joining CAPO, the guys that lifted there still prefer PTC comps. All I'm doing is continuing the tradition, but its gotten too big for my garage, fact.
So I'm going to test the waters, take it up a notch, see if I get the support from sponsors and lifters.
So in reality, I'm not starting a new Fed, just changing the name of one that got too big.
Initially it was CAPO that came to me and asked if I'd bring my lifters to them, late 2009, and I declined, we had more competitors, people shouldnt forget that, CAPO should thank a certain mister from a rival fed for CAPO's growth, for without his involvement, I never would have stopped PTC comps to go lift in CAPO.
So PTC is just the origin of ProRaw, it was around when others werent as prosperous.