ABP Response to Barry's counter offer

justnum

justnum

Billiards Improvement Research Projects Associate
Silver Member
ABP Response to Barry's Counter offer

Mr. Behrman agreed to do two things.

1) Put the added money of $50,000.00 in escrow 30 days before the event; and

2) Put up, as collateral, his corporate papers and rights to the US Open 9 ball Tournament.

The ABP indicated that it needed the rest of the entry fees in escrow before the members would commit to taking part in the tournament.
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Behrman's counter offer of posting $50,000 in escrow is an amount less than the sum of entry fees. A low estimate of the sum of entry fees is (120 players paying $450, 120*450) $54,000. Meaning Barry uses the remaining entry fee for something other than prize money. Assume another 100 players sign up at $400, then that $40,000 is being applied to expenses different than paying the prizes.

Is there an obligation that entry fees be used only for paying prize money? This is what the ABP is proposing in their latest release, entry fees should be locked into an account, this way the tournament promoter can't run an event with the entry fee money, say it didn't profit and walkaway. That is what happen at the last USPPA event.

This account hold would definitely impair a tournament organizer's ability to spend entry fee money. It would also force the organizer to find a new source of money, maybe a loan or downgrade of expenses to balance out the lost free flow of cash.

If Barry scales the event down he should have no problems accommodating the request, instead of renting a big location, maybe he rearrange his pool room to fit more people in it or sell a live internet feed or put more cameras on tables to stream the event.

The press release also called Barry a liar because the ABP said only one player on the growing list openly stated a request to play in the US Open event.

Barry and the ABP are playing some hard politics. The ball is back in Barry's court.
 
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It is a free country. If players want to play in the Open, let them. If they don't, fine. I do not see the necessity of a promoter and the players having to drag each other through the mud on this. It hurts the game as a whole to have this stuff going on. I will attend the Open because it is close by and I enjoy the atmosphere and the matches. Somehow I just doubt that all of the past champions are going to be able to swallow losing their free entry fees for life. For a young guy that is maybe 20 years at $500 each year is a loss of $10,000.

But even if they do make that choice, I will still be there to watch Earl and Ralf and Dechaine and the others who will be there to entertain me.

I am sorry that the players have to wait to get paid. That aint right. But they do get paid eventually and I want to watch them.
 
I've never put on a tourney. I have no idea of the money's needed to do so. What cost have to be paid now and what can be paid later. Its gotta be a pain in the ass.

At this stage of the game, compromise is the key in getti:ong what you want in the long run. The ABP are shooting themselves in the foot if they are not looking beyond this years event

Also, I wonder what the ABP would do if one of thete memebers showed up drunk to play a match. Are they just all about the money and not improving the overall imgine of pool.

What does the ABP really have to offer to the promoters? I see no give and take. What ate the ABP membets willing to do to bring in the crowds, get the word out. Thry can not just make demands without offering something to help out.
 
truefan said:
It is a free country. If players want to play in the Open, let them. If they don't, fine. I do not see the necessity of a promoter and the players having to drag each other through the mud on this. It hurts the game as a whole to have this stuff going on. I will attend the Open because it is close by and I enjoy the atmosphere and the matches. Somehow I just doubt that all of the past champions are going to be able to swallow losing their free entry fees for life. For a young guy that is maybe 20 years at $500 each year is a loss of $10,000.

But even if they do make that choice, I will still be there to watch Earl and Ralf and Dechaine and the others who will be there to entertain me.

I am sorry that the players have to wait to get paid. That aint right. But they do get paid eventually and I want to watch them.
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You're a true fan?
 
If it's true that only one player on the list said he was playing I'm going to take a wild guess and say its Corey or SVB. There is a long way to go before the US Open. Most likely there are some on that list waiting to see how this shakes out between Barry and the ABP. Most pool players wait to the last minute to do things anyhow. I would say there is more than one player on that list that will play in the Open. I imagine the truth is somewhere between one player (ABP) and a lot of players called (Barry). I'm sure Barry is trying to play divide and conquer also. Johnnyt
 
truefan said:
It is a free country. If players want to play in the Open, let them. If they don't, fine. I do not see the necessity of a promoter and the players having to drag each other through the mud on this. It hurts the game as a whole to have this stuff going on. I will attend the Open because it is close by and I enjoy the atmosphere and the matches. Somehow I just doubt that all of the past champions are going to be able to swallow losing their free entry fees for life. For a young guy that is maybe 20 years at $500 each year is a loss of $10,000.

But even if they do make that choice, I will still be there to watch Earl and Ralf and Dechaine and the others who will be there to entertain me.

I am sorry that the players have to wait to get paid. That aint right. But they do get paid eventually and I want to watch them.
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C.Milian said:
You're a true fan?
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Sounds to me that he is a true fan OF THE GAME. Not some pool groupie that goes starry eyed over professional players.

It's the game not the professional players that has kept the sport alive.

World class pool is a beautiful thing to watch if you are a fan of the game regardless of who is playing. Well unless it's your regular playing partner who finds that zone while you struggle to get thru roadmaps... :D
 
IDEAS to help Barry meet the ABP's demands.

One of the things that could sweeten the pot, so to speak for Barry Behrman and the ABP is for the ABP to go ahead and collect the entry fees of all of the members of the ABP in advance and have those funds held in an escrow account by a responsible party. The ABP in order to help Barry fund this premiere event, could waive the free entry fees previously offered by the U.S. Open 9 Ball Championships.

I'm sure it is not easy for Barry to cover the costs of all of the previous champions and this would be a step forward by the ABP to move this forward.

In essence, the ABP could voluntarily waive the free entry fees and have all of their members pay entry fees just like in any other tournament.

I had hoped that the negotiations could be kept private but since they aren't being kept private, I thought I would offer a couple of suggestions to help move this forward. This is kind of like the U.S. govenment trying to solve their budget crisis. We need to REDUCE SPENDING on unncessary items, postpone spending on wanted items and eliminate spending on some things. Somewhere, someone has to take a hit and maybe more than just "someone".

I agree with the ABP that the players should be paid as soon as each participant's completes their tournament run.

I agree that ALL ENTRY FEES should be held in escrow and go toward the payout purse and that no monies should be extracted from them for any other expenses.

1. As to the added money, perhaps Barry needs to scale back the added money. If the ABP waives the free entry fees for previous winners, this could help Barry with budgeting.

2. Perhaps, there should be a "GREEN FEE" just like in any other tournament. This "GREEN FEE" would be monies that could be used to cover some of the expenses of the tournament.

3. Perhaps, Barry could demand that ALL OF THE ABP members be present at the LAST 6 matches of the tournament for publicity reasons. This could make the ESPN STAR television exposure more valuable to the network, the players and the event.

The U.S. Open 9 Ball Championships is the premiere event of the world and hosts one of the largest field of players ANYWHERE.

Time is running short. Help by making a positive contribution by suggesting something that could help Barry Behrman meet the ABP's needs.

My suggestions should be taken with a grain of salt to aid digestion. :smile:

What are yours?
 
The Renfro said:
Sounds to me that he is a true fan OF THE GAME. Not some pool groupie that goes starry eyed over professional players.

It's the game not the professional players that has kept the sport alive.

World class pool is a beautiful thing to watch if you are a fan of the game regardless of who is playing. Well unless it's your regular playing partner who finds that zone while you struggle to get thru roadmaps... :D
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So what are you trying to say? I'm one of the two?

And what type are you? The type that does things for "Love of the game"?
 
The Renfro said:
Sounds to me that he is a true fan OF THE GAME. Not some pool groupie that goes starry eyed over professional players.

It's the game not the professional players that has kept the sport alive.

World class pool is a beautiful thing to watch if you are a fan of the game regardless of who is playing. Well unless it's your regular playing partner who finds that zone while you struggle to get thru roadmaps... :D
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I'm not sure if I can trust the opinion of a person that has some girls backside as an avatar. But either way, those aren't the only types of fans.

What interest me obviously will not interest you, so your statement is very wrong.
 
ABP doesnt want a solution to this. They want to beat their chest and show Barry who's boss.

I'm going to the Open this year and I suspect a lot of other people will as well. Including more than a few on that list.

Personally I'm tired of the bullying tactics by the ABP. Filling each release with nothing but bluster about how many people are not coming. When I talk to some of the people on that list and they tell me something completely different than any press release put out I just cant come to any other conclusion but that someone in the ABP is talking a lot of shit without consulting the people whose names they are throwing around.
 
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All about the money!really!

duckie said:
I've never put on a tourney. I have no idea of the money's needed to do so. What cost have to be paid now and what can be paid later. Its gotta be a pain in the ass.

At this stage of the game, compromise is the key in getti:ong what you want in the long run. The ABP are shooting themselves in the foot if they are not looking beyond this years event

Also, I wonder what the ABP would do if one of thete memebers showed up drunk to play a match. Are they just all about the money and not improving the overall imgine of pool.

What does the ABP really have to offer to the promoters? I see no give and take. What ate the ABP membets willing to do to bring in the crowds, get the word out. Thry can not just make demands without offering something to help out.
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Avg cost of playing in the Open for someone who hasnt previously won the tourn with entry,travel,lodging,food is about $1200 ! Just think of where you gotta finish to have a shot at getting even!!!
 
Neil said:
I wouldn't be surprised if a number of them don't have much of a clue of what is going on with it all.
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I'd take this one step further....not only are most "members" not involved in, or informed of, the decision making process, most would not be in agreement if they were, nor will they feel bound by any final decisions made by the ABP.

Without real professional guidance the ABP will self destruct by their own too weighty hands. JMO.

J
 
gamemaker said:
Avg cost of playing in the Open for someone who hasnt previously won the tourn with entry,travel,lodging,food is about $1200 ! Just think of where you gotta finish to have a shot at getting even!!!
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If you stay the entire week, it is a lot more than $1,200 if you have to pay for hotel, travel, and food, in addition to the $500 entry fee. :p
 
Barry should just make it a $50 entry event and put 100% of that in escrow and run the event at Cue Masters--- and just shove it up everyone's ass and see how they like that tune.

That's EXACTLY what I'd do.

I guess most people feel this way and are sick and tired of even TALKING about it.
 
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JAM said:
If you stay the entire week, it is a lot more than $1,200 if you have to pay for hotel, travel, and food, in addition to the $500 entry fee. :p
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I stay across the street at the red roof NOT the fancy Marriott and I eat sandwiches from the Wa Wa place. Yes I have a few beers but I don't go out eating fancy and it costs me way more than $1,200 from Phoenix.
 
They have an extended stay that was 229 a week last year within walking distance... Cash Management means paying early and saving 100 on the entry... 200 feeds me all week....

400 entry
229 Hotel
200 food/beverage

Travel is the thing that can eat you alive if you are driving or flying.... I drive up from Knoxville and it's about $200 in gas... but you have to take into consideration wear and tear on the vehicle and assign some value to the 16hours behind the wheel.... at only 25 cents a mile for vehicle use there's another $250 and my time is worth more than $10 an hour but we'll use that anyway to add another $160....

Brings the total to $1429 Minimum.... Bare minimum cost to attend for the week.... Add entertainment... Add a Nice meal or a better hotel... T-shirts for friends..... A few adult beverages.... I'd say $1800 would be the better average of what the costs are for the week.......
 
bfdlad said:
I stay across the street at the red roof NOT the fancy Marriott and I eat sandwiches from the Wa Wa place. Yes I have a few beers but I don't go out eating fancy and it costs me way more than $1,200 from Phoenix.
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We stay at the Holiday Inn usually, eat at the downstairs restaurant, usually fill up our room fridge with snackies. We also go to Q-Masters and hang out and build up a tab there, though I don't drink alcohol. I usually end up buying a bunch of U.S. Open trinkets to bring back home, like T-shirts and other cool pool stuff from the vendors. Tab for Team McCready: $3,000 plus.
 
It would probaly be a better tourney without some of the ABP .....In fact pool would probaly be better off with 2 of the loons that cause all this controversy all the time.....
The U.S. Open was here long before them, and it will be around long after them.
Barry should personally call each one on the list and ask them if they plan to attend, if they say yes all is fine, if they say no because i'm with ABP, then he can just let em know to never attend again as long as hes running it, he can set them straight pretty fast, they need him, he dont need the few bad eggs that they are.
 
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