bonus ball is the real deal
- Thread starter lee brett
- Start date
Barry, thank you for giving us some information about your project. I certainly agree that the world owes no one an income because of their skill in playing pool.
It will be interesting to learn about Bonus Ball and to see how well it is accepted by players and others.
Could you give us a little background information, as it relates to both pool and other business, about yourself and Larry Chiborak?
I will tell you that Larry has owned and ran many different billiard businesses in the past. He first designed this game many, many years ago. It was enjoyed by many amateur players playing out of Larry's pool venues. He always had it played with purple and orange balls with a yellow Bonus Ball.
Due to his development of an upscale pool venue, he put the game into a holding pattern because launching a new game before the web era was impossible.
This is were I came in. He first introduced me to the game I instantly saw the greatness of this game. I was getting bored with Eight Ball and was looking at other games including Snooker. What I saw in his game was it had both Snooker and Pool in it. I actually didn't realize that it also had a lot of rotation games, one-pocket and straight pool in it as well. (Those games were foreign to me.) It was love at first site. To make a long story short, Larry and I both retired from our careers to pursue putting this game on the map. After two years of teaching amateur players one by one, we clearly saw we needed to have the professional players playing this game before we would get any acceptance from amateur players.
The professional players were quick to see this game was for real but they also pointed out some flaws in the game that were fine tuned by Archer, Appleton, Erik Hjorleifson and other players. Adding a time clock and shot clock came about by ridiculously slow play by our amateur players in a local tournament. It was probably the best thing we ever did. Suddenly players went on the offense and this made the game much more exciting. The defensive players fell to the way side as the offensive players now rose to the top. Quick thinkers and fast shooters left the boring defensive players in the dust! Of course some defense is still needed but now making your points before the time clock ran out was the way to win this game.
That long journey brings us to today. Larry has set his focus on the WPBL professional league and has taken many steps forward to reaching that goal. I have been behind him all the way and I certainly hope that it succeeds. He's the money man and president of this venture and I really hope it turns out well for him and the investors. In the mean time, I continue to work with him to a common goal, making a pool game that is entertaining to the player as well as the fan! The game is playing flawless now and I doubt that it can get much better. It combines the speed of pool and the strategy of all the best skill games like one-pocket and Snooker. Add the time clock for tournaments, league play and of course the WPBL and I think people will enjoy this game for more than just playing. Being a Canadian, I will enjoy watching the Toronto franchise playing against the other great teams in a structure league format. I think it will be fun to watch and interesting to follow your favorite player.
I hope this gives you a little more insight. You can also read all about our history at www.playbonusball.com and watch for our ads on AZBILLIARDS as we get closer to launching the professional league! I personally want to thank Johnny Archer for all that he has done for us. The man is a legend to this sport and deserves much more recognition than he receives.
Barry Bremner
World Wide Sport of Billiards
Due to his development of an upscale pool venue, he put the game into a holding pattern because launching a new game before the web era was impossible.
This is were I came in. He first introduced me to the game I instantly saw the greatness of this game. I was getting bored with Eight Ball and was looking at other games including Snooker. What I saw in his game was it had both Snooker and Pool in it. I actually didn't realize that it also had a lot of rotation games, one-pocket and straight pool in it as well. (Those games were foreign to me.) It was love at first site. To make a long story short, Larry and I both retired from our careers to pursue putting this game on the map. After two years of teaching amateur players one by one, we clearly saw we needed to have the professional players playing this game before we would get any acceptance from amateur players.
The professional players were quick to see this game was for real but they also pointed out some flaws in the game that were fine tuned by Archer, Appleton, Erik Hjorleifson and other players. Adding a time clock and shot clock came about by ridiculously slow play by our amateur players in a local tournament. It was probably the best thing we ever did. Suddenly players went on the offense and this made the game much more exciting. The defensive players fell to the way side as the offensive players now rose to the top. Quick thinkers and fast shooters left the boring defensive players in the dust! Of course some defense is still needed but now making your points before the time clock ran out was the way to win this game.
That long journey brings us to today. Larry has set his focus on the WPBL professional league and has taken many steps forward to reaching that goal. I have been behind him all the way and I certainly hope that it succeeds. He's the money man and president of this venture and I really hope it turns out well for him and the investors. In the mean time, I continue to work with him to a common goal, making a pool game that is entertaining to the player as well as the fan! The game is playing flawless now and I doubt that it can get much better. It combines the speed of pool and the strategy of all the best skill games like one-pocket and Snooker. Add the time clock for tournaments, league play and of course the WPBL and I think people will enjoy this game for more than just playing. Being a Canadian, I will enjoy watching the Toronto franchise playing against the other great teams in a structure league format. I think it will be fun to watch and interesting to follow your favorite player.
I hope this gives you a little more insight. You can also read all about our history at www.playbonusball.com and watch for our ads on AZBILLIARDS as we get closer to launching the professional league! I personally want to thank Johnny Archer for all that he has done for us. The man is a legend to this sport and deserves much more recognition than he receives.
Barry Bremner
World Wide Sport of Billiards
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Thanks for the background story. This should be interesting. I have to admit that I was a bit curious by what you said here:
What makes you think amateur players care what the pros are playing? When you consider that the amateurs have been playing mostly 8 ball for the past 30 years and the pros have been playing 9 ball (and now 10 ball), it seems like you might have this backwards. Maybe and hopefully not.
I'm interested to see where this is headed. I like the idea of the team format, especially if the teams are based on geography. This would make it much easier for the players involved to reach out to their local amateurs in hopes that they could develop a fan base. I think that idea definitely has some legs.
Best of luck. I will be paying attention for sure.
What makes you think amateur players care what the pros are playing? When you consider that the amateurs have been playing mostly 8 ball for the past 30 years and the pros have been playing 9 ball (and now 10 ball), it seems like you might have this backwards. Maybe and hopefully not.
I'm interested to see where this is headed. I like the idea of the team format, especially if the teams are based on geography. This would make it much easier for the players involved to reach out to their local amateurs in hopes that they could develop a fan base. I think that idea definitely has some legs.
Best of luck. I will be paying attention for sure.
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TheThaiger
Banned
Good to hear. Changing the mentality of the herd is the hardest thing to do, even when they are stampeding over a cliff.
Tell me, have you any plans to launch Bonus Ball in the UK/Europe/the rest of the world?
Why do we care about what the amateur cares if the professional players are playing this game? I guess our first question always asked was if this is such a great game...why are the pro's not playing it? We had so many players in Winnipeg that laughed at us, refused to try and play Bonus Ball because it seemed easier to diss the game than stand up for the merits of the game. Still today we have people attacking the game, without merit, and we decided to answer the question of why the pro's aren't playing the game.
Now that it is not a question any more that the professionals do see merit in the game, we find it so much easier to have them tell you than myself tell you it is a great game. I am an amateur player and I did like watching top players playing any game. They did interest me. So I assumed that most players would enjoy following a professional league. I could be totally wrong about that but I have been willing to pursue this thought! Nothing ventured, nothing gained!
I am a very positive and focused promoter. I have promoted car racing in the past and I always put entertaining my fans first and foremost. That is priority number one! The racers did not always agree with me, especially old school racers that did not want change. Some stuck their noses up in the air at me but all came back to entertain my fans. Fans pay the way and without fans, you have nothing.
As far as expansion to other countries, of course we would like to see others pick-up and follow our footsteps. In other words, we don't have any plans to do more than make this a successful professional league but will entertain any offers to help expand this game. I hope this answers your questions.
Barry Bremner
World Wide Sport of Billiards
Now that it is not a question any more that the professionals do see merit in the game, we find it so much easier to have them tell you than myself tell you it is a great game. I am an amateur player and I did like watching top players playing any game. They did interest me. So I assumed that most players would enjoy following a professional league. I could be totally wrong about that but I have been willing to pursue this thought! Nothing ventured, nothing gained!
I am a very positive and focused promoter. I have promoted car racing in the past and I always put entertaining my fans first and foremost. That is priority number one! The racers did not always agree with me, especially old school racers that did not want change. Some stuck their noses up in the air at me but all came back to entertain my fans. Fans pay the way and without fans, you have nothing.
As far as expansion to other countries, of course we would like to see others pick-up and follow our footsteps. In other words, we don't have any plans to do more than make this a successful professional league but will entertain any offers to help expand this game. I hope this answers your questions.
Barry Bremner
World Wide Sport of Billiards
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Who will be permitted to play in this league? Will it be exclusive to your own stable of players or can anyone join in? Since it doesn't exist yet this is all hypothetical, but I am sure many have had the same thoughts.
If you remember the IPT had a lot of public interest and players interested in getting involved, especially if there was money to be made. Of course the IPT screwed up everything they were doing, but they did prove one thing, "If you build it they will come".
I think most pro players would play anything if there was some money to be made. They were climbing over themselves to get on the IPT list. In other words, who will be qualified to join the leagues? Lets face it, pool have proven it is a lot more fun to play then watch.
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They say it incorporates the best aspects of 8-ball, 9-ball, and 14.1 but it resembles snooker more than any of those.
more proof
As I believe that I once mentioned, and oh how I feel that it is coming thru.
before ever being able to land it's feet on the ground we once again see where the real cause of pool being held back in this country is coming from. It is YOU, the people who put their negative and illiterate on anything that you hold the slightess off-set about. YOU, who criticize any effort that someone puts forth "with their own, money, time and effort" (no thanks to you) in an attempt to do something for this sport that YOU all claim to looooooove so much, but yet you shoot them down before every even seeing what there effort produce, how can you expect anyone to "want" to do something with this sport when it's "so called" biggest fans don't even support it's allies. Sure there has been some failed or even bad attempts in the past, but we will never know what's "THE ONE" till it comes out.
For the love of god, it's not even your money to lose. You stand (sorry, sit) there and say " oh TAR is so great, look what they have done for pool" but I ask again, what have they? you speak of support one another and if BONUS BALL will do that for another, well what other have they supported. Now don't get me wrong, and as another have mentioned, I too have purchased TAR matchs, but that's because they offer a product that I want, but seriously have have YOU done.
(1) Do you watch snooker or would you if it were on TV in the states, would you buy a PPV? not even if TAR was putting it on, you jerks.
Someone mentioned that "pool is boring" we so is golf to watch, and even baseball to many others but that doesn't stop it, now does it.
There is a huge viewing public in european contries that support pool and this shows true at the Mosconi Cup, maybe the first question should be well what are they doing that the US ain't.
I can go on and on about the people that are so quick to open their A$$ and not there ears (you early poster who shot down a mans attemp, and in the same statement say you don't understand the game) but I have truely grown tired of you.
I wish the absolute best to BONUS BALL, MATCH ROOM, OTR, InsidePool, TAR and all the other and their staff who give their time, energy and money to bring to us the viewing pleasure of a sport that FOREVER (hopefully not so, right Barry) will be unrecognized as a great sport thanks to ....
YOU
As I believe that I once mentioned, and oh how I feel that it is coming thru.
before ever being able to land it's feet on the ground we once again see where the real cause of pool being held back in this country is coming from. It is YOU, the people who put their negative and illiterate on anything that you hold the slightess off-set about. YOU, who criticize any effort that someone puts forth "with their own, money, time and effort" (no thanks to you) in an attempt to do something for this sport that YOU all claim to looooooove so much, but yet you shoot them down before every even seeing what there effort produce, how can you expect anyone to "want" to do something with this sport when it's "so called" biggest fans don't even support it's allies. Sure there has been some failed or even bad attempts in the past, but we will never know what's "THE ONE" till it comes out.
For the love of god, it's not even your money to lose. You stand (sorry, sit) there and say " oh TAR is so great, look what they have done for pool" but I ask again, what have they? you speak of support one another and if BONUS BALL will do that for another, well what other have they supported. Now don't get me wrong, and as another have mentioned, I too have purchased TAR matchs, but that's because they offer a product that I want, but seriously have have YOU done.
(1) Do you watch snooker or would you if it were on TV in the states, would you buy a PPV? not even if TAR was putting it on, you jerks.
Someone mentioned that "pool is boring" we so is golf to watch, and even baseball to many others but that doesn't stop it, now does it.
There is a huge viewing public in european contries that support pool and this shows true at the Mosconi Cup, maybe the first question should be well what are they doing that the US ain't.
I can go on and on about the people that are so quick to open their A$$ and not there ears (you early poster who shot down a mans attemp, and in the same statement say you don't understand the game) but I have truely grown tired of you.
I wish the absolute best to BONUS BALL, MATCH ROOM, OTR, InsidePool, TAR and all the other and their staff who give their time, energy and money to bring to us the viewing pleasure of a sport that FOREVER (hopefully not so, right Barry) will be unrecognized as a great sport thanks to ....
YOU
Rotation? As in purple, orange, black? But the essence of rotation is that there is only one ball that must be shot next, not four. You could say that the bonus ball is only one ball that must be shot next but it will almost always be spotted in ideal position in the middle of the table which undermines it's resemblance to a rotation game.
It's a simplified snooker-like game on a table with un-snookered pockets.
Even if this is wildly successful I think it will be wildly successful as a game separate and different from pool. It won't be an intermediate step to traditional pool. People who enjoy a simple, banger game will stay right there and the players with more innate ability and desire for a more complex game will step right over it.
To my knowledge, 14.1, 8-ball, 9-ball, 10-ball, and one pocket didn't achieve their popularity by being promoted by someone with a commercial interest in them. They were spontaneously attractive to players.
And, they certainly didn't achieve their popularity by someone condemning players themselves of older, more traditional games as what was 'wrong' with billiards.
Well,
til now i haven t spent too much time to have a closer look (rules etc. )- but it s a great idea and the promo seems to be good.
At least we shouldn t forget that the pool scene needs always a big fundament.
The professionals are living from the big wide amateur-scene. Without the amateurs and *railbirds/watchers* they re nothing (this is not negativley meant !
). So if the promo event will be successfully (what i really really hope) the next step must be, that the intermediate players, the leagues etc. must be involved- they have to get infected by the game.
The game itself sounds interesting and im really looking forward for the complete rules to get a closer look and understand *perfectly*
good luck with this great idea.
til now i haven t spent too much time to have a closer look (rules etc. )- but it s a great idea and the promo seems to be good.
At least we shouldn t forget that the pool scene needs always a big fundament.
The professionals are living from the big wide amateur-scene. Without the amateurs and *railbirds/watchers* they re nothing (this is not negativley meant !
). So if the promo event will be successfully (what i really really hope) the next step must be, that the intermediate players, the leagues etc. must be involved- they have to get infected by the game. The game itself sounds interesting and im really looking forward for the complete rules to get a closer look and understand *perfectly*
good luck with this great idea.
It's all right man. Deep breaths....it's just the internets.
The same YOU's that you are talking about are the reason we even have what we have today (while everyone says it sucks I assure you there are many games and sports that would look at pool and say "Those guys make the big bucks"). Sure some people are negative but I prefer someone who has any type of opinion over the entire rest of the world who could care less about pro pool in any form.
Anyone who thinks they are not going to see negative or contrary things in a setting like this just doesn't understand how forums work. Flipping out about it doesnt help anything. I know. I do it a few times a year myself.
For those of you who assume the game is for 'bangers', just wait till you try the updated rule set. In over a week of filming, to my knowledge only 2 perfect racks were run. This game will eat 98% of the forum players up and spit them out. Unlike rotation, this game brings out the stronger players, and humbles the weak.
EDIT. Here's a related thread with more pictures showing behind the scenes during production of the pilot episode.
EDIT. Here's a related thread with more pictures showing behind the scenes during production of the pilot episode.
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Pros
I think having a league with Pros playing gives the game substance. Imagine for a moment you are bored sitting at home on a rainy day and you search youtube for SVB. Boom, a few matches pop up with other notable pros and they are playing Bonus Ball. You are curious. What do you do? You watch, then you watch more. Then you ask questions. Then you want to try it. It all starts with the Pros.
Remember youtube is the second largest search engine!!!!
Being as close as we are to Winnipeg, you should have brought it to Fargo Billiards for us to try.
Good Luck!:thumbup:
I think having a league with Pros playing gives the game substance. Imagine for a moment you are bored sitting at home on a rainy day and you search youtube for SVB. Boom, a few matches pop up with other notable pros and they are playing Bonus Ball. You are curious. What do you do? You watch, then you watch more. Then you ask questions. Then you want to try it. It all starts with the Pros.
Remember youtube is the second largest search engine!!!!
Being as close as we are to Winnipeg, you should have brought it to Fargo Billiards for us to try.
Good Luck!:thumbup:
Speed pool is harder and twice as cool. Ask Luc Salvas.
I was at the Fargo Billiards Winter Shoot Out and I had a big audience of curious players while I played Bonus Ball with an opponent. It was an Eight Ball tournament and I don't want to walk in and try promoting this game. I did ask Mike if I could rent a table and play some Bonus Ball. He said no problem. If he would have said no, I would have respected that too. I just may be there for the Summer Shoot-out so maybe I will see you there and good luck!
Duckie has a point, Bonus Ball is just another billiard game. It's the complete concept that I envision will make it worth a look. Once Nathan finishes up the editing and I present it to the billiard community, everyone will have a much better idea what all the excitement is about from the amateurs and the professionals that have played it. Until then, really is anyone truly an expert on how all this will turn out. Hell, I don't really know myself. I do know that everyone I have played this game with has had the same reaction...this game is fun and strategic to play. I'm pushing forward because of that!
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