I contacted my local NBL TD by FB messenger. The following conversation took place.
Me: Are there spots left and how do you pay. What are the projected payouts for 1st-8th in the qualifier.
TD reply: Yes still spots left. The projected payouts are based off of the side pool. And we are hoping to add money.
Me: How do you pay so your entry is guaranteed? I guess your saying you can't give an estimate on payouts and people will most likely have to contribute to a sidepot or buy themselves in a Calcutta to get anything. Do you have a total of the added money so far?
TD reply: Hello.. The $150 qualifier entry fee funds the 1st place grand prize package, green fees and main event prize purse. Any and all side pots or Calcuttas will be 100% payout as well as any local sponsorships or added money.
Me: I'll try one more time. I have 2 questions. #1-How do I pay my entry fee so my spot is reserved? #2- I'm pretty sure you've had some virtual minis to get in the main qualifier. Those are for the purpose of generating some added money...are they not? You must have a total of what that is?
TD reply: No qualifiers for the NBL here to generate money so we can not give you an exact payout. Are you interested in playing? If so and would like to join us, I can forward payments apps links. It is $150 for the Stage 1 Qualifier in February and no dues.
Couple observations about this and then my final thoughts about the whole thing. While it was hard to get an answer I also don't think she was being purposely deceptive. Not to make excuses but this Covid thing has definitely had an impact on everything. I know that early on satellites were planned but then the area rooms were shut down. So it appears at this time there's no added money and any prize fund will have to be generated thru sidepots &/or Calcuttas. Not the most ideal scenario but at least we know that's the way it is.
I don't know how Ed determined who his tournament directors were going to be. He can't know everyone in every part of the country so in many cases he had to rely on info from others. No problem with that it's just that anyone in the New England area who knows what's what in the pool scene, probably 9 of 10 would have said thatMike DeMarco of Ship the Cash would have been the best choice to organize and run this event. I don't know, maybe it was offered to him and he declined. I tend to doubt that though because he's always worked tirelessly on any and every way to promote pool in this area. Covid or not.
Right now I think 28 or 29 of the 32 spots are filled, most likely they'll get the 32. I know most of the guys playing and IMO the winner is almost certain to comefrom one of 4 people. There's another 6 or 8 who could sneak in if the stars aligned that day. The other 20 or so would need an act of God to get up to 3rd or 4th.
I'd imagine a similar scenario would be present in most of the other 31 qualifiers. That's where the problems begin. How many of those lower 20, once it's obvious to them that they have no chance are going to continue to enter future qualifiers. Of course you'll pick up new people as you go forward but then reality will punch them in the face and as time goes on less and less people will sign on.
It sucks but that's the way it is. I've been around a long time and if there was something like this 50 yrs. ago I would have B,B or stolen to get the money to play in it every single month. That's how you learned. You got beat up over and over again until you learned.
Everything is different now. Leagues and handicapped tournaments have changed the mindset of beginning and intermediate players. We're now breeding a bunch of "people who play pool". They are the overwhelming majority. "Pool players" are a minority and it's pool players that are the ones who'll make or break the NBL.
Are there enough of them out there to make this thing fly? Ed seems to think so. I have to admit I'm pretty skeptical. Joe Tucker (American Rotation) realized he'd need lower rated players to help make his league succeed. His selling point to them was that it was a very low cost to them but would do a great deal towards improving their game. He was absolutely right about that and still it failed. Why? I'll point back to my earlier statement about leagues and handicapped tournaments.
Are you an AOC fan or is Candace Owens your girl? Want success handed to you or do you believe in hard work? It's obvious that Ed's worked incredibly hard to try and get this off the ground. Let's try to help in any way you can.
I'm going to try and do my part. I'm not going to play this time around. Going to wait for next time. 8 Ball, more enjoyable to me and probably have a better chance due to my 14.1 background. This 1st time I'm going to put in a young guy I think has great potential.
I'm hoping this thread generates some positive suggestions to advance the cause. Voice your opinion.
Going back to what I think is the biggest hurdle to overcome (keeping the lower 20 involved and motivated) my suggestion would be to reallocate the money somewhat.
If I'm crunching the numbers correctly then (and of course this is all based on full fields) after the 1st place package (2500.) TD and Venue (600.) then 72K is earmarked for the 200K main event and I'm assuming the remaining 36.8K is going towards expenses in organizing and promoting the main event.
Difficult as it might be at this late date, what about scaling it back a little. Make the main event 150K and take another 14K out of expenses. That's 64K which can be 1K added money to each qualifier. It's a start.
To begin with do 3 mains a year or even only 2 this 1st year.
Make a deal with the TD's that they need to find ways to generate another 1K added and anything more they get 50% of.
I don't know, I'm not very good at this stuff but there have to be ways. Let's hear your ideas.
Me: Are there spots left and how do you pay. What are the projected payouts for 1st-8th in the qualifier.
TD reply: Yes still spots left. The projected payouts are based off of the side pool. And we are hoping to add money.
Me: How do you pay so your entry is guaranteed? I guess your saying you can't give an estimate on payouts and people will most likely have to contribute to a sidepot or buy themselves in a Calcutta to get anything. Do you have a total of the added money so far?
TD reply: Hello.. The $150 qualifier entry fee funds the 1st place grand prize package, green fees and main event prize purse. Any and all side pots or Calcuttas will be 100% payout as well as any local sponsorships or added money.
Me: I'll try one more time. I have 2 questions. #1-How do I pay my entry fee so my spot is reserved? #2- I'm pretty sure you've had some virtual minis to get in the main qualifier. Those are for the purpose of generating some added money...are they not? You must have a total of what that is?
TD reply: No qualifiers for the NBL here to generate money so we can not give you an exact payout. Are you interested in playing? If so and would like to join us, I can forward payments apps links. It is $150 for the Stage 1 Qualifier in February and no dues.
Couple observations about this and then my final thoughts about the whole thing. While it was hard to get an answer I also don't think she was being purposely deceptive. Not to make excuses but this Covid thing has definitely had an impact on everything. I know that early on satellites were planned but then the area rooms were shut down. So it appears at this time there's no added money and any prize fund will have to be generated thru sidepots &/or Calcuttas. Not the most ideal scenario but at least we know that's the way it is.
I don't know how Ed determined who his tournament directors were going to be. He can't know everyone in every part of the country so in many cases he had to rely on info from others. No problem with that it's just that anyone in the New England area who knows what's what in the pool scene, probably 9 of 10 would have said thatMike DeMarco of Ship the Cash would have been the best choice to organize and run this event. I don't know, maybe it was offered to him and he declined. I tend to doubt that though because he's always worked tirelessly on any and every way to promote pool in this area. Covid or not.
Right now I think 28 or 29 of the 32 spots are filled, most likely they'll get the 32. I know most of the guys playing and IMO the winner is almost certain to comefrom one of 4 people. There's another 6 or 8 who could sneak in if the stars aligned that day. The other 20 or so would need an act of God to get up to 3rd or 4th.
I'd imagine a similar scenario would be present in most of the other 31 qualifiers. That's where the problems begin. How many of those lower 20, once it's obvious to them that they have no chance are going to continue to enter future qualifiers. Of course you'll pick up new people as you go forward but then reality will punch them in the face and as time goes on less and less people will sign on.
It sucks but that's the way it is. I've been around a long time and if there was something like this 50 yrs. ago I would have B,B or stolen to get the money to play in it every single month. That's how you learned. You got beat up over and over again until you learned.
Everything is different now. Leagues and handicapped tournaments have changed the mindset of beginning and intermediate players. We're now breeding a bunch of "people who play pool". They are the overwhelming majority. "Pool players" are a minority and it's pool players that are the ones who'll make or break the NBL.
Are there enough of them out there to make this thing fly? Ed seems to think so. I have to admit I'm pretty skeptical. Joe Tucker (American Rotation) realized he'd need lower rated players to help make his league succeed. His selling point to them was that it was a very low cost to them but would do a great deal towards improving their game. He was absolutely right about that and still it failed. Why? I'll point back to my earlier statement about leagues and handicapped tournaments.
Are you an AOC fan or is Candace Owens your girl? Want success handed to you or do you believe in hard work? It's obvious that Ed's worked incredibly hard to try and get this off the ground. Let's try to help in any way you can.
I'm going to try and do my part. I'm not going to play this time around. Going to wait for next time. 8 Ball, more enjoyable to me and probably have a better chance due to my 14.1 background. This 1st time I'm going to put in a young guy I think has great potential.
I'm hoping this thread generates some positive suggestions to advance the cause. Voice your opinion.
Going back to what I think is the biggest hurdle to overcome (keeping the lower 20 involved and motivated) my suggestion would be to reallocate the money somewhat.
If I'm crunching the numbers correctly then (and of course this is all based on full fields) after the 1st place package (2500.) TD and Venue (600.) then 72K is earmarked for the 200K main event and I'm assuming the remaining 36.8K is going towards expenses in organizing and promoting the main event.
Difficult as it might be at this late date, what about scaling it back a little. Make the main event 150K and take another 14K out of expenses. That's 64K which can be 1K added money to each qualifier. It's a start.
To begin with do 3 mains a year or even only 2 this 1st year.
Make a deal with the TD's that they need to find ways to generate another 1K added and anything more they get 50% of.
I don't know, I'm not very good at this stuff but there have to be ways. Let's hear your ideas.