This is my opinion, of my first GSBT event weekend. There are good points, and bad points. I had a couple of conversations with Shannon and Marge. I will be honest, and I hope it comes across as constructive, and not bashing.
First, when me and my friends decided to go to this, I had heard there were 35 tables at Michaels, and they had 12 Diamond 9 footers. This lead me to believe, {mistakenly} there would be at least 20 bar tables. So, we get there, and sign up, and nearly 100 in the 9 ball with only 7 bar tables to play on. Handicaps are C=6, B=7, A=9, and AA=10.... 64 player field in the bank division, with I believe 9 big tables. The calcutta was supposed to start at 1:30, and got started late, which always happens at tournies. First matches started around 5:30. This was very frustrating for me, and several other working stiffs, who are usually in bed by 11 or 12 every nite. We know we are gonna be up all nite, and hoping they don't plan to play straight thru.
Also, I believe it was around 7:30 Sat. nite, someone crashed into a pole nearby, and the electricity was out for about 2 hours in the whole area. This event was NOT getting off to a good start. Around 9:30, we were all back at it.
So, to shorten this just a tad, I finish my last match Saturday nite, and head to the hotel, about 5:30am. My next match is scheduled for 11am. The hotel we stayed at, for some reason, felt it necessary to clean our room, at 8am, then came back at 9am, and woke us again. With 3 people in our room, we got up at 9:30, to get ready.
Matches were under way on time Sunday, but my 11am time got pushed back to around noon, because of conflicting events I believe. I was still able to hit a few balls on the 9 footer to prepare for my next bank match. Marge and the GSBT staff, had an unbelievably huge task, to try and run both events at the same time. She has a great system for this, and they shuffled things around a bit, and did a fabulous job keeping things rolling.
I had told my friends, that if I happened to be the only one still in, at 8pm Sunday we would leave to come back home. At 7pm, I played my bank match, which would be my last match of the tournies. Louis Demarco, beat me in the final 4 of the winners side, leaving me to forfeit out in 5th-6th in the bank. I was in the final 8 of the winners side, in the 9 ball. That left me to forfeit out in 9th thru 12th. Now, moneywise.... I had $85 in entry fees. $80 in the 2 calcuttas and $25 in hotel. $190 in, and got back $325 total. So, for all you money grinders out there. I didn't get close to winning either event, and still made a profit...
In the end, I had a great time, and got to play some great players. I love pool, and want to see it grow. So, my opinions about this event, are just that, my opinions. Overall, Shannon and Marge did a fabulous job with this tourney but,I honestly believe, there should have been a cutoff at 64 in the 9ball. Shannon made the comment, during one of our conversations, that the next event there will be at least 10 tables, or a cutoff at 64.
The start time on Saturday, needs to be earlier. I know most pool players sleep in, but this is an amateur event, and would be better served. Calcutta start at 11 and play starting at 2pm and no later. After the 9 ball calcutta was done, the matches on the first 6 tables could have started. A final match starting time on Saturday nite of 1am, and start back at 10am on Sunday. Work the brackets so the last people playing Sat. nite, get the lastest possible start time on Sunday.
In my opinion, if you want to keep the bulk of the players coming back, you have to allow them to enjoy their time. It has to be able to finish up at a reasonable time on Sunday, for the regular people, who have to go back to work on Monday. This was more of a test on endurance, than pool playing and only the guys out playing pool on a full time basis, are gonna be there at the end.
I didn't total up the money paid back, and had no desire to. Shannon and Marge were right up front with everyone who stopped and was enquiring about payouts. It's my conclusion, that its mostly people who don't work, that complain the most about money taken out to cover salaries and expenses. They made some changes at this event, as to payouts, and as in any business, things will always change. I believe if I remember right, totals were around $2000 for first in each event. For those who think this is not enough, stay home. The payouts spread down far enough, that you don't have to get 4th place or higher, just to get even {well, unless you're one of the top bids in the calcutta}. I am sure there were some other suggestions, I had discussed during the weekend. But I am drained, and back to my real life.
Best of luck to Shannon and Marge. Thanks for all the hard work, and I assure you, we'll come back and play the next one too.
First, when me and my friends decided to go to this, I had heard there were 35 tables at Michaels, and they had 12 Diamond 9 footers. This lead me to believe, {mistakenly} there would be at least 20 bar tables. So, we get there, and sign up, and nearly 100 in the 9 ball with only 7 bar tables to play on. Handicaps are C=6, B=7, A=9, and AA=10.... 64 player field in the bank division, with I believe 9 big tables. The calcutta was supposed to start at 1:30, and got started late, which always happens at tournies. First matches started around 5:30. This was very frustrating for me, and several other working stiffs, who are usually in bed by 11 or 12 every nite. We know we are gonna be up all nite, and hoping they don't plan to play straight thru.
Also, I believe it was around 7:30 Sat. nite, someone crashed into a pole nearby, and the electricity was out for about 2 hours in the whole area. This event was NOT getting off to a good start. Around 9:30, we were all back at it.
So, to shorten this just a tad, I finish my last match Saturday nite, and head to the hotel, about 5:30am. My next match is scheduled for 11am. The hotel we stayed at, for some reason, felt it necessary to clean our room, at 8am, then came back at 9am, and woke us again. With 3 people in our room, we got up at 9:30, to get ready.
Matches were under way on time Sunday, but my 11am time got pushed back to around noon, because of conflicting events I believe. I was still able to hit a few balls on the 9 footer to prepare for my next bank match. Marge and the GSBT staff, had an unbelievably huge task, to try and run both events at the same time. She has a great system for this, and they shuffled things around a bit, and did a fabulous job keeping things rolling.
I had told my friends, that if I happened to be the only one still in, at 8pm Sunday we would leave to come back home. At 7pm, I played my bank match, which would be my last match of the tournies. Louis Demarco, beat me in the final 4 of the winners side, leaving me to forfeit out in 5th-6th in the bank. I was in the final 8 of the winners side, in the 9 ball. That left me to forfeit out in 9th thru 12th. Now, moneywise.... I had $85 in entry fees. $80 in the 2 calcuttas and $25 in hotel. $190 in, and got back $325 total. So, for all you money grinders out there. I didn't get close to winning either event, and still made a profit...
In the end, I had a great time, and got to play some great players. I love pool, and want to see it grow. So, my opinions about this event, are just that, my opinions. Overall, Shannon and Marge did a fabulous job with this tourney but,I honestly believe, there should have been a cutoff at 64 in the 9ball. Shannon made the comment, during one of our conversations, that the next event there will be at least 10 tables, or a cutoff at 64.
The start time on Saturday, needs to be earlier. I know most pool players sleep in, but this is an amateur event, and would be better served. Calcutta start at 11 and play starting at 2pm and no later. After the 9 ball calcutta was done, the matches on the first 6 tables could have started. A final match starting time on Saturday nite of 1am, and start back at 10am on Sunday. Work the brackets so the last people playing Sat. nite, get the lastest possible start time on Sunday.
In my opinion, if you want to keep the bulk of the players coming back, you have to allow them to enjoy their time. It has to be able to finish up at a reasonable time on Sunday, for the regular people, who have to go back to work on Monday. This was more of a test on endurance, than pool playing and only the guys out playing pool on a full time basis, are gonna be there at the end.
I didn't total up the money paid back, and had no desire to. Shannon and Marge were right up front with everyone who stopped and was enquiring about payouts. It's my conclusion, that its mostly people who don't work, that complain the most about money taken out to cover salaries and expenses. They made some changes at this event, as to payouts, and as in any business, things will always change. I believe if I remember right, totals were around $2000 for first in each event. For those who think this is not enough, stay home. The payouts spread down far enough, that you don't have to get 4th place or higher, just to get even {well, unless you're one of the top bids in the calcutta}. I am sure there were some other suggestions, I had discussed during the weekend. But I am drained, and back to my real life.
Best of luck to Shannon and Marge. Thanks for all the hard work, and I assure you, we'll come back and play the next one too.
