Here is what I had posted on an earlier thread. I'm not sure if people understand the costs and time it takes to do an event. The host room basically gives up 75% of their income. CSI loses money every year because of the expenses.
We do this because I want to see the vent continue. But with all the computer cowboys and their 'opinion' just makes me want to thro in the towel.
If anyone ever has any questions on this event - all they have to do is pick up the phone and call me: 702-719-7665. That way maybe you will get the actual truth instead of what you 'think' is going on.
As far as the bitc*ing goes - I could care less at this point. I am always open for constructive criticism - but I'm just not interested in listening to the same out crap.
If you are not going to be part of the solution - you might be part of the problem.
Mark Griffin, CEO
CSI
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18thJay Swanson Memorial 9-Ball - presented by CSI - 12-19-2013, 11:02 AM
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I'm not sure if I should respond to this post but in the spirit of full disclosure I will try.
Hard Times is a busy pool room. It does NOT have food or much food. Their only source of revenue is table time. The Swanson Memorial takes all of the tables on Saturday until 9 PM or so and most of the tables for a couple of hours on Sunday and then only 10 tables or so for the rest of the day.
Having this event seriously affects their sales for the 2 days. This event is 'at best' a break even proposition. There are a lot of costs to doing an event.
Because of health issues, I will not be able to actually run the event myself - this added about $800 in expenses.
Without any 'sponsors' this is the best we can do. I strongly suggest you and others come up with a better concept - and I will support it. Until then, please respect this long running event for what it is - to honor Jay Swanson and to provide the California pool community an annual 'get together'.
I do object to 'only $4,000 added' - most sports do not have ADDED money events. Be a part of the solution and not part of the problem. Also, there are very few rooms with the number of tables needed to do this event. We have use of 25 or 26 9' tables.
I do welcome constructive comments.
Mark Griffin, CEO
CSI
imissedthe9 said:
This is a no money added tournament.
25 dollar green fee Plus 3 dollar processing fee. 28x192= 5,376
Only 4 k added with a full 192. In other words the players are paying to have this tournament held
But charging a green fee and "adding money" sounds better
Pool players can complain as much as they want about it but it's all they have.
I agree with you 100%. We have heard this same complaint many times over the last several weeks and it does want to make you throw in the towel.
Maybe this will help people understand why it is getting harder and harder to find rooms that will open up their doors.
The room we are doing the Nick Varner event out of is packed Friday and Saturday nights. Pretty much from 7pm until 2am. They have 9 - 9' tables. Each one of those tables is $5 an hour per person. 4 people playing on each table equates to $190.00 an hour, $1,330.00 per night or $2,660.00 for both nights. That doesn't begin to cover the revenue lost on the bar tables from tournaments that are held on Friday and Saturday at $1.00 a match.
It would be great if rooms could recoup the losses on the food and drink but for a place like Hard Times with a limited menu it is difficult.
When the room adds $4,000.00 to the event they are going into the weekend knowing they need to recoup that money.
$4,000.00 added - $1,920.00 green fees = $2,080.00 Loss
Then take the loss of revenue off the tables.
$2,660.00 9' tables + $960.00 (lowball estimate of loss on bar tables) = $3,620.00
So before anyone hits a ball the room is in it for $5,700.00. Do you all really think that 200 people are spending roughly $30.00 each while they are in the room just so they can break even?
When you get outside sponsorship for an event, even if they are only using their employees to handle registrations, they are taking a loss. For CSI to take a $3.00 registration fee is cheap. Most of that money goes for credit card processing fees. If they are lucky there is $.40 left from each $3.00. I don’t know about CSI but I can tell you my employees don’t work for free. Every time one of the employees takes 5 minutes to answer a call about the event, they are being paid. If the employee is only paid minimum wage that call costs CSI $.70, for a loss of $.30.
Who is making money? The players!
Why do promoters want to walk away from events? People do not see the amount of money that is lost by doing these events and the complaining gets tiresome.
I might also mention that the other sponsors have no way to recoup their losses unless the people support those companies and that is the problem; people don’t support the companies that are putting up the money for these events.
Want to keep the Jay Swanson Memorial going? Buy a Magic Rack!
