7pm EST, Mike Sigel will answer questions about the UBL: First place wins $100,000

couldnthinkof01

couldnthinkof01

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I figure it like this, if someone wants to come on here and
use our platform to sell their wares, then we should be allowed
to share our opinions about them.
 
S

Scott Lee

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
mattkenefick...You should probably do some fact-checking before you publish your article, because Sigel is handing you a line. The league was put on hold by the person who purchased the league from the original owners (Sigel was not an owner). That person lives in TX and probably doesn't know about Mike's attempt to resurrect the "ball in hand" league. They should be made aware of the latest news, which I'm guessing might put a kink in Mike's plans. Last time, when I heard that Mike would be determining who was or wasn't a pro player, for the handicap ratings, I knew I wanted nothing to do with it. The league died a quick death after just one session, which was won by a team from Largo FL, where I live.

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com

mattkenefick said:
I have to refer back to some of my notes because I haven't written the article yet, but from our talk:

He's been thinking about putting something like this together for 20 years and it took him 8 years to get the money.

He did it 4 years ago and had an investor that unfortunately ended up passing away. They paid out prize money but everything fizzled after that. He said he's since found the right investors that are similarly interested in growing pool.
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C

ChrisinNC

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Quesports said:
It will be interesting to see what the format is for the players on a nightly basis. The APA & TAP format is you only play one match per nightly session. Personally I find that ridiculous. You have to drive to the pool hall hang out all night then drive home all for one match. I am amazed that people do it to be honest. Most leagues are a cash cow for the league itself and the pool hall, they only care about the players for their money.
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According to their website, like other leagues, each player plays only one match per session. It's amazing to me how these leagues thrive with players only playing one match per session. Our players that come to our Monday night double elimination 9-ball handicap tournaments come and participate because they want to play all night. Even the 25% of players that go 2-and-out generally hang out and play more, and 50% of the players end up playing at least 4 matches before they are eliminated.
 
Nostroke

Nostroke

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
ChrisinNC said:
According to their website, like other leagues, each player plays only one match per session. It's amazing to me how these leagues thrive with players only playing one match per session. Our players that come to our Monday night double elimination 9-ball handicap tournaments come and participate because they want to play all night. Even the 25% of players that go 2-and-out generally hang out and play more, and 50% of the players end up playing at least 4 matches before they are eliminated.
Click to expand...

It's been said if you offered a golfer ten shots off his handicap or a new Toyota, at least some of them would take the improvement in their game. If you offered a league player an instant 2 ball improvement or a six pack-virtually all of them would take the 6-pack. That's why they can only play one match and spend the rest of the time drinking beer and BSn with friends. It's purely an excuse for a night out.
 
Pushout

Pushout

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
There is a place locally supposedly getting involved in the league. Loreejon Hasson is in it too. I've seen a recorded demo and was NOT impressed.
 
justadub

justadub

Rattling corners nightly
Silver Member
Quesports said:
It will be interesting to see what the format is for the players on a nightly basis. The APA & TAP format is you only play one match per nightly session. Personally I find that ridiculous. You have to drive to the pool hall hang out all night then drive home all for one match. I am amazed that people do it to be honest. Most leagues are a cash cow for the league itself and the pool hall, they only care about the players for their money.
Click to expand...

The point is that most league players have jobs, and can't be out all night. APA and TAP generally tries to have the evenings play done by 11 or so, if possible. So if you have a team, and 5 players, the matches (and races) are structures to make it possible for that to happen.

If you are not of the sort that enjoys the team format, then of course APA and TAP (and likely all the other leagues, as well) wouldn't be for you. And that's ok.
 
A

APA Operator

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
ChrisinNC said:
According to their website, like other leagues, each player plays only one match per session. It's amazing to me how these leagues thrive with players only playing one match per session. Our players that come to our Monday night double elimination 9-ball handicap tournaments come and participate because they want to play all night. Even the 25% of players that go 2-and-out generally hang out and play more, and 50% of the players end up playing at least 4 matches before they are eliminated.
Click to expand...

Then you miss the whole team concept. That's what drives the business model of a league and makes it successful.
 
sbpoolleague

sbpoolleague

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
8-ball rules that are even more ridiculous and chances to win money that are even more miniscule than the APA? Hard to believe that was possible.
 
BRussell

BRussell

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I gotta say this: Any league that starts out with "First place wins $100,000" sounds like a get rich quick scam. When he did this a few years ago it was the same thing. "Big money!" "Millions of dollars in cash and prizes!"

Come on. People should join a pool league assuming they're going to be paying money to the league and rooms, and prizes should be a nice bonus, an afterthought. Every time someone talks about pool as some kind of money-making scheme it's shooting ourselves in the foot. Why should legitimate, quality people and organizations run tournaments and leagues if the perception is that you must have $100,000 "added" for every pool league or event?
 
mattkenefick

mattkenefick

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
BRussell said:
I gotta say this: Any league that starts out with "First place wins $100,000" sounds like a get rich quick scam. When he did this a few years ago it was the same thing. "Big money!" "Millions of dollars in cash and prizes!"

Come on. People should join a pool league assuming they're going to be paying money to the league and rooms, and prizes should be a nice bonus, an afterthought. Every time someone talks about pool as some kind of money-making scheme it's shooting ourselves in the foot. Why should legitimate, quality people and organizations run tournaments and leagues if the perception is that you must have $100,000 "added" for every pool league or event?
Click to expand...



My opinion:

Something I'm seeing a lot in this thread is about "pool players," where they're expecting to compete in a way to determine who is best, or to improve their game, or to play all night, or etc.

I think people here are looking at this league with the expectation that it's meant to be like other leagues, targeted specifically at good pool players, but with big prizes.

That's not what it's meant to be.

It's meant to be a way to attract all types of people to the pool table and draw more interest into pool. People that play pool at the bar, friends and family, casual players, good pool players, and more. It's meant to bring as many people to the light of pool as possible.

A lot of people here may not appreciate that. They may prefer tournaments with strict rules, shirt fouls, double elimination, etc that spans across a 3 day period. Those things still exist, but that's not what this league is meant to be. If you choose to look at it in that way, it won't look appealing.

I personally have some friends that enjoy the game of pool, because pool is fun, but they're not at a caliber similar to me or many local tournament players. And for that reason, they don't compete and don't play as often as they would like because they're embarrassed they're not good enough. With this style of league, they could comfortably come out and compete along with the other talented players or players of similar caliber to themselves while still having a chance to win.

Many players say "Why would I pay $100+ to compete in a pro tournament knowing I'm going to lose?" That's a fair argument. Some will do it for the experience and challenge, but a lot of people aren't ready to throw $100 away time and time again. This style of league would give lesser talented players a chance to win instead of "throwing money away."

People here are often complaining about why pool is in the gutter, why the prizes are so small, and why it isn't on ESPN anymore. It's because not enough people care about it. Pool needs the general population to care about it if we want it to expand and earn big-money sponsorships.

So if you're looking for a new league specifically targeted at good pool players with the intention of finding out who has the best raw talent... then this league might not be for you; and that's okay. There are other leagues and tournaments that attempt to do that.

This is for everyone; beyond pool players with their own equipment. And it's trying to give everyone a chance so it's not immediately prohibitive out of the gate.

 
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Nostroke

Nostroke

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
mattkenefick said:

My opinion:

Something I'm seeing a lot in this thread is about "pool players," where they're expecting to compete in a way to determine who is best, or to improve their game, or to play all night, or etc.

I think people here are looking at this league with the expectation that it's meant to be like other leagues, targeted specifically at good pool players, but with big prizes.

That's not what it's meant to be.

It's meant to be a way to attract all types of people to the pool table and draw more interest into pool. People that play pool at the bar, friends and family, casual players, good pool players, and more. It's meant to bring as many people to the light of pool as possible.

A lot of people here may not appreciate that. They may prefer tournaments with strict rules, shirt fouls, double elimination, etc that spans across a 3 day period. Those things still exist, but that's not what this league is meant to be. If you choose to look at it in that way, it won't look appealing.

I personally have some friends that enjoy the game of pool, because pool is fun, but they're not at a caliber similar to me or many local tournament players. And for that reason, they don't compete and don't play as often as they would like because they're embarrassed they're not good enough. With this style of league, they could comfortably come out and compete along with the other talented players or players of similar caliber to themselves while still having a chance to win.

Many players say "Why would I pay $100+ to compete in a pro tournament knowing I'm going to lose?" That's a fair argument. Some will do it for the experience and challenge, but a lot of people aren't ready to throw $100 away time and time again. This style of league would give lesser talented players a chance to win instead of "throwing money away."

People here are often complaining about why pool is in the gutter, why the prizes are so small, and why it isn't on ESPN anymore. It's because not enough people care about it. Pool needs the general population to care about it if we want it to expand and earn big-money sponsorships.

So if you're looking for a new league specifically targeted at good pool players with the intention of finding out who has the best raw talent... then this league might not be for you; and that's okay. There are other leagues and tournaments that attempt to do that.

This is for everyone; beyond pool players with their own equipment. And it's trying to give everyone a chance so it's not immediately prohibitive out of the gate.
Click to expand...


You must know- The size of your font proves you are more important than anyone else here.
 
pt109

pt109

WO double hemlock
Silver Member
I'm getting mixed messages here...
...fun league...$100,000!!!!!!!!
...anybody who plays in a league to make money is misguided
 
ShortBusRuss

ShortBusRuss

Short Bus Russ - C Player
Silver Member
mattkenefick said:

My opinion:

Something I'm seeing a lot in this thread is about "pool players," where they're expecting to compete in a way to determine who is best, or to improve their game, or to play all night, or etc.

I think people here are looking at this league with the expectation that it's meant to be like other leagues, targeted specifically at good pool players, but with big prizes.

That's not what it's meant to be.

It's meant to be a way to attract all types of people to the pool table and draw more interest into pool. People that play pool at the bar, friends and family, casual players, good pool players, and more. It's meant to bring as many people to the light of pool as possible.

A lot of people here may not appreciate that. They may prefer tournaments with strict rules, shirt fouls, double elimination, etc that spans across a 3 day period. Those things still exist, but that's not what this league is meant to be. If you choose to look at it in that way, it won't look appealing.

I personally have some friends that enjoy the game of pool, because pool is fun, but they're not at a caliber similar to me or many local tournament players. And for that reason, they don't compete and don't play as often as they would like because they're embarrassed they're not good enough. With this style of league, they could comfortably come out and compete along with the other talented players or players of similar caliber to themselves while still having a chance to win.

Many players say "Why would I pay $100+ to compete in a pro tournament knowing I'm going to lose?" That's a fair argument. Some will do it for the experience and challenge, but a lot of people aren't ready to throw $100 away time and time again. This style of league would give lesser talented players a chance to win instead of "throwing money away."

People here are often complaining about why pool is in the gutter, why the prizes are so small, and why it isn't on ESPN anymore. It's because not enough people care about it. Pool needs the general population to care about it if we want it to expand and earn big-money sponsorships.

So if you're looking for a new league specifically targeted at good pool players with the intention of finding out who has the best raw talent... then this league might not be for you; and that's okay. There are other leagues and tournaments that attempt to do that.

This is for everyone; beyond pool players with their own equipment. And it's trying to give everyone a chance so it's not immediately prohibitive out of the gate.
Click to expand...

Blah blah blah, yacketdy smackedty..

If the good players here are not Mike Sigel's "target audience", then he is welcome to go spend a few hundred thou on advertising to the public, rather than try to pick off the "low hanging fruit" of people who actually know of him on here.

That's the way I see this outreach. It's just Mike Sigel looking to get an easy uptick in visibility for his league, but he's done ****-all to interact with the community until he wants something from us.

Try to cover that up in all the flowery language you want, but that's what I see here. Mike Sigel only knows who we are here when he wants something from us.
 
Bob Jewett

Bob Jewett

AZB Osmium Member
Staff member
Gold Member
Silver Member
mattkenefick said:
I increased the font size because this tiny font is making me feel like I'm 60 years old.
Click to expand...
Then hit control-plus a few times to increase the font size of all the text from everyone. Hit control-zero to reset the magnification to the default.
 
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