Ever heard of a tournament like this?

[Csim]

So I am in Tampa for a week right by the USF campus. I looked for a pool room and the closest was Peabody's, so I went. It's ok- 11 9ft Gandy's in average condition. At lunch 3 of them being used. I ask the mgr if they have tournaments and he lights up and says yes.

I thought perfect maybe I can play one. I ask when, he says Thursday night. Ok how many usually play? He says 20-30. I thought to myself heck I bet some players show up every week. Then I ask how much is the entry fee is and he says that its a free entry. I got confused for a second and asked what the winner won. He said a 20 dollar gift certificate here.

Now I haven't played a tournament in over a decade but is this how it is now?

Was this mgr just messing with me?

Or
is this how desperate pool rooms are for people to come in?

 

[ShootingArts]

So I am in Tampa for a week right by the USF campus. I looked for a pool room and the closest was Peabody's, so I went. It's ok- 11 9ft Gandy's in average condition. At lunch 3 of them being used. I ask the mgr if they have tournaments and he lights up and says yes.

I thought perfect maybe I can play one. I ask when, he says Thursday night. Ok how many usually play? He says 20-30. I thought to myself heck I bet some players show up every week. Then I ask how much is the entry fee is and he says that its a free entry. I got confused for a second and asked what the winner won. He said a 20 dollar gift certificate here.

Now I haven't played a tournament in over a decade but is this how it is now?

Was this mgr just messing with me?

Or
is this how desperate pool rooms are for people to come in?

Some good pool rooms have these free weekly tournaments, primarily for their regulars but all are welcome. The owner is putting up the prize and free table time so the winnings aren't going to be huge, bragging rights more than anything else. I see these tournaments as win/win. The owner gets people in tournaments that may enter the monthly or quarterly bigger tournaments later, the players get to test their skills.

Hu

 

[Bob Jewett]

If you check out Peabody's web page and facebook, they barely mention the fact that they have pool tables -- far more emphasis on being a sports bar. I imagine they make most of their revenue from food and drink and the pool and foosball are just additional reasons for people to come in.

 

[jasonlaus]

Wanna talk about crazy, I played in a weekly in south Carolina almost 30 years ago that the whole tournament would be played out to a winner and everybody on the 1 loss side started over in a single elim bracket in the same spot no matter when you lost on the winners side except for the final match loser - they got a bye to the 2nd round. Yep, if you went out in the 5th round you started at the same place as the guy who went out in the first round.

No idea how much that place made in quarters(bar boxes).

Thank God I won the winners side most of the time so I could go home, everybody else had to stay and play for 2nd, 3rd, etc.

 

[jay helfert]

So I am in Tampa for a week right by the USF campus. I looked for a pool room and the closest was Peabody's, so I went. It's ok- 11 9ft Gandy's in average condition. At lunch 3 of them being used. I ask the mgr if they have tournaments and he lights up and says yes.

I thought perfect maybe I can play one. I ask when, he says Thursday night. Ok how many usually play? He says 20-30. I thought to myself heck I bet some players show up every week. Then I ask how much is the entry fee is and he says that its a free entry. I got confused for a second and asked what the winner won. He said a 20 dollar gift certificate here.

Now I haven't played a tournament in over a decade but is this how it is now?

Was this mgr just messing with me?

Or
is this how desperate pool rooms are for people to come in?

Smart guy running that business! He's bringing in 20-30 people (and whoever they bring with them) to play for a $20 prize. Meanwhile those people are eating and drinking in there for hours maybe. Who knows what else they are spending money on in there? Juke box, Video games, ATM machine. This is a very good model for other sports bars to follow. I like it!

 

[garczar]

So I am in Tampa for a week right by the USF campus. I looked for a pool room and the closest was Peabody's, so I went. It's ok- 11 9ft Gandy's in average condition. At lunch 3 of them being used. I ask the mgr if they have tournaments and he lights up and says yes.

I thought perfect maybe I can play one. I ask when, he says Thursday night. Ok how many usually play? He says 20-30. I thought to myself heck I bet some players show up every week. Then I ask how much is the entry fee is and he says that its a free entry. I got confused for a second and asked what the winner won. He said a 20 dollar gift certificate here.

Now I haven't played a tournament in over a decade but is this how it is now?

Was this mgr just messing with me?

Or
is this how desperate pool rooms are for people to come in?

Even for a sports bar that's a pretty lame tournament pay-out idea.

 

[garczar]

Smart guy running that business! He's bringing in 20-30 people (and whoever they bring with them) to play for a $20 prize. Meanwhile those people are eating and drinking in there for hours maybe. Who knows what else they are spending money on in there? Juke box, Video games, ATM machine. This is a very good model for other sports bars to follow. I like it!

Really? As soon as i found out all you could win was a $20 GC i'd be out the door.

 

[jay helfert]

Really? As soon as i found out all you could win was a $20 GC i'd be out the door.

You vote with your wallet, and if 20-30 people vote for it you have a winner if you're the room owner.

 

[jasonlaus]

Its basically free practice time with the chance of winning $20.

I might even play when I get back down there if I'm looking to kill time, hang out, and have some drinks.

Great idea if you have people with a conscience coming in - people who would want to support a business giving them free stuff. If its like a lot of league players who drink tap water and leave, then not so much

 

[jimmyco]

Smart guy running that business! He's bringing in 20-30 people (and whoever they bring with them) to play for a $20 prize. Meanwhile those people are eating and drinking in there for hours maybe. Who knows what else they are spending money on in there? Juke box, Video games, ATM machine. This is a very good model for other sports bars to follow. I like it!

Agreed.

And how much does that $20 really cost the room owner?

Great marketing.

 

[cue4me]

There's a bar near me that does a similar thing. $25 per week in credit for a free single elimination tournament. But, at the end of the year they have a free double elimination tournament with $500.00 first prize as well as other cash prizes and door prizes. That is played over several weeks and you have had to have played in a certain number of tournaments during the year to qualify to play.

 

[jensen_lover]

The world famous Buffalo's Billiards in Metairie used to have a free weekly one pocket tournament. It was a lot of fun. I think single elimination best 2/3. Winner would get 50 or so bucks. Was Monday afternoons around 1 or 2. A lot of times I was the youngest person by half since it was a lot of retired folks playing.

I think it is a great idea for the bar. $20 in table time is basically free to them. And if you can get people in drinking you could be making a fortune. It would be hard to pass up a couple of hours of free playing time because you did not like the tournament payout.

 

[cueman]

There's a bar near me that does a similar thing. $25 per week in credit for a free single elimination tournament. But, at the end of the year they have a free double elimination tournament with $500.00 first prize as well as other cash prizes and door prizes. That is played over several weeks and you have had to have played in a certain number of tournaments during the year to qualify to play.

That is basically a free in house league that pays out a little.

 

[garczar]

You vote with your wallet, and if 20-30 people vote for it you have a winner if you're the room owner.

If he's got 20-30 people in it he can damn sure afford more than a measly $20 GC. The drink/food profits surely would allow a bigger payout.

 

[maha]

its not a tournament for pool players. its a tournament for his bar patrons who get to play free and win something. and thats alot better than most bar patrons ever get. even in a regular tournament.

 

[garczar]

its not a tournament for pool players. its a tournament for his bar patrons who get to play free and win something. and thats alot better than most bar patrons ever get. even in a regular tournament.

I bet 20bux in that joint doesn't buy 1.5 drinks or 3 beers. Wow. What a score.

 

[fastone371]

I bet 20bux in that joint doesn't buy 1.5 drinks or 3 beers. Wow. What a score.

But its FREE!!!! How can anyone complain about winning $20 in a FREE tournament??? How many drinks do you suppose no money buys in that establishment??? That makes "1.5 drinks or 3 beers" look pretty good by comparison.

 

[garczar]

But its FREE!!!! How can anyone complain about winning $20 in a FREE tournament??? How many drinks do you suppose no money buys in that establishment??? That makes "1.5 drinks or 3 beers" look pretty good by comparison.

HUH??? How long do you think that tournament lasts? Even if you win you're already stuck more than the 20bux. Its just going towards your $100+ bar/food tab. Its a total gaff imo. Definitely aimed at drinkers and suckers.

 

[ShootingArts]

If I were a stranger from afar I wouldn't be likely to play in one of these tournaments. If I was in that sports bar three nights a week I would probably play in it. Might as well, can't dance!

Years ago a friend opened a bar. He had a couple bar tables in there so he started a trophy tournament. I don't remember the entry but two or three entries covered the price of the chrome. I won it four or five weeks straight then quit playing in it. I didn't figure it was building business for me to come in and grab first place every week.

I threw the trophies on a knickknack shelf for awhile. About six months later my wife was cleaning house and asked if she could throw them away.

"Sure."

Getting back to this particular tournament, I do find a gift certificate to be used there a lot like Wheat bucks. I guess it is fine when it is for the patrons of the bar anyway.

Hu

 

[Csim]

Here is an update on the place. It started at 9, 16 players. It was handicapped at a 2 or 3. Meaning if you were a 2 you had to win 2 to move on etc.. 8 ball .. Ball in hand, single elimination. Because they didn't know me I got rated a 3.

The tournament ended at 11:30. There were no players there, but I did win it.

Here is a little twist on the 20 dollar gc. They won't let you use it on the day you won it. It is available for use the following day.

Lol