APA Franchise.
- Thread starter BYGJERRY
- Start date
I did own one in one of the bigger areas in FL (Brevard County) and yes that is what a league operator is.
Unless you have 24 hrs a day/ 7 days a week for a few years to establish a franchise (listen to biatching), unlimited gas supply, are good at making promises that are not possible to keep to get (and keep) players, & good at kissing bar owners a...es then hope in a few years to break even you may as well play the lottery instead.
I wish you well though
Unless you have 24 hrs a day/ 7 days a week for a few years to establish a franchise (listen to biatching), unlimited gas supply, are good at making promises that are not possible to keep to get (and keep) players, & good at kissing bar owners a...es then hope in a few years to break even you may as well play the lottery instead.
I wish you well though
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Or you could consider the other side...
The Charlotte area APA has over 20,000 players who play once a week and pay $6 per match. Many of them play 2 or even 3 nights a week.
Grab a calaculator...
The Charlotte area APA has over 20,000 players who play once a week and pay $6 per match. Many of them play 2 or even 3 nights a week.
Grab a calaculator...
Most areas that don't have the APA (aka Bush League) allready have some sort of league and most pay cash to teams that win. It is hard to get teams in a new area to play when even the players are lucky to break even if they win a national championship.
If you had a few hundred teams of 8 players waiting to join up or had all of the above qualities + extra cash to invest it wouldn't be so bad after the initial headaches. But the phone calls about who did what or questions about the rules never stop.
Don't take me completely wrong though because some people that got in years ago have made a pretty good living off of the APA.
If you had a few hundred teams of 8 players waiting to join up or had all of the above qualities + extra cash to invest it wouldn't be so bad after the initial headaches. But the phone calls about who did what or questions about the rules never stop.
Don't take me completely wrong though because some people that got in years ago have made a pretty good living off of the APA.
Ruthless said:
Our league operator pays each team who qualifies over $8000 just to go to the nationals...you can win more once there. Seven players splitting $8k covers the trip pretty well.
Good point!
It is like any other business except ! at least in my view this is doing something you love! The Atlanta League where i play has over a 1,000 players with play 4 nights a week with many who play on more than 1 team at $8 per night! Woody our operator has done quite well I wish I had that type of business!!!
Varney Cues said:Or you could consider the other side...
The Charlotte area APA has over 20,000 players who play once a week and pay $6 per match. Many of them play 2 or even 3 nights a week.
Grab a calaculator...
It is like any other business except ! at least in my view this is doing something you love! The Atlanta League where i play has over a 1,000 players with play 4 nights a week with many who play on more than 1 team at $8 per night! Woody our operator has done quite well I wish I had that type of business!!!
A league is only as good as the operator running it. A great league usually has a great LO, etc etc.
I do know that APA league franchises can go for a pretty penny. My LO sold his franchise to a married couple (both play) a few months back. I don't know exactly what he got for it, but it was a significant chunk of change.
If done right, they can be real cash cows. Using the generic $5/match value - X teams * $25/week (five matches) * close to 50 weeks/year = a good bit of money if you've got a decent field of teams. Hard expenses are largely gas/car wear and tear, and the APA home office's cut.
I do know that APA league franchises can go for a pretty penny. My LO sold his franchise to a married couple (both play) a few months back. I don't know exactly what he got for it, but it was a significant chunk of change.
If done right, they can be real cash cows. Using the generic $5/match value - X teams * $25/week (five matches) * close to 50 weeks/year = a good bit of money if you've got a decent field of teams. Hard expenses are largely gas/car wear and tear, and the APA home office's cut.
Ruthless said:
after all, the APA is a pyramid scheme....gotta keep bringing in the new fish to keep the sharks at the top in $....jmho
Jack Flanagan said:after all, the APA is a pyramid scheme....gotta keep bringing in the new fish to keep the sharks at the top in $....jmho
I'm no great defender of APA leage play, but you can call the APA many things, but calling it a classic pyramid scheme (pyramid schemes are illegal BTW) is not only incorrect, but irresponsible.
Jack Flanagan said:after all, the APA is a pyramid scheme....gotta keep bringing in the new fish to keep the sharks at the top in $....jmho
I'm no great defender of APA leage play, but you can call the APA many things, but calling it a classic pyramid scheme (pyramid schemes are illegal BTW) is not only incorrect, but irresponsible.
I was an APA L.O. 15 yrs ago...
...and it was a lot of fun for me. My partner and I managed to get 60 teams started in less than 6 weeks (which was enough to win APA's 'Rookie League Operator of the Year award)...and this was all in rural areas in ID & MT. Metro areas are much easier, as long as you're not trying to overcome bad management by former league operators. There are many benefits to the players, from playing in the APA. Also lots of benefits to the bar owners...but it is imperative that the OWNER get involved in recruiting teams and players. It is not the L.O.'s job to recruit, only to promote the opportunity. The bar owners know their customers, and all they have to do is ask them to play on 'their' teams. That brings the bar owner about $100 a week (or more) in extra $$$ for each team that plays out of their bar...with NO out of pocket expense to them. It is NOT a huge moneymaker for the L.O., contrary to what some are posting here. Basically, you can figure on about $5-$7.50 net profit per team ($1-$1.50 per player, after all expenses are deducted), per week x 43 weeks of league play. There are some additional profit opportunities, but mostly it is a part-time income unless you have a dead minimum of 100+ teams playing year round. L.O.'s in major metro areas, with 400+ teams are doing quite well for themselves, and the good ones are loved by almost all of their players. When I sold my league area, it was at a substancial profit...and I sold it to a couple who played in the league.
Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
...and it was a lot of fun for me. My partner and I managed to get 60 teams started in less than 6 weeks (which was enough to win APA's 'Rookie League Operator of the Year award)...and this was all in rural areas in ID & MT. Metro areas are much easier, as long as you're not trying to overcome bad management by former league operators. There are many benefits to the players, from playing in the APA. Also lots of benefits to the bar owners...but it is imperative that the OWNER get involved in recruiting teams and players. It is not the L.O.'s job to recruit, only to promote the opportunity. The bar owners know their customers, and all they have to do is ask them to play on 'their' teams. That brings the bar owner about $100 a week (or more) in extra $$$ for each team that plays out of their bar...with NO out of pocket expense to them. It is NOT a huge moneymaker for the L.O., contrary to what some are posting here. Basically, you can figure on about $5-$7.50 net profit per team ($1-$1.50 per player, after all expenses are deducted), per week x 43 weeks of league play. There are some additional profit opportunities, but mostly it is a part-time income unless you have a dead minimum of 100+ teams playing year round. L.O.'s in major metro areas, with 400+ teams are doing quite well for themselves, and the good ones are loved by almost all of their players. When I sold my league area, it was at a substancial profit...and I sold it to a couple who played in the league.
Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
Try TAP
TAP is a competitor of the APA and is growing at a very rapid rate. I sold 11 licenses in the first 10 weeks of this year and all of them were former APA members. That should tell you something. Plus a TAP license sells for the fraction of a APA license does. One big selling point among many is TAP is call pocket 8 ball not slop like the APA. Go to www.tapleague.com for more info or email me at tappool@aol.com
P.S.....We are the only league competing at Allen Hopkin's Super Billiard Expo that is held every March in Valley Forge, Pa. TAP also has been asked (and is the only league that was extended a welcome) to hold an event at the Derby City Classic next year in Louisville by Diamond owner and DCC founder, Greg Sullivan.
TAP is a competitor of the APA and is growing at a very rapid rate. I sold 11 licenses in the first 10 weeks of this year and all of them were former APA members. That should tell you something. Plus a TAP license sells for the fraction of a APA license does. One big selling point among many is TAP is call pocket 8 ball not slop like the APA. Go to www.tapleague.com for more info or email me at tappool@aol.com
P.S.....We are the only league competing at Allen Hopkin's Super Billiard Expo that is held every March in Valley Forge, Pa. TAP also has been asked (and is the only league that was extended a welcome) to hold an event at the Derby City Classic next year in Louisville by Diamond owner and DCC founder, Greg Sullivan.
Varney Cues said:
Terry Justice operates the APA leagues up here out of Baltimore. It is one of the larger leagues. National qualifying teams get $5000 for the 8 person team to advance to Vegas. It doesn't cover the total cost of the trip, but I have been several times and always had a blast.
Joe
Scott I was involved way before you I guess,
It was still the Busch Pool League, cost $3 a week per player, .50 went to St. Louis, there was no nineball, the team handicap level was 25, the team championships were in St. Louis, the singles championships were held in Orlando, and franchises were free (unless you bought it from another L.O.).
I only played the Busch League for a year myself before I was deemed a pro and not allowed to play anymore, so I got a franchise and it just happened to be in an area where the bar owners ran their own cash league for free. I got rid of it pretty quickly.
It may have changed since then a little but I doubt much
It was still the Busch Pool League, cost $3 a week per player, .50 went to St. Louis, there was no nineball, the team handicap level was 25, the team championships were in St. Louis, the singles championships were held in Orlando, and franchises were free (unless you bought it from another L.O.).
I only played the Busch League for a year myself before I was deemed a pro and not allowed to play anymore, so I got a franchise and it just happened to be in an area where the bar owners ran their own cash league for free. I got rid of it pretty quickly.
It may have changed since then a little but I doubt much
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Jack I was just curious...
as a Cue maker I would think the APA and other entities that bring new players into the game would be good for pool and of course the trade ! So I am confused why you would not like them for what it is a venue that creates interest and growth in pool players and the appreciation of the game in general.
Jack Flanagan said:after all, the APA is a pyramid scheme....gotta keep bringing in the new fish to keep the sharks at the top in $....jmho
as a Cue maker I would think the APA and other entities that bring new players into the game would be good for pool and of course the trade ! So I am confused why you would not like them for what it is a venue that creates interest and growth in pool players and the appreciation of the game in general.