Different Entry Fee/Prize Money for Amateur Entries

[victorl]

At the Japan Open, the entry fee for amateurs is half as much as for the pro players, and the prize money for an amateur is also 50% of the advertised amount. I think this encourages participation and lots of players who have no realistic chance will be more willing to "donate". I know I certainly wouldn't have played if I needed to pay the full entry.

So do you think this would work to increase participation at say the US Open with entries of 500/1000 for amateurs/pros? I guess one issue would be that the line between pro and amateur is blurred in the US right now, but it's still worth thinking about. What do y'all think?

 

[Black-Balled]

At the Japan Open, the entry fee for amateurs is half as much as for the pro players, and the prize money for an amateur is also 50% of the advertised amount. I think this encourages participation and lots of players who have no realistic chance will be more willing to "donate". I know I certainly wouldn't have played if I needed to pay the full entry.

So do you think this would work to increase participation at say the US Open with entries of 500/1000 for amateurs/pros? I guess one issue would be that the line between pro and amateur is blurred in the US right now, but it's still worth thinking about. What do y'all think?

I think adjusted entry fees are way better than trying to handicap players and making them play accordingly. Not sure how I feel about the cut on the prize money though!

 

[book collector]

I like this idea
Half the fun of tournaments like the DCC, is watching your friends get to compete with champions.
I was disappointed a bit when I read much earlier this year that the US Open 9 ball was being raised to 1000 entry in part to get rid of the lesser players.
Now I see they are doing qualifiers from pool rooms which is ok but I'm pretty sure it is not better for the revenues.
I hope the US Open finds a way back to being the great tournament it was at one time , unfortuneately, I am past the point of no return with it.
I was hoping to be able to feel well enough to enter the DCC this year but its not going to happen , oh well , maybe next year.
I will certainly be there supporting my friends and having fun.

 

[Allen Brown]

If the pool world is any better in Japan than it is here.......I say we do what they are doing if it works. Their economy is in the dumps like ours.

Why on earth would the entry fee be raised to get rid of lesser players anywhere? That makes no sense at all. The more people at a venue the more money you make. The places these tournaments are being hosted at will not want them coming back if everyone isn't making enough money. Time will tell.

 

[poolguy4u]

Lol............

After looking at the AZB money list, I'd say there are less than 10 professional players in the United States.

I believe there are some TAP League players making more money than most pros.:yikes:

 

[nineballsafety8]

I agree with the lower entry fees, but have a question about adjusted payouts... let's say an amateur wins the event and cashes the adjusted pot... where does the rest of the money go...?

 

[victorl]

I agree with the lower entry fees, but have a question about adjusted payouts... let's say an amateur wins the event and cashes the adjusted pot... where does the rest of the money go...?

That's a good question. I suppose the pro association that runs the tournament keeps the money. They do give out extra prizes like gift certificates, cues and cases to the top placing amateur players though.

 

[Matt]

I agree with the lower entry fees, but have a question about adjusted payouts... let's say an amateur wins the event and cashes the adjusted pot... where does the rest of the money go...?

I'm not saying it worked this way in Japan, but if the payouts were all defined as ratios, you could calculate it all at the end to still payout the full pot.

For example, assume the payout for a small bracket with only pros in the money is:

1st place: 50%
2nd place: 25% = 1/2 of first place
3rd place: 15% = 3/10 of first place
4th place: 10% = 1/5 of first place

Your payout formula is then x + 1/2 * x + 3/10 * x + 1/5 * x = 100%. Solving for x gives you x = 50%, so it works out.

Say an amateur comes in second. The second place payout would then be 1/4 of the first place payout, so the new formula would be x + 1/4 * x + 3/10 * x + 1/5 * x = 100%. Solving for x in this case gives you x = ~57%, so the adjusted payouts would be:

1st place: 57%
2nd place: 14% = 1/4 of first place (amateur)
3rd place: 17% = 3/10 of first place
4th place: 11% = 1/5 of first place

That way, all of the pot is paid out, and the pros that did finish in the money actually get a little extra since an amateur also cashed.