Klopek said:
Had the IPT purses been a little more sustainable from the start, let's say a maximum of 25% above all other tournament purses, that would have been enough to...
(A) Draw the top pros looking for bigger money.
(B) Not raise so many doubts/questions regarding the IPT business model.
(C) Allowed for lower qualification fees, drawing more entrants.
Unfortunately, KT promised funny money and anyone with half a brain had to know that the IPT business model just wouldn't support that weight. KT may be a millionaire, but did anyone think he was going to dig into his pockets to pay the winners?. As long as the IPT made money, KT was on board. Now that it's floundering, he's trying to unload it like so many cans of bad tuna.
When has the IPT "made money". I ask because I believe you mean made money as in turned a profit. I don't it has or was planned to turn a profit in the first year. Delusioned or not KT did say that he had committed x-amount to the venture and if it failed then it was his money anyway and worth a shot.
Of course I think he was going to pay the players out of "his" pocket. That pocket being whatever amount of start-up money he allocated to the IPT. I think most us can see from teh outside looking in that the IPT hasn't generated any signifigant revenues from qualifiers, tournament attendance or entry fees. We have no idea how many people signed up on the website or what the sponsors from the last event kicked in.
We also have no idea what is on the horizon. While we are speculating on what we think think KT thinks he is probably working to achieve his goals regarding the IPT. None of us know what KT has gong on. We especially don't know what is going on internally at the IPT office (wherever that is).
A lot of you seem to be able read an awfully lot into events. The whole area of discussion centered around what KT "intended" what he "intends" what he "really wants" and so on is quite amusing. Having been around entrepeneurs for most fo my adult life I can tell you that they are usually several steps ahead of most people in the planning, dreaming, doing departments. So while we are discussing Kevin's move to date he is probably already down the road. Whether the IPT is on that road or not is something we will all find out when he is ready to tell us. Sucks but that is the way it is.
I have looked and can find no way to see if the PGA, the WTA, the PBA, or even the UPA is financially solvent, what their inner workings are, or even whether their players, employees, and vendors all get paid on time.
So it is ludicrous to think that a privately held enterprise owes us an explanation for the moves they make. I think they owe themselves some good PR by not letting the specualtion spin out of control. It's unfortunate that such a good marketer won't dedicate someone to be the voice of the IPT and interact with the hard core fans. But that is their issue and we just have to deal with it.
John
