IPT entry fees are too high

Mini Qualifiers

are totally on Room Owners. The IPT has nothing to do with them.
Just like US Open mini qualifiers have nothing to do with US Open other
than giving someone a chance to play in the Open.

PoolSharkAllen said:

A few days ago, I noticed in the local pool magazine that there will be an IPT Mini-qualifier here in Denver this weekend. I wasn't planning on playing in it but I thought it would be fun to watch it.

This morning I call the pool hall to confirm that the mini-qualifier tournament was still on. The guy on the phone says hold on, let me check on it. He returns a moment later and says the tournament is still on but will be starting at 11AM instead of 10.

At 11AM, I show up at the pool hall and find out that only one person signed up for the mini-qualifier and that the mini-qualifier had to be cancelled.

To me, it's amazing that in the Denver metropolis of 2 million people, we can't find 12 strong players willing to pay the $150 entry fee.

In my opinion, the IPT really needs to do a better job of marketing it's mini-qualifier tournaments and also get the general public interested in participating. The IPT also needs to reduce the entry fees ($1500) for the qualifier tournaments and lower the entry fees ($150) for the mini-qualifiers.

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Considering the current state of $$$$ affairs with players not having recieved their winnings from the past event in Reno it makes perfect sense to me. There is really only one player in Denver that has enough of a complete game to benefit and this may also have had something to do with it. Its no different that getting a group of players together with winner take all. If the winner then gets the money and there is no future IPT event do the players who entered this event get their $$$$ back? What do you think???

qualifier turnouts were very respectable aross the globe for both vegas and reno. Only after the ipt neglected to pay its prize monies for reno, the cancellation of london, and the postponement of half of the 2007 season did qualifier turnout disappear into almost nothing.

I don't know any pool player, or business man for that matter, that is willing to invest with little or no chance of seeing any returns on that investment.

Makes perfect sense to me, that no one is showing up.

btw, kt told me and others, 6 months ago, that in 2007 he had planned to increase entry fees in qualifiers upt to $5000..

rg

Mr. Goldwater: You appear to be a very influential and knowledgeable person as pertains to the IPT and billiards in general. Is there any possibility that you can bring your considerable influence to bear to enlighten the situation with facts instead of hearsay? Perhaps you have ways of finding things out that are not readily available to the general public. It is possible the resolution will only come through forced illumination of the IPT structure.

Roadie, your sarcasim is not well recieved on my end.

As I have stated in the past, I only post in response to what has either been publicly said/published, or what I have PERSONALLY heard. I think, in general, that to expound on hearsay, is bad form and largely unproductive.

I'd like to ask, specifically, what you have found in my posts that you find offensive.

In the post you responded that to I mention that kt told me personally (with pro player john schmidt present, and our very own craig riley was there too) that in 2007 he was going to raise the qualifier fees to 5k. What was more alarming, was he said it was PUNISHMENT for the johnny come latelys that didn't believe in the ipt from it's inception. good grief.

As for my pedigree, that you seem to question, I am a successful, retired 40yr old living in NYC. My only unusual "connections" in the billiards industry, is that I know just about everybody, from manufactueres to most top players. I am honored to call guys like Johhny archer, charlie williams, tony robles, jeannete lee, jennifer baretta, marlon manalo, etc my good friends. Thorsten is my best friend.

In 2006, I personally sponsored the world straight pool championships in NJ. I DONATED the $20,000.00 prize fund, with no expectation of anything in return. In fact, I did it so I could enjoy seeing the top players in the world play straight pool, for me.

As for the ipt, my only concern is for the players. Truth be told, i don't care about the organization, or it's fans. Of course, without either, there isn't any hope of success, but my only interests lie with the players.

I have read all 6 of your posts, and I have refrained from responding to them until now, despite the fact that most of them are too positive towards the ipt, imo. Because they were thoughtful and well written, i didn't want to dissect them, as i felt they do serve a purpose.

Why the personal attack?

rg

No personal attack Mr. Goldwater. I have read your posts and am asking if you are able to act in ways that perhaps less "connected" members of the forum can.

While I do certainly have a positive attitude towards the IPT vision I do not deny the reality that the world's best players are in a state of confusion right now regarding their future as players with the IPT and without it.

You have made many impassioned posts here about this subject and your viewpoint regarding the IPT is very clear. Since you seem to care so much I only asked if you could or would take some action in this matter.

Throughout the entire year of the IPT's existence it has been the IPT that has called the shots. Hearsay and speculation abound at every turn. You are one of the few who has had some coversation with Trudeau. So I consider you to be one of the few who are discussing this topic to have some infuence as well as insight.

I can see that perhaps my sentence was poorly constructed in regard to asking you to bring facts instead of hearsay. Please let me say it another way. You have repeated two things that Trudeau has said to you which were not reported elsewhere. At this point this is something that is very valuable to the discussion but brings us no further to an answer to the questions of the IPT's viabilty nor even their existence. My call for facts was only intended to ask if you, through your network, can verify anything that may help for us as pool citizens to take action.

It is my belief that positive action is required at this point in order to restore order in the pool universe. If I see it correctly, the gamut of speculation from rational to absurd has been covered. What can we do from this point on to help the players and ourselves to come back to a peaceful and positive state.

My abject apologies. I hope that you understand that while I find your opinions to be quite passionate I still hope that you will consider becoming proactive towards a resolution, if you so desire to.

PoolSharkAllen said:

......IMO, the wiser approach would be to reduce the 1st place (~500K) and 2nd place tour prizes by half to help ensure that the events are financially sound.

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Not all the event 1st prizes are 500k but know what you mean.

In respect of Event 3 at London with a published prize fund way in excess of $1 Million,IPT have already taken your idea and gone a lot further with it than you suggest.....they've cut all the prizes by 100% by cancelling the event!

In respect of Event 2 at Reno it remains to be seen but the possibility that they have reduced those prizes by 100% also still remains.

Roadie, perhaps my perceptions of both the content and attitude of your post was misconstrued on my part. I am sorry for going directly into defensive mode.

From the very onset, kt told me he wanted to "own pool". This very disturbing concept addresses specifically the kind of man kt is, imo. His narcisism is only outdone by his arrogance.

As Jay and blackjack will tell you, kt is a renegade, marching to his own tune, and laying waste to anything/anyone in his path. Normally such a capitalist visionary would be applauded in my book, but in this case, it is more akin to giving a child a razorblade.

On top of this all, remains the very real question regarding his wealth. Kt told me that he had recently sold the european gold channel for 100 MILLION DOLLARS, as well as 51% of the ipt for 60 million dollars. My calculator says 160 million. Then he addresses the ipt members and said he was selling the ipt to ho for 150 million dollars. I can only imagine how some of the pro players might have beenMORTIFIED to hear that, after being with me when he previously said (lied) he had already sold off majority interest in the ipt.

It is incomprhensible to me, that a man who was so eager to gloat about wealth (at the time, in public, though, i did feel like he was trying to play the "pissing game" with me, by enlarging his finances to outdo me at my tournament), subject himself to such widespread ridicule if at all avoidable.

Therefore, this tells me that he doesn't have the money to pay this measily 3 million, either through the ipt or personally.

Like jay and blackjack, my DIRECT attempts to try to intervene, even after reno, went unanswered.

Kt, for whatever reason, decided to go this alone, and the ipt's demise (barring a bailout) will rest squarely on one mans shoulders.

Unfortunately,I have done all I can do.

rg

Then he addresses the ipt members and said he was selling the ipt to ho for 150 million dollars.

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In all fairness, he never did say that.

macguy said:

In all fairness, he never did say

that.

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He said they had signed a Letter of Intent to sell the IPT so that constitues "was selling" to me. Not finalized obviously.

Then he said "insiders value the deal at 160 Million" which to me is certainly strange wording but meant to convey that somehow the pricetag was 160 Million.

Anyway Macguiy-What is your take on the way he laid out this "sale" and the price tag?

he said he signed a letter of intent to sell to ho interactive for a deal that could be valued at as much as 150 million dollars.

As far as i'm concerned, it could have been 150 dollars or 150 BILLION dollars. The ipt, imo, is practically worthless. It's debts far outweigh their assets. His tv "rights"are questionable to date in fact, he might be "paying" for airtime, which could be a HUGE debit). His sponsorships are not ongoing. Possibly his biggest asset, would be the playes themselves, if they had already been signed as exclusive to the ipt. They are not.

Most probably, he doesnt even own the diamond ipt tables. I suspect a quid pro quo, free tables/setup for sponsorship banners.

So what are the ipt's assests. We know they own the rights to the video of the first 4 events. We also know they own a very extensive mailing list.

We KNOW that the ipt currently OWES atleast 3 million dollars in prize money. We don't know for sure if there are any more unpaid vendors.

Practically speaking, I wouldn't buy the ipt for the 3 million they publically owe. The main reason, HOW CAN ANYONE TRUST THE IPT'S BOOKS THAT WOULD BE PRESENTED FOR AUDIT.

rg

Nostroke said:

He said they had signed a Letter of Intent to sell the IPT so that constitues "was selling" to me. Not finalized obviously.

Then he said "insiders value the deal at 160 Million" which to me is certainly strange wording but meant to convey that somehow the pricetag was 160 Million.

Anyway Macguiy-What is your take on the way he laid out this "sale" and the price tag?

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It could mean anything or nothing. It could be the deal may be worth that at the end of 10 years if brought to fruition. I don't think it in anyway means that KT pocket 150 million or $150.00 it is just number people have seized on to talk about since it was thrown out.. The LOI for that matter could be to take over the IPT in it's current condition for nothing just letting KT walk.

macguy said:

It could mean anything or nothing. It could be the deal may be worth that at the end of 10 years if brought to fruition. I don't think it in anyway means that KT pocket 150 million or $150.00 it is just number people have seized on to talk about since it was thrown out.. The LOI for that matter could be to take over the IPT in it's current condition for nothing just letting KT walk.

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I guess im just surprised that he bothered to be so cloudy on this point when he has tossed out so much other stuff that has been straight up BS.

On an unrelated point, I also found it interesting that they were going to marktet the IPT as "Reality TV" but then they do a deal with Euro Sports where it will be aired live and effectively ruin any "reality" angle. I think this showed their state of confusion and may have even caused a shift in their focus which isn't helping.

NYC cue dude said:

qualifier turnouts were very respectable aross the globe for both vegas and reno. Only after the ipt neglected to pay its prize monies for reno, the cancellation of london, and the postponement of half of the 2007 season did qualifier turnout disappear into almost nothing.

I don't know any pool player, or business man for that matter, that is willing to invest with little or no chance of seeing any returns on that investment.

Makes perfect sense to me, that no one is showing up.

btw, kt told me and others, 6 months ago, that in 2007 he had planned to increase entry fees in qualifiers upt to $5000..

rg

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NYC
Where did you here that half of the 2007 schedule is cancelled ???

Nostroke said:

that they were going to marktet the IPT as "Reality TV" but then they do a deal with Euro Sports where it will be aired live and effectively ruin any "reality" angle.

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This might be the most profound statement about "reality" television ever written.

PoolSharkAllen said:

I still think that the $1000-2000 entry fees for the qualifiers is too high. Add in the other qualifier tournament expenses (time off from work, transportation, lodging, etc.) and it becomes obvious that not too many pool players can affort this.

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I'm no pro and I know the Reno situation is about as bad as it gets, but all that aside, the $100,000 guarantee for 2007'ers is not a bad carrot at the end of that $2000 stick, no?

Is the lack of payment maybe keeping players from getting sponsors or backers for these entry fees?