A crazy idea for a tour

[AceHigh]

I had an idea for a tour that I believe will bring more players to the game. The biggest thing we need is a huge sponsor, and I was thinking of a car company. If you think about it, Toyota is a sponsor for the WSOP. Here's how it would work, we'll use Ford as the sponsor.

The season will consist of 11 tournaments, 1 each month. Each tournament will pay out the top 20 players, and those 20 players will receive points for the posistion they placed. The points will add up each month, and after 11 months, the top 16 players will gather for a championship tournament. Since the top 16 players will be ranked in order of overall points, there won't be a random drawing to see who plays who, instead the players will match up just like they do in the NBA playoffs. For example, 1st in points goes against 16th in points, 2nd against 15th, so on and so forth.

At this championship tournament, the top 3 players will get paid with prize money, and with points. The person with the most points at the end of the entire season will win a car from Ford (or whoever the sponsor may be). So it's entirely possible for a person to have the most points going into the championship, but come in 5th place, and have someone surpass them in overall points, and win the car.

I don't know if this is a good idea or not, but if someone wants to take it and run with it, go ahead.

 

[landshark77]

What's in it for Ford?? I see what is in it for pool players, but why would Ford want to do this? Where is the advertising? What will Ford get in return?

 

[AceHigh]

What's in it for Ford?? I see what is in it for pool players, but why would Ford want to do this? Where is the advertising? What will Ford get in return?

Well, with the WSOP they do a lot of advertisements with Toyota. If you don't know, the points leader for the WSOP wins a Toyota Tundra, and Daniel Negreanu won last year.

If ESPN would televise the final event, then plenty of advertisements would be possible. As far as what ford would get in return, I guess only advertising for the company.

 

[chefjeff]

Well, with the WSOP they do a lot of advertisements with Toyota. If you don't know, the points leader for the WSOP wins a Toyota Tundra, and Daniel Negreanu won last year.

If ESPN would televise the final event, then plenty of advertisements would be possible. As far as what ford would get in return, I guess only advertising for the company.

Ford is about to go bankrupt. Same with GM.

How will any car company make money doing this? Show this and they will come.

Jeff Livingston

 

[sjm]

Well, with the WSOP they do a lot of advertisements with Toyota. If you don't know, the points leader for the WSOP wins a Toyota Tundra, and Daniel Negreanu won last year.

If ESPN would televise the final event, then plenty of advertisements would be possible. As far as what ford would get in return, I guess only advertising for the company.

Yes, anyone sponsoring pool gets advertising for their company. No great revelation there.

The question of what a car company gets in return was surely intended to mean "Why would a car company making this type of investment in pro pool get a satisfactory return on that investment?" You haven't answered that question.

While I admire you for trying to be innovative and forward thinking here, I feel you've put the cart before the horse. Your post reads like an "if the money were in pool, this might be a good way to use it" idea. While your approach is interesting, the living, breathing reality of the moment is that the money isn't in pool.

What would you do to convince a potential sponsor to invest in pro pool?

 

[sizl]

I was thinking of a car company. If you think about it, Toyota is a sponsor for the WSOP. Here's how it would work, we'll use Ford as the sponsor.
.

I think a relevant sponsor would be more appropriate.(More relevant than Poolplayer A driving an Expedition) I think something along the lines of a Budweiser, Jack Daniel's, Crown Royal etc. I realize we are trying to "clean up" the image of pool, but they would all be HUGE sponsors.

I already have a commercial in mind for the finals...............

You could show the two finalist hitting some balls and then the man with the classy distinct voice comes on and say's "These guys (insert finalist names here) had to have a smooth stroke to get into the finals with such a tough field"
and then the camera pans to the bar and the finalist are at the bar having a drink.................and then the man with the classy distinct voice says " THAT EXPLAINS ALOT.....Crown Royal, a SMOOTH DRINK for a SMOOTH STROKE


Just my 2cents

 

[AceHigh]

okay, throw the car sponsor out the window for a sec. Basically, my idea is that a company could sponsor the tour, and at the end of the season give the person with the most points a product from their company. think of it as an incentive for the players to play every tournament, and try their best.

I have no intentions of starting this, i'm just putting it out there, so that someone with the desire for a working tour could use it.

 

[pete lafond]

At least you are provoking thought. Maybe as some newer commercials begin to form they could take on a billiards theme. All it takes is the right pool personality in the commercial and things might start to happen. People will take notice and when that happens the advertisers get more serious. Then tournament sponsors....

 

[landshark77]

okay, throw the car sponsor out the window for a sec. Basically, my idea is that a company could sponsor the tour, and at the end of the season give the person with the most points a product from their company. think of it as an incentive for the players to play every tournament, and try their best.

But this is the same old thing, IMO. I think it is a GREAT idea. And several other posters have had great ideas. The problem, again, comes down to funding. There are PLENTY of big corporations out there with money. Look at the sponsors of Football, Baseball, NASCAR, even Motocross and skateboarding... The problem is getting these companies to invest in pool. Plenty of people have great ideas on how to spend their money, lol, but no one has come up with WHY they should invest in pool. Again...what will ANY major sponsor get in return? Once we can get a satisfactory answer to this question, then sponsorship will not be a problem. JMHO.

BTW, Acehigh...my response is not directed towards you in general...it's just to get ideas...if any...rolling.

 

[AceHigh]

But this is the same old thing, IMO. I think it is a GREAT idea. And several other posters have had great ideas. The problem, again, comes down to funding. There are PLENTY of big corporations out there with money. Look at the sponsors of Football, Baseball, NASCAR, even Motocross and skateboarding... The problem is getting these companies to invest in pool. Plenty of people have great ideas on how to spend their money, lol, but no one has come up with WHY they should invest in pool. Again...what will ANY major sponsor get in return? Once we can get a satisfactory answer to this question, then sponsorship will not be a problem. JMHO.

BTW, Acehigh...my response is not directed towards you in general...it's just to get ideas...if any...rolling.

i understand.

does anyone know what Toyota got in return for giving away a Tundra to the player with the most points last year.

 

[vapoolplayer]

i understand.

does anyone know what Toyota got in return for giving away a Tundra to the player with the most points last year.

they got the advertisement.............but look at how many people watch poker compared to pool............

thats where you have to start first.........making pool a more recognizable and entertaining sport for the average joe to watch...........

VAP

 

[sjm]

i understand.

does anyone know what Toyota got in return for giving away a Tundra to the player with the most points last year.

They got their product mentioned on an event that has a very high profile and gets decent TV ratings. Add that to the fact that the telecasts are repeated and repeated and repeated and repeated and repeated and it all adds up to decent exposure for Toyota's product with only limited investment.

If pool's profile were comparable to that of poker, perhaps those at Toyota might come our way.........but it isn't.

 

[AceHigh]

They got their product mentioned on an event that has a very high profile and gets decent TV ratings. Add that to the fact that the telecasts are repeated and repeated and repeated and repeated and repeated and it all adds up to decent exposure for Toyota's product with only limited investment.

If pool's profile were comparable to that of poker, perhaps those at Toyota might come our way.........but it isn't.

Completely makes sense now, thank you. Sorry to waste yall's time.

 

[sjm]

Completely makes sense now, thank you. Sorry to waste yall's time.

No time wasted here. Tossing around ideas here on the forum can get some ideas in motion. I think your idea of a sponsor getting involved by making its own products a significant part of the prizes up for grabs in pro pool is quite an interesting one. The only point made by many in this thread is that pro pool has to be the kind of sport that would make such exposure for a sponsor's product meaningful enough to justfiy the sponsor's investment, and we must all strive to make it so.

 

[frankncali]

I have always wondered why a Auto Maker did not sponsor a player or
two. It would be easy and cheap for them to travel to a few dealerships
all over the country and do shows and play. They could combine it with
a charity and raise some money for a cause which would be given away in
the Makers name.
Most dealerships have those radio remote broadcasts from their location.
This could be combined with that.
A guy like Mike Massey or another trickshot guy might be better but a
Pro 9 Ball guy would work.

 

[MikeJanis]

What If ?

They got their product mentioned on an event that has a very high profile and gets decent TV ratings. Add that to the fact that the telecasts are repeated and repeated and repeated and repeated and repeated and it all adds up to decent exposure for Toyota's product with only limited investment.

If pool's profile were comparable to that of poker, perhaps those at Toyota might come our way.........but it isn't.

What if the car or other major sponsor got their name and catalogs distributed at over 250 pool tournaments and had 12 events on TV each year that their product was seen on and those tv events replayed 9 times each?


Wouldn't that be the NUTS !

Mj

 

[frankncali]

What if the car or other major sponsor got their name and catalogs distributed at over 250 pool tournaments and had 12 events on TV each year that their product was seen on and those tv events replayed 9 times each?


Wouldn't that be the NUTS !

Mj

ROFL

Nothing wrong with the content I just got a chuckle out of the NUTS part.
Nice job
Maybe a guy with NUTS can work this out.

BTW is there a website out there thats NUTS.

frankncali -- hoping it will get NUTS in SoCal. Heck I might have to form
something and get NUTTY myself.

 

[MikeJanis]

ROFL

Nothing wrong with the content I just got a chuckle out of the NUTS part.
Nice job
Maybe a guy with NUTS can work this out.

BTW is there a website out there thats NUTS.

frankncali -- hoping it will get NUTS in SoCal. Heck I might have to form
something and get NUTTY myself.

Everything about the NUTS will be on Azbilliards for a while ( Mike Howerton is currently working diligently on our section) but we have registered the domains www.nuts4pool.com and wwwnutsforpool.com.

Mj

 

[k-carson]

im sorry but the answer to pools problem lies in the "grass roots"
weather you own a room , sell cues , make tables , or orginize tourny's
the problem is creating new intrest , and showing pool to be a fun competetive sport without the stigmas of the past

the answer is in youth and teens at the local level
a wintertime equivelent to hot stove baseball and pop warner football
and a change will take a decade , which is why nobody wants to tackle the project the rewards will not be anytime soon

 

[MikeJanis]

im sorry but the answer to pools problem lies in the "grass roots"
weather you own a room , sell cues , make tables , or orginize tourny's
the problem is creating new intrest , and showing pool to be a fun competetive sport without the stigmas of the past

the answer is in youth and teens at the local level
a wintertime equivelent to hot stove baseball and pop warner football
and a change will take a decade , which is why nobody wants to tackle the project the rewards will not be anytime soon

k-carson, the New Unified Tour System (N.U.T.S.) is the heart of the grass roots system. It incorporates hundreds of local tournaments into one system. Each regional tour is comitted to bringing new players to our sport and further promote the game on a competitive level that everyone can enjoy. Some of the participating tours in the N.U.T.S already have programs to bring youths into the game (the Viking Tour gives them Free entry to their events).

The project is being tackled, the goals have been set and the rewards will soon follow. I don't expect it to take ten years but if it does I will still be doing whatever I can to make sure our sport grows.

Mike Janis
Owner/Founder - The Viking Cue 9-Ball Tour
Founding Member of the N.U.T.S.