Upstate AL's SBE Brackets
- Thread starter cmbwsu
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^^ haha, out of the way of what? Is Allen Hopkins stopping you or anyone else from having an event the way you want it?
We do one, sometimes two, events a year. As far as I know, you're free to have all the events you want and have them any way you want them.
Johnny, that isn't a very nice thing to say about Allen Hopkins. Maybe you don't know him as well as others, but my interactions with him have always been that he cares about the players very much. He goes out of his way to make sure the players have everything they need at each of his events.
And his listens to the players and what they have to say, as well as the fans, and makes adjustments.
In fact, Allen has contributed a lot to pool, and what I admire about him most is that he's his own man. He ain't no follower of the pied piper. He does what he thinks is right for pool. His passion for pool as a sport is stronger than most I have ever spoken to. Just sit down with him in a bar or a restaurant and engage in a colloquy for 10 minutes, and you will come to know this man and what he represents.
Professional pool could use about 10 more Allen Hopkins. I wish he had the time and energy to do something about the current state of pro pool today. He not only talks the talk, but he can walk the walk.
Johnny, that isn't a very nice thing to say about Allen Hopkins. Maybe you don't know him as well as others, but my interactions with him have always been that he cares about the players very much. He goes out of his way to make sure the players have everything they need at each of his events.
And his listens to the players and what they have to say, as well as the fans, and makes adjustments.
In fact, Allen has contributed a lot to pool, and what I admire about him most is that he's his own man. He ain't no follower of the pied piper. He does what he thinks is right for pool. His passion for pool as a sport is stronger than most I have ever spoken to. Just sit down with him in a bar or a restaurant and engage in a colloquy for 10 minutes, and you will come to know this man and what he represents.
Professional pool could use about 10 more Allen Hopkins. I wish he had the time and energy to do something about the current state of pro pool today. He not only talks the talk, but he can walk the walk.
Well put.
I think it hurt alot of free stream viewers to find this out in a round about way.
It would have been much better if the previous streamer would have told the facts more sooner than later !!!
However I really think this won't be a free stream if it comes back next time.
Gonna be hard to find world class pool for free in the future imo.
:groucho:
I agree.
There's probably more behind the scenes than most of us are aware of. I think that's just business and nothing personal. :smile:
Johnny, that isn't a very nice thing to say about Allen Hopkins. Maybe you don't know him as well as others, but my interactions with him have always been that he cares about the players very much. He goes out of his way to make sure the players have everything they need at each of his events.
And his listens to the players and what they have to say, as well as the fans, and makes adjustments.
In fact, Allen has contributed a lot to pool, and what I admire about him most is that he's his own man. He ain't no follower of the pied piper. He does what he thinks is right for pool. His passion for pool as a sport is stronger than most I have ever spoken to. Just sit down with him in a bar or a restaurant and engage in a colloquy for 10 minutes, and you will come to know this man and what he represents.
Professional pool could use about 10 more Allen Hopkins. I wish he had the time and energy to do something about the current state of pro pool today. He not only talks the talk, but he can walk the walk.
I agree 1,000%! Great summary and well stated!
Johnny,
Been reading your posts for years. Think this is the first one I've really even been taken back by. Allen is one of the most creative tournament promoters out there. Kind of wonder if you've ever attended an SBE? Through the years Allen has tried eight ball, nine ball, ten ball, one pocket and three cushion billiards. His innovative best two of three single elimination format has inspired others to follow suit. Show me another successful event with the number of world class cue makers in attendence? Not to mention the other billiard product manufacturers.
This is my first year missing his event in more than ten years. Get real! Perhaps your move to Florida has affected your thinking process. Last year, he not only provided free "pro" tournaments but allowed many matches to be streamed. I consider him to one of the best promoters in the US. Explain yourself please.
Lyn
Thanks much for the info. unfortunat. I can see it cutting down on his traffic, he might have a valid reason ' who knows.
First, I think Allen is only 62 years old, and I hope he is promoting pool events for at least another 20 years if he finds it enjoyable.
Second, I don't know for sure what Johnnyt had in mind, and I imagine he will explain it. I don't know whether it related to the event itself, the streaming of it, or something else.
But in one sense, I agree with his comment about "the old way." This is another "pro" event that, in aggregate, does not put any money in the competitors' (or their backers') pockets. It had 57 entrants at $500 each, so entry fees totaled $28,500. The total prize purse is $37,500. So Allen is adding $9,000 (plus he is paying all the expenses of holding the event), and he should certainly be thanked for doing so. Whether the pro event helps attract enough additional people to the entire SBE event to cover the added money and the expenses of the pro event, I do not know.
The total expenses of the entrants (or their backers) include not just the $28,500 in entry fees but also their expenses for travel, lodging, and food (or the excess of their food expenses over what those expenses would have been at home). This total is undoubtedly greater than the prize fund of $37,500. Yes, a few players will win more than their expenses, but in aggregate the field will not.
Therefore, this is not a tournament model, even if replicated many times throughout a given year, that can support the existence of any significant cadre of true professional pool players earning a living from tournaments. If we are to have such a group of people, we do need a different vocational model for "pro pool players" for the future. Just redistributing what is mostly their own money among themselves won't do it.
Now, whether Johnnyt had any of these thoughts in mind, I don't know; we'll see.
Appreciate YOUR comments. We've been playing for each others entry fees for far too long. However, I wanted Johnny to explain why Allen will be out of the picture soon. Who, what or why would be an acceptable answer not just because. His original post is somewhat damning of the hard work Allen and his staff has done over the years. Blanket dismissal is not acceptable to me!
Lyn
I will say this:
Watching the Pro Event is my primary reason for going! I even consider playing in the event! With a full field, adding 7 players and $3500 would make that $9,000 added using your math more like $5500! Plus, the money payout is contingent on a full field.
The players and spectators are NOT there for the vendors. Eliminate the Amateur and Pro events and people will not come for the vendors alone! The POV stream is stagnate because no one wants to watch the AMATEUR event.
KD
No, Allen was still going to add $9,000 with 64 players; the purse would have been $41,000 instead of $37,500.
thanks for clarifying I added the published prize fund numbers and came to roughly 6,000 but my math skills and motivation is lacking.
PRIZE FUND:
1st: $10,000 Guaranteed & Trophy
2nd: $5000
3rd: $2500
4th: $2000
5-6th: $1750 ea.=3500
7-8th: $1500 ea.=3000
9-12th: $1250 ea.=5000
13-16th: $1000 ea.=4000
17-24th: $750 ea.=6000
total=$41,000
64x500=32000
9,000 added
(based on field of 64 players)
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When Earl comes with that unbeatable gear, it's sikkkk to watch. To blank Holman is definately making a statement<<<<He came to play...
I apologize to Allen Hopkins and friends. I can see what I wrote wasn't thought out very good and it wasn't what I meant at all. I like Allen, played him once back in NJ. He was a perfect gentleman and the games didn't end well for me :embarrassed2:. I know Allen has done a lot of good things for pool in his pool life, including getting the players on TV.
What I meant is that Allen and others seem to be stuck in the 1980's, and I think it's because they listen to the players too much. To me streaming an event is a no brainer. Yes, he already had sponsors, but with streaming you give your sponsors a little more bang for their buck. I can understand because I am very low tech too. You could get away with it in business a few years ago, but not so much anymore. Pool needs to learn to use many of the new things that have come out since the 1980' and 90's or else it will be stuck on the subway to never return. Johnnyt
What Say You About My Thoughts Here
As pertaining to the streaming side of things of this outstanding event:
Countless of us west coast-types have heard/read of SBE over the years (or are new to the sport) but are hesitant to take the trip, what with the expen$e$ involved and all. I think dangling a "bigger carrot" is needed to get folks like us to make the trip and a live stream would be just that. Given an opportunity to see what it is all about on stream would inspire a good deal of us to make the trip next year. Once we've experienced it, we would pass the word at home and come back -- this time with friends!
A future investment while getting our sport out their for the general public at the same time is a good thing growth-wise I would think! SBE would not even have to bare the expense of setting up and running the stream. If it is the thought of the streamer making money selling DVDs of the event, just don't allow it or get a percentage via a simple contract. Mr Hopkins may be thinking that a live stream would cut down on attendance from those living on the east-side. Would an increase of attendees from the middle and west sides more then offset that?
Am I thinking wrong here/off base (?) ... I could be. Mr Hopkins has been at it for a long time and may have reasons beyond my feeble mental processing power. Allen Jr/anyone - If I'm off base here --> smarten me up.
As pertaining to the streaming side of things of this outstanding event:
Countless of us west coast-types have heard/read of SBE over the years (or are new to the sport) but are hesitant to take the trip, what with the expen$e$ involved and all. I think dangling a "bigger carrot" is needed to get folks like us to make the trip and a live stream would be just that. Given an opportunity to see what it is all about on stream would inspire a good deal of us to make the trip next year. Once we've experienced it, we would pass the word at home and come back -- this time with friends!
A future investment while getting our sport out their for the general public at the same time is a good thing growth-wise I would think! SBE would not even have to bare the expense of setting up and running the stream. If it is the thought of the streamer making money selling DVDs of the event, just don't allow it or get a percentage via a simple contract. Mr Hopkins may be thinking that a live stream would cut down on attendance from those living on the east-side. Would an increase of attendees from the middle and west sides more then offset that?
Am I thinking wrong here/off base (?) ... I could be. Mr Hopkins has been at it for a long time and may have reasons beyond my feeble mental processing power. Allen Jr/anyone - If I'm off base here --> smarten me up.
Here's a novel idea to monetize the stream:
1) PPV
2) Provide a stream access code to those who actually attended/paid admission at least ONE day of the SBX. It's a let down to watch a full day early in the tourney and miss out of the rest because you can't make it the remaining 2 days.
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1) PPV
2) Provide a stream access code to those who actually attended/paid admission at least ONE day of the SBX. It's a let down to watch a full day early in the tourney and miss out of the rest because you can't make it the remaining 2 days.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk