RV clubs

[bruce t]

Just wondering why it is that RV clubs are no longer 'popular'. We joined Escapees way back in 1996. We joined the Australian CMCA back in about 1998. The FMCA back in 1995. Good Sams about the same time. In those days everyone wanted to be in a club. Rallies were so popular you could miss out on getting a site at one.

Now it seems 'clubs', (the definition of a 'club' is a bit loose), are no longer being supported. This forum may well be an indicator of the trend. I see the same handful of folks posting all the time.

I was a director for the Australian CMCA. We had about 100000 members. Now the club has less membership. Everyone wanted to be a member of the CMCA.  I'm lead to believe that the FMCA is also a shadow of it's self. I don't follow Good Sams so I can't tell if they are also shrinking. My guess is that Escapees falls into the same trend.

Yet we now see a HUGE demand for RVs. More RVs on the roads and taking up sites at campgrounds. So why aren't they members of a club? Why aren't the clubs growing?

So thoughts on RV clubs and what has happened? Will RV clubs be around in 10 years?

 

[Ray,IN]

this same phenomenon is happening with social clubs too; ever heard of the(IOOF) Foresters? It was a very large and widespread benevolent social club for men and their families 60 years ago.. IMO younger folks are not as interactive as older folks. There is so much more to do and occupy their time today than in yesteryear.

 

Edited July 21, 2022 by Ray,IN

[sandsys]

The Baby Boomer bulge is decreasing. Different generations do things differently. I suspect a lot of the activity in Escapees today is happening on the Xcapers sites.

Linda

[FULLTIMEWANABE]

Over the years here Bruce (was a long time lurker here in our early years before becoming a member soaking everything up like a newbie sponge) we've seen a lot of the old names sadly disappear for many reasons, and the activity levels on various subjects reduce exponentially unfortunately.  

It seems today it's all about Facebook, Instagram, Youtubers and the likes.   We cut the cable cord  several years ago when it was all about Reality TV = ie; Kardashians, Little People Big World, 19 Kids and counting,Gene Simmons Family Jewels and many many others like "The Real Housewives types" and exponential reruns of old series.  Nowadays it seems that Youtube along similar lines of following a specific RV family/solo/couple etc is the flavour of today.

15 to 20 years ago we had to attend in class with a tutor to keep our current licenses active, now everything is done on our time schedules  online by set deadlines with no other attendee interactions = just you and a screen of mini videos or written text then questions to answer and get right hopefully.   No debate or scenarios shared any more.

Personally we still are ever so grateful for those that do still post in the RV forums and answer various questions and problems others have and learn something else useful from time to time.

Times they are a changin' for sure. 

Edited July 21, 2022 by FULLTIMEWANABE
Fat Thumb corrections!

[D&J]

You have to look at some of the clubs and the way they were run in the past and now in the present and they went from it's about the members to it's all about the money usually after they changed hands or new management.

Denny 

[TXiceman]

It is mostly a new generation of RVers that are intent on doing things their way, and not following any established groups.

In the ham radio community, there is a dying interest in the activity as well as the clubs.  The ability to tie the radios to new modes of communication (such as DMR) and computers along with Bluetooth, a few younger folks have been getting into the hobby.  

We see the same thing on the radio stations that broadcast Oldies or Country Legends.  What I call oldies and Legends is gone and the stations rarely play anything more than 20 years old now. 

Face it, we are a dying breed.

Ken

[2gypsies]

3 hours ago, TXiceman said:

It is mostly a new generation of RVers that are intent on doing things their way, and not following any established groups.

 

Many of the new generation work from their RV via technology available.  They also homeschool their children.  They are starting their RV journey at a much younger age than most of us did.  They are interested in very different activities.  They are moving forward in life with tools available to them.  All things change eventually.  I'm very glad to see the younger folks out there.

[Kirk W]

1 hour ago, 2gypsies said:

All things change eventually.  I'm very glad to see the younger folks out there.

Very true. The Escapees RV Club is growing, according to what I was told and the most rapidly growing part is the X-scapers with is the still working group. Within that group they also have a subgroup for families that is large enough thet they now have a designated area to park together at Escapade, as do X-scapers, Solos, & Boomers. The familiy area has come about because the X-scapers, who they used to be parked with, tend to party a great deal and to also allow the kids to stay near each other as they meet at the Kidscapade area and just like the rest of us, they quickly become friends. Because the SKP number stays with the original member, that really isn't any indication of the number of members but the rate at which the numbers are rising is a big hint. The last number that i have seen for active mailing addresses was 17,000 but that has been quite a while ago. 

There are several reasons that these forums have been less active and I suspect that the main one is that with so many of the new members being much younger than the majority here, many of them are not comfortable joining a group like us which is dominated by people the age of their parents or even in many cases, their grandparents. My son who is an Escapee and who is also very active in the RV internet community rarely comes here and even more rarely posts because he has not felt welcome here, even though he is a member of one of the chapters. He was turned off by the frequency of comments about "weekend warriors" and similar names, to the point that he dropped out of the club for a time but has since rejoined. I suspect also that the way these forums tend to be so dominated by a few or us old timers also turns off a lot of the younger members, but that is only a guess. I felt quite privilaged at the just past Escapade to have been welcomed by many of the younger X-scapers that we happend to be parked near to, but I was also careful not to overstay my welcome. If you were to spend time on the Escapee facebook or the X-scaper section of the website you will find a lot of our newest members. The club is changing with the younger members, just as it did when our group joined and became the majority, the most active and the most involved. The average are of staff for Escapade had been rising for a long time, but it has recently begun to go back down! I was told by a member of staff that the average are of our members has also started to go down with the growth of the club. That is good news for anyone who wishes to the the group continue into the future.

Edited July 21, 2022 by Kirk W
typo

[franco-bolli]

I used to hear a lot about "good SAM chapter" meetings and get togethers. Not so much any more. 

 BUT I am seeing storage facilities jam packed with RV's, so much so that they look like an RV dealers lot. I wonder if posting a flyer on the checkin office wall at local RV Parks for the Escapees would help.  I've often thought of posting  local HAM repeater frequencies on those same office walls.

16 hours ago, Ray,IN said:

ever heard of the(IOOF) Foresters? It was a very large and widespread benevolent social club for men and their families 60 years ago..

The "Odd Fellows" building in our town is now a museum.

 

I'm not as old as I used to be..

[Kirk W]

I believe that Good Sam Club does have rallies but I don't believe that there is a national one any more. I'm not sure how one could learn what RV groups are gaining or losing members. For whatever reasons, I don't believe that any of them publish their numbers.

[bruce t]

I'm sure we can 'blame' the internet. I'm serious. Back in 1996-7 when I joined the Escapees I 'needed' an address. There was no internet as such in them day to find RVing answers. The Escapees and Livingston offered a home base. Now days an internet search will find the answers and lots of options for an address etc. Folks simply don't need clubs to enjoy RVing like we once did. The social aspect has also changed. Being about 'me' is more important than being about the 'group'.

Here in Australia the CMCA was the largest RV club in the southern hemisphere. It catered just for motorhomes and campervans. Much like the FMCA. Plus getting RV insurance was very difficult. The CMCA had its own insurance scheme. So joining became a 'must' just to get your insurance. There were also chapters where folks had 'fun'. Social bonding. Then other insurance companies came along and offered insurance. Tick off those members. Chapters became a liability issue. Tick of chapters. The me generation wanted their 'isolation'. Tick off the younger members.

Add to that the change in regulations. The CMCA worked hard to legalise 'free' camping. Not just for members but for everyone. Now add all the above up and ask "why would you want to be in a club". But there's more. As pointed out above. Clubs, the CMCA included, became more interested in turning a profit. They have lost sight of why they were formed in the first place. When I was a director of the CMCA everything was about the members. Now it's all about lobbying and building up the bank account.

The answer/s? No idea. But clubs need to become relevant again.

[Ray,IN]

Speaking of the Good Sam club, this is from their main webpage; "Join today

See why over 2 million outdoor enthusiasts are Good Sam members!"

If they were to hold a national rally(which they do not) it might occupy an area the size of Delaware.

[whj469]

I am a member of all of those RV Clubs noted above. I have never been to one of those large rallies sponsored by those RV Clubs because I don't want to go where they are held. They are not on my bucket list. I attend the Texas Forest River FROG Rally in Kerrville, TX, the past 8 years. We are limited to 70 sites by Buckhorn Lake Resort and the Rally fee is $100. 

[Fulltimer51]

Can't say that I know first hand as I am not quite that old, but I can see that rv camping has come a long way from what it once was. When it was warm, everyone sat outside or took a walk around the park to see whats new. Much more sociable and connected with each other in person I would say. Then came air conditioning and it's been all down hill since then.

[Twotoes]

All clubs are getting smaller. Elks, Eagles, VFW, Amer Legion etc. as well as RV clubs, Good Sam, FMCA etc.  Everyone is now using the internet to socialize.  Also it's a lot about money. The clubs are in it to make a profit. Members join for the benefits.  Last time I tried to stay at an Elks Lodge they wanted $35 to park in their lot with no hookups when the campground across the street was $45 for full hookup and a pool. I tried to get tires and a new window using FMCA and Escapees discount programs and got a better price going direct thru the seller. Good Sam is mostly only good for a one night 10% discount at a campground. The cost of clubs is going up and the benefits are going down.

[Ray,IN]

15 hours ago, Twotoes said:

All clubs are getting smaller. Elks, Eagles, VFW, Amer Legion etc. as well as RV clubs, Good Sam, FMCA etc.  Everyone is now using the internet to socialize.  Also it's a lot about money. The clubs are in it to make a profit. Members join for the benefits.  Last time I tried to stay at an Elks Lodge they wanted $35 to park in their lot with no hookups when the campground across the street was $45 for full hookup and a pool. I tried to get tires and a new window using FMCA and Escapees discount programs and got a better price going direct thru the seller. Good Sam is mostly only good for a one night 10% discount at a campground. The cost of clubs is going up and the benefits are going down.

Add Happy Campers to your list, as far as I know the only remaining part of that club is the discounts at participating parks.

re: that FMCA tire discount. On their Michelin webpage they used to have a statement to check around with local dealers, as they might have a better deal than the Michelin program. That statement is gone, but the reasoning remains.

 

Like it or not, we old dinosaurs are the history of these RV clubs, the younger generations are the future. All we can do is try to share our storehouse of knowledge and guidance when asked.

[D&J]

15 hours ago, Twotoes said:

All clubs are getting smaller. Elks, Eagles, VFW, Amer Legion etc. as well as RV clubs, Good Sam, FMCA etc.  Everyone is now using the internet to socialize.  Also it's a lot about money. The clubs are in it to make a profit. Members join for the benefits.  Last time I tried to stay at an Elks Lodge they wanted $35 to park in their lot with no hookups when the campground across the street was $45 for full hookup and a pool. I tried to get tires and a new window using FMCA and Escapees discount programs and got a better price going direct thru the seller. Good Sam is mostly only good for a one night 10% discount at a campground. The cost of clubs is going up and the benefits are going down.

The only part of your post I don't agree with is the VFW and America Legion being clubs because they are veteran organization not RV clubs. Yes our membership is dwindling but it's because of no major long wars and no draft so it's all volunteer with service members making it a career not required service like the draft years.

Denny 

[Kirk W]

1 hour ago, Ray,IN said:

Add Happy Campers to your list, as far as I know the only remaining part of that club is the discounts at participating parks.

I was not aware that they ever had a club? I thought that they were just a business, like Passport America?

36 minutes ago, D&J said:

Yes our membership is dwindling but it's because of no major long wars and no draft so it's all volunteer with service members making it a career not required service like the draft years.

That WWII army of 8.5 million existed in a country of about 130 million; by comparison, today we have a military of roughly 1.2 million members in a country of 331.5 million.

[mptjelgin]

1 hour ago, Kirk W said:

I was not aware that they ever had a club? I thought that they were just a business, like Passport America?

From the Happy Campers website: "Happy Camper is a club for RVers and campers of all types.

From the Passport America website: "Passport America is the "Original" & World's Largest 50% Discount Camping Club!"

Anyone can call themselves a club, and most RV "clubs" are essentially businesses. I would include Escapees in that category. 

 

[bigjim]

Some business's are more benevolent towards their customer/ members than others. I have been a member of Escapees for over 25 years. (just got a 25 year pin) I have not participated in nearly as many events as many due to my circumstances and choices but have felt like I have been treated well and benefited well from our association. Not to say there has not been a few things I did not agree with or wish something was done  differently but my if all  goes on as it has in  general I set a goal to get a 50 year pin.  (severe optimism)

[trailertraveler]

On 7/22/2022 at 11:56 PM, Twotoes said:

The cost of clubs is going up and the benefits are going down.

 

On 7/23/2022 at 3:10 PM, Ray,IN said:

Add Happy Campers to your list, as far as I know the only remaining part of that club is the discounts at participating parks.

At one time, Happy Campers had a forum. Passport America gave you an email service and had an online service where you could post a travel blog with photos that you could limit access to friends that you invited.  I believe Escapees offered an email service at one time. Most of the "clubs" have seemed to streamline and monetize their services

[Dutch_12078]

1 hour ago, trailertraveler said:

 

At one time, Happy Campers had a forum. Passport America gave you an email service and had an online service where you could post a travel blog with photos that you could limit access to friends that you invited.  I believe Escapees offered an email service at one time. Most of the "clubs" have seemed to streamline and monetize their services

Passport America has an affiliation with the MyRVmail forwarding service, and the Escapees mail forwarding service is very much alive and well offering addresses in three states.

https://escapees.com/mail-service/

[2gypsies]

The Escapees RV Club began in 1978 - 44 years ago!!!   There's no other Club like it.  It offers much more than it's awesome mail service.  Explore their web site for what they all offer.

https://escapees.com/the-escapees-parks-system-1991-1998/#:~:text=Escapees RV Club was founded,and benefits that members enjoy.

[Dutch_12078]

On 7/21/2022 at 12:04 AM, Ray,IN said:

this same phenomenon is happening with social clubs too; ever heard of the(IOOF) Foresters? It was a very large and widespread benevolent social club for men and their families 60 years ago.. IMO younger folks are not as interactive as older folks. There is so much more to do and occupy their time today than in yesteryear.

 

There's a Foresters chapter located in Gloversville, NY. My wife and I had our 50th anniversary party there eight years ago.

[Chalkie]

On 7/20/2022 at 11:04 PM, Ray,IN said:

this same phenomenon is happening with social clubs too; ever heard of the(IOOF) Foresters?

 

This two different organizations. The IOOF is the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Foresters is the Foresters Friendly Society.