promoting
I have been reading this thread and the other Rodney thread for days.
I used to own a big pool hall in Missouri. I currently run, promote, and play in a lot of tournaments around St Louis and travel to big tournaments for calcuttas and gambling.
When you work very hard to promote a game you love and for little if no benefit at all. it sucks when someone who benefits from your efforts trash talks you even in the slightest. it really sucks when they take it to another level on their own or through social media / friends etc....
A guy showed up to my place where his own friends told him he wasn't welcome. He thought I wouldn't have the stones to turn him away. I did and he went 100 miles home pissed. No freaking chance am I going to spend my time, money, and risk my reputation by letting someone near my customers, guests, friends, and future.
Me and that guy have slowly talked back and forth a bit and after about three years of no bullshit from either side. Time can heal wounds.
For most of the tournaments I run I get a free entry, sometimes a meal or a free hour or two. Most of the tournaments I run are handicapped. So I put up with all of the handicap crap week in and week out which I can handle usually for about $20-$40 I get. However you badmouth the tournament as a whole, the location, my sponsors, the room owner, or get personal? I can't accept that.
Brendan Sullivan.