Why is fun being taken from baseball?

When did we start taking the fun out of baseball and start making it a business? I was really disappointed at the beginning of the season when I found out that if my son doesn't sell Yuma Boys Baseball League raffle tickets, his team would not be allowed to participate in the playoffs.
 
We received a letter when we were given the yearly raffle tickets stating that if each team didn't sell 75 percent of their raffle tickets, they would not go to the playoffs. On top of that, during one of my son's games, a YBBL board member got on the PA system and advised all of the parents and kids that if they didn't sell 100 percent of their tickets, they were not going to the playoffs. That was real professional. 
 
I would like to know where the $55 entrance fee is going. If that doesn't cover the cost to play in the playoffs, maybe we need to raise the fee by a few bucks. I know YBBL is paying a minimal fee to use the fields. I believe each team has a sponsor that more than covers the cost of uniforms. So why do we have to make threats to the kids and parents about selling raffle tickets? What does the raffle ticket money pay for?
 
Nowhere on my registration form did it say we were required to sell 75 or 100 percent of our raffle tickets - selling the raffle tickets has always been optional. Why did this change?
 
Maybe YBBL should look at other alternatives to raising money so we don't have to make threats to the little kids. Let's play ball and have some fun.


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DANIEL J. OTT
Yuma