New direction for the players

[Mike Templeton]

like this ?

He said "penis". Huhu. Huhuhu. Huhu

Butthead

 

[nichollss]

like this ?

Corvette you need to stop....LOLOLOLOLOLOL. That was a good one.

 

[freddy the beard]

Yes

like this ?

Thank you.

the Beard

 

[hangemhigh]

I think this Idea needs an unceremonius Burial.

 

[JimS]

I have no idea whether this is a good or bad idea but I would NEVER ask a player to give up part of his time (which is his LIFE!) to sign an autograph on anything.... not without paying him/her for it.

It is a part of their LIFE I'm asking for and I have no right to ask for that.... no right to ask and certainly no right to EXPECT that they will do it for me. I think it's terribly rude and presumptious to ask for an autograph.

I like to get close and thank them for their hours of labor in reaching such an incredible skill level and I'll buy stuff that helps to support them but to expect them to do something for me because I'm a "fan" is just crazy... imo.

I'm a fan of Ray Martins and I have his book. He offered to sign it if I want to send it to him and I will be getting his address and sending it to him but I don't want it done for free. He deserves to be paid for the championships he's won and for the time he'll take to sign the book and mail it back to me.

They ALL deserve to be paid if you want a piece of them and signing an autograph is wanting a piece of them

 

[Tim5000]

The reference to photos in my post was a plug for Diane Hoppe, who has attended every Derby City event, rents a room and sells -- autographed photos of pool players! She also pays the players a commission for their signed photos. I know this for sure because she has duked me a couple bucks. This has gone on for ten years at DCC, and she attends other tourneys as well. No one has ever beefed about this and she must make some money because she keeps coming back every year. Her salon is usually right accross the hall from the AZ room , so plenty of you AZ'ers are aware of her and her program.

the Beard

She's a pro photographer selling her product, which is a professional photograph that she created. She's not selling the autograph. MORE IMPORTANTLY SHE'S NOT DICTATING THAT THE PLAYERS NOT SIGN ANYTHING FOR FREE!

I wonder what Mr. Sullivan would think about someone restricting the players form giving autographs at his tournament? Wouldn't you want to run this by the promoters before hand?

 

[Perk]

The reference to photos in my post was a plug for Diane Hoppe, who has attended every Derby City event, rents a room and sells -- autographed photos of pool players! She also pays the players a commission for their signed photos. I know this for sure because she has duked me a couple bucks. This has gone on for ten years at DCC, and she attends other tourneys as well. No one has ever beefed about this and she must make some money because she keeps coming back every year. Her salon is usually right accross the hall from the AZ room , so plenty of you AZ'ers are aware of her and her program.

the Beard

And those same players still sign autographs for others on paper/shirts/balls/books generally when requested. Encouraging the players to not sign any autographs (from your 1st post) is what everyone has the problem with.

Last time I saw her doing it, it was a combination of a game with the pro, a picture with the pro, and a photo with you & the pro signed for the $25 or whatever the price was.

Paying for a service or item is fine. If your providing the paper/shirt/ball/book it is bad taste to suggest to someone to refuse to sign.

 

[Icon of Sin]

Im all for selling pre-autographed memorabilia. I think charging for a signature is wrong though like others have stated.

In a previous post you mentioned paper products. What if I have my own cueball or sneaky pete and as them to sign it? Is that wrong since it's not a program or a piece of paper?

What if I bought a box of cueballs from Aramith for the sole purpose of getting signatures from Pros at Valley Forge this year? Is that wrong? Should I be charged for each signature I get even though I am supplying the item to be signed that I already paid for?

 

[punter]

I'm sorry to see Beard take so much heat for this idea of his. I see nothing wrong with offering signed memorabilia for sale. The market place will decide if it's a good idea. I, also agree it would be a loss for all, if the players stopped giving ANY free autographs. I think the Beard made it sound like that at first and has now clarified his meaning. So, Beard, good luck with this idea, I'm sure your intentions were good.

 

[Tim5000]

I better not catch you selling my Mutha-Fu***** Shi* on ebay!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1seI_UtClzA

 

[cleary]

It's all about product endorsement on a small scale.

Product endorsement is great.... and it really needs to be capitalized on in pool. However what you are describing is not product endorsement. A signed cueball by Jimmy Rempe is not a product endorsement. A Jimmy Rempe traning ball IS a product endorsement. BIG difference.

I really think cue companies need to start coming out with more cues like the Predator Willie Hoppe cue.... only for players currently alive shooting with their product. and of course the players would get a cut off the top.... just like Ivan rodriguez.

 

[wincardona]

For The Record

People, lets not jump to a conclusion and infer that this is nothing more than a self serving venture,because I can assure you that it is not and never intended to be one.I talked with Freddy months ago ,he had this idea about how to create a bigger market for the players and increase their marketability and credibility. I then said to him that it sounded like a good idea but it was a delicate thing and should be treated as such.I thought then and still do that this is viable for both the game and the players ,providing that it is marketed in the right way. So instead of bashing Freddy lets help him by offering our ideas on how to improve on his.

 

[uwate]

Freddy, a good sample of your target market is right here on AZB. They are telling you how well this will go over.


I dont know anyone that would pay for a pool players signature and I certainly wouldnt. Before you go on and think we are cheapos and that the real spenders are not speaking up, I have done business with Diana Hoppe. I paid her $$$$ (yes a four figure amt) for a collection of 11x14 signed black and white photos plus some US Open shots from 2000. The photos are badass and I wanted them, but if Diana had told me x amt for 20 photos and another 500 for the 20 signatures it probably would have queered the deal.

I understand what you are saying about sports stars nowadays getting paid but you keep referring to sports where these guys get millions in endorsements. They are THAT in demand. Pool players are getting dropped from endorsements worth thousands of dollara because in the USA they are THAT in demand. It is a supply and demand marketplace and you are trying to squeeze a revenue stream from a non existent marketplace. Danny D may have seen some balls on ebay for $50, but the real question is did they actually sell?

 

[Craig Fales]

Am I to understand that you all want free cueballs and trophy cases? The autograph is a part of the piece of memorabilia. Every piece of sports equip or memorabilia in the sports world-- except pool-- costs big money and the athletes get a commission. You want Michael Jordan Nike shoes for nothing? Those aint even signed personally by him. This aint about a piece of paper. It's more of an endorsement. How many free signed baseballs do you get at ball parks? Check out the souvenir stands inside and outside the parks, and youre not even getting a real signature, its a copy. Danny DiLiberto put it best to me, he said he quit signing cueballs because he thought they were going to keep them for themselves, but he kept seeing them up for sale for $50 on ebay.
the Beard

Thanks for the input, but I'm going ahead anyway.

You're comparing apples to oranges...endorsements compared to a piece of autographed memoribilia are not even close...the Jordan shoes you buy are signed by Xing Fu in China where as memoribilia is obviously signed right in front of you on something usually provided by the fan...you're response to all the posts stating that it's not a good idea and that you will do it anyways shows you have blinders one...good luck...you'll need it...

 

[klockdoc]

People, lets not jump to a conclusion and infer that this is nothing more than a self serving venture,because I can assure you that it is not and never intended to be one.I talked with Freddy months ago ,he had this idea about how to create a bigger market for the players and increase their marketability and credibility. I then said to him that it sounded like a good idea but it was a delicate thing and should be treated as such.I thought then and still do that this is viable for both the game and the players ,providing that it is marketed in the right way. So instead of bashing Freddy lets help him by offering our ideas on how to improve on his.

Billy, The only conclusion people are "jumping to" is in reference to the original statement made by Freddy in his first post."The players I talked to have agreed to not sign anything for free at DCC..

I believe the majority of posts agrees that this would probably be a good idea if Freddy is only discussing marketable autographed products. Whether or not you feel that this is not self serving, Freddy made it sound as though it was.

Maybe he should have just put his idea forward and asked AZer's what they thought about it. He could have gone ahead and done it how ever he pleased afterwards, but, possibly could have gotten some good ideas and suggestions without ruffling any feathers. JMO

 

[fanthom]

I am putting together an organization that will insure that the players get paid for their autographs. No more cue balls, shirts, photos, or sticks signed for nix. Every other sports celebrity in the world gets paid big money to sign sports gear, but not our guys. I am going to try and change all that. I talked to all the major players at the Olympics in Louisville this Nov. To a man they were all excited by the idea. To start it off I paid all of them -- in front-- to sign some cue balls and other stuff. I am going to have them, and other top players, from Efren on down, pre-autograph sports gear to be marketed from my booth at DCC and then on my website with the boys getting a cut of everything they sign -- in front. At Derby City I will be at a booth that will have, among other things, pre-autographed memorabilia, and the ability to provide -- on request -- autographs on whatever memorabilia the fans provide, their shirts, sticks, whatever. The players will get paid for every signature. I am then going to take it further and solicit the big billiard supply companies and allow them to advertise and sell, officially autographed memorabilia, balls, cues, clothing, etc. I'm also going to hit on the cuemakers and allow them to sell their sticks with a real autograph on them, not a machine print. Naturally, that would allow the cuemakers to charge a few bucks extra for a special edition cue. For this service they would pay our organization a fee. The players I talked to have agreed to not sign anything for free at DCC. They will refer all requests to my booth. To give an idea of what the marketing for this stuff might look like on a suppliers catalog page, I'm including a preview of some of the marketing I am going to do on my webpage where I am going to solicit requests for autographed cueballs and display cases. A fan can reserve an autographed cueball and trophy case and I will get his ball signed for him at Derby City in Jan.

The Beard
(exception: the Bugs signed cueballs on display below are not for sale)

Bad idea. This is one of the quickest way to kill any future interest in the sport. While the money is tough to come in pool, this idea will even make the player really look hard-up for cash. If you're thinking of cashing out from the accessories that are to be signed and sold, there must be another way to hustle a buck. If you're not one yet already, perhaps you can turn pro yourself and start charging anyone who'd want a photo-op or an autograph.

 

[lodini]

I am putting together an organization that will insure that the players get paid for their autographs. No more cue balls, shirts, photos, or sticks signed for nix.

This was from the original post, and I'm sorry but when were pros giving away their signed cues for free?? No one in their right mind would do that. But I ask a pro to sign my own cue, would I be charged for it?

I guess 90% of us just misunderstood.

 

[smokeandapancak]

So If I roll up and ask......whoever... to sign my case, would I get turned down?

That's kinda how it came across..

 

[Scott Lee]

I can 1-up ya there buddy!

Hu...Well heck, I'VE got the ORIGINAL copy...the very FIRST copy ever printed, before it went to press for commercial printing. If yours is worth $2000, then mine should be worth 10x that amount!

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

OK, I'm aboard this idea to make a buck off of a signature. I have a deluxe limited edition paperback copy of "Banking With the Beard" hand signed by none other than Freddy himself! The retail price of this book without signature, if any exist, is $29.95 plus shipping. However this slightly dog-eared and well used book with signature can be yours for the low low price of $2000, shipping included!

Please PT be right, I need just one!

Hu

 

[jay helfert]

How much do you think that boob would sell for on e-bay?

Here's 2 signed by a couple of future hall of famers...

.
.
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I'd pay her to sign an autograph!