any ideas on a 'play the pro' event?

gabesmom

gabesmom

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
My husband has been a volunteer over entertainment for years at our town Fall Festival held in October of every year. Brings in musical entertainment from Nashville, etc, as well as other entertainment events. The festival draws about 30 - 50,000 people over the weekend,. and has all your normal festival festivities, rides, food booths, car shows, etc. We're working on having a 'Play the Pro' event for this year's festival, with Gabe & Corey Deuel coming in. (they're both just waiting for the final word) (it's Gabe's hometown he went to school in) The two of them would be available a few hours on Friday evening, Saturday, and Sunday at this event. Any and all ideas welcome on how to put this on. Our dilemma is we have to put a large tent in the park, (big enough for tables and people inside - in case of inclement weather that we sometimes have at the outdoor festival) to stake the tent to the ground, so have to figure out putting in a solid floor of some kind that the 2 tables can be put on. (we cannot plan this event inside at all, there are no buidings we can use, everything has to be in the city park) We're considering having people pay $5.00 per game, and for each game they pay & play, (win or lose) their name is put into a drawing for door prizes with a major prize of a cue stick or something to that effect. And smaller prizes that are donated by local merchants. The proceeds goes to the festival. But any and all ideas are welcome!! Gabe & Corey said they will do it, but we have to get our ducks in a row soon, so they can schedule it. Mike at AZB said he may post some info on it, and would want their banner if possible. Any & all ideas on this event would be appreciated!!
 
I liked the format of the "Beat the Pro" at Glass City Open. Gabe and Corey both donated their time last year, and they are familiar with this set-up.

For 5 bucks, the challenger gets a shot at beating the pro, which in this case would be the current U.S. Open Champion and a previous U.S. Open Champion. If they win and beat the pro, they get a free T-shirt stating "I beat the pro at..." on such and such a date. It could list the name of the festival, the date, and even Gabe and/or Corey's name on the shirt. As an added bonus, every challenger, win or lose, gets their name thrown into a raffle for a prize to be drawn at the conclusion of the festival.

The T-shirts can be bought in bulk, and plain white T-shirts printed up with one color print shouldn't be too hurtful on the pocketbook. When I attend fairs and festivals, I notice the prizes people are carrying around in their hands, stuffed animals and the like. People like to win stuff, and the T-shirts would be a draw. Everybody likes a souvenir!

Just some thoughts. This sounds like a really neat idea (IMO)! :)

JAM
 
Additional thought

It would also be neat if you could get a guy with a good voice to be the barker, announcing the exhibition. This attracts folks, especially if the barker is a good one, i.e., "Step right on up and challenge the pro."

JAM
 
JAM said:
It would also be neat if you could get a guy with a good voice to be the barker, announcing the exhibition. This attracts folks, especially if the barker is a good one, i.e., "Step right on up and challenge the pro."

JAM
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Wonderful ideas!! Especially the 'barker'! HAVE to have one of those!! Never thought of that. This is why I decided to ask for ideas on this forum! We have a festival meeting tonight, so we may be able to take great some ideas on this to the members tonight! Thanks!
 
Another thought

Those pool ball key chains would make great prizes. They seem to sell like hot cakes at exhibitions I've been to, economical and cool-looking. Some players like to let them hang out of their back pockets and dangle for show. :p

They may be able to be obtained for CHEAP in bulk, or in the ideal world, if a pool-related sponsor would donate 100 or so, this would attract some folks, too, in addition to the T-shirts. The key chains could be the prize if the challenger beats the pro twice. This will keep 'em coming back for more! :cool:

JAM
 
Maybe I don't know what I'm talking about, but it just seems to me that $5 isn't much money. Your pro players can only play so many games. I would think that if this was put in the festival flyer and all the local pool leagues were made aware of this you should be able to charge $10-$20 per game. I take it that this would be a charity event and you want to make as much for the charity as possible. $5 is just nothing today, just barely buys one pack of cigs. Joe public may only pay $5 though. What I'm talking about would require getting local pool player to attend. Just sort of thinking out loud here. Don't know if I'm helping at all.
 
CaptainJR said:
Maybe I don't know what I'm talking about, but it just seems to me that $5 isn't much money. Your pro players can only play so many games. I would think that if this was put in the festival flyer and all the local pool leagues were made aware of this you should be able to charge $10-$20 per game. I take it that this would be a charity event and you want to make as much for the charity as possible. $5 is just nothing today, just barely buys one pack of cigs. Joe public may only pay $5 though. What I'm talking about would require getting local pool player to attend. Just sort of thinking out loud here. Don't know if I'm helping at all.
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Yes, we kind of thought $5.00 might not be enough, but like you said, for joe public, it may well be. We've been calculating costs (will be paying Gabe & Corey also, to offset some of what they could be out on a tournament that weekend) vs. how much money they could pull in based on the hours they would be there. We have to try to keep it affordable for all, so still debating the amount to charge. Thanks for your post!! I really appreciate it.
 
Chances are you won't be giving away many prizes. Either of them are almost unbeatable if you are not a "A" player. My buddy had to play Keith 3 games at the glass City open before he finally beat him. It was alos $5 per game. My other friend left Keith hooked and Keith still ran out. For the most part it is the chance to play against one. At a festival most people won't be the pool players that attend tournaments so you may not get the same amount of participation. Be sure to adverstise in the local halls that either will be there to attract the players. You may want to also sell some token shirt or something that says I got whipped by Gabe or Corey.

Good Luck
 
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Just got another Idea from another post. Buy a cue stick for Corey and Gabe to use during this event and then raffle it off. It could also be autographed by both of them or an auto graphed picture with them holding the stick. You could also sell autographed pictures of the attendees with Gabe and Corey standing by a sign that says I got beat or beat the pro.
 
TheBook said:
Chances are you won't be giving away many prizes. Either of them are almost unbeatable if you are not a "A" player. My buddy had to play Keith 3 games at the glass City open before he finally beat him. It was alos $5 per game. My other friend left Keith hooked and Keith still ran out. For the most part it is the chance to play against one. At a festival most people won't be the pool players that attend tournaments so you may not get the same amount of participation. Be sure to adverstise in the local halls that either will be there to attract the players. You may want to also sell some token shirt or something that says I got whipped by Gabe or Corey.

Good Luck
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That's why we thought that each time someone paid to play, their name went into the drawing, so the more you play the more chances to win one of the prizes. (just a thought) And like Jam said, maybe have the pool key chains or something like that, that we could get affordably, that everyone get something at the time just for playing. Another idea now could be that different age groups pay different amount, say under 12 pay $3.00, 12 - 18 pay $5.00, over 18 pay $10.00 or something to that effect. Boy, I'm glad I posted this question on AZB, you all are wonderful at giving great ideas! I'm sure it will be a hit this first year if we can get it together, especially now with everyone's input!! We'll need an AZB FORUM banner to put up!! And if something works good at the festival each year, then they usually keep it going each year thereafter. So it could lead to having other different players each year (that are affordable & available!)
 
What about balloons!? I saw a really cheap helium balloon machine at Costco and Sam's Club. Colorful balloons are eye-catchers at fairs and festivals, especially for the kids.

If there was a way to get something printed on a large lot of balloons advertising the Beat the Pro exhibition at the fair, folks would flock on over to your booth to check out the festivities, wondering what all the hoopla is about.

Another item to consider that can be purchased in bulk and isn't too expensive are those necklaces that light up in the dark.

Everybody likes to leave a fair or a festival with a prize. I think 5 bucks is a good price to challenge the pro. Also, some may try to beat the pro more than once, bringing in additional monies.

JAM
 
JAM said:
What about balloons!? I saw a really cheap helium balloon machine at Costco and Sam's Club. Colorful balloons are eye-catchers at fairs and festivals, especially for the kids.

If there was a way to get something printed on a large lot of balloons advertising the Beat the Pro exhibition at the fair, folks would flock on over to your booth to check out the festivities, wondering what all the hoopla is about.

Another item to consider that can be purchased in bulk and isn't too expensive are those necklaces that light up in the dark.

Everybody likes to leave a fair or a festival with a prize. I think 5 bucks is a good price to challenge the pro. Also, some may try to beat the pro more than once, bringing in additional monies.

JAM
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Thanks JAM! Keep those ideas coming!! I've never done anything like this, I only know so much about pool, and just a tad bit more about an event, which isn't alot put together. We just got confirmation for a grand prize of a signed cue, cuemaker said best if signed by the players before it is finished. And we got the 2 pool tables donated now. Still have to get a FLOOR for the tent!! haha But I love all the ideas you all are giving!! Thank you soooo much!
 
What about a T-Shirt for people that don't "beat the pro"?

Something like: "I Racked and Watched "insert name here" run all over my @$$ at "insert venue here".

:D
 
TheBook said:
Just got another Idea from another post. Buy a cue stick for Corey and Gabe to use during this event and then raffle it off. It could also be autographed by both of them or an auto graphed picture with them holding the stick. You could also sell autographed pictures of the attendees with Gabe and Corey standing by a sign that says I got beat or beat the pro.
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We just found out today that we get a cue stick to have as a grand prize out of the drawing of several prizes. And then called about having them sign it, and I was told it can be autographed, but for some reason better to autograph it before the cue is finished. I like the autographed pictures idea too!! Thank you!!!
 
gabesmom said:
Any & all ideas on this event would be appreciated!!
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How big of a town is it in? I did not see anyone suggest that the challenger should get to break, it would probably be the only shot most people get. ;) As for the cue, I thought Gabe's dad was a cuemaker (Shurtz Cues?), he should be able to finish over the autographs. You may also want to have a cue raffle, get pretty young ladies to carry the cue around selling tickets. If it is a big town, there might be enough interest, to make a killing. Is the prize cue, a Shurtz? We might all have to start planning some vacation time, sounds like fun. :)

Tracy
 
BiG_JoN said:
What about a T-Shirt for people that don't "beat the pro"?

Something like: "I Racked and Watched "insert name here" run all over my @$$ at "insert venue here".

:D
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That's a perfect quote to have on a loser's shirt! We are going to check into shirts to see if shirts can be in the budget. We're just getting started on this thing. THANKS!!!!!
 
gabesmom said:
That's a perfect quote to have on a loser's shirt! We are going to check into shirts to see if shirts can be in the budget. We're just getting started on this thing. THANKS!!!!!
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There are no losers, only "winner-challenged" :D
 
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