Membership fees for exclusive clubs?, They won't even let me in the line Options

[danzig138]

On a recent run, one of the old ones, the crew had to meet the Johnson in Matchsticks I think it was, and one of the players asked how much a membership was.

It occurred to me that I have no idea how to price something like that. I don't even know how I would research it. So I was wondering if anyone has come up with some prices, or suggestions, or something. Thanks.

[Xerxos]

Normally non - Club membership and the like is covered under "entertainment" in the advanced lifestyle rules. So if your players have the appropriate lifestyle for the club it should be no problem.

If not, simply let them buy "entertainment" one level higher.

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[Oenone]

The upmarket Casino in the Seattle section of Runner Havens prices a yearly membership at something like 1000 nuyen a year.

So depending on the duration of the membership and the style of the venue you can either assume it's part of lifestyle (for cheaper places like say a standard gym or bar) or charge 500+ nuyen for more expensive (and exclusive) venues.

[Snow_Fox]

right, depending on how much role play you want it can be just covered by your lifestyle or you and the gm can figure out which clubs you want to be a member of and how.

Some places have an office you can just approach and fill out a form-they want to keep out the street crowd, and others, more exclusive want you to be nominated by an existing member, so they let in 'the right sort' and really control membership. You might even get these within public places- think of the back room in Ricks in Casa Blanca or the luxereious back room for the poker game in Casino Royal.

[DV8]

On a recent run, one of the old ones, the crew had to meet the Johnson in Matchsticks I think it was, and one of the players asked how much a membership was.

It occurred to me that I have no idea how to price something like that. I don't even know how I would research it. So I was wondering if anyone has come up with some prices, or suggestions, or something.

Interestingly enough I recently started a new campaign that saw the runners be invited by a fixer to come to Matchstick's for a meeting. The fixer arranged for their memberships as well. To me, a class act like Matchstick's would probably have a membership system where you have to be introduced by an already valued member. Then you get vetted and screened, depending on how reliable your voucher is. I don't know if that's the route you want to take with this, but that's how I treat Matchstick's.

[raben-aas]

In a nutshell: Price them however you like. There are clubs that will charge a couple of hundreds a year, I know of some clubs in Berlin that'll charge members about 5K a year, and I also know that there are clubs that will charge some 100K and will only accept members that are invited by another member.

[Snow_Fox]

right, what kind of club is it? what do they want to say? What are they doing to control access?

My favorite section of the whole James Bond books is early in Moonraker where Bond is invited to M's club for dinner. Flemming details the rules of the club and requirments for membership. It is a place to dine and gamble.

[Blade]

Reminds me of an idea I had for a run (or the beginning of the run at least):
The runner arrive at the bar/club, but it's full/members-only
Runner: "Someone's waiting for us inside."
Bouncer: "I'm sure there is. Some Mr Johnson right? If I had a nuyen for every time I've been told this..."

[Snow_Fox]

We had a run a while back doing guard work for a sim starlet in town for a pr gig. Being the flavor of the month she had to be seen at all the rightp laces and clubs were eager to let her in to be seen for their own reps. Of course her guards were with her.

[kzt]

right, what kind of club is it? what do they want to say? What are they doing to control access?

I'm told the membership fee at the Southern Highlands Golf Club in Las Vegas is $300,000. There are only 360 members and it's by invitation only. This is WAY on the high side, but clubs like this really do exist.

"Limited to a select 360, private golf memberships are awarded by invitation only. Social memberships, also awarded by invitation only, include privileges for Spa Southern Highlands and all social activities."

[Snow_Fox]

I grew up in Larchmont, New York. We actually belonged to the yatch club. I know my parents paid dues but you had to pay extra for everything- tennis, beach, boat moorings, restaurant, bar, etc

However to get in you had to be nominated by an existing member. In NYC there is a local News caster named Ernie Anastos who is an absolute creep- a friend of mine who works at CBS tells stories about him too-well one day Ernie walked up to the front desk at the club and declares he wants to join. The rules are explained to ihm "Sir a member must nominate you."
"But I'm Ernie Anastos!"
"Yes sir, good day sir."

The club was more concerned with keeping their rules and the right sort of people than being dazzled by the local celebrity. On the same Vien Bill Clinton, you might have heard of him, cannot find a golf club in Westchester county that will admitt him. It's not a moral question about Bill's interests, but the secret service requires the course to be closed down if the presidnet plays for security sake. The clubs in westchester are not going to risk offending their regulars by admitting this guy who may have been president, but will hog the facility.

[danzig138]

In a nutshell: Price them however you like. There are clubs that will charge a couple of hundreds a year, I know of some clubs in Berlin that'll charge members about 5K a year, and I also know that there are clubs that will charge some 100K and will only accept members that are invited by another member.

I would price them however I liked, if I had some idea of the pricing involved in these things (it's never come up in my life, I know more about how to fix a car than I do private clubs, and as far as I'm concerned, you fix a car by either getting someone to do it for you, or kicking it with your steel toes). And I have to say, damn. That's quite a range there. But there are some good suggestions in this thread, and I appreciate it. Now I think I have some info I can work with on it. Thanks all.

You could use this sheet (shameless plug (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) )

Keen.