New Semi-Pro ABC League Starts 7/1/13

This could be the beginning of something BIG. We need a boost like this in pool for shooters of all caliber. :smile:
 
I am a total hack but this is the best idea I have seen in a while. If Dharma has an opening I am going to try to jump in and play if for no other reason than I want to see this get off of the ground and support the people who truly support the game in New England.
 
Pre-Flag Master said:
Just one question though, how does this thing pay for itself? I love the idea seriously. And I watched the video of Eberle vs. Alcano playing American Rotation - I think its a pretty good game. I take this new game as seriously as straight pool. You have a good game here and a good idea for a "league". But I am earnestly wanting know - because I want it to succeed - how does the money work? How does it pay for itself?

And to reiterate, I hope you eventually get a forum just for this league on AZ.

Fatz
Click to expand...


Pre-Flag,

Joe answers better than I do - but he is pretty busy on the road.
The cost is $25 per week per player.
The ABC League is totally self supporting.
$20 of each weeks fees goes directly to the prize fund.
The remaining $5 is allocated for paying all the expenses.

Each 32 room league will pay out $36,000 to 25% of the players.
This will happen up to 6 times a year.
Those going to the finals receive a minimum of $1,000 - so they have no expense in attending.

The goal is to provide 32 rooms and their aspiring players a smart and rewarding way to compete on a national level, without disrupting their normal familly and job responsibilities.

We hope everyone gets behind this concept - it is a good one!

Any rooms that want to be involved, please contact Joe Tucker: jttenball@gmail.com or call him 508-840-6133. Also Mark Griffin: markg@playcsipool.com or 702-719-7665.

Mark Griffin
 
Joe T said:
Rooms that we currently have and are hoping to have, if you know a room that should be participating go ahead and let us and them know about it.


Region 3 MD VA
Not sure here, lots of good players but room owners seem to be having a tough time getting commitments out of area player? If I had more time in each area it would be better because any player that spends time with me is in because I can express not only how this helps them the room and the entire industry and all they have to do is play 1 good match per week. But I talk with Cindy at Big Daddys, Steve at VIP billiards, Anthony at First break and Thomas at Diamond billiards, Diamond is looking good but those other rooms need some players to step up to the plate.

I could use some help from the pool community folks, we need good rooms, proactive room owners and some players in each area to fill the spots. The format is gr8 for all of us so please help make it happen even if it’s just talking it up and bringing it to other people’s attention.
Click to expand...

Joe,

I'm in northern VA and you've already mentioned most of my favorite pool rooms here, particularly First Break, but I have three others you could contact. Listed in my perceived order of suitability for this and personal "like" ranking. Sorry I don't know the best person to talk to at any of these.

1. Q-Ball Billiards
6230 Rolling Rd Springfield, VA 22152
(703) 913-0353

Plenty of 9-foot Gold Crowns in excellent condition and well maintained. Smoking in main area is only drawback to me.

2. Lucy's ARL
2620 S Shirlington Rd Arlington, VA 22206
(703) 521-3800

You've probably heard of this before when it was called Champions. New owners now, still lots of decent (definitely not great) tables.

3. Breakers Sky Lounge - 2445 Centreville Rd., 4th Floor, Herndon, Virginia 20171 . . . Tel:(703)-793-6233

I used to like this place more but they've moved more to catering to the dance and drinking crowd, took out some tables and loud music at night, still have 13 9-foot tables.


Good luck with this. I like the idea. Would love to see the MD/VA area take hold for this.

Paul
 
Mark Griffin said:
Pre-Flag,

Joe answers better than I do - but he is pretty busy on the road.
The cost is $25 per week per player.
The ABC League is totally self supporting.
$20 of each weeks fees goes directly to the prize fund.
The remaining $5 is allocated for paying all the expenses.

Each 32 room league will pay out $36,000 to 25% of the players...
This will happen up to 6 times a year.
Those going to the finals receive a minimum of $1,000 - so they have no expense in attending...
Click to expand...

Thanks for the response.

Fatz
 
An added level or two for the locals

Joe, Mark, and any room owners,

In my brief discussions, there are already concerns about how to get to the 8 players. Here's what I'd like to see that grows the league and keeps the rooms busy with feed players. Similar to college football BCS, there will always be the ones looking in that feel they deserve to be part of the 8. So if you will be doing this up to 6x per year, here is my suggestion to self sustain the leagues and grow the players.

Season 1, you have the chosen 8 (The A team). The top 4 that go to regional automatically have their spot for the next season. While this season is going, you also have in house leagues of another 8 top players (AA team). The top 4 of that league will be invited onto the top 8, while the bottom 4 of the A team drop to the AA league. Continuing on to AAA, or even AAAA if there is enough interest.

Since you could have 6 sessions per year, the demotion of the bottom 4 will not doom them for a long period, so it shouldn't hurt them too bad. And of course there will be some top players that can't do a session for whatever reason, opening up another spot.

Sounds like a great plan to me, but maybe I'm a dreamer.
 
To expand on purpledrag's comments, in VA... if equipment matters much then Breakers is great.
They used to be buckets, now they're all shimmed mildly, with tournament blue cloth,
and one table is triple shimmed. The owner recovers tables more often than anyone I've ever seen...
I believe he had them all done and then redone just 4-5 months later. They've held some APT events there and know the drill. The layout is good for it. Add in another vote for Q-ball, great equipment.
 
CreeDo said:
To expand on purpledrag's comments, in VA... if equipment matters much then Breakers is great.
They used to be buckets, now they're all shimmed mildly, with tournament blue cloth,
and one table is triple shimmed. The owner recovers tables more often than anyone I've ever seen...
I believe he had them all done and then redone just 4-5 months later. They've held some APT events there and know the drill. The layout is good for it. Add in another vote for Q-ball, great equipment.
Click to expand...

CreeDo, are you in Virginia or Maryland or up North? I can't remember.
 
Diamond69 said:
Joe, Mark, and any room owners,

In my brief discussions, there are already concerns about how to get to the 8 players. Here's what I'd like to see that grows the league and keeps the rooms busy with feed players. Similar to college football BCS, there will always be the ones looking in that feel they deserve to be part of the 8. So if you will be doing this up to 6x per year, here is my suggestion to self sustain the leagues and grow the players.

Season 1, you have the chosen 8 (The A team). The top 4 that go to regional automatically have their spot for the next season. While this season is going, you also have in house leagues of another 8 top players (AA team). The top 4 of that league will be invited onto the top 8, while the bottom 4 of the A team drop to the AA league. Continuing on to AAA, or even AAAA if there is enough interest.

Since you could have 6 sessions per year, the demotion of the bottom 4 will not doom them for a long period, so it shouldn't hurt them too bad. And of course there will be some top players that can't do a session for whatever reason, opening up another spot.

Sounds like a great plan to me, but maybe I'm a dreamer.
Click to expand...

This is much like I've always wanted to see. A pro league. Then "farm leagues". Much like baseball.

Wish we could do this in Arkansas. The 300 mile region is doable. I just don't know if we have 4 rooms with 8 consistent players to make it happen.

I'm going to research this some more.
 
fathomblue said:
This is much like I've always wanted to see. A pro league. Then "farm leagues". Much like baseball.

Wish we could do this in Arkansas. The 300 mile region is doable. I just don't know if we have 4 rooms with 8 consistent players to make it happen.

I'm going to research this some more.
Click to expand...

Exactly, and making it to the nationals is like making it to the "SHOW" in baseball.
 
EJmagnum186 said:
I am a total hack but this is the best idea I have seen in a while. If Dharma has an opening I am going to try to jump in and play if for no other reason than I want to see this get off of the ground and support the people who truly support the game in New England.
Click to expand...

Appreciate that EJ, talked to Dharma today and he has almost 8 but I'm sure he would appreciate the call and gesture. The format works but staring anything worthwhile is tough so all help appreciated ;)
 
Pre-Flag Master said:
Just one question though, how does this thing pay for itself? I'm not being a detractor here. I love the idea seriously. And I watched the video of Eberle vs. Alcano playing American Rotation - I think its a pretty good game. I take this new game as seriously as straight pool. I don't give Bonus Ball the time of day in terms of the actual game itself (or the league for that matter). You have a good game here and a good idea for a "league". But I am earnestly wanting know - because I want it to succeed - how does the money work? How does it pay for itself?

And if that's none of my business, just say so, and I'll carry on.

And to reiterate, I hope you eventually get a forum just for this league on AZ.

Fatz
Click to expand...

To add to Mark's reply we want people to know that we aren't trying to build a product that slowly milks the player, we're building a product that will be worth attention and worth sponsoring, hopefully not just industry sponsors too. If we can do that and help players gain local sponsors we can give pool a nice shot in the arm
 
This sounds like a great idea. I've always thought an 'upper' league would be great, complete with an advanced weekly due($5 or $7 a week isn't going to amount to much).

We've got a handful of rooms here in the PDX area. I have a couple of questions, though..

Are there any requirements for the rooms? We've got some pool bars up here that have 5-10 diamond boxes, but it sounds like this is geared more towards official halls.

Are there restrictions on players? For example, the PNW has players like Dan Louie, Rich Geiler, etc. Is there a cut-off point, or is everybody eligible?

I'll have to reread, but are there payouts at the end of the regular season?
 
Banks,

This is for 9' tables only.
ANY player can play - Dan Louie & Rich are more than welcome.
This is a 'scratch' league (no Handicaps)

25% of all players get 'in the money' .

The top 4 from each room go to the regionals (day trip) = small payouts.
The top 2 from each regional go to the Nationals (minimum payout is $1,000 each)

Please send you suggestions to jttenball@gmail.com.
Or post in this thread and he will contact the room owners.

Or if you are interested inplaying, you go talk to your room owner.
There will only be 1 room in an area - and only 8 players in a room.

So there is limited supply.

Mark Griffin
 
Best idea I've heard in awhile. I played in a 9ball league in GA that had the same format. 2 divisions of 8 players, play the other 7 twice each round robin style. with the 15th week in the middle being seeded matches. top 4 from each division play in an 8 man seeded tournament at the end. It was $10 per week per player, and ended up paying $1000 to the winner. So I have complete faith that this system will work for you!
 
This is just a bump for the ABC League.

It looks like Joe Tucker has acquired enough room to start this league in early July - probably just after July 4th.

Please check out the concept.
This is on 9' tables only.
It is 8 people in a pool room - only one room in an area.
4 rooms make up a region (3 can also work but the goal is 4 rooms).
Each session last 7 weeks - and up to 6 sessions per year.

With 32 rooms, the prize fund would be $35,000 every 2 months.
With 92 rooms, the prize fund could be $105,000 every 2 months.

This brings the pool to the players!

If you have any questions, please contact Joe Tucker at jttenball@gmail.com.

Mark Griffin
markg@playcsipool.com
 
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