"What I'd like to see at Super Billiards Expo is..."

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Eliminate TAP and just have an Amateur Open and Pro event.






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1. Valet parking. More money for Allen and I know I'd sure use it. Parking is crazy.

2. Big tables in the action room.

3. Better food. Maybe lure in some food trucks?

4. Why have a limit on the open? So you get another 100 people... it's just more money in their pocket. I mean, they should pay and could pay first place 30k easily... they wont but that's a different story.

cleary said:

1. Valet parking. More money for Allen and I know I'd sure use it. Parking is crazy.

2. Big tables in the action room.

3. Better food. Maybe lure in some food trucks?

4. Why have a limit on the open? So you get another 100 people... it's just more money in their pocket. I mean, they should pay and could pay first place 30k easily... they wont but that's a different story.

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Valet parking would be a great idea. Not for everyone but I'm sure there would be plenty of takers, especially if you get there late or arrive in a downpour.

Same with food trucks. They would do a killer business. The expo food was lame but edible, it would be nice to have some variety.

Borana Andoni playing in the women's pro event every year.

I'd never seen her before in person. Just stunning.

On a different note, I loved the VIP seating. Well worth the extra $10 per session for proper seats and tables.

Between Tap and the tournament's it was near impossible to find an open table. Could split it up into two separate events.

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I had a blast, but there were a couple of things that could definitely be improved upon such as...

- The pro arena was not large enough to hold the crowds that wished to view, they scrambled and brought some extra chairs in - but I'd love to see this expanded for both regular and VIP seating.

- It was really hard to get a table to practice / play on, or even tell which ones were available. I think they should have deli counter style tickets, take a number and next table that is available because a match ended is yours if you are there 2 mins after your number is shown.

- My feet hurt, carpeting? lol.

b

SBX suggestions

Seeing how my post yesterday has started me getting my as handed to me, I feel this may be a better post of suggestions

1) A computerized database of all the entrants who can check-in at any line and get an actual ID card printed out with a photograph like they do at the US Open and Derby City

2) Pump in some background music during the Pro events

3) Use score keeping tools on each table so fans don't have to guess at what the score is in a match

4) Use food trucks and offer a variety of food choices, it would be a huge hit. Possibly wine tasting and selling, maybe some micro-brews. With all the competition maybe the prices would be advantageous

5) Many users insist that in order to watch a Pro you have to pay a fee. I disagree, I've been to many venues that you can watch the entire event for free. Turning Stone for example has (2) four day long Pro tournaments a year, free to the public with awesome seating and free streaming and online score keeping and brackets

6) Preferred/paid or valet parking. Walking a mile in the rain several times a day really was no fun

7) Large tables in "pit" area for public use

8) 50-50 raffles. With that many visitors it's bound to be a big success. More money for Allen's production

9) Take TAP out of the equation and place all vendors in large back area. Have all pool events in open play areas. There was more than enough room there to accommodate all the play including the Pros

10) Offer PPV streaming, but pay a small production company to do it right. If you keep offering poor quality streams at those prices, people won't buy it

These are just a few suggestions off the top of my head. I'm sure if I put some thought into it I could come up with more. I must reiterate that in my previous post everyone seemed to think I was bashing Allen and the event. In fact what I was trying to get across was that I thought it was poorly organized, but then for something so large, I can't imagine the resources it takes to manage something that big well. And as far as the money, I honestly don't care how much money Allen Hopkins Productions makes, I went there, I spent a lot of money on travel, food, lodging, purchases, playing so I have a right to an opinion. In my opinion it was too big to be managed well and hopefully some of these constructive criticisms we're providing will make it into a top notch event someday. Until then I'm staying away.

Without TAP and SBX amateur tournament, how would you propose for Allen Hopkins to pay for all those tables?

Outside food:
I didn't that being a problem. Nothing prevents you from meeting a delivery person outside the venue. A savvy food truck owner could make money, if he/she came after 1AM, when when everything closes down, and stayed until 5AM.

I didn't check out the pro-area this year, but past year they had brightly light scoring beads on top of every table (along with the players name cards).

Valet Parking sounds like a great idea, but wonder how many will use it, versus how many will complain about the cost. We have here people already complaining paying $10 to see one session. I wouldn't be surprised if Allen Hopkins has thought about it in the past, and wasn't worth the headache. Reserved parking for the vendors, and food deliveries to the booths for vendors who can't leave is something I've seen offered in other cons.

jburkm002 said:

Between Tap and the tournament's it was near impossible to find an open table. Could split it up into two separate events.

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i know everyone is there for pool. but i can see everything in one day. first thing you need is a different source of entertainmet, for kids and adults. something that would please both pool and nonpool players alike. challenges. defintely better food. last time i was there there was some hispanic lady selling empanadas, she made more money in four days that she makes in three months. if youre a pool purist and disagree than youre the problem. get a poker tournament going where the winner gets a tascarella or a nice custom. shit like that. and definetly get rid of TAP. league players on league events are intelorable.

A show schedule for each day should be available at the ticket booth. It was difficult to find out the exhibitors hours and tournament times. I asked a several exhibitors what time the show ended on Thursday and some didn't know and the rest all gave different answers.

I would like to see calling the nine. There's no reason to have a "slop" win in a tournament.

ImaPoolnut said:

Seeing how my post yesterday has started me getting my as handed to me, I feel this may be a better post of suggestions


5) Many users insist that in order to watch a Pro you have to pay a fee. I disagree, I've been to many venues that you can watch the entire event for free. Turning Stone for example has (2) four day long Pro tournaments a year, free to the public with awesome seating and free streaming and online score keeping and brackets

Click to expand...

Turning Stone is at a casino. The casino is putting up significant sponsorship money and no doubt free venue space because they want people in the casino, who will then go gamble. So it is logical that the casino does NOT want an entry fee - they want as many people to come as possible.

At the Expo, Allen pays for the venue. He pays for the stands. He pays for the tables. He puts in the added money. Yes, some of that is to drive admission to the Expo, but I seriously doubt the economics allow him to do all that for free.

And, as an aside, if there are already too many people trying to watch when you are charging money, clearly the fans don't mind paying (and, if it were free, I would never get in. At least with paid entry I can get in if someone else is too cheap to pay the $10).

Who needs valet parking when there is Uber. Picked me up a my hotel and dropped me off at the front door.

Aisle carpeting would be great.

Even though I had my own personal valet, that idea is one of the best I've heard.

Food trucks would also be a great idea, although I don't have any complaints about the food vendors there now.

It would be nice to have scores posted on the website of the tournament.

As well, why can't somebody from Allen's staff share tournament results with the pool media? I just don't understand why they do not do this. It should not be that hard to find out what the score was of a finals match, but it is at SBE. It's a shame.

"What I'd like to see at Super Billiards Expo is..."

I see several posters above list "music" as something that should be added, Really? Why? Why is it out of all the sports out there that people think music should be playing during the course of a Billiards event. Do you hear music in the background of any other sporting event such as golf or tennis which require similar concentration levels while the competitors are competing?

I have never understood why our sport, one that requires an inordinate amount of concentration to play and compete at the highest levels constantly has music blaring as a back drop at most events giving a carnival like atmosphere instead of the quiet it deserves so competitors can concentrate on what they're doing. You people spend too much time drinking on league nights in bars with jukeboxes.

Start selling tickets Wed while selling the practice night. Make RV's and campers park back by the vendors. There was one right out front that took up 8 spots. Get rid of the jump shot booth that drives a nail in your head every time you walk by. Pay more attention to the bathrooms. More chairs available. Other areas stealing chairs from one another.

Oh yeah. The chairs. I'm a really big guy & I really felt very unsafe in the folding chairs. Was able to locate one of the red chairs that were near the 9 footers to hold at the booth where I hung out most. Problem is my back is also wrecked so I was walking around with a cain. No way for me to walk around and carry the chair anytime I moved to another booth or went to watch people play matches.

Honestly if I went down on one of those folding chairs it would take 2 or 3 strong guys to help me get up.