Azb pro player investment fund

JB Cases

JB Cases

www.jbcases.com
Silver Member
How about AZB Forum members start a fund to stake players.

I don't have a clue how it would be run but we have a lot of smart guys here who know how to handle money. I don't have a clue how it would disbursed but we have a lot of smart guys here who know the scene. I don't have a clue how the winnings would be collected and disbursed but we have a lot of smart guys who are "made men" in the action scene.

I'd be in for say $50 a month to stake players of our choosing to events. Players would have to apply to get staked and the members could ask them to be a part of the community as part of the consideration for getting staked.

What if we had a live fund, with shares or something that we could run for a year with regular contributions and see what happens. Worst case we don't make any money.

Let's say for example that we had 100 shares at $50 each per month. That's 5k to stake with, 60k per year invested. At the end of the year we see where it's at. If our guys do well then we should come out ahead, if not then we lose. But a lot of us spend more than a couple thousand a year gambling on pool so why not collectively get behind players of our choosing.

I know that we have sent guys out before like Robley but this could be more official and more like a proper investment inasmuch as investing in people to play pool can be called an investment.

Thus we create our own marketplace for pro players to apply for funding. AZB's own version of crowdfunding. Players can also offer whatever deals that they think makes sense for them or they can be offered deals that make sense for the crowd.

Thoughts?

(PS I know that AZB also has or had some sort of travel fund, that's not what I mean, I am looking at this like the stock market with an eye towards a return on the investment)
 
JB Cases said:
How about AZB Forum members start a fund to stake players.

I don't have a clue how it would be run but we have a lot of smart guys here who know how to handle money. I don't have a clue how it would disbursed but we have a lot of smart guys here who know the scene. I don't have a clue how the winnings would be collected and disbursed but we have a lot of smart guys who are "made men" in the action scene.

I'd be in for say $50 a month to stake players of our choosing to events. Players would have to apply to get staked and the members could ask them to be a part of the community as part of the consideration for getting staked.

What if we had a live fund, with shares or something that we could run for a year with regular contributions and see what happens. Worst case we don't make any money.

Let's say for example that we had 100 shares at $50 each per month. That's 5k to stake with, 60k per year invested. At the end of the year we see where it's at. If our guys do well then we should come out ahead, if not then we lose. But a lot of us spend more than a couple thousand a year gambling on pool so why not collectively get behind players of our choosing.

I know that we have sent guys out before like Robley but this could be more official and more like a proper investment inasmuch as investing in people to play pool can be called an investment.

Thus we create our own marketplace for pro players to apply for funding. AZB's own version of crowdfunding. Players can also offer whatever deals that they think makes sense for them or they can be offered deals that make sense for the crowd.

Thoughts?

(PS I know that AZB also has or had some sort of travel fund, that's not what I mean, I am looking at this like the stock market with an eye towards a return on the investment)
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Sounds good John. GSBT will be at the beach this weekend
I'll put your 50 in action for you lol. :D
 
I think a far better Idea that staking different players, would be for AZB as a community to pick a player to stake for an amount of time, say 3 or 6 months, maybe even 1 years. If we truly want to help out, a player needs 3-6 good solid months on the road. Put some salt on him, get him in the swing of things, and see how bad he REALLY wants it.

BTW, I see NO way that giving a pool player money could go wrong...
 
jhanso18 said:
I think a far better Idea that staking different players, would be for AZB as a community to pick a player to stake for an amount of time, say 3 or 6 months, maybe even 1 years. If we truly want to help out, a player needs 3-6 good solid months on the road. Put some salt on him, get him in the swing of things, and see how bad he REALLY wants it.

BTW, I see NO way that giving a pool player money could go wrong...
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I like this idea better. What would be even better is a young player who showed a lot of promise in the sport.
 
One player with 100 managers?

He (or she) certainly wouldn't lack for advice.

Too many chiefs, not enough Indians.
 
I like it

The problem is that most players really capable of winning have a solid backer lined up. I think the best option would be getting an up and comer where you hope they improve after the first couple. For example Sklyer Woodward, BIlly Thorpe, Landon Shuffett or a well-managed Justin Bergman. These guys don't necessarily play every event and I know Justin doesn't have a standard backer.

For this to work it would have to be a set agreement where the backers (AZ) have the option of withdrawing after a couple events or at any failure of the player to show up or if they forfeited a match, etc. There should also be part of the agreement that the agreement can be extended by the backer if profits start coming in. Essentially I am saying we expect to break even or lose a little for 6 months and expect to catch up over the next 18 - if the backers chose to.

Another thing would be who "owns" the responsibility for the player. None of us are just handing $2,000 for a guy to go play in a tournament. So someone has to get the money to the organizer and arrange room, transportation and such. Also how much are we willing to put in a calcutta. If our guy goes for twice what he should do we buy him anyway, buy half, or let it go?

Again, I really like it and think it would be a way to encourage some real progress of a player.
 
JB Cases said:
How about AZB Forum members start a fund to stake players.

I don't have a clue how it would be run but we have a lot of smart guys here who know how to handle money. I don't have a clue how it would disbursed but we have a lot of smart guys here who know the scene. I don't have a clue how the winnings would be collected and disbursed but we have a lot of smart guys who are "made men" in the action scene.

I'd be in for say $50 a month to stake players of our choosing to events. Players would have to apply to get staked and the members could ask them to be a part of the community as part of the consideration for getting staked.

What if we had a live fund, with shares or something that we could run for a year with regular contributions and see what happens. Worst case we don't make any money.

Let's say for example that we had 100 shares at $50 each per month. That's 5k to stake with, 60k per year invested. At the end of the year we see where it's at. If our guys do well then we should come out ahead, if not then we lose. But a lot of us spend more than a couple thousand a year gambling on pool so why not collectively get behind players of our choosing.

I know that we have sent guys out before like Robley but this could be more official and more like a proper investment inasmuch as investing in people to play pool can be called an investment.

Thus we create our own marketplace for pro players to apply for funding. AZB's own version of crowdfunding. Players can also offer whatever deals that they think makes sense for them or they can be offered deals that make sense for the crowd.

Thoughts?

(PS I know that AZB also has or had some sort of travel fund, that's not what I mean, I am looking at this like the stock market with an eye towards a return on the investment)
Click to expand...

One thought would be to add an extra dollar to the Gold membership, 1 buck, and that buck would go to a fund like you describe. :)
 
I can't see it... One guy should just basically win the lottery for 60k,
and a bunch of people hope he plays hard and is 100% honest...
and after a long 1 year wait, I might get double my money back or something?
But probably I'll get nothing.

Anyone is free to stake any player as it is currently, and the guys who need it come on AZ with hat in hand.

I'd just rather get some real value for my money. I certainly get no thrill out of hearing how my horse did.
I want to see them play, if not in the same room then on a live stream.

Not saying it's a bad idea, but I'd 100x rather fund something like accustats Make It Happen.
I get the thrill of giving pool players free money, and I get to see a dozen world champions
in the same room on a live stream for hours.
 
At one time, we did support an AzB-er to shoot at the U.S. Open 9-Ball, but that has ceased to exist.
 
This seems to be good for a tournament stake but gambling I dont see this working. Too much information out in the open.

The biggest issue I see with this is player integrity and dedication. How would we know if the current az horse is really all in on becoming a champion or instead, at this time in his life he is really all in on chasing down that blonde at the local room, or getting more blackjacks at the casino, or worst of all searching for the high that he feels as a winner through whatever means are available? For every rarity of a player who is there doing the SVB 12 hr days of practice over and over, there are a dozen guys who people say only "what a waste of talent".

I do like the idea of being in on some player that I can root for at these major events, I just remain a skeptic due to all the things ive seen in the pool rooms for 30 years. As IBA pointed out, the best horses out there already have a stakehorse. It only makes sense that the rarity we are seeking would already have been recognized at the local level for his promise by someone closer in.
 
I'd throw either Danny Olsen, or JD Prestigaurd. They are both fairly young, 20 and 17 respectively, and already travel and play a ton. A player like that could use the extra boost to hit the MAJOR stuff, like tunica, the open, BCA nationals etc. I think we should be looking for a player this is already established, but needs extra funds to get to the major events.

Doesn't have to be one of these two, but that's the kind of guy I would like to see.
 
What pool needs is a professional league with strict rules and contracts.
Supporting a player won't do much more than helping out an individual get along for a period and then return to the status of most players, getting nothing compared to the hard work they have done getting good..
 
I'd invest my money in the kids learning the game. Get them free table time and instructors. I have sponsored a local kid, giving him a nice cue and have watched his improvements over time. Priceless I tells ya. It's not an investment for the money, but for someone elses well being.
 
krychekrowe said:
I'd invest my money in the kids learning the game. Get them free table time and instructors. I have sponsored a local kid, giving him a nice cue and have watched his improvements over time. Priceless I tells ya. It's not an investment for the money, but for someone elses well being.
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You might be interested in learning more about what donations can do for the Billiards Education Fund ---> HERE :smile:
 

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JAM said:
One thought would be to add an extra dollar to the Gold membership, 1 buck, and that buck would go to a fund like you describe. :)
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That fund wouldn't buy me and three friends lunch, much less get this idea off the ground.
 
ABC League

Please check out the ABC League. There are a few threads telling all about it.
Or contact Joe Tucker at jttenball@gmail.com.
It is a new league that has the potential of becoming a professional league.
And it is a no nonsense league with real rules and conduct guidelines.

Mark Griffin


Petros Andrikop said:
What pool needs is a professional league with strict rules and contracts.
Supporting a player won't do much more than helping out an individual get along for a period and then return to the status of most players, getting nothing compared to the hard work they have done getting good..
Click to expand...
 
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