CSI - BCAPL; our 7 year anniversary

M

Mark Griffin

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It was 7 years ago TODAY - (I know April Fool's Day-lol) - in 2004 that we acquired the BCA Pool League.

I just wanted the pool world to know that it has been a challenge. And I like to think we are improving the pool world. We have a lot of cool things in the mill - but would appreciate some comments on:


What have we done that was GOOD?

What should we do to make it BETTER?

What have we done WRONG?

The sale caused a lot of misunderstandings and hard feelings.
The BCA decided they were going to sell the leagues - I opposed that decision - they hired a broker and I ended up being the high bidder.
I did not cause the sale and only reacted to the situation.

I have been in the pool industry since mid 1960's, and owned my first room in 1969.

Hope everyone will try to work together and make the industry stronger than it is today. The industry needs help - but we need to help ourselves.

The landscape has changed quite a bit in the last 7 years. But so has the world.

Your comments are welcome (and encouraged).

Mark Griffin, CEO
CSI - BCAPL - USAPL
markg@playcsipool.com
 
Mark, you guys are doing a fantastic job. The only thing I could ask for is a big event in my neck of the woods. They have the Western, Texas, Ohio, and others, but nothing in the Southeast. If a Southeastern event could be added to the roster, that would make my day.
 
Yep...there was alot of bs back then,I am gald you ended up with the leagues..I think you have done a good job..like the op said, a few more events would be nice,but that take money..I none the less enjoy what is..have a nice weekend.
 
Mark, I agree with TimKrazyMon on the fact that you have provided a great service to the amateur player (see Tim, we actually agree on something else).

One thing I would really like to see is to have the BCAPL and the APA work together to grow the game from the amateur player right up to the formation of a pro tour. Your two organizations have had the most impact on the game and I think that the 2 of you have the ability to do what no one else can.

I have been sometimes very critical of any of your posts that paint competitive organizations in a negative light (except for TAP - but that is a different story in itself) but overall, you do great things for the amateur game , as does the APA ,and I think that the 2 of you working together would be an unstoppable force.

Thanks for your dedication to pool and happy 7th anniversary.

Leagueguy
 
Mark Griffin said:
[...]
Your comments are welcome (and encouraged).

markg@playcsipool.com
Click to expand...

This is what I wrote about a month ago in another forum

[...]
The BCA Pool League is quietly, doggedly, doing things right.

They promote use of quality equipment

They are driving the train on online registration and tournament management and results with the phenomenal CTSONLINE software.

They, through LEAGUESYS, have awesome web based league management software.

They, through association with other CSI efforts, have forged the strongest connection in the industry between amateur play and professional level play that I see anywhere in the US.

They put on the biggest and most amazing amateur event in Vegas each year.

They show many signs of being a strong, stable, well managed organization.
mikepage
 
Mark,

How can a bar or pool hall set up an inhouse league and purchase/rent/lease the Diamond 7 foot Smart tables?

Everything else you and your staff have done in the last 7 years has been better than expected, IMO.

Keep up the great job Mr. Griffin. Carry on.
 
Mark,

You and your staff do a great job. As a customer, I go to the annual BCA in Vegas extravaganza, in May, every year. Come hell or high water, that is on my list of "make time for" events.

I can't offer any critique on the league system. I will say that the the use of TAR for media exposure is the single best way to mass promote the Vegas tournaments and the event. If the stream can have professional quality camera work (like BCA 2010), and have good, structured commentary, I feel this will give viewers a "broadcast quality experience".

Lastly, thank you for all you do.


Eric >unpaid endorser
 
Mark Griffin said:
...Your comments are welcome (and encouraged).

Mark Griffin, CEO
CSI - BCAPL - USAPL
markg@playcsipool.com
Click to expand...

I am unhappy with the current caste system that exists in professional pool due to the neglect of the so-called "governing bodies" of this sport.

I will always support your efforts because I believe you want the sport to grow.

People disagree in how to move the sport forward, but I think your vision is sound.

In the end, it really doesn't matter what I think, but I can hope. :)
 
The CSI Team is great for all of pool. They put on great events, do what they say there going to do, and pay players on time...always. I hope in the next seven years we get to see a real pro tour also. Keep up the good work. Johnnyt
 
Mark - I'm extremely pleased with all you have done to grow the BCAPL. The national tournament is outstanding. I think you really hit a homerun when you have multiple Pro Events, Grand Master Events, Tar Challenges, etc. all going on at the same time in Vegas.

Personally I love the Southwest BCAPL Regional and hope it continues to grow for years to come! I think if it wasn't over Labor Day Weekend it would be even a bigger hit. (Say one of the colder months for the rest of the country or something, but I understand scheduling is very hard to do with all the unorganized events going on across the globe)

Partnerships is also a big win for you and the BCAPL. Diamond Tables, Magic Ball Racks, TAR, Dr. Pool, etc. etc.

Would love to see an "Action Pit" or something for all the late night activities as it's sometimes hard to watch when standing 10 deep at 3 a.m. :grin:

Leaguesys and CTSOnDemand.com are fantastic! HUGE WINS!

I think Adding John Casey to your Staff has also been a big win!

Moving to an automated computer system to run Nationals was a big plus that allows Text Messages, Online Brackets, Recorded Scores, History, etc.

I'll leave my very small list of 'wrongs' to a discussion over a beer or two.
 
Mark Griffin said:
It was 7 years ago TODAY - (I know April Fool's Day-lol) - in 2004 that we acquired the BCA Pool League.

I just wanted the pool world to know that it has been a challenge. And I like to think we are improving the pool world. We have a lot of cool things in the mill - but would appreciate some comments on:


What have we done that was GOOD?

What should we do to make it BETTER?

What have we done WRONG?

The sale caused a lot of misunderstandings and hard feelings.
The BCA decided they were going to sell the leagues - I opposed that decision - they hired a broker and I ended up being the high bidder.
I did not cause the sale and only reacted to the situation.

I have been in the pool industry since mid 1960's, and owned my first room in 1969.

Hope everyone will try to work together and make the industry stronger than it is today. The industry needs help - but we need to help ourselves.

The landscape has changed quite a bit in the last 7 years. But so has the world.

Your comments are welcome (and encouraged).

Mark Griffin, CEO
CSI - BCAPL - USAPL
markg@playcsipool.com
Click to expand...

Congrats on the 7 year anniversary and you have made great strides within the pool world and this is one of the best thing about the BCAPL is that you and all the members of the BCAPL headquarters are looking for constructive criticism to always make things better and not get tunnel vision.

So what has the BCAPL done good? I am thinking that you are just talking about the BCAPL and not its affiliate CSI so I will not comment on CSI. So as far as the BCAPL goes,

1. Great customer service, cant believe a CEO calls and answers questions or follow ups with questions to the member ensuring they have received the complete explanation from the BCAPL staff.

2. The BCAPL staff is very informative and will take the time to explain to a member about policy's and procedures.

3. The BCAPL and regional BCAPL sanctioning leagues have put more effort into conducting regional tournaments and seeing how they are being operated.

4. Making it a policy to use standardized rules for all BCAPL leagues so there is no confusion between leagues.


What can the BCAPL do better?

1. The BCAPL has standard playing rules that all leagues should be following, I feel the BCAPL should also make the standard rule for player divisions so that each regional/state tournament should have to follow the same guidelines. For example, some state/regions use an A,B, Masters, Grand Masters divisions, some use AA, A, B, C, divisions, shouldn't all use the same system and use the same formula for advancing a player into a higher or lower division from tournament results since it affects the division for Nationals?

2. Publicity, yes there are live streaming at BCAPL nationals, but wasnt that just for the CSI event that was going on the same time nationals was? The BCAPL nationals is so huge that you could probably have all of the major streaming companies stream the event and they all would have a ton of viewers in my opinion. I mean you might get a total of 20% of a league members that go to the National event, that means 80% are not attending and is probably wondering what is going on. So if the League Operator was pro active he would be sending emails/text/calling,,,"hey, watch Johnny play on TAR at 6pm" and you know Johnny has already told his wife, kids and all his buddies he will be on the net. Oh yeah, you know his wife is telling grandma and grandpa, mom, dad, and anyone else she can facebook that he is going to be on. So honestly, I think streaming the BCAPL players might not get a constant 1000 viewers, but I would imagine it would get 10's of thousand different viewers who would normally never watch a pool tournament stream.


3. The website for the BCAPL is great, a lot of information and a lot of archived results on it. Now if I wanted to start a league or get my current league to change to a BCAPL, there is really no selling brochure. I can print off the "Join the BCA league system" page and distribute that to the players and tell them to go and check out the BCAPL website but most of them would probably just put it in the circurlar file and never even check out the BCAPL website. Maybe a prochure that is like the one that is for the National event for people that are interested in having there league convert over to BCAPL.

4. This is specific and has been brought up in other threads, but could you change nationals to get rid of the darn tokens and just pay a flat green fees for open tables the entire time. I dont think there would be one player to complain about doing that. The WBCA has been doing that for the last 5-6 years I think, so there is an example for the fees.

What has the BCAPL done wrong?

I dont have any to list because I know if I feel you are or did something wrong I can contact the BCAPL and you or your staff will listen to my opinion and explain why you feel its is a right decision.

Oh yeah, just so you know, I am just a player in the BCAPL, nothing more than that, but the BCAPL organization is more than willing to listen concerns and every time I have talked with them, it has been a conversation, not an arguement.


Thank You
Andrew
 
Mark,

Focus, focus, focus! You can not be all things in the game of pool.

The BCAPL is the best its ever been. You lowered the cost of league pool for players like me. People failed to comprehend what you really did by raising the fee to $15 per year from $10. Kind of like pistachios. You can't eat just one. Virtually no one plays in just one league session per year. Thanks!

The CTS tournament system is the best improvement to tournament charts I've seen in my fifty something years of playing. Entering events on-line is great! Checking the brackets from home? Priceless.

Switching the Nationals to Diamond tables was magic. Real cue balls!!!

The jury on the USAPL may still be out. Its an interesting alternative to the APA / TAP 20 something team rule. Wish it success.

The NCS didn't work out :confused:.

The US Bar Box appears to be back up and running successfully.

The Q-lympics was a mixed bag :confused:.

Thing is, you tried. And tried again. I'm sure many of these events did not make a profit. You've learned what works and what doesn't. The upcoming US Open One Pocket is a testament to your commitment to keep trying.

Please don't stop. I (we) need you to keep testing the waters. While other sanctioning bodies appear to be "circling the wagons", you're out looking for ways to bring new players into the game (and some old ones as well). Nothing I can suggest to make it better other than saying thanks!!!!

Lyn
 
Overall I think your doing a great job. Would like to see a straight pool league ran by BCAPL, that would get people qualified to play in Vegas. Would also like to see more individual type tournaments (without team). Something like regional tours that were BCAPL sponsored.

What you are doing wrong! Only two things come to mind.

1. Creating divisions. I understand the business side of the decision, but I think it is bad for the sport. We all should play together and maybe a spot would be in order if a better team or individual is playing someone not as good. Good example is in golf the better player gives strokes to the lesser player. In pool it would be games.

2. Get rid of the company that runs your tournaments. I have been to Vegas for most of the leagues, ACS, VNEA and APA and the only thing they have over you, is that there national championships are ran way better than yours.

I would also like to see if your organization could partner with someone like Nike or Under Armor to see if they would make shirts for pool, that you could then require people to wear in your events. For this Nike or Under Armor would see the benefit and help with added money to your events.

Thank you for the opportunity to voice my thoughts.
 
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I realize that 7 years up and running is a long time, but have you ever thought about changing the name of the BCAPL to another name, maybe "Griffin Pool League" or "USPL (United States Pool League)"?

Since BCA stands for "Billiard Congress of America," it may be confusing for folks who know there is a difference between BCAPL and BCA.

An endeavor such as this would mean a lot of expense, I realize, in changing logos and prevously existing materials. I was just curious if you ever thought of doing a name change.
 
JAM said:
I realize that 7 years up and running is a long time, but have you ever thought about changing the name of the BCAPL to another name, maybe "Griffin Pool League" or "USPL (United States Pool League)"?

Since BCA stands for "Billiard Congress of America," it may be confusing for folks who know there is a difference between BCAPL and BCA.

An endeavor such as this would mean a lot of expense, I realize, in changing logos and prevously existing materials. I was just curious if you ever thought of doing a name change.
Click to expand...

I'm with JAM here.
Griffin is a terrific name to work with...
..part eagle-part lion....ruler of land and sky
The logo would be great on a t-shirt
 
Damnit, this is going to hurt....

Keep up the good work Mark. The BCA nationals are an unbelieveable experience - great equipment, well run tourney, tremendous atmosphere. I applaud your fortitude in continuing to have concurrent pro events.

I know that Q-lympics did not turn out as planned; but have you considered at BCA nationals having some type of mini-big table tourney for the amateurs? Perhaps allow the top 16 teams in the bar table division duke it out on the big tables. Or allow the top 64 singles in each bar table division the opportunity to go again on the big tables. Or just have one big table tourney for each class of player. Or have the winning team in bar table match up with a team of pros for an exhibition match on the big table.

Or let the top 4 teams play the finals on the big table; would give great incentive for the entire field to gravitate towards "real pool." It would be good for the game (of course you would be lynched afterwards by the losing teams....hmmmm....not such a bad idea after all....).
 
pt109 said:
I'm with JAM here.
Griffin is a terrific name to work with...
..part eagle-part lion....ruler of land and sky
The logo would be great on a t-shirt
Click to expand...

I am so much in agreement. The possibilities are endless. Can you imagine the logo that could be designed? Check it out.
 

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Or this for the lady players. :)
 

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