Higher entry fees for out of towners.

[JoeyA]

What do most of you think about higher entry fees for people traveling from out of state?

Personally, I think it sucks for the traveling players to have to pay even more money than the locals. The traveling players spend additional monies traveling, along with hotel and food expenses that the locals don't have to deal with.

I guess if you want to discourage traveling players from competing, this is a good way to do it and I would understand that if that's what one is trying to accomplish. Otherwise, is there any reason you can think of that would make sense?

 

[TX Poolnut]

depends on how you look at it. maybe it's a tactic to draw in more players locally. the place depends on their consistent patronage, so cutting them a break might encourage further local patronage when there is no tournament. good for overall business.

 

[seven_7days]

Handicapped tourney? No.
Otherwise? Maybe :grin:

 

[Ratta]

This must be a joke-- all the ppl are crying because pool would die......and then something like this?

laughable!


Would just make sense if it would be a very little tournament, where the owner for example just want s to *make something good* for his daily visitors- otherwise...see above.

 

[iusedtoberich]

There must be something missing to your story.

For example, does this tournament charge entry fees based on a player's ability? One reginal tour in the NE does this, with a diffent fee for C, B, and A players. If that's what you ran into, they might assume you are the upper tier player if you are on the road. Then it would make sense to charge you the highest fee.

Again, there has to be more to this story than charging more if you're from out of town and absolutely no other reason.

 

[Johnnyt]

What do most of you think about higher entry fees for people traveling from out of state?

Personally, I think it sucks for the traveling players to have to pay even more money than the locals. The traveling players spend additional monies traveling, along with hotel and food expenses that the locals don't have to deal with.

I guess if you want to discourage traveling players from competing, this is a good way to do it and I would understand that if that's what one is trying to accomplish. Otherwise, is there any reason you can think of that would make sense?

Do most of the tournaments that have higher entry fee for out of state fill up all the time? If so they might not need out of state players to fill it. If it was my poolroom/sportsbar and I could fill up w/o out of staters i'd raise the enrty on them. Your locals need to come first. Now if pool had a gate where big names from out of state would draw more paying fans I wouldn't charge out of state more...maybe less. Johnnyt

PS: If PPV ever becomes profitable tournaments will have to try and get those big name players to come. Not many will pay to see local names play.

 

[ctyhntr]

The tournaments here stagger entry fees based on handicaps. Unknowns, and first timers that can not show proof are ranked high.

 

[Donny Lutz]

First timers can't win?

The tournaments here stagger entry fees based on handicaps. Unknowns, and first timers that can not show proof are ranked high.

Reminds me of a local tourney I played in a few years ago. When I made it to the finals, the owner walked through the room, saw me, said something to the tournament director and left. I was then told that they had a rule that you couldn't win the first tournament you played in there, and I had to split first and second cash! Especially dissapointing as I had played there once before and didn't cash!

Donny L
PBIA/ACS Instructor

 

[kelvinling]

Does foreigners count? My local pool hall in Kuala Lumpur is organizing it's 4th annual 9 ball asia invitational championship. Local qualifying entry fees are cheaper than the open qualifying (for players from Singapore, Brunei, Philippines, China, Taiwan, Thailand) etc etc.

No handicap system. Just a straight forward race to 9, knockout format.

 

[Cornerman]

What do most of you think about higher entry fees for people traveling from out of state?

Personally, I think it sucks for the traveling players to have to pay even more money than the locals. The traveling players spend additional monies traveling, along with hotel and food expenses that the locals don't have to deal with.

I guess if you want to discourage traveling players from competing, this is a good way to do it and I would understand that if that's what one is trying to accomplish. Otherwise, is there any reason you can think of that would make sense?

It happens and I have no issue with it. The locals are their bread and butter. They have to cater to the locals. I think you can think of two or three more legitimate reasons if you look at it from that point of view.

Freddie

 

[Bustah360]

I dont agree with people out of state being charged more. Although a handicap tournament would require entry fee based on handicap level regardless where you're from.

I can also understand local players being looked out for, but it shouldn't be with a tournament's entry fee. They should be taken care with other things like, discounts on food/beverage, table time, etc.

Being someone who travels to your tournament should go home happy they had done so, or you'll never see a good turn out at future events.

 

[randyg]

Just maybe the entry fee that Joey speaks of is the regular price and the locals get a discount?

randyg

 

[JoeyA]

depends on how you look at it. maybe it's a tactic to draw in more players locally. the place depends on their consistent patronage, so cutting them a break might encourage further local patronage when there is no tournament. good for overall business.

I sincerely wonder if that is the tactic; if it works at all.

This must be a joke-- all the ppl are crying because pool would die......and then something like this?

laughable!


Would just make sense if it would be a very little tournament, where the owner for example just want s to *make something good* for his daily visitors- otherwise...see above.

I think it would have to be an extremely small tournament for the owner to increase fees for non-regulars and the owner would have no desire for new customers or non-regulars to play in it. Maybe where the locals 10-15 might be contributing to a pot of sorts and he doesn't want that pot to disappear to people who haven't contributed to it.

Never heard of that. Most of the foosball tourneys I have been to had lower entry fees or waived table fees for anyone outside of a certain distance.

One of them even took Canadian money...of course a canadian won and got paid in Canuckle bills, so it worked out well.

Having out-of-town competition should get more locals out, so it makes sense to give them some kind of break.

dld

Out of town visitors DOES bring the locals out. You see it every week in our pool room. When top players come to town, the pool room gets even more packed.

There must be something missing to your story.

For example, does this tournament charge entry fees based on a player's ability? One reginal tour in the NE does this, with a diffent fee for C, B, and A players. If that's what you ran into, they might assume you are the upper tier player if you are on the road. Then it would make sense to charge you the highest fee.

Again, there has to be more to this story than charging more if you're from out of town and absolutely no other reason.

No, this isn't based upon a player's ability. I understand their reasoning for that but most of my life, I haven't had that advantage and don't know if that makes the local players belly up to the table or not.

Do most of the tournaments that have higher entry fee for out of state fill up all the time? If so they might not need out of state players to fill it. If it was my poolroom/sportsbar and I could fill up w/o out of staters i'd raise the enrty on them. Your locals need to come first. Now if pool had a gate where big names from out of state would draw more paying fans I wouldn't charge out of state more...maybe less. Johnnyt

PS: If PPV ever becomes profitable tournaments will have to try and get those big name players to come. Not many will pay to see local names play.

Johnnyt,
There aren't many tournaments around the country that fill up all of the time but I understand what you mean, however, it is the locals who know about the tournament in advance and know can sign up far more easily than out of towners who don't know the details until it is advertised.

I think some of the pool room owners are "getting it" about livestreaming, while others are just sitting on their hands, ignoring the value of live-streaming. It really is kind of stupid on their part (the ones ignoring livestreaming). Sure it is tough learning about the technology, it costs a few bucks to do it, but it's all about advertising. Pool rooms in a local area generally reciprocate with each other by posting flyers in their pool rooms and scheduling their events based upon when other tournaments are being held. Live Streaming is no different, EXCEPT that it can create new customers for the pool rooms, by wetting the the whistle of those who stay home and watch it on the live-stream. And don't let the better half, see the live stream and decide that she would like to go to one of those events. Now, you've got the decision maker who spends the dough wanting to come to your establishment.

Does foreigners count? My local pool hall in Kuala Lumpur is organizing it's 4th annual 9 ball asia invitational championship. Local qualifying entry fees are cheaper than the open qualifying (for players from Singapore, Brunei, Philippines, China, Taiwan, Thailand) etc etc.

No handicap system. Just a straight forward race to 9, knockout format.

I think pool halls are missing the boat with charging higher fees for visiting players. It basically discourages players who might travel if they were given some kind of break rather than being financially penalized even more. I think there are some small minded local players who whine about "the good players from out of town", but they are the same small minded local players who whine about the "the good players from across town". MOST OF THE patrons of an establishment WANT TO SEE THE GOOD PLAYERS FROM OUT OF TOWN AND FROM ACROSS TOWN. At least that's my perspective. I don't want to see Billy-bob, the regular. I want to see new faces, new talent, and different styles of play. Billy-bob the local ain't going to do it for most people.

It happens and I have no issue with it. The locals are their bread and butter. They have to cater to the locals. I think you can think of two or three more legitimate reasons if you look at it from that point of view.

Freddie

Catering to the locals is a good thing for business but not by limiting the drawing power of your events. I believe if you polled your entire pool room, the vast majority of your patrons would say that they would rather see more traveling players in your event than less. If you want to eliminate traveling players from visiting, just say it is an invitational for locals only. That's taking care of your locals the right way. Having an open event and then penalizing those who have to travel is just plain wrong.

I dont agree with people out of state being charged more. Although a handicap tournament would require entry fee based on handicap level regardless where you're from.

I can also understand local players being looked out for, but it shouldn't be with a tournament's entry fee. They should be taken care with other things like, discounts on food/beverage, table time, etc.

Being someone who travels to your tournament should go home happy they had done so, or you'll never see a good turn out at future events.

Your post is much closer to my way of thinking. As far as my thinking is concerned, I believe the pool room owner is looking out for me as a local player when they encourage out of town players to visit. If you want to keep your tournament small and local, just do it. Say the tournament is an invitational for locals only.

And don't get me started on the late fees for some of these events, where the late fees don't go into the purse, but are just jelly on top of the other green fees, tour fees, table fees, etc AND THOSE LATE FEES just goes into the pockets of the promoters instead of the prize money. That too is just another penalty to the late players and if you know the promoter and he likes you, you don't pay that fee. If you're a big name player, you don't pay that fee. Hell, if the promoter's helper likes you, you don't pay the late fee. There is a lot of of discussion about whether those late fees actually do anything to encourage early sign-ups. For events that normally fill up, I can understand the late fees, but for events that NEVER fill up, it is simply another fee on top of the other fees and it is wrong-thinking business-wise. There are people who will simply not come to the event if they think they have to pay a late fee. A lot of us make decisions at the last minute, especially for events that don't normally fill up and being penalized with a late fee, sours the decision to make the trip.

 

[hang-the-9]

Sounds like import duties countries have to try to protect locals.

 

[Cdryden]

I look at it this way, someone from out of town already is spending more to get there, don't penalize them more with a higher rate.

If you don't want to out of towners then deny them entry all together.

 

[CreeDo]

I always thought it's to discourage some road player from wandering in and busting the tournament.

You know how the locals play. But if ronnie alcano comes in wearing a mechanic jumpsuit that says Felipe, then proceeds to maul everyone... you're a little wary next time.

Since they have no way of knowing if a guy is a genuine tourist or looking to rob everyone... they just jack up his entry fee.

Or maybe I'm crazy. I dunno. I think the point of a tournament is, you see who the best player in the room is. If you know you're not, play anyway. Most tournaments are short races due to time constraints. If you've ever run a rack in your life, you may have a shot. There are no foregone conclusions.

 

[JoeyA]

I always thought it's to discourage some road player from wandering in and busting the tournament.

You know how the locals play. But if ronnie alcano comes in wearing a mechanic jumpsuit that says Felipe, then proceeds to maul everyone... you're a little wary next time.

Since they have no way of knowing if a guy is a genuine tourist or looking to rob everyone... they just jack up his entry fee.

Or maybe I'm crazy. I dunno. I think the point of a tournament is, you see who the best player in the room is. If you know you're not, play anyway. Most tournaments are short races due to time constraints. If you've ever run a rack in your life, you may have a shot. There are no foregone conclusions.

To me, the point of a tournament is to not only assess your ability against other players but to increase your ability to hold up under pressure against better players and if you are fortunate enough to pick up a few dollars in the process, more power to you. Tournaments are about development; at least that's the way it is for me.

If Alcano comes in wearing a mechanic's jumpsuit with Felipe on the name tag, I wouldn't say a word until he got ready to play me and that's when I would holler out real loud, "RONNIE, heads or tails?" :grin:

 

[JoeyA]

I look at it this way, someone from out of town already is spending more to get there, don't penalize them more with a higher rate.

If you don't want to out of towners then deny them entry all together.

Exactly!!!!!

 

[Jaday]

Call it a discount for locals and you'll get less *****ing

 

[smoooothstroke]

unbellievable

Reminds me of a local tourney I played in a few years ago. When I made it to the finals, the owner walked through the room, saw me, said something to the tournament director and left. I was then told that they had a rule that you couldn't win the first tournament you played in there, and I had to split first and second cash! Especially dissapointing as I had played there once before and didn't cash!

Donny L
PBIA/ACS Instructor

Wow.Never heard of either of those LOL.

As far as trying to keep away out-of-towners.Many of the locals play because they want a chance to play a big shot from out of town.Also strong regional and out of state players are a big draw with local spectators.