I have a sincere question to all of you who have either participated in, or at least heard about, the National Billiards League (NBL) ran by Ed Liddawi. Do you guys think it will last with the way that it is being ran? I ask this because I had an unfortunate run-in with this "league" on January 9th, 2021 and it has been an absolute nightmare ever since.
For those of you who don't know, the NBL is supposed to be a series of qualifying events played with 32 players in 32 locations. Here are the two pertinent statements I read before attending one of the tournaments:
After reading about it I tried to get a spot in one of the events in California, but it was full. I called around and sent a ton of emails to the other venues before I was finally contacted by the TD at the Houston location who said they had 3 spots available. I drove over 9 hours to get there and when I arrived it looked like they were going to have about half of of the 32-player field what was expected. Literally, minutes before the tournament started, as I was handing the TD my entry fee, he tells another player that they're only paying one player. When asked why, he said that was what "Ed said." At first we all thought it was because of the smaller field, but when asked, he said it was the "same rule at every location." I found that to be pretty shocking considering it states VERY CLEARLY on their website that the "top 8 finishers win cash prizes that day" I asked that the TD call Ed to clarify. He did and I talked to Ed on the phone who told me that it was "my interpretation" that they were going to pay out the top 8. Then he said if we wanted to pay out more places we could have a calcutta. I asked how other locations, where calcuttas are illegal (like California) were going to pay out and he said they could have side bets, etc. His answers, especially him telling me that it was my messed up interpretation of his website, made my decision pretty clear, and I chose not to play. I basically drove all the way to Houston for no reason.
After leaving I contacted some of my friends who were playing in the California NBL event and none of them were happy when they got told about the old switcharoo as well. Maybe I am "misinterpreting what is written" but I don't think so. I've been in contact with Ed who flat out refuses to admit that this is misrepresenting how the NBL works. He's taking credit for side bets and calcuttas and saying those are the payouts the top 8 get! He also stated he omitted any mention of this from his website because "calcutta's aren't legal." In other words, he wants someone to read about his tournament on his website, and have that person try to figure out if what the website REALLY means is, "is there possibly another, illegal, way that the top 8 people get paid? Or should I just take the website at its word?"
Does anyone else have a problem with this? I feel like it was done intentionally because he had to have known there was no way he would get a bunch of amateurs to put up $150 for a tournament that was "winner take all" I really wanted this to be a tournament (league?) we could all get behind because it looked and sounded like a lot of fun. I guess I'll just keep playing in Oscar's Mezz Tour where you don't have to be a champion to make the money.
For those of you who don't know, the NBL is supposed to be a series of qualifying events played with 32 players in 32 locations. Here are the two pertinent statements I read before attending one of the tournaments:
"The Winning Formula
With full fields of 32 amateur players at stage 1, running twice each quarter at 32 sanctioned locations, will generate a $200,000.00 main event prize purse 4 times a year. Amateurs can play in the main event by winning a stage 1 qualifier. Professionals can play in the main event paying the $1,000.00 entry fee. 10-Ball will be the discipline for the 1st and 3rd quarters and 8-Ball for the 2nd and 4th quarters.""Stage 1 – Qualifiers
32 Amateurs will compete locally at each sanctioned location where the top 8 finishers win cash prizes that day. The winner advances to the national main event, fully sponsored, with their $1,000.00 entry fee, travel expenses, and lodging completely paid for. Additionally, the winner will be issued a player tour card and 2 personalized official NBL competition jerseys to be worn while playing in the main event."After reading about it I tried to get a spot in one of the events in California, but it was full. I called around and sent a ton of emails to the other venues before I was finally contacted by the TD at the Houston location who said they had 3 spots available. I drove over 9 hours to get there and when I arrived it looked like they were going to have about half of of the 32-player field what was expected. Literally, minutes before the tournament started, as I was handing the TD my entry fee, he tells another player that they're only paying one player. When asked why, he said that was what "Ed said." At first we all thought it was because of the smaller field, but when asked, he said it was the "same rule at every location." I found that to be pretty shocking considering it states VERY CLEARLY on their website that the "top 8 finishers win cash prizes that day" I asked that the TD call Ed to clarify. He did and I talked to Ed on the phone who told me that it was "my interpretation" that they were going to pay out the top 8. Then he said if we wanted to pay out more places we could have a calcutta. I asked how other locations, where calcuttas are illegal (like California) were going to pay out and he said they could have side bets, etc. His answers, especially him telling me that it was my messed up interpretation of his website, made my decision pretty clear, and I chose not to play. I basically drove all the way to Houston for no reason.
After leaving I contacted some of my friends who were playing in the California NBL event and none of them were happy when they got told about the old switcharoo as well. Maybe I am "misinterpreting what is written" but I don't think so. I've been in contact with Ed who flat out refuses to admit that this is misrepresenting how the NBL works. He's taking credit for side bets and calcuttas and saying those are the payouts the top 8 get! He also stated he omitted any mention of this from his website because "calcutta's aren't legal." In other words, he wants someone to read about his tournament on his website, and have that person try to figure out if what the website REALLY means is, "is there possibly another, illegal, way that the top 8 people get paid? Or should I just take the website at its word?"
Does anyone else have a problem with this? I feel like it was done intentionally because he had to have known there was no way he would get a bunch of amateurs to put up $150 for a tournament that was "winner take all" I really wanted this to be a tournament (league?) we could all get behind because it looked and sounded like a lot of fun. I guess I'll just keep playing in Oscar's Mezz Tour where you don't have to be a champion to make the money.
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