GreatWhite Closes!!!!!

loco

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Who on here was planning on attending the event in Calgary?
Will the Western Canadians be refunding entry fees back or do you think those of us who have paid will be screwed? what do ya think?
 
Screw that Gremlin, did you ever even see the place or know one single thing about it? That place was one of the 2 best and most popular pool halls in Calgary and supported the players more then any other hall in the city. I spent alot of time there, I know how well they treated the players and kept the sport alive in Calgary. I will miss the place as a person who actually played there alot and knew the owner and people who frequented the place. That is a loss for Calgary and a loss for the sport as a whole when a place like that ceases to be. If the UPA is causing this kind of result maybe we should not be blaming the pool hall and asking WTF the UPA is doing as it sure as hell is not helping this sport go anywhere except down.
 
Gremlin said:
loco,

I am going to the chuckwagon races. To the devil with poolrooms who let the UPA run them out of business. If they depend on one tournament a year to stay in business what can be said?

Cheers,

Gremlin

Wow Green Guy. Without being there, how can you blame the UPA for this tragedy. At least you might have waited for someone on location to tell us what happened. I wish Great White was the only billiard room to close this year. Personally, I will miss Felt's in San Ramon, CA. How about Americana Billiards in NYC. Must be a conspiracy of the pro players in the US to deprive themselves of places to play and earn a living.
 
cardiac kid said:
Wow Green Guy. Without being there, how can you blame the UPA for this tragedy. At least you might have waited for someone on location to tell us what happened. I wish Great White was the only billiard room to close this year. Personally, I will miss Felt's in San Ramon, CA. How about Americana Billiards in NYC. Must be a conspiracy of the pro players in the US to deprive themselves of places to play and earn a living.

I believe the Green Guy's post was asking: How in the hell does one tournament, in this case, one no tournament, make or break a business?

-pigi
 
piglit said:
I believe the Green Guy's post was asking: How in the hell does one tournament, in this case, one no tournament, make or break a business?

-pigi

Sorry Pigi, please re-read the second sentence. It specifically blames the UPA (participating as one of the event sanctioning bodies) in the failure of Great White Billiards period! One event, even a very poorly run or attended event, will not close a well run billiard room. I read his words as purely character assasination. I guess when the UPA finally folds and, with lots of assistance it will eventually happen, people will wonder on about the future of pro billiards. Perhaps a miracle will happen and Mark Griffin will step forward again and save our beloved game! Till then, like them or not, the UPA is the only game in town.
 
Celtic said:
Screw that Gremlin, did you ever even see the place or know one single thing about it? That place was one of the 2 best and most popular pool halls in Calgary and supported the players more then any other hall in the city. I spent alot of time there, I know how well they treated the players and kept the sport alive in Calgary. I will miss the place as a person who actually played there alot and knew the owner and people who frequented the place. That is a loss for Calgary and a loss for the sport as a whole when a place like that ceases to be. If the UPA is causing this kind of result maybe we should not be blaming the pool hall and asking WTF the UPA is doing as it sure as hell is not helping this sport go anywhere except down.


If it was that great a place, then I wonder why it closed?

Mike Templeton
 
Mike Templeton said:
If it was that great a place, then I wonder why it closed?

Mike Templeton

Hi Mike,

Probably apathy. All the "pool players" hung out there. The great folks who actually pay the bills found something else to do with their discretionary income. We have a great room here, that is on life support. No one and I mean no one to play! Afternoons and evenings are boring. I have found other things to do with my time. One of the room owners answers to the loss of players was to raise rates. Another was to take out 4.5 x 9 tables and install 3.5 x 7's. I guess closing is the next option.
 
cardiac kid said:
Hi Mike,

Probably apathy. All the "pool players" hung out there. The great folks who actually pay the bills found something else to do with their discretionary income. We have a great room here, that is on life support. No one and I mean no one to play! Afternoons and evenings are boring. I have found other things to do with my time. One of the room owners answers to the loss of players was to raise rates. Another was to take out 4.5 x 9 tables and install 3.5 x 7's. I guess closing is the next option.

I was in Florida a while back and was in the corner pool hall every day. It was slow and cheap, and I was practicing my one pocket game, sort of enjoying the lul. When Friday rolled around, the place was full of ties? I couldn't figure it out. Then in comes this really tall slender good looking young woman with a suitcase. She goes back to the ladies room and comes out in a teddy and 4" heels!. She sells rafle tickets and the winner gets the teddy. She did this several times, and had some "team" Tshirts for the guys that didn't want the teddy. She sold tickets until she thought she had enough money to make whatever proffit she wanted and the raffle was held. She would announce the winner, go change to the next outfit and give up the old one to the winner. All these ties were drinking beer and spending money like crazy. After about 1 1/2 hours, she packed up and left. The girl at the counter told me later this was a standard Friday gig, and worked well for the house and the "model". I like Florida. :)
 
Gremlin said:
loco,

I am going to the chuckwagon races. To the devil with poolrooms who let the UPA run them out of business. If they depend on one tournament a year to stay in business what can be said?

Cheers,

Gremlin

Why do you think the UPA was at fault? Sounds to me like the UPA made the right call. They must have figured out something was wrong and pulled the plug.

Chris
 
Hey before the big fighht breaks out anyone want to actually read my post. I am not blaming anyone for closing down I think it is bad that they are closing and dont know the reason why , but what I am concerend about is the 250$ I sent in to enter the tourney and wether or not I will ever see it again

LOCO
 
Where's Calgary's top player's going to play with the Great White shut down?

Like the Ashton twins? Ect?
 
cardiac kid said:
Wow Green Guy. Without being there, how can you blame the UPA for this tragedy. At least you might have waited for someone on location to tell us what happened. I wish Great White was the only billiard room to close this year. Personally, I will miss Felt's in San Ramon, CA. How about Americana Billiards in NYC. Must be a conspiracy of the pro players in the US to deprive themselves of places to play and earn a living.

Don't know why Great White closed down, but I believe it to be non-UPA related.

What do Dragon Productions and the UPA Tour have in common?

ManlyShot
 
Last edited:
TATE said:
Why do you think the UPA was at fault? Sounds to me like the UPA made the right call. They must have figured out something was wrong and pulled the plug.

Chris, have you read the news briefings on AzBilliards or other forums about why Great White pulled out? It is because the UPA promoted a slew of pro players to participate. When the time drew near, only 8 signed up, 6 of them being UPA touring pros. Certain of those six UPA touring pros requested free perks from the owner of Great White. I don't blame the guy for pulling out. He was required to pay the UPA a fee for their "sanctioning," to ensure that all the monies are paid out, which is a good thing, but with only 8 players signed up, I understand why the owner made his deccision.

The reason many pool rooms are suffering on the East Coast stems from numerous maladies, the smoking ban being one of them, unfortunately. With the explosion of billiard emporiums sprouting up these days, good old-fashioned traditional pool rooms are suffering. I think to blame the UPA for Great White closing is not fair, but on the other hand, it is just another slap in the face for independent promoters and pool rooms suffering in this cash-starved pool industry.

Again, everybody is chewing on the same bone in this sport, and only when new sponsors enter the arena will we see a difference.

ManlyShot
 
Manlyshot,

Have you been to Great White? Do you know anyone who plays there? I do. Chances are very good I'll see him at the Reno Open next week. His comments on the situation should be interesting. This thread was originally started by a player interested in finding out if he/she will get their entry fee back. The UPA site thankfully says yes.

How did this thread go from that question to you and the green guy trashing the UPA and Charlie Williams? What if the event had gone off and no one got paid (thats never happened before, right)? Would you have been happy in that event? How about if it had been cancelled at the last minute? I'm a UPA member. I don't like everything they do either. But, please, please tell me who or what will replace them? I spent time with Mark Griffin at the BCA's. Don't hold your breath! It's so easy to complain. Please tell me how you are going to help make the situation better? Will you hide behind your moniker again and claim its not your responsibility? Who's responsibility is it? Think anyone will try again knowing the crap they will receive? Last time I checked, our country ran on a "for profit" basis, not "for free".
 
manlyshot said:
Chris, have you read the news briefings on AzBilliards or other forums about why Great White pulled out? It is because the UPA promoted a slew of pro players to participate. When the time drew near, only 8 signed up, 6 of them being UPA touring pros. Certain of those six UPA touring pros requested free perks from the owner of Great White. I don't blame the guy for pulling out. He was required to pay the UPA a fee for their "sanctioning," to ensure that all the monies are paid out, which is a good thing, but with only 8 players signed up, I understand why the owner made his deccision.

The reason many pool rooms are suffering on the East Coast stems from numerous maladies, the smoking ban being one of them, unfortunately. With the explosion of billiard emporiums sprouting up these days, good old-fashioned traditional pool rooms are suffering. I think to blame the UPA for Great White closing is not fair, but on the other hand, it is just another slap in the face for independent promoters and pool rooms suffering in this cash-starved pool industry.

Again, everybody is chewing on the same bone in this sport, and only when new sponsors enter the arena will we see a difference.

ManlyShot

Thanks for the info.

Chris
 
Gremlin said:
cardiac,

Get one thing straight right up front Charlie Williams is my friend. He no longer
is the president of the UPA thank God. Now he can play pool! I have never trashed him in my life. I support Charlie and wish him well always.

Green Guy, I failed to separate you and Manlyshot in that sentence. You are correct. I apologize profusely! :o


Gremlin said:
The Great White? I have been there, it's a poolroom, seen one ya seen em all. So what? The UPA? What is it a players association or shake down racket? :eek: If it is a players association then the players better take over and run the crooks out. Maybe then you will receive some decent sponsors.

I just think its sad that there is one less place to play. The UPA? I think it's both! Without the "contract", there is nothing to sell to a sponsor or promoter. Can you suggest a better way to manage the careers of over one hundred primadonnas? The major sponsors will never come again. Why waste money on pool when there's NASCAR or semi-naked women!


Gremlin said:
The way pool is right now it has lost my interest. I won't invest a dime in pool the way it is now. The players? Crap! They don't even pay back money they borrow. I think pool as it is right now can be described as less then honorable as far as I am concerned. :mad:

Again I agree. What about the future? I am seriously considering opening a room. I don't need to make lots of money. I just don't want to lose a ton! I guess I'm just another frustrated pool bum.

I would also like to mention my displeasure with Kelly Fisher playing in the Women's Amateur event in Vegas. I might guess you think it great. She had no business in that event. If she is not a professional player, who can one be? In her place, I'd have been embarrassed. On the other hand, she won more money in Vegas ($3300) than most of the other pros playing in the pro tournament. :mad:
 
Hi Guys its me the guy who started this thread....Yeah was just wondering if anyone was actually going to post something to do with what I posted?
 
loco said:
Hey before the big fighht breaks out anyone want to actually read my post. I am not blaming anyone for closing down I think it is bad that they are closing and dont know the reason why , but what I am concerend about is the 250$ I sent in to enter the tourney and wether or not I will ever see it again

LOCO

Hey loco,

Did you contact the event promoter? The UPA website states that all entry fees will be refunded. Good luck!
 
I was certainly planning on attendingt the event, I have no idea if the $250 entry fee will be refunded.

It really is a shame when a place as well run and respectful as Great White Billiards can't survive in today's pool world :( I haven't been playing pool for very long but it was by far the nicest pool hall I've had the priveledge of stepping into. I guess the players around Calgary will all be going to Stix Billiards now.
 
give it a break

first of all, anyone who believes that the upa had anything to do with the closing of great white has simply needs to get out from behind their computer and go and get some sun. is the upa so powerfrul that they can now determine bank account numbers and local support of a pool rooms?

secondly, great white pulled upa sactioning because upa requires 20k added minimum. great white obviously didn't have the money. just read the upa press release on their site. great white owner is blaming players for not participating? the event hasn't happened yet. heck they didn't even play in the bca open yet or the reno open for that matter. can't any of you genuises figure out that great white obviously had financial problems? the funny part is that those upa guys that did send in their entries, three tournaments ahead, now won't get their money back!

this is for you mr. "manly." wake up. the upa doesn't charge a "sactioning fee." they have not done this for more than two years now! get your facts straight. have you ever ever talked with one of the reps?

did you not also read that the wpa sactioning was lost? how come they don't get any flack? seems to me like someone just doesn't like the upa here and they just need to throw some rocks. never mind blaming another promoter who tried putting on a major event without money, blames the players, and doesn't return entry fees. try calling great white billiards. it says you can't even leave a msg because the box is full.

um, and as far as this mark griffin guy "saving the sport" I somehow doubt that he is the messiah of billiards. no offense, but take your nose out of his rear. he has to deal with the some problems every other person deals with in this pool world of ours.

if you're going to misinform people at least try calling both parties first. then at least you know your lying.

kim
 
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