Shooters assume that most of the money goes into the ground owner's pocket, and gripe that they are being ripped off. Often they compare the cost of shooting a tournament with the cost of a practice round at their local Fish and Game Association, and swear that the ground owners are making a fortune. The only way to find out is to look at the numbers.
Tournaments are like any other business venture.
They are planned to make a profit. They have budgets, with planned expenditures for materials and labor. They have break even points, loss contingencies, and all of the other things that businesses use to reduce risks and ensure a profit. So let us examine a hypothetical event, based on a recent state championship I entered. These numbers are estimates, not actual costs, but I believe they accurate to within 10 percent.