Got a real knucklehead for a billiard room owner...
- Thread starter tigerseye
- Start date
There's two sides to every story. Having 100 to 150 LOCALS come in to see Ewa and probably return as steady customers VS. 150 roadies/guest come in for 2 or 3 days. Both have their own benefits.
Apples to oranges. The room owner is talking about drawing power to get people in the door.
If your room was full of hardcore pool players you would be right. If you advertised in the local paper and local radio and tv going after the casual pool player, you would be wrong.
How many people outside of the pool world know who Efren is? When was the last time you saw Efren on TV? Eva at least has her face and voice on tv fairly regularly.
Personally I would much rather watch an exhibition by Efren or Shannon (or Earl or Johnny, etc.) than Eva but, at least in my neck of the woods, almost nobody knows who those guys are and there is very little opportunity to change that. (But I would still sneak a glance or two at Eva's butt:grin
MM
It's always easy to figure someone else's costs versus benefits , but when you don't run a business there is no way you could ever count the businesses cost unless you are the owner.
My brother is a house painter/kitchen & bath remodeler/cabinet refinisher. He has been at it over 30 yrs. He has told me many times about people asking him to come out and give a bid on some work only to have them tell him what his costs are after he gives them a bid.
They have figured up his material costs and seem incredulous that he would bid that high , after all , they've already figured his bid for him. They never figure fuel costs , vehicle maintenance , wages of his help , doctor bills for kids , rotted siding that needs replacing , upgrading old plumbing in bathrooms etc.
I'd bet those room owners have expenses you don't see , a-holes screwing up bathrooms , people *****ing about others pissing on the toilet seat , drunks vomiting , people *****ing if they don't have their favorite drink.
Never judge these guys , they deal with the general public everyday. They deal with the entitlement attitudes of punk ass kids who had their own bedroom at home , television , computer and internet hookups , video games all provided at no cost to them by mommy and daddy.
Then when they go out in the real world they think its ok to treat other peoples property like crap , they ain't paying for the upkeep. Maybe some have been burned. their are pro players that have complained about promoters burning them on payouts.
How many do you think outside of the pool world know who Eva is either? The general public don't know either and would not come out to watch either because of a newspaper ad. If you are not getting the pool players in to watch the exhibition you are getting noone in to watch it. Sorry, but atm the general public could not care less about watching either one of them.
Ok, I got at least one. I seem to have met every nit pool room owner in the country. Not all of them obviously but the ones who are I met I think.
Ok, so I think in 2008. Johnny Archer, Earl Strickland and myself were on the road doing the Legends and Champions Pool Tour. I got wind of a brand New pool room that had just opened on our way to our next stop.
The owner was advertising that the Grand opening was this weekend and it was free pool, free hot dogs and sodas all weekend.
I spoke to johnny and Earl about this and made a decision to make a stop there on that weekend, it fit perfect in our schedule. We decided that since it was brand new to help the guy out and the pool community a favor and go in and do like a 2 hr exhibition for free, just to help the guy get started. We did however say if he could cover out hotel room for the night it would be nice but not a deal killer.
So I call the guy and here is how the conversation went.
Me= Hi there isthistheowner or Manager?
O= Owner,.
Me= Hi, I haerthis is your grand opening weekend.
O= Yes
Me= Well my name is Mark Cantrill and I am the agentforJohnny Archer and Earl Strickland and we are going to be close to your new room tomorrow......
O= Not interested!
Me= In What??
O= in your selling me anything.
Me= well, I am not actually selling you anything. I just wanted to se if we couldhelp you and have the guys comne down for a couple of hours and do a little show and sign some stuff to help you with your opening.
O= Try me in 6 months.
Me= Sir, in 6 months I have no idea where we will be and there will be a charge at that point. You do understand that we are not going to charge you anything for the show we are just trying to help you and pool.
O= Nah, Not interested right now. Try me in 6 months.
Me, I'm sorry but I got to ask you, is there any particular reason?? do you not like Earl or Johnny for some reason?
O= Nah, things are going fine right now with the opening I just don't think there is any need forit.
Me= ERM.... erm... ok... I guess. Sorry to have bothered you..
I hung up the phone and was just dumb founded, that this guy did not see any benefit, I guess free hot dogs do it.
I still can't believe a guy on his grand opening would not want 2 of the greatest players of all time in his poolroom. Now to me thats a Knucklehead. Is it just me??
Ok, so I think in 2008. Johnny Archer, Earl Strickland and myself were on the road doing the Legends and Champions Pool Tour. I got wind of a brand New pool room that had just opened on our way to our next stop.
The owner was advertising that the Grand opening was this weekend and it was free pool, free hot dogs and sodas all weekend.
I spoke to johnny and Earl about this and made a decision to make a stop there on that weekend, it fit perfect in our schedule. We decided that since it was brand new to help the guy out and the pool community a favor and go in and do like a 2 hr exhibition for free, just to help the guy get started. We did however say if he could cover out hotel room for the night it would be nice but not a deal killer.
So I call the guy and here is how the conversation went.
Me= Hi there isthistheowner or Manager?
O= Owner,.
Me= Hi, I haerthis is your grand opening weekend.
O= Yes
Me= Well my name is Mark Cantrill and I am the agentforJohnny Archer and Earl Strickland and we are going to be close to your new room tomorrow......
O= Not interested!
Me= In What??
O= in your selling me anything.
Me= well, I am not actually selling you anything. I just wanted to se if we couldhelp you and have the guys comne down for a couple of hours and do a little show and sign some stuff to help you with your opening.
O= Try me in 6 months.
Me= Sir, in 6 months I have no idea where we will be and there will be a charge at that point. You do understand that we are not going to charge you anything for the show we are just trying to help you and pool.
O= Nah, Not interested right now. Try me in 6 months.
Me, I'm sorry but I got to ask you, is there any particular reason?? do you not like Earl or Johnny for some reason?
O= Nah, things are going fine right now with the opening I just don't think there is any need forit.
Me= ERM.... erm... ok... I guess. Sorry to have bothered you..
I hung up the phone and was just dumb founded, that this guy did not see any benefit, I guess free hot dogs do it.
I still can't believe a guy on his grand opening would not want 2 of the greatest players of all time in his poolroom. Now to me thats a Knucklehead. Is it just me??
I am not sure how the heck anyone could do that. Seriously, I almost think he must have thought it was a prank. If not it just boggles the mind.
Johnny and Earl just got some more rep points though, that is hugely cool of them to offer help like that free of charge to the sport and a new pool business.
I disagree. I think Shannon would need a spot. Ewa's got mad talent and she's been underestimated.
A fair spot would be, the shirt off he back!That'd put a hitch in the Cannon's stroke!
(sorry Marge j/k!)
Had me worried ,thought u were serious LOL:grin-square:
Oh, just thought of another.
I call the pool room this time charging.
Me= Is the Owner or Manager there Please?
O= This is the owner.
Me= My name is Mark Cantrill I work with JA and ES. We are going to be touring your area ands wouldlike to see about you hosting a exhibition. Its 3+ hrs and alot of funand the price is......
O= Go F urself, audable laughing.
Me= What??
O= you heard me, Don't call here again.
I hang up thinking man alive this guy got a problem.
1 min later phone rings
Me= Helloo
O= OMG I am sooo sorry.... I just told someone here about you calling and he goes on AZBilliards and said ifthe guys name was Mark its for real. I am sooo sorry I thought it was a prank call or someone trying to rip me off.
Me= Well r u interested? Yes I'll do it and I want to take care of your hotel too to make it up to you.
So I guess sometimes nomatter if its a tourney or a exhibition, it can seem too good to be true and people are always onthe lookout for the scam.
I call the pool room this time charging.
Me= Is the Owner or Manager there Please?
O= This is the owner.
Me= My name is Mark Cantrill I work with JA and ES. We are going to be touring your area ands wouldlike to see about you hosting a exhibition. Its 3+ hrs and alot of funand the price is......
O= Go F urself, audable laughing.
Me= What??
O= you heard me, Don't call here again.
I hang up thinking man alive this guy got a problem.
1 min later phone rings
Me= Helloo
O= OMG I am sooo sorry.... I just told someone here about you calling and he goes on AZBilliards and said ifthe guys name was Mark its for real. I am sooo sorry I thought it was a prank call or someone trying to rip me off.
Me= Well r u interested? Yes I'll do it and I want to take care of your hotel too to make it up to you.
So I guess sometimes nomatter if its a tourney or a exhibition, it can seem too good to be true and people are always onthe lookout for the scam.
Those are some good stories Mark!
What's sad about this is that it probably wouldn't be that uncommon for many room owners. Men's pool just doesn't have a public profile, so the guys just aren't very well known.
knucklehead owners
I was tired of the knucklehead owners in my town as well so I decided to put my money up and open my own room. We will open on Sunday January 17th with a cue show and Babies Pro shop doing repairs. I plan to ask Shannon to do a tournament after we are open long enough to execute a high level and take care of everyone the right way. Shannon as tournament director should make some $$$ that is why he runs the tour. I think having an exhibition is also good for your local players to expose them to the greats in pool in person. A good room owner should see the benefit of both opportunities and use those to their advantage. Room owners are in the hospitality business and those who do not see that will have their tables for sale soon as they will need to close up.
Mort
I was tired of the knucklehead owners in my town as well so I decided to put my money up and open my own room. We will open on Sunday January 17th with a cue show and Babies Pro shop doing repairs. I plan to ask Shannon to do a tournament after we are open long enough to execute a high level and take care of everyone the right way. Shannon as tournament director should make some $$$ that is why he runs the tour. I think having an exhibition is also good for your local players to expose them to the greats in pool in person. A good room owner should see the benefit of both opportunities and use those to their advantage. Room owners are in the hospitality business and those who do not see that will have their tables for sale soon as they will need to close up.
Mort
Good luck and I am very happy for you.
Good luck with your room , i guess people in all businesses have to develop thick skin or at least philosophical enough to accept the ups and downs.