Deno's Plan of Attack
USBA Plan of Attack by Deno Andrews
Here is a plan for the USBA and the resurrection of billiards in the United States. In order for billiards to get back on track in the US, a few things need to happen. There needs to be a structure that will allow the top players to rise to the top and be rewarded for the practice and hard work they have put into their games. When top players are rewarded, more players will try to become top players
Tournament Structure starting with the Nationals and moving down to the grass roots tournaments:
U.S. National Championship- Limited to fifteen players. Play is round robin, fifty points. Two way ties are broken by who beat who, and ties of more than two players are broken by grand average. Entry Fee is fixed at $250 per player. The fifteen players who make up the field are ten who qualified to play by winning one of the ten qualifying regional tournaments, and five players invited to participate by the USBA under the following rule- The USBA holds five positions for the National Championship. These five positions are rewarded to the top five averagers who made the finals of a regional qualifier but who failed to win the tournament, regardless of georgraphy. This rule guarantees that regional differences in quality of play will not diminish the integrity of the level of play at the Nationals. It will also encourage players to think more about their averages and play more like our European counterparts who have reinvented the game.
Prize money- Entry fees generate $3750. The USBA guarantees $12,000 of their annual budget to be used for the championship- $10,000 to the prize fund, and $2000 for the promotion of the tournament. The tournament program will not be covered in the $2000 of promotional monies and will instead have its own budget. The USBA can make back a large percentage of its guarantee through advertising in the program (which can generate at least $5000-$7000 profit after printing costs), on line raffles promoting the tournament, pledges and donations, etc. After all has settled, it may not cost the USBA more than $3000 annually for this event which is well worth it to have a successful and consistent event. The host room also has to bid on the tournament. We have had a crisis in the US regarding venues and a lack of time to properly promote a tournament. This tournament should be held in late January because of the international calendar. That means that no later than June 1 should players know the venue for the next National Championship. A sealed bid starting at $4000 will begin on March 1st. Bids will be sent to all owners of rooms that would be able to host this event, as well as promoters who may want to host the event in a hotel convention center or other venue. Bids returned will remain sealed until April 30th at which time they will be opened. The host with the highest bid will be rewarded the National Championship. In the event of a tie, each host will be called on the phone to inform them of the tie and they will be asked to make their highest bid. At that point, the highest bid will be announced and the venue will be set. The bid amount will be added directly to the prize fund and will be no less than $4000. So far, the prize fund is $17,750 given the lowest possible host bid. Another $12,000 will be added by the tournament structure explained below, so remember the amount of $12,000. Without much trouble, the USBA can guarantee that a $30,000 minimum purse, National Championship, will be held with consistency.
Host room- What is in it for a host room to bid on having the National Championship? For someone to bid $4000 and up, there has to be at least a good opportunity for them to benefit outside of simply having the honor of being the host. The host room should have no less than four tables and ample seating. It would be no problem to receive ten to twelve piece of free cloth from either Simonis or Granito and potentially some cash for the prize fund, in return for being a sponsor of the event. Hosts have received free cloth for the tournament in the past, which, if they have four tables, is worth about $800. We need to do more. When the host is chosen in late April, the USBA must send the host free cloth for their carom tables so that they will be nicely maintained until the tournament, before which time we will send them all new cloth again for the event. The host room should represent the same level of playability with regard to their tables. Simonis or Granito can deliver with the first installement of cloth a sign for the room to display announcing the National Championship. The same can be done from SALUC who has always offered free balls when asked. The host room should receive brand new balls with the first installment of cloth, and again new balls for the tournament. At the end of the tournament, the host gets to keep the balls. This is a total benefit of about $1600 for the cloth and about $1000 for the balls, for a sub total of $2600. Potentially, this is more than half the amount bid by the host. Furthermore, the host room will be able to sell food and beverages, raffle tickets for their own raffle, seating if they so choose, and collect local contributions from area restaurants and businesses who will benefit by players and fans coming to town. The idea is that the host room, while they may not be making money (which is not their intention), they are not losing several thousand dollars. If they can balance at the end of the event, all are happy!
So how do we come up with the $12,000 from tournaments to support the National Prize Fund?
Regional Qualifiers- There are to be ten regional qualifiers. These events will not be evenly distributed throughout the country because the balance of players are not consistent. The midwest will only be allowed two qualifiers, possibly Chicago and Detroit or other venues. The west coast will have four qualifiers evenly representing the balance of players. The east coast will have four events- two in New York, one in Boston, and one in south Florida. $600 from each Regional Qualifier will be sent to support the prize fund of the National Championship. Hosts can either include that $600 in their added money to the event and then take it out, or they can simply pledge that amount in addition to the prize fund, or they can adjust the prize fund accordingly. The sole purpose of the qualifiers is to qualify players for the National and make sure they make enoug money to at least pay for many of their expenses.
USBA Plan of Attack by Deno Andrews
Here is a plan for the USBA and the resurrection of billiards in the United States. In order for billiards to get back on track in the US, a few things need to happen. There needs to be a structure that will allow the top players to rise to the top and be rewarded for the practice and hard work they have put into their games. When top players are rewarded, more players will try to become top players
Tournament Structure starting with the Nationals and moving down to the grass roots tournaments:
U.S. National Championship- Limited to fifteen players. Play is round robin, fifty points. Two way ties are broken by who beat who, and ties of more than two players are broken by grand average. Entry Fee is fixed at $250 per player. The fifteen players who make up the field are ten who qualified to play by winning one of the ten qualifying regional tournaments, and five players invited to participate by the USBA under the following rule- The USBA holds five positions for the National Championship. These five positions are rewarded to the top five averagers who made the finals of a regional qualifier but who failed to win the tournament, regardless of georgraphy. This rule guarantees that regional differences in quality of play will not diminish the integrity of the level of play at the Nationals. It will also encourage players to think more about their averages and play more like our European counterparts who have reinvented the game.
Prize money- Entry fees generate $3750. The USBA guarantees $12,000 of their annual budget to be used for the championship- $10,000 to the prize fund, and $2000 for the promotion of the tournament. The tournament program will not be covered in the $2000 of promotional monies and will instead have its own budget. The USBA can make back a large percentage of its guarantee through advertising in the program (which can generate at least $5000-$7000 profit after printing costs), on line raffles promoting the tournament, pledges and donations, etc. After all has settled, it may not cost the USBA more than $3000 annually for this event which is well worth it to have a successful and consistent event. The host room also has to bid on the tournament. We have had a crisis in the US regarding venues and a lack of time to properly promote a tournament. This tournament should be held in late January because of the international calendar. That means that no later than June 1 should players know the venue for the next National Championship. A sealed bid starting at $4000 will begin on March 1st. Bids will be sent to all owners of rooms that would be able to host this event, as well as promoters who may want to host the event in a hotel convention center or other venue. Bids returned will remain sealed until April 30th at which time they will be opened. The host with the highest bid will be rewarded the National Championship. In the event of a tie, each host will be called on the phone to inform them of the tie and they will be asked to make their highest bid. At that point, the highest bid will be announced and the venue will be set. The bid amount will be added directly to the prize fund and will be no less than $4000. So far, the prize fund is $17,750 given the lowest possible host bid. Another $12,000 will be added by the tournament structure explained below, so remember the amount of $12,000. Without much trouble, the USBA can guarantee that a $30,000 minimum purse, National Championship, will be held with consistency.
Host room- What is in it for a host room to bid on having the National Championship? For someone to bid $4000 and up, there has to be at least a good opportunity for them to benefit outside of simply having the honor of being the host. The host room should have no less than four tables and ample seating. It would be no problem to receive ten to twelve piece of free cloth from either Simonis or Granito and potentially some cash for the prize fund, in return for being a sponsor of the event. Hosts have received free cloth for the tournament in the past, which, if they have four tables, is worth about $800. We need to do more. When the host is chosen in late April, the USBA must send the host free cloth for their carom tables so that they will be nicely maintained until the tournament, before which time we will send them all new cloth again for the event. The host room should represent the same level of playability with regard to their tables. Simonis or Granito can deliver with the first installement of cloth a sign for the room to display announcing the National Championship. The same can be done from SALUC who has always offered free balls when asked. The host room should receive brand new balls with the first installment of cloth, and again new balls for the tournament. At the end of the tournament, the host gets to keep the balls. This is a total benefit of about $1600 for the cloth and about $1000 for the balls, for a sub total of $2600. Potentially, this is more than half the amount bid by the host. Furthermore, the host room will be able to sell food and beverages, raffle tickets for their own raffle, seating if they so choose, and collect local contributions from area restaurants and businesses who will benefit by players and fans coming to town. The idea is that the host room, while they may not be making money (which is not their intention), they are not losing several thousand dollars. If they can balance at the end of the event, all are happy!
So how do we come up with the $12,000 from tournaments to support the National Prize Fund?
Regional Qualifiers- There are to be ten regional qualifiers. These events will not be evenly distributed throughout the country because the balance of players are not consistent. The midwest will only be allowed two qualifiers, possibly Chicago and Detroit or other venues. The west coast will have four qualifiers evenly representing the balance of players. The east coast will have four events- two in New York, one in Boston, and one in south Florida. $600 from each Regional Qualifier will be sent to support the prize fund of the National Championship. Hosts can either include that $600 in their added money to the event and then take it out, or they can simply pledge that amount in addition to the prize fund, or they can adjust the prize fund accordingly. The sole purpose of the qualifiers is to qualify players for the National and make sure they make enoug money to at least pay for many of their expenses.
