exploring the possibilities/consequences of ipt exclusivity

[Gabber]

Keep in mind that starting in 2007 the IPT will be a job for the card holders. As such they will be expected to follow the rules of the company just like any other worker in any other job. They will have obligations to their employer.


Jake

Why would it be a job? I thought it was a tournament.
Is there an employment contract? Whats the job discription?
What ARE the rules of the company? If PLAYERS are expected to follow the rules, they should[ and any prospective 'employee'] at least know what the rules are!
If KT can change his mind at any time, [ like he just did with the payments, at this, the first tournament] ,are there really any rules?

I thought Jams pics were great. The venue was top class[ although I don't think LV is the best place for pool players LOL] and everyone seemed to have a good time. I saw a few matches on Eurosport and [ believe it or not] was very thankfull![ apart from the Dutch/German commentary and that the matches all involved Euro players!. I wanted to see Earl! LOL Its true. Only got the last few racks against Nick. ]

I,m not anti- IPT I,m just pro pool.

Round robin format is very susceptible to manipulation, especially when win% can be a tie-breaker. What happens when 2 of players are playing in the last group and one dogs the 8 on hill-hill and this lets another one players thru to the final instead of Ef? It could be the difference between $40,000 and 1 million!

What if it turns out that all 3 players are in MT's 'stable'.? Even if it is innocent it will still look bad. Is that going to help the public perception of pool as being a real sport [ The top 60 players in the last tourny took %75 of the prize money! ]





Gabber.....it was mentioned long ago that IPT members were required to sign a contract. Anyone know anything about this?

 

[ScottW]

But how about thinking of the income that can be generated if the IPT does get on TV? I think advertizers are now paying for 8 minutes per half hour of air time. When you consider they sell the time in 10-15 second blocks that can amount to a bunch of money. The amount it costs the advertizer is directly proportional to the amount of viewers the show draws.

Yebbut - it's the NETWORK airing the show that sells the ad space, and receives the revenue generated.

Let's take OLN for example. From my experience in the advertising industry, and some dealing with TV in general (worked at CNN for a while), OLN paid the IPT $x for the rights to broadcast their program (KOTH). Then OLN turned around and started selling ad space to be shown during the KOTH broadcasts, generating $y. If the suits at OLN are any good, $y > $x.

I sincerly doubt that there was any sort of agreement that the IPT got a percentage of the ad sales - it would more likely be "We'll buy the rights to show your program (with attached terms on how many times we get to show it, etc) for $x. Deal?"

And as far as ad time tied to viewership - how do you sell ad time for a show that hasn't been broadcast yet? That's not how it works. They estimate what the viewership/ratings will be, and price ad time based on that. They don't go adjusting it on a day-to-day basis. Most TV ad time is bought in blocks - i.e. ad X will show on show Y at (insert broadcast times here) sometime during each showing specified, for (insert time duration or # of broadcasts total here).

Naturally, I wasn't there to see any of this stuff negotiated, so I could be completely wrong. I'm just going off my past experiences on how such things work.

 

[jimmyg]

Yebbut - it's the NETWORK airing the show that sells the ad space, and receives the revenue generated.

Let's take OLN for example. From my experience in the advertising industry, and some dealing with TV in general (worked at CNN for a while), OLN paid the IPT $x for the rights to broadcast their program (KOTH). Then OLN turned around and started selling ad space to be shown during the KOTH broadcasts, generating $y. If the suits at OLN are any good, $y > $x.

I sincerly doubt that there was any sort of agreement that the IPT got a percentage of the ad sales - it would more likely be "We'll buy the rights to show your program (with attached terms on how many times we get to show it, etc) for $x. Deal?"

And as far as ad time tied to viewership - how do you sell ad time for a show that hasn't been broadcast yet? That's not how it works. They estimate what the viewership/ratings will be, and price ad time based on that. They don't go adjusting it on a day-to-day basis. Most TV ad time is bought in blocks - i.e. ad X will show on show Y at (insert broadcast times here) sometime during each showing specified, for (insert time duration or # of broadcasts total here).

Naturally, I wasn't there to see any of this stuff negotiated, so I could be completely wrong. I'm just going off my past experiences on how such things work.

I wasn't there either. But since OLN is not exactly on the upper rung of sports broadcasting, it could also be that after shopping the more desireable networks, ESPN and ABC, NBC etc, and recieving no interest, that KT actually had to purchase the airtime, something he does with his infomercials. And with the reported very low ratings, may have to do the same again. Since the IPT is not a public company and does not have to file financial reports to the SEC, and it may not be in the IPT's best interests to reveal the correct information publicaly, we'll never know the truth.

 

[vagabond]

I agree that he will be. But how much. Can your local blaze tour, tri-state tour, joss tour, etc afford to pay kt? He can command anything he wants, can't he?

What if he doesn't like the promoter or organization.

What if he only allows his players to enter 8ballevents, or 9 ball events only.

What if kt DECIDES TO PROHIBIT HIS PLAYERS FROM PLAYING IN ALL THE WPA SANCTIONED WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP EVENTS, SO HIS EVENTS ALONE CAN ONLY BE CONSIDERED THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS.


any thoughts out there, or scenarios under which pool might be helped or hurt if kt demands exclusivity?

Howdy,
One can still do well by alienating one or two.If one alienates the whole village one will not have a shack for a shelter when it rains.

 

[Keith Buck]

I wasn't there either. But since OLN is not exactly on the upper rung of sports broadcasting, it could also be that after shopping the more desireable networks, ESPN and ABC, NBC etc, and recieving no interest, that KT actually had to purchase the airtime, something he does with his infomercials. And with the reported very low ratings, may have to do the same again. Since the IPT is not a public company and does not have to file financial reports to the SEC, and it may not be in the IPT's best interests to reveal the correct information publicaly, we'll never know the truth.

My first thought was that they might have bought the time on OLN as well but I thought of two things which made me question that.

The first thing is the excellent time slots which they have. Most stations don't have infomercials during primetime. Of course the OLN might be different or any network might allow it if they were paid enough, lol.

The second thing was the promotional work during the Tour de France where the television announcers read the promotional script while they were showing the race. The other events that were promoted this way were regular series on OLN and wouldn't be paid airtime which makes me lean to the "King of the Hill" not being paid airtime.

 

[ScottW]

I doubt the IPT paid OLN. If that were the case, you'd think there would be NO commercials. Plus, as stated above, the time slots are a factor. No one buys infomercials in prime time! The costs would be outrageous. Infomercials usually air in otherwise dead time.

No, the IPT programming is a completely different beast than your typical infomercial. Sure, in a sense it's trying to "sell" the public on the IPT, but it's not actively trying to sell a product - call 1-800-IPT-POOL and buy your own whatever! etc.

And, it wouldn't surprise me if part of the IPT/OLN deal to begin with took into account future events - I'd wager we'll be seeing the NA Open "series" on OLN in a couple or three months (once the IPT folks, or their hired video guns, have had time to edit/produce the episodes).

And, OLN is soon turning into "Versus", getting away (more) from the outdoorsy programming and more into competitive-oriented programming. Pool tournaments will fit even nicer into that niche than OLN's old one.

 

[jjinfla]

Yebbut - it's the NETWORK airing the show that sells the ad space, and receives the revenue generated.

Let's take OLN for example. From my experience in the advertising industry, and some dealing with TV in general (worked at CNN for a while), OLN paid the IPT $x for the rights to broadcast their program (KOTH). Then OLN turned around and started selling ad space to be shown during the KOTH broadcasts, generating $y. If the suits at OLN are any good, $y > $x.

I sincerly doubt that there was any sort of agreement that the IPT got a percentage of the ad sales - it would more likely be "We'll buy the rights to show your program (with attached terms on how many times we get to show it, etc) for $x. Deal?"

And as far as ad time tied to viewership - how do you sell ad time for a show that hasn't been broadcast yet? That's not how it works. They estimate what the viewership/ratings will be, and price ad time based on that. They don't go adjusting it on a day-to-day basis. Most TV ad time is bought in blocks - i.e. ad X will show on show Y at (insert broadcast times here) sometime during each showing specified, for (insert time duration or # of broadcasts total here).

Naturally, I wasn't there to see any of this stuff negotiated, so I could be completely wrong. I'm just going off my past experiences on how such things work.

Of course. That is understood.

Now if OLN did make a lot of money, or believe that the prospects are pretty good to make money in the future by broadcasting pool, then they will want to continue showing the IPT. Then it is up to the IPT to put a value on their product. If another network wants the rights to broadcast the IPT then they get into a bidding war and the one who pays the most will most likely get it.

In fact I thought KT said he had networks overseas bidding on the rights to broadcast the show there.

If that is the case then it can very easily be that the IPT is already profitable.

Jake

 

[jjinfla]

Why would it be a job?


You don't think pro baseball players, football players, etc, consider their performance being in a job?




The top 60 players in the last tourny took %75 of the prize money! ]


That is bad in some way? Usually the top 3 players get 80% of the money and the bottom 60% get nothing.


I would be surprised if the players don't have to sign a contract for the 2007 season. That should be expected, just as I would expect the players all to sign it. That is if they want to play. The alternative would be for them to go back to nothingness.

-------------- Jake

 

[justnum]

the idea of exclusivity seems to be something the ABP is doing.

They are giving players exclusively a voice to be heard in the billiards industry.

Funny how time between posts can show reality pans out.