I've been thinking after many years now of long race format challenge matches that they are no good for fans (at least this one). They are generally boring, because the winner is usually apparent within the first 2 hours of play.
So, a new format suggestion:
A mini tournament of 4 super super super elite players. Single elimination, race to 11. Winner take all. Only 3 total matches. Make it a Fri, Sat, and Sun night. Matches start at 8:00 PM EST on the nose (the lag, not the stream being turned on). Makes it good for east and west coast. Matches will be about 2 hours long.
Equipment would be standard pro-cut 9' Diamond tables.
Maybe it could even run into a series, one mini-tournament a month. First one could be:
Shane
Big Ko
Little Ko
Dennis
Second could be:
Darren
Shaw
Thorsten
Bergman
etc.
Advantages for the fans (us):
1. EXCITEMENT!!! In a race to 11, with these level of players, no one is ever out.
2. Fixed format start day and time. This means the fans can expect a match to begin at 8:00 PM EST on the nose, every Fri, Sat, and Sun. No more matches till 4am.
3. Better commentators. When you only have to commentate for one race to 11, the commentator can be fresh, and hand picked by the promoter, to be the best of the best of the volunteers (or paid).
Fans do not care who the best player is. Fans want an exciting match. A race to 100 is freaking boring, 90% of the time. A race to 11 is exciting, maybe 50% of the time. Much better odds of keeping the interest of the viewer.
I also think the viewer will pay the same price. We want to pay for a good match. There is no value in a race to 100 for $30, and saying that breaks down to xyz dollars per hour. Who cares what the rate is per hour. We want quality, and excitement. Going from a single race to 100, to 3 total races to 11, will actually INCREASE the value to the fan imo.
So, a new format suggestion:
A mini tournament of 4 super super super elite players. Single elimination, race to 11. Winner take all. Only 3 total matches. Make it a Fri, Sat, and Sun night. Matches start at 8:00 PM EST on the nose (the lag, not the stream being turned on). Makes it good for east and west coast. Matches will be about 2 hours long.
Equipment would be standard pro-cut 9' Diamond tables.
Maybe it could even run into a series, one mini-tournament a month. First one could be:
Shane
Big Ko
Little Ko
Dennis
Second could be:
Darren
Shaw
Thorsten
Bergman
etc.
Advantages for the fans (us):
1. EXCITEMENT!!! In a race to 11, with these level of players, no one is ever out.
2. Fixed format start day and time. This means the fans can expect a match to begin at 8:00 PM EST on the nose, every Fri, Sat, and Sun. No more matches till 4am.
3. Better commentators. When you only have to commentate for one race to 11, the commentator can be fresh, and hand picked by the promoter, to be the best of the best of the volunteers (or paid).
Fans do not care who the best player is. Fans want an exciting match. A race to 100 is freaking boring, 90% of the time. A race to 11 is exciting, maybe 50% of the time. Much better odds of keeping the interest of the viewer.
I also think the viewer will pay the same price. We want to pay for a good match. There is no value in a race to 100 for $30, and saying that breaks down to xyz dollars per hour. Who cares what the rate is per hour. We want quality, and excitement. Going from a single race to 100, to 3 total races to 11, will actually INCREASE the value to the fan imo.
