AZBilliards to assist the pros

I'll support it so long as the recipients provvide a web-log / diary of their experiences.

I think many pros need to step up in terms of PR. It will be good for them to develop these skills and good for AZ members to get some insights of the experiences of pro players during their travails.

Heck, their reports could be sponsored. e.g. The Bill Blogs Cues Jamie Pullacross Report No.1.

Colin
 
Bumpty Bump

Mike and Jerry are doing some wonderful things for Billiards. What you don't see behind the scene is all the work and coordination involved.

There are "cool" things happening.... watch them unfold...
:cool:
(Thanks Matt for your support)

KoolKat9Lives said:
Many of your questions are answered in the article that Jerry referenced on AZ's home page. AZ Management here is trying to do something incredible for the sport. They come out with its first post in this forum (that reaches thousands and thousands) and people post & knock it without even reading the 1 page write-up. :confused: :angry:

Jeeez...

Jerry and crew: Awesome step you're taking. I hope it turns into a lasting program that works well for all involved! This will be interesting to follow and see if we get more US players abroad - not just competing, but succeeding.

I hope some of our Pro "benefactors" & potential benefactors will post here and share their thoughts... :thumbup:

Carry on,

Matt
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wow- what the hell has this world come to ! to all pool players - get off your lazy asses and get a job! when I want to go someplace I have to work and save money. I can't ask for someone to" sponser" i.e.(stake me please I'm going to win this tourney I just know it). this sounds like a way to let people get a free ride in life. wouldn't it be much more rewarding for someone to pay their own way on their own money and win? it's degrading to our sport to see the top players with their hands out. if they would work they could pay their own ways and not have to chop up the winnings.
 
Where is our gov now ?

I think our government should give some money to this cause instead of blowing millions on other useless things. The other countrys do it. So can ours.

My pool room is dying because of this economy, are they going to bail me out ? Hell no, Im here every day off the year trying to do this thing I love so much.

When and if I win the powerball I will help a lot.
OK Im done

highrun55
 
This is not a case of the players having their hands out and asking for something that they didn't get in the past. The BCA has always given the players a stipend to help cover the costs of representing the USA in World Championships that take place on foreign soil.

Players from other parts of the world receive similar stipends from their government.

The BCA recently announced that this program would be cut as part of their budget cuts. (The pros were not the only ones who were cut).

One big difference between the AzB Pro Player Travel Fund and the previous stipends is that players will be expected to pay back this "loan" based on their finish in the tournament. The BCA has never asked for this sort of thing from the players.

Mike
 
Thanks for setting this up. Sounds like a great idea. AZ has a huge following, and with it, comes responsibility. I'm glad the people in charge of the site are responsible, and are looking out for our sport and trying to make it better.
 
great idea

Gold level or above will receive a 50% discount from the retail price of advertising on AZBilliards for the entire year following their donation. This discount alone will more than cover the amount of most donations.


That's Great idea for the billiard company's that donate to the fund discount on advertising ..

What level will azbilliards donate too i assume Hero: Any amount $2,000 cash and above.
 
I have invested tens of thousand of dollars and thousands of hours in my support of pro pool and I have sponsored pro players and pro events on many occasions. I, so badly, want to come out in favor of this idea, but it just doesn't make sense to me. In the article on the AZB home page, it is written:

"This program is an investment in the power of the professional game to help elevate the visibility of the sport and promote a healthy billiards atmosphere in the US. It is not another giveaway program."

For starters, how does US participation in overseas events help elevate the visibility of the sport in the US? In my opinion, it doesn't.

Also, how does US participation in an overseas event, even if it is the WPC, help promote a healthy billiards atmosphere in the US? I really don't think it does.

It is not another giveaway progam? I disagree. Thugh I recognize that the extent of the giveaway is reduced by repayment of the loans in some cases, this program still amounts to some charity. I have limitless respect and admiration for AZB and all those who have, charitably, put this plan forth and/or supported it. Unlike some others (who make their case well), I do not object, in principle, to giving charity to our US pro pool players.

......but, is this the best way we can support the American pool player who's trying to eke out a living? I say no.

About two weeks ago, Jay Helfert petitioned us all on the forum, asking us to consider investing in a tournament he is trying to put together in California. He made it clear that we should expect to take a loss if we did invest, but that through our financial commitments, we could support the pro game and help to produce a nice all-around event. Upon reading his post, within five minutes, I committed $2,000 to funding the pursuit of his idea. To me, investing in pool events on US soil is a much better way, for those of us who wish to offer financial support to American pro pool, than paying the expenses of US pros who compete overseas.

It has always been important to me that American pool players continue to garner invitations to the WPC (and other events overseas), but pros who cannot justify the outlays that such participation requires should, in my view, decline these invitations and focus on competing on US soil.

Just one man's opinion.
 
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Love the intent but not the plan

Jerry Forsyth said:
Please take a moment to read the news article on the front page of AZB concerning the new Pro Player Travel Fund created by AZB. This fund will help send our best players overseas to show their stuff on the international stage. AZBilliards believes that in these tough economic times it is a must that those of us who love the game think creatively and devise means to promote pool in every way that we can.

This is only the beginning of the work that AZBilliards will be doing in the coming months to promote the professional game and, through that, the popularity of the game itself. Stay tuned, we will have more coming your way in the months to come.
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Mike and Jerry, your contiued love and contributions to the sport are truly appreciated but it is sad this plan is needed for our best players to compete Internationally. The 2 gents in the pictures are 2 of the classiest young men in the U.S. and shame on most of us that our best players and citizens require handouts to entertain us. While I will help, all the other AZ members who want more info, quicker tournament updates, wake up calls to players, etc........................ should get off their dead ass and support the tournaments in the U.S. increasing the prize funds for our stars removing the need for subsidies or gifts. I go to all the WPBA tournaments and as many of the men tournaments I can arrange to make. The attendance at the Mosconi Cup, Masters, Enjoy Pool, Dragon Promotion tourney in Jacksonville, WPBA, regional tournament, and mostly the 14.1 World Championship recently held in New Jersey.

The 14.1 tournament in New Jersey was great and the Az threads to follow just demonstrated the pathetic state of the sport we find ourselves. With tens of millions of people in this area, there must be hundreds of thousands of pool players in the area, yet the attendance was sparce and unworthy of the event. Despite few people paying a very reasonable admission charge, it was common practice to knock the promotors for not doing this and that; every thing costs money folks. Why don't those on this thread and those that will join in later bust their ass to attend tournaments and get to know John and Gabe by supporting them while they are in the states; increase the purses!!!!! One if the very best 14.1 players explained his sponsor's arrangement and short of winning, it was not financially worth the time and effort for him to participate. I have proposed an Industry affinity credit card to produce millions of eventual revenue to increase purses and other player benefits for the sport on this site and is either ignored or in one case, fought against through the ignorance of the writer in the area of affinity cards.

Jerry and Mike, great idea but I wish it wasn't necessary. As I double as the Collection Guru, I will provide advice for the dunning of the payback of the payers requiring payback to the fund. Hope to discuss this wiith other AZ members at the WPBA events in Oregon, US Open, Hollywood Florida tournaments, Derby City Classic,etc.
 
AzHousePro said:
Players from other parts of the world receive similar stipends from their government.

Mike
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Not all players from other parts of the world receive stipends from their government or their Federations. This is the case for about 90 percent of the countries (21 at last count) that belong to the CPB, a WPA member representing South America and Caribbean Countries. The CPB qualifier for the WPC does not provide a decent payout to cover the cost of travel to the World Championships, let alone for hotels, meals and expenses.

CPB has been granted up to 7 spots for the WPC, and I dont remember the last time we (CPB) used all the spots. Last time Puerto Rico qualified we were unable to send our 2 best players (Alan Rolon and Edgardo Ramirez) since the cost of travel was over $3000 each, not to include hotel, meals, and expenses. I asked for a CPB loan, and it was denied. (They had over $50,000 USD in a US Bank).

The South American countries are in worst shape than the US Contingent but at least AZB and BCA are trying to do something about it. Although there are a few things that could be improved.....
 
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Are the pros really taking from everyone?

Like any "Pro Sport" or Olympics, the competitors must stay in shape (or on their game). This requires 8-10 hours per day of practice for those that are serious.

Let's face it, you (player) may be good but you have a spouse, kids, animals and jobs with bills to pay. You have to make a choice in life.

The Pros had a choice to make. Get a job or find a sponsor. If they are good enough and know it; they don't make excuses, they just do what they need to get where they need to be.

How many times in life have you (me, you, he, she) thought about "starting a business", "trying out for something, "becoming a famous singer", etc? You either have to go for it or sit back and complain about it, or live vicariously through someone else who had the gumption to "STEP OUT on FAITH".

Some have talent... for the rest of us we have to WORK really hard at it.

hmmmmmmmmmmm....... :cool:
 
SJM and Petard,

as Jerry mentioned, there are other things that we are working on. The Pro Player Travel Fund is just one of those things.

In our roles as liaisons between the BCA and the players, Jerry and I are in a unique position where we see both sides of the situation. We certainly talk to enough players and we know how hard it is for them to get out there and compete on the international scene without the BCA stipends that they were able to count on in the past.

Neither Jerry or I expect that this Pro Player Travel Fund is going to completely fix the billiards industry, but it is something that we can do to try to help.

Too many times, someone loudly proclaims that the billiards industry is broken but they never follow that statement up with what they are going to do to try to fix it. Jerry and I are trying to step up and use the power of AzB to help fix it. Even if it just a small fix right now.

There is no question that both of you do an outstanding job of helping the players in the ways that you can and that you feel are the best.

If the billiards world had more people actually stepping up to try to make things happen, then we would not be in the place we are now.

Mike
 
Players need to poop or get off the pot.

While i understand that this is to better the sport, i do not have a vision of pool being anything more then a basement profession in the future.

If you can't make a living at it, do something else. If you don't have another skill set to fall back on, you should have thought about that before you got all caught up with the pipe dream that is professional pool.

For whatever reason, this reminds me of the all to familiar scenario. Some former A list actor doing late night infomercials.

Tell some of the players to stop smoking, and drinking, and save all that cash that would otherwise be spent so they can do it for themselves.

I'm sure that some of these pros somewhere along the line, booked a big pool loser or blew a boatload of cash flipping coins or at a casino somehow. Money that might come in pretty handy in a situation where they need the finances to go play.

Sorry to be so selfish, but the only pool playing person that is going to get a dime of my money is me.
 
hope this wasn't about me

AzHousePro said:
SJM and Petard,

as Jerry mentioned, there are other things that we are working on. The Pro Player Travel Fund is just one of those things.

In our roles as liaisons between the BCA and the players, Jerry and I are in a unique position where we see both sides of the situation. We certainly talk to enough players and we know how hard it is for them to get out there and compete on the international scene without the BCA stipends that they were able to count on in the past.

Neither Jerry or I expect that this Pro Player Travel Fund is going to completely fix the billiards industry, but it is something that we can do to try to help.

Too many times, someone loudly proclaims that the billiards industry is broken but they never follow that statement up with what they are going to do to try to fix it. Jerry and I are trying to step up and use the power of AzB to help fix it. Even if it just a small fix right now.

There is no question that both of you do an outstanding job of helping the players in the ways that you can and that you feel are the best.

If the billiards world had more people actually stepping up to try to make things happen, then we would not be in the place we are now.

Mike
Click to expand...

Mike, since this was directed towards me I would suggest establishing an affinity credit card for the billiard industry initially for the ladies but to include the industry is more than talking. I spent a year of my life with no personal return expected nor wanted as I absorbed all the costs of structuring a program with the second largest credit card organization in the world. As the effort fell on deaf ears, your effort became necessary and I commend you for the aggressive effort; best of luck Mike.
 
For me the reality is that it is not possible to make a living as a full time pool player today unless you are one of the elite players. And even then you won't be getting rich. Only a handful of players receive any meaningful sponsorship from within (or outside) the pool industry. What industry sponsorship there was has been severely curtailed in the current economic times.

There are quite a few successful semi pros who have jobs and play part time on regional tours to supplement their incomes. They may actually work in the pool industry giving lessons, selling billiard supplies or having an interest in a poolroom. Most pro players rely on "backers" to travel and play in major events nationally and internationally. Without this type of support, they are relegated to staying close to home and playing regional events only.

Due to this climate for professional players, any support or backing they receive is very welcome. There are not many top pros in the USA who can afford to travel to international events without help of some kind. Almost all (if not all) the filipino champions receive help when playing abroad.
 
Jerry Forsyth said:
Please take a moment to read the news article on the front page of AZB concerning the new Pro Player Travel Fund created by AZB. This fund will help send our best players overseas to show their stuff on the international stage. AZBilliards believes that in these tough economic times it is a must that those of us who love the game think creatively and devise means to promote pool in every way that we can.

This is only the beginning of the work that AZBilliards will be doing in the coming months to promote the professional game and, through that, the popularity of the game itself. Stay tuned, we will have more coming your way in the months to come.
Click to expand...

In the context of Jay Helfert's recent thread on the Pro Player's Travel Fund, I thought that bumping this thread up would be timely.
 
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