Ever thought of raising your rates? You're losing money in nominal dollars over a long time period.
https://www.successfulindependentconsulting.com/blog/how-and...
https://www.successfulindependentconsulting.com/blog/how-and...
I think one thing is that $100/player is a kind of psychological "anchor" that people understand, and that is easy to negotiate. By the time I receive the offer, the bandleader has already negotiated their fee with the client, and now has a fixed budget.