Why the UPA is Stupid

Sorry that happened to you man. You have done a lot for pool.

Wondering if they "the UPA" have any tv's of their own around. If they do I think one of those tv b gone things would be fun to mess with them. If you haven't seen it, (sorry if you are from Indy and I messed up any of your sports at a BW3) it's a tiny little keychain type thing where you aim it at a tv and it can change the channel, turn off the tv, turn the volume way up or off, etc.

I wouldn't want to bother any players but if they were setting up and doing a sound check or something you could get priceless laughs. Well, like $10


You deserve better, maybe there will be an apology from someone involved.


Best wishes,


JCIN said:
I am a little pissed right now so let me preface this by saying this post is strictly my opinion and has nothing to do with TAR. That said, check this crap out.

I am all pumped up to go to the UPA event here in Vegas to hang out and watch some of my friends play, take photos and I was planning on texting some match updates. I get to the "arena" and ask the lady at the door how much. It is $10 for the 10am-4pm session $15 for the late session. $25 a day seems a little high but oh well. I ask how much for the whole event. She says $60, so I say "Ok, I will do that." Then she asks if I am an ACS member to which I reply honestly "No." She then informs me it will be $75 for the whole thing.

I'm sorry but $75 to watch a 31 man field with only 1 or 2 of the top ten players is just nuts. So I calm my inner nit and just pay $10 for the morning session figuring I will shoot some pics and see how the event goes.

I get into the "arena" and I am carrying my camera gear in a backpack. I set the back pack on a chair out of the way and start to put my kit together. A lady in a referee shirt comes up and says "Are you involved with this event?". I was a little weirded out by the question and wanted to respond "Not if you paid me." But I just asked her what she meant. She replies "Are you a player in the event?" I say "No." She then proceeds to tell me that you have to pay to be able to watch this tournament at which time I raise my right arm and put the little paper wristband right at her eye level.

She says she is sorry she didn't see the wristband and that not only is she the only referee for this professional event this session she has to watch the door too in order to make sure no one gets in without paying. I tell her "No worries." and go about my business.

I get my stuff put together and go sit down in the stands away from everyone else and take some photos of Josh Ulrich and John Morra playing their matches. John finishes his and comes over, sits down and we talk about the event. As we are doing this I am shooting pictures.

Frank Alverez enters the "Arena" and makes a bee line straight toward me. At this point I say to myself "Self, this is gonna get weird." I was right.

Frank: "I am Frank Alverez President of the UPA. Who are you shooting pictures for?"

Me: "Just for myself really."

Frank: "Who are you with? What media?"

Me: "The Action Report"

Frank: "The Action Report? Whats that?"

Me: "You have never heard of The Action Report? Really?"

Frank: "Well yes but I don't know who you are affiliated with"

Me: "Uhhhhh....what do you mean?"

Frank: At this point he mumbled something about BCA or...I am not sure probably because I was a little freaked out at this point with the interrogation.

Me: "There are people who want to know about this event and I was going to tell them about it. That's all."

Frank: "Well you can shoot pictures if you give us copies of them."

Me: "I am not going to do that."

Frank: "Why not?"

Me: "Because I do not do that. If you want me to stop shooting pictures of your event so I can tell people about it at no cost to you then that is just fine with me."

At this point I think it set in on him how terrible he was coming across because he mumbled some more and said "Well....let me get you a media pass...and...."

By this time I had time to think about totally absurd and stupid this whole thing was and I was pissed so I just broke my stuff down, set it beside me and said "Don't worry about it." Then he just walked away.

Keep in mind, we are at an event with 31 players and five of them are players anyone has heard of. I swear I was the only paying spectator because the only people were there with players. I am shooting pictures with a $4000 camera rig minding my own business and I get the third degree from the owner and president and basically shaken down for the ability to take photos.

I always try and see the other guys point of view but in this case I keep coming back to the same thing. If a promoter is this bloody stupid and short sited then screw him. Here we are at a so called professional event with a referee/bouncer and the biggest concern of the president is that god forbid someone may actually give a sh!t about his event. The same guy who sanctioned a tournament that aired the top finishers and then all he could do was shrug his shoulders. It pisses me off.

Never mind that the company I work for has put more money in players pockets over the last few years than his whole pseudo organization. I am probably still a little pissed so I may be being too hard on the guy but no matter which way you cut it is just dumb.
Click to expand...
 
bfdlad said:
Mike, I sawat the begining of this thread that Frank is a Pro Player and I have alsoseenthat on the UPA website he has pictures of himself for sale along with people like Mad Max and Rodney and Ralf. Please correct me if I am wrong but I believe Frank Alverez is a Arizona rated 8, just like me. Anyone wannabuyapic of me :) I will sign it and everything. However I will only pay you $2.00 to take it :) Just thought it was funny.
Click to expand...

Please post the pic of you that you will pay me $2 to take and I will let you know if you need to kick in a little extra. :D

JoeyA
 
bfdlad said:
I will say this, Alvarez Sr seems to be a stand up guy. I have nothing but good to say about that man. I really only know him by his reputation though. Rodney another hard working guy that is one of the finest players around and trying to make a plan for the future with the leagues and his very tasty drink Extreme Focus. The rest of what I have said I standby.
How u been Stucky?
Click to expand...

his dad is a pretty solid guy and hilarious when you get him going. sr could give jr the 7 easily. stucky .......
 
Blackjack said:
That is a great idea, but he would need the people skills to be able to be able to pull that off. Don't hold your breath.

I have a big problem with what happened to Justin, and I'll explain why.

Nobody has done more for the game of pool in the past several years than Chad and Justin. They have spent money (out of pocket) and have traveled the globe to promote the game of pool. They have a passion for what they do. They have a passion for bringing what they do to the fans. They are accessible to the public, and they address issues publicly and take responsibility when things don't go smoothly. They understand that their public relations go hand in hand with their credibility.

On the other hand, we have Frank Alvarez, President of the UPA. In the past 3 years, I have watched him lead the industry in one area: Poor Public Relations.

I am reminded of a phone conversation that I had with Frank amidst the cloud of dust that was formed by the collapse of the IPT. The UPA crawled out of the ashes of the post-IPT era with Frank at the helm. Frank had asked me to help draw interest and support for the UPA within the internet forums. I took half-assed approach to doing so because he seemed a bit hesitant to allocate any authority to anybody else in any area of the UPA's operations. I saw that as a red flag.

When you have that problem within an organization, brace yourself for a sudden impact. That sudden impact occurred in Phoenix last year. I had more than one conversation with Mark (bfdlad) about how bad that was going to turn out. Next week I get to finally buy him a beer to celebrate the fact that we called that one months in advance.

Public relations is just as important as filling the flow chart. It cannot be a side issue. When you see people that can assist you in growing your tour - or people that have outstanding public appeal such as TAR, it pays to know how to network when those opportunities arise to help grow the sport. What Frank did in that situation creates more separation. Whether that is by design or by accident or by his own stupidity remains a mystery.

I don't know if Frank is trying to give off the impression that UPA is worth more than it is, or what the game plan is here - but this was a really bad move on Frank's part.

I know Frank reads the forums. He views the internet as (and this is a direct quote) "something that we cannot control". Frank, if you read this I will take you back to a conversation you and I had 4 years ago. I told you that the internet is a tool that can be used to promote the game of pool. The more you integrate yourself with the internet community, the more people will know about you and the way you do things and why. Look at how Mike Howerton promotes the game of pool through Azbilliards.com and take notes. I suggested that you should make friends and establish contacts and relationships in an attempt to create a solid foundation and trust with the public and the industry.

I also told you that if you pushed the public away, there may come a day when they will never come back.

I think that day may have come.

It's sad because you have a lot of energy and some really great ideas, but your delivery really sucks. Sorry, but those were the nicest words I could find.
:shrug:
Click to expand...

Dude, you have waaay too much free time. We gotta find you a job :o


Eric
 
Gerry said:
Funny little story.....

The room where I used to play here in PA, and work in for a short time years ago, was the breeding ground for the UPA. I kinda got friendly with the new owners from Chicago I think? Steve (last name?) and Cindy Lee (Cindy is a real nice person BTW), but didn't know them well.

On many occasions I "overheard" them speaking about a new tour with Charlie and Mika when they visited the room, but I got the feeling Mika was not a biz partner.

They were planning a new Pro tour, but I thought it was just in the North east at the time. Any time I asked about it I got the cold shoulder. Silly me had a thought about helping out. At that time I worked in 2 different rooms, and had my finger on the pulse of the pool scene up here. Maybe it was a good thing I didn't get involved. :)

I never have thought about it until reading this thread, but at the time they all seemed like nice enough people. At the end of their ownership of the room things got nasty, but by that time I was playing elsewhere (my basement :D )

No ground breaking info here, but it just made me chuckle to remember back then and to see where things are today.

G.
Click to expand...

I think this room is closed, now. Was this the room located in Frazer, PA?


Eric
 
UrackmIcrackm said:
I think he has Charlie Williams confused with the UPA. CW/DP put on the events he's talking about. Some people still think that CW & the UPA are one and the same.
Click to expand...

Well, you're exactlt right! That is exactly what my brain told me when my fingers were typing. Don't know how I jumbled those so easily. :eek: I do know better....

Corey, good for you for catching that first. And to Sir Urackm...thanks for translating for me! :D
 
Eric. said:
I think this room is closed, now. Was this the room located in Frazer, PA?


Eric
Click to expand...

It is closed I know-Steve Choi was the guy. I dont think it was in Fraser. I kinda think it was in the Allentown area. Not sure though.
 
Well, here is the Prize break down of 20,000.00 added. (31x425.00)

1st $6000.00
2nd $4600.00
3rd $3500.00
4th $2500.00
5-6 $1600.00
7-8 $1250.00
9-12 $675.00

S.
 
Honestly I think there are too many Pool Associations, or Leagues trying in their own way to make something happen.

In looking at the latest issue of the local Phoenix Pool Paper I see we have, ACS, APA, APL (Arizona Pool League), BCA, UPA, VNEA, and last TAP listed in no special order. If I count right that is 7 different sanctioning organizations all running leagues. Seem like a few to many to really get anything in pool going in a single direction?

I will admit the only league I ever participated in was like 20 years ago, and it just did not work out for me being self employed, and never knowing when i was work or not. That affiliation lasted two weeks when I called the guy running the team, and said sorry i can not commit to being in any place on any given day or time because of my work schedule, or schedule of work.

JMO.
 
Eric. said:
I think this room is closed, now. Was this the room located in Frazer, PA?


Eric
Click to expand...

Hi Eric,

no, this was Classic Billiards....now Classique Billiards.....in Phoenixville PA...the same room that offers shuttle service to and from the Allen Hopkins SBE.

Frazer is now under new ownership. I stopped in to see the new place last week. Looks great!:(


G.
 
I'm in vegas playing in the World Series of Poker events. I decided to go over to this tourney for a few minutes. They are playing the ACS league nationals ( which I didn't realize) also. The UPA pro event is in a curtained off area in the back of the league event. In a corner of the curtain there is a opening with several ladies watching like a hawk as to not let anyone thru. I only went down to talk to a friend thats playing. I dont have time to hang around and watch any matches. What struck me as odd is this. There are hundreds of pool players there playing the league matches. Many just waiting around for their matches to be called. At the time I was there , I only saw 5 or 6 people inside watching the pros play. I thought it was funny that they would use the energy and expense of 3 people to make sure and collect door fees from a handfull of people as to open it up and let all those players watch a few games in between matches.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top