So you want PPV $$$$$$$$$??????
- Thread starter 9andout
- Start date
In my experience as someone who has done as much PPV as anyone in the industry a lot of the problems with PPV come down to communication. For example the OP did not know who produced the stream he is complaining about. If a guy doesnt even know who he is mad at what do you think the chances are that just maybe its something on his end that is the problem? If its not how can anyone provide him good service when he doesnt even know who he bought from?
Most of the service emails I get are along the lines of "Stream doesnt work." Thats it. Nothing else. So a string of emails gets started trying to figure out what the problem is. When people explain just where they are having a problem its usually fixed or refunded in short order.
The part that sucks the most as a producer is that no matter where the problem is you get the blame. I have people call me during a PPV saying the stream they just bought is POS and doesnt work. I tell them to email me their information so I can look into it....and they say "I dont know how to email..my wife does all that." Its my fault he can't access a live PPV stream though.
Sometimes things do go bad. Just like they do when NBC streams the Olympics with a budget of millions of dollars and the smartest people in the field. The tech is still fragile, subject to all the vagaries of each individuals computer, browser and connection. Its not TV where you just turn it on and it works.
I have always had a policy of no questions asked refunds. A lot of times a guy will watch all weekend then decide because his connection dropped during a peak usage time I should refund his money. I always have. Its good business to do so even though I know some people take advantage of it.
If it was up to me I would do nothing but free streams for a lot of reasons. Someone has to pay the freight though. In a niche game like pool thats the people who want to watch. I don't see it changing anytime soon.
Most of the service emails I get are along the lines of "Stream doesnt work." Thats it. Nothing else. So a string of emails gets started trying to figure out what the problem is. When people explain just where they are having a problem its usually fixed or refunded in short order.
The part that sucks the most as a producer is that no matter where the problem is you get the blame. I have people call me during a PPV saying the stream they just bought is POS and doesnt work. I tell them to email me their information so I can look into it....and they say "I dont know how to email..my wife does all that." Its my fault he can't access a live PPV stream though.
Sometimes things do go bad. Just like they do when NBC streams the Olympics with a budget of millions of dollars and the smartest people in the field. The tech is still fragile, subject to all the vagaries of each individuals computer, browser and connection. Its not TV where you just turn it on and it works.
I have always had a policy of no questions asked refunds. A lot of times a guy will watch all weekend then decide because his connection dropped during a peak usage time I should refund his money. I always have. Its good business to do so even though I know some people take advantage of it.
If it was up to me I would do nothing but free streams for a lot of reasons. Someone has to pay the freight though. In a niche game like pool thats the people who want to watch. I don't see it changing anytime soon.
If you will send me an email with the info on what you double paid for I will get it taken care of.
justin@theactionreport.com
You may not be competent enough do PPV. Do not presume to speak for everyone.
That is great^^^!!!! For those affected.
I got some various days of the CSI in Vegas. Including the 10 ball final.
Mostly good quality.
I wasn't around for 8-ball finals. Was posting and feeling the pain of all those who had the finals drop out before the last 2 games. (would've been me too) Horrible.
I am for streaming but it can't have glitches when you do PPV or there needs to be refunds. Especially for a final match.
That said...... I am jumping in again for the Smokin' Aces this weekend!
Big money final! Stellar field! Nice.
**Like I said original post got too loud. ( Early AM after my b.day party) cheers! :wink:
Keep perfecting the streams please.:thumbup:
This is the first I heard of the stream dropping out during the finals. Went back and double checked the support emails and there were none there in regards to problems during the finals.
When I am running an event I dont have time to monitor the forums constantly. Thats why we set up a support email account. So I can go one place to see if anyone is having problems. My advice for anyone who has problems is to contact us through the support email provided on the PPV page if there are any issues. Sometimes I still screw things up but I have been doing this a long time and usually get it right if given the chance.
It was a month ago & I don't remember exactly which night it was. I don't care about the $15 as much as the fact that I posted it on here and sent emails to to Mark & CSI staff & never got a reply. You JCIN are a stand up guy with a perfect record of being more than reasonable and if you don't bring TAR back soon there's no tellin what I might do
When I decide to do a PPV event if I think the internet is questionable at all I do not charge. I usually do it free and put a donate button. I just had to cancel an event. That being said, I do not think whoever did the PPV in question intended on have those problems. My policy is to issue refunds or credit towards an upcoming event customers decision.
All this complaining....
I've done my share of *****ing about this, so I'm not innocent. However, once you realize that this is the future of pool you will mellow out a bit.
Think NBC is going to do ANYTHING for free? Think again. Think they will EVER do pool again? When was the last time pool was on a major network? Last time I remember was during Battle of the Stars(70's), and that was just a very small part of the show.
If you think all these streams are too expensive, then don't buy them. I think TAR is a very good example of how difficult it can be.......
I've done my share of *****ing about this, so I'm not innocent. However, once you realize that this is the future of pool you will mellow out a bit.
Think NBC is going to do ANYTHING for free? Think again. Think they will EVER do pool again? When was the last time pool was on a major network? Last time I remember was during Battle of the Stars(70's), and that was just a very small part of the show.
If you think all these streams are too expensive, then don't buy them. I think TAR is a very good example of how difficult it can be.......
The reason we did away with the studio and the challenge matches we were doing was that we had to pay for everything. Studio and all its costs plus the prize fund for the players and some of their expenses. There was occasional help from sponsors who did what they could but it never really did more than cover some hotel rooms.
Every event that we did in the studio was paid for (or not in some cases) by PPV and the group of people who supported TAR over the years. End of the day the simple fact is not many people want to watch pool. A very small percentage of those people will pay anything to watch it. Add in that anyone with a computer is doing PPV's now and it just makes things worse.
Honestly its always kind of irked me when people compared what TAR was doing in producing unique events to streamers who basically just piggy back on events that others create. Its a lot easier to just haul in some gear and set up a camera somewhere that all the work has been done than to create and fund an event out of nothing. To my knowledge only AccuStats and Big Truck have done anything like what TAR was doing. At least with any success.
It's a tricky situation. The problem is that if "we" fans of the game don't support the streamers such as CSI, Accu-Stats, Big Truck, and others then they will quit streaming. I look at the price of a stream against the cost of going to the event and the price usually isn't bad. With that said, I understand if the producers of the stream have issues and don't have plans to address them with paying customers that's a big problem. The market will drive out the poor PPV streamers.
That is how I understood TAR's situation Justin, but I didn't want to speak for you. You and your crew put alot of effort into making it what it was, for little return.
Some of the problem, as you said, arises with personal computers. Couple that with "My stream was fine with XXXX, but your's sucks" and people get frustrated(which I can understand). Between browsers and settings, servers, connections, modems, computer speed, ect....ect...ect..., there are MANY things that can go wrong that a streamer has no control over....
On the other hand, the last time I went to an NFL game: traffic, parking, ticket price, aholes..ect....ect. Think I dropped 150.00 in all. I think that number is common for most professional sports. In comparison, TAR was a bargain IMO.
I'm sad that TAR is gone, but it was meant to be a business and businesses need to make a profit.
The bottom line in the pool world is that the money comes from PLAYERS and NOONE else. I don't play tennis, golf, basketball, football, or baseball, but I'll watch those sports on TV(which gets paid by sponsors) and pay money for a ticket. That has ALWAYS been pool's problem. The Color of Money was the best thing that has happened to pool in decades.
I hear this and that about how pros should act more professional and I personally think it's bullxxxx. Who is going to argue that Earl is not only a great player but an ENTERTAINER? Pool lacks entertainment and the industry looks down on his "antics" like they're the worst thing that has ever happened to the sport. Think anyone goes and watches NASCAR to see cars goes round and round with zero drama? People ENJOY wrecks.
Want pool to be more successful? Get more players to loosen up a bit(How about a prop match where the penalty for missing is a shot of tequila? LOL) or show a bit of real emotion. Pool NEEDS some entertainment value for the nonplayer or it will never get any better for the players.
These all seem like pissy rants by cheap people.
Lets solve the problem; you do it once. Buy the euipment, set it up, pay players and employees for production, pay commentators, pay the streaming PPV service... Impress us.