World 14.1 Fans: Tickets Now on Sale Online w/ Bonus DVD Gift!

[koreandragon]

70709

VIP TICKET PACKAGE FOR WORLD 14.1 CHAMPIONSHIPS
Includes 5 Disc DVD set of 2005 World 14.1 Championshps (Valued at $130) FREE

Total Value at $555 NOW ONLY $380
buy now at www.dragonpromotions.com
*Tickets can be picked up starting 30 minutes prior to the 1st match of each day at the venue

August 25 - August 30, 2008
Package includes passes to all sessions including the semi/finals
If bought separately you would pay: $425
This package offers a DISCOUNT of: $45
Single session tickets will be sold at the event
2 session per day at $35 per session
Semi/Finals $60



GENERAL TICKET PACKAGE FOR WORLD 14.1 CHAMPIONSHIPS
Includes 3 Disc DVD of 2005 World 14.1 Championships (Valued at $75) FREE

Total Value at $380 NOW ONLY $270

buy now at www.dragonpromotions.com
*Tickets can be picked up starting 30 minutes prior to the 1st match of each day at the venue

August 25- August 30, 2008
Package includes passes to all sessions including the semi/finals
If bought separately you would pay: $305
This package offers a DISCOUNT of: $35

Single session tickets will be sold at the event
2 session per day at $25 per session
Semi/Finals $35



ACCOMMODATION
Room Rate $105
*Group Code "DRAGON"

Hilton East Brunswick
3 Tower Center BLVD
East Brunswick, NJ USA 08816
1-732-828-2000
For reservations: 1-800-HILTONS



AIRPORT INFORMATION
Newark International Airport (30 Min)
JFK International Airport (45 min)



Aug 24-30, 2008 at Hilton ,East Brunswick NJ
Hotel Rates for Players : $105 per night
Call 1-800-HILTONS or goto www.hilton.com
Discount Code for Rooms: "Dragon"
Direct Line: 1 (732) 828-2000
3 Tower Center Boulevard
East Brunswick, NJ 08816

70709

[mullyman]

DAMMIT!!!! I may have to break the bank and fly over to see this. If I don't make it this year I will definitely be there next year.
MULLY

[3andstop]

Is there a list of any confirmed players yet?

[koreandragon]

we'll have a confirmed list soon

[dmgwalsh]

OK. I just bought my tickets.

Lots of matches to see.

[3andstop]

we'll have a confirmed list soon

Ok, ok, well let us know ASAP at least who some or most of the players are.

I have my room already booked, but I'm holding off on buying the tickets until I know who is playing.

If my cousin Agnes Kremshaw or my neighbor Filbert Dinglebarf are the star players, I'll be canceling the room, but I know the tickets aren't refundable.

Thanks ... :wave3:

[bluepepper]

Here's the thread with names from that other forum. I think they call it "main forum." I don't understand the name of that. This is the main forum isn't it?

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=108931

[metallicane]

What time do the first matches start on the 25th? What time does Sigel play his first match? I am driving up from Baltimore and need to figure out when to leave.

[dmgwalsh]

What time do the first matches start on the 25th? What time does Sigel play his first match? I am driving up from Baltimore and need to figure out when to leave.


Schedule of games here, but no names yet. They probably need to do 8 flights of 8 and then schedule the matches.

http://www.dragonpromotions.com/2008matchschedule141.html

[bluepepper]

Thanks Dennis. With all that's going on the first day, I'll plan on making it that day at the very least. I guess everyone plays that day? Do they play 2 times each day of 3 days in the round robin? I don't know how these events work.

[metallicane]

Thanks Dennis, I will get there the first day as well.

[Marop]

Thanks Dennis. With all that's going on the first day, I'll plan on making it that day at the very least. I guess everyone plays that day? Do they play 2 times each day of 3 days in the round robin? I don't know how these events work.

Everybody will play at least twice the first day, some will play 3 times. 7 matches have to be played in 3 days by all participants.

[bluepepper]

Thanks Bill.

[dmgwalsh]

Thanks Dennis, I will get there the first day as well.


Thanks Dennis. With all that's going on the first day, I'll plan on making it that day at the very least. I guess everyone plays that day? Do they play 2 times each day of 3 days in the round robin? I don't know how these events work.
__________________
Jeff

See you guys there. :)

[dmgwalsh]

Anybody hear anything about whether it is going and who are invited?

[Vahmurka]

what about the DVDs only? Where can I see which matches are featured, and probably buy some?

[selftaut]

Anybody hear anything about whether it is going and who are invited?

Charlie told players a couple weeks ago in Vegas that "he is still trying", meaning still looking for a sponsor.

[Steve Lipsky]

Charlie told players a couple weeks ago in Vegas that "he is still trying", meaning still looking for a sponsor.

I am surprised how sponsors can be easily lined up for 9 ball tournaments but not for this straight pool tournament.

An international field, full dress tuxedos, a nice venue, enough play via the round robin to guarantee that the world's best will show up, and a title that every self-respecting player in the game would truly covet.

Is it just that this one costs more? Or they have trouble getting the same level of sponsorship? I really can't understand it.

- Steve

[dmgwalsh]

what about the DVDs only? Where can I see which matches are featured, and probably buy some?
If you are talking about 2008, no videos were officially taken. Some guys had camcorders but I don't know where any of that video is.

Wei, the cue table guy, recorded a few matches, including the finals but he isn't doing anything with them and won't answer questions about them.

The dvds from the 2006 matches are out there. Do a google search for them.

[selftaut]

I am surprised how sponsors can be easily lined up for 9 ball tournaments but not for this straight pool tournament.

An international field, full dress tuxedos, a nice venue, enough play via the round robin to guarantee that the world's best will show up, and a title that every self-respecting player in the game would truly covet.

Is it just that this one costs more? Or they have trouble getting the same level of sponsorship? I really can't understand it.

- Steve

Steve, I agree with all you stated. As you say about the level of sponsorship, in order for it to be sanctioned by the WPA as a world title it has to have 20 or 25k added, can't remember which. Then there is all the other expenses involved that need sponsorship to be covered, probably in the 50k range cash sponsorship. It has taken 1 large sponsor (25k) along with several smaller sponsors in the past.

We can only hope Dragon puts them together, but here we are heading into june and the scheduled event is listed as Aug. 24th..

Kev

[Chris_Lynch]

Do you think we could get 10 people from the forum to put in $2500 a piece to make this event happen?

I am afraid that the tournament will die if it doesn't happen this year.

[timm]

I guess Fedak and Shapiro are not in this year?

[CreeDo]

I hope it keeps going. I could barely afford to sweat it.

I think it has trouble with sponsorship because of image issues. It looks like grampa's dying hobby instead of a highly competitive matchup between hot young players. I'm sure the sponsors envision the stands about 2/3rds empty and the rest of the spectators are snoozing geriatrics. The poster from last year doesn't help, they need to put jasmin and toasti on it, not willie or whoever I'm looking at.

They could make a buck selling these mystery DVD's that for some reason are a big problem to produce. I know people want to buy them. I saw the '06 dvd's and they were great, they'd be worth paying for. The fact that 08 isn't available due to... I dunno. General incompetence? legal/copyright concerns? ...that's lame. Give me a link to click on and I'll get out my wallet. CW should get on top of the DVD's, they're more important than the ticket sales.

[Blackjack]

I hope it keeps going. I could barely afford to sweat it.

I think it has trouble with sponsorship because of image issues. It looks like grampa's dying hobby instead of a highly competitive matchup between hot young players. I'm sure the sponsors envision the stands about 2/3rds empty and the rest of the spectators are snoozing geriatrics. The poster from last year doesn't help, they need to put jasmin and toasti on it, not willie or whoever I'm looking at.

They could make a buck selling these mystery DVD's that for some reason are a big problem to produce. I know people want to buy them. I saw the '06 dvd's and they were great, they'd be worth paying for. The fact that 08 isn't available due to... I dunno. General incompetence? legal/copyright concerns? ...that's lame. Give me a link to click on and I'll get out my wallet. CW should get on top of the DVD's, they're more important than the ticket sales.

The DVD's should not be a problem to produce. I have offered to do the dvd's in the past at no cost to DP - with a video camera and amateurish post production. The die-hards just want to watch good 14.1 - and my offer still stands.

As far as sponsor's go, this tournament is a hard sell. If you talk to the players, this is one of the most prestigious titles out there. As a community we can make this happen. I don't have $2500 to toss out there, but I will do whatever I can to keep this alive.

[Steve Lipsky]

I hope it keeps going. I could barely afford to sweat it.

I think it has trouble with sponsorship because of image issues. It looks like grampa's dying hobby instead of a highly competitive matchup between hot young players. I'm sure the sponsors envision the stands about 2/3rds empty and the rest of the spectators are snoozing geriatrics. The poster from last year doesn't help, they need to put jasmin and toasti on it, not willie or whoever I'm looking at.

They could make a buck selling these mystery DVD's that for some reason are a big problem to produce. I know people want to buy them. I saw the '06 dvd's and they were great, they'd be worth paying for. The fact that 08 isn't available due to... I dunno. General incompetence? legal/copyright concerns? ...that's lame. Give me a link to click on and I'll get out my wallet. CW should get on top of the DVD's, they're more important than the ticket sales.

Creedo,

I think you make some good points and miss on others. The stands might have been 2/3 empty, but that's because of the lack of promotion given to this tournament. Grampa's dying hobby? These days, straight pool is practically the new kid on the block.

The tournament takes place in the northeast, and really, if you want to fill an arena in this area you're going to do it with straight pool. Actually, I'll amend that and say you'll have an equal shot filling it with straight pool or rotation.

Geriatric geezers? It sounds like you've not been at this tournament, because that's simply not the demographic who's been showing up.

However, I'll agree with you that if the sponsors think this is the case, then perception is reality. Charlie simply has to work harder to change that. I agree that the posters, while paying homage to yesteryear's champions, could be re-worked. But even more important, they have to be distributed! Lots of people from my area didn't even know this tournament was going on until about a week before it started last year.

I also agree about the DVDs. I heard the prices they were bandying about for how much this stuff costs, and I'm not convinced. It could be done cheaper. It would look a little cheaper, but hey, as the great Donald Rumsfeld once said, you go to war with the army you have, not the army you want. Buy a hi-def camera, a tripod, and make it work.

I'm not sure who the sponsors of "regular" tournaments are, and why they think their products won't sell to this crowd. It's really the same crowd, just a little smarter ;).

- Steve

[stevekur1]

Stevie,

Congrats on you entrance into the Worlds, i am really try to make it there this year.

Cant wait to watch you play in that grand arena, always knew you had it in you!

With everything that has happened with me this year, playing in a qualifier wasnt high on my list. Well it was but i just couldnt.

Lots a Luck to ya !
Steve

and i really hope the DVD thing happens, it really doesnt cost that much. hell you can even rent the equipment if you had too.

[CreeDo]

Steve: I wasn't speaking clearly, my bad.... I was staring at this poster of a thousand year old man doing a shot you never ever see in straight pool when I said it "looks like grampa's dying hobby". It IS a sport that's being played by hot young players but they're making it look as un-sexy as possible (in this poster at least).

I definitely know young people are playing it, I'm one of them :)

I'm in the northeast and I think you'd need to hold it at or near amsterdam billiards to fill the stands. I don't wanna say they're the last bastion of straight pool... maybe I'll just say they're the current mecca of straight pool.

[Vahmurka]

The DVD's should not be a problem to produce. I have offered to do the dvd's in the past at no cost to DP - with a video camera and amateurish post production. The die-hards just want to watch good 14.1 - and my offer still stands.seems they couldn't care less. Talk about competence here.

If you are talking about 2008, no videos were officially taken.
The dvds from the 2006 matches are out there.thanks Dennis, I missed "2005" part on my first read, thought this was some fresh stuff. How wrong I was.

[ForumGhost516]

I understand the marketing ploy using the games greatest player to promote what could easily be called one of the if not the greatest tournament of its kind. I know the euro title is coveted but I think this one is even larger because it is on a world sized scale.

When you have people like blackjack out there who are willing to do DVD's for no cost to DP you have to ask where the mentality is on this by both Charlie Williams and the people in charge of this event. I am not speaking negatively about them in general I know there is some drama with Charlie lately but I am speaking only about this one item. The dvd's should be a top priority especially when someone is offering to do it for free. Im sure if DP could have some say in the production, imaging, and manner as to shooting all would go well. Perhaps it is stubbornness on some people's parts. If they went up for sale give me a link to click which was stated before I know but it holds true for me also.

As for the demographic I have written a little while back that Straight Pool is making a come back and experiencing a renaissance. Perhaps not as big as nine ball or ten ball but still a return has been made to the lime light by Grandpa's dying hobby I believe it was called.

I look forward to this event and hope it does well. If Charlie and the DP team can find sponsors I think it has a shot to continue for years to come. I agree with the imaging though players in full dress and women as beautiful as Jasmin and others. Pool is a tough game to justify sponsoring in any arena whether its nine ball or other. Whether it be from the stigma of the hustler who knows but if Speed Pool can make it big who knows what can happen next.

Charlie

[big_wave_dav]

2008? Looks like we kinda missed the boat on this one...lol

[juggler314]

Do you think we could get 10 people from the forum to put in $2500 a piece to make this event happen?

I am afraid that the tournament will die if it doesn't happen this year.

I think you'd have people jumping at the chance to get involved if it were being run by another promoter.

You've got people that play at ABC that are or have worked as professional event promoters. You've got a fair number of people that have cash to spare (it's manhattan...people have money). You've got people that willing to tape and stream events pretty much for free.

There's one reason this tournament has not gone well in years past, just search my prior posts on this subject to find out more.

It's sad really, getting this event up and running would not really be that hard - now that it's 2 months out it's vastly more difficult than it would be if it were 6 months out.

It's equally sad that I *****ed about this problem 2 years ago, and nothing came of it, last year I *****ed again and pointed to my posts from the prior year and here we are in year 3...

Every year we have to wait until the summer to even find out if the event is happening...

Post from 2007: http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=67845

Post from 2008 (part of the live streaming thread): http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=111225 (note that the streaming links do not work - but I do still have the footage:))

[juggler314]

When you have people like blackjack out there who are willing to do DVD's for no cost to DP you have to ask where the mentality is on this by both Charlie Williams and the people in charge of this event. I am not speaking negatively about them in general I know there is some drama with Charlie lately but I am speaking only about this one item. The dvd's should be a top priority especially when someone is offering to do it for free. Im sure if DP could have some say in the production, imaging, and manner as to shooting all would go well. Perhaps it is stubbornness on some people's parts. If they went up for sale give me a link to click which was stated before I know but it holds true for me also.
Charlie

It's not that there aren't people willing to do this stuff for free. It's that the promoters, generally, hope to at some point make some money off of their property. That means monetizing these things (DVD's, tickets, sponsorships, live streaming). Sometimes people are reluctant to just do things for free if they think at some point they'll be able to profit from it.

I offered to get involved on the streaming side, do what I can. Gave them my card after they requested that I stop streaming live...never heard from them. So here you have a local guy, who works for a web streaming company offering to help/work with them to make this a reality. No contact. This speaks volumes...

[dmgwalsh]

I think you'd have people jumping at the chance to get involved if it were being run by another promoter.

You've got people that play at ABC that are or have worked as professional event promoters. You've got a fair number of people that have cash to spare (it's manhattan...people have money). You've got people that willing to tape and stream events pretty much for free.

There's one reason this tournament has not gone well in years past, just search my prior posts on this subject to find out more.

It's sad really, getting this event up and running would not really be that hard - now that it's 2 months out it's vastly more difficult than it would be if it were 6 months out.

It's equally sad that I *****ed about this problem 2 years ago, and nothing came of it, last year I *****ed again and pointed to my posts from the prior year and here we are in year 3...

Every year we have to wait until the summer to even find out if the event is happening...

Post from 2007: http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=67845

Post from 2008 (part of the live streaming thread): http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=111225 (note that the streaming links do not work - but I do still have the footage:))
Which reminds me...
I asked you if the footage was in any way available last year. Is it?

Do you know what Wei did with the matches he filmed? Has anyone been able to see them?

[juggler314]

Which reminds me...
I asked you if the footage was in any way available last year. Is it?

Do you know what Wei did with the matches he filmed? Has anyone been able to see them?

I can make it available again, I was a bit reluctant to toss it around last year since DP made a big deal about it, but technically they didn't post any notice about not videotaping and only after that did they say no tripods.

I'll have to upload it somewhere...I'll work on it this week. Unfortunately I didn't tape the best ones, and the quality isn't great since I was using a crappy camcorder I returned the next day:) I believe it was Bustamante vs. See (and that was only taped at 320x240) and Ouschan vs Souquet. But I'll have to double check.

[dmgwalsh]

I can make it available again, I was a bit reluctant to toss it around last year since DP made a big deal about it, but technically they didn't post any notice about not videotaping and only after that did they say no tripods.

I'll have to upload it somewhere...I'll work on it this week. Unfortunately I didn't tape the best ones, and the quality isn't great since I was using a crappy camcorder I returned the next day:) I believe it was Bustamante vs. See (and that was only taped at 320x240) and Ouschan vs Souquet. But I'll have to double check.

Cool. I was there and knew you were doing it. Kudos to you. A guy I knew was texting me from Chicago telling me he was watching it.

I wonder what Wei will do with his footage.

[juggler314]

Cool. I was there and knew you were doing it. Kudos to you. A guy I knew was texting me from Chicago telling me he was watching it.

I wonder what Wei will do with his footage.

Wei is probably more bound to not do anything with it without permission since he was asked to film it...if you want to get technical I guess it depends on if anything was written or if they compensated him.

If the place could upgrade (even temporarily) to a better internet connection you could stream out of there, but the upload speed was atrocious...

I have to find where I have the footage, it's on a hard drive somewhere, hopefully not to hard to find...