Open Letter to Mr. Behrman re: US Open

[dnschmidt]

It was actually WORSE this year?

OK, I had VIP seats at the Holiday Inn two years ago. I had VIP seats at the Marriott last year and was so disgusted by the layout that I didn't go this year.

ARE YOU ACTUALLY TELLING ME THAT THIS YEAR WAS WORSE THAN THESE TWO DISASTERS? Really?

 

[sjm]

Brian, I'll concur with those who've applauded your post. As you rightly observe, Barry has two constituencies that he must simultaneously serve in the players and the pro players if his event is going to be vital and sustainable.

While there's no doubt that Barry can do a better job in serving his current customer base, inclusive of those who know of, but don't attend, the open, I question whether Barry can have any appreciable impact at the gane's grass roots level.

Barry is, I feel, constrained by the level of interest, or lack thereof, in pool. That level is far more in the hands of poolroom proprietors, instructors, and all who participate in programs promoting and advancing the health and growth of the game.

My sense, therefore, is that, at least to some extent, you asking too much of Barry.

 

[Icon of Sin]

OK, I had VIP seats at the Holiday Inn two years ago. I had VIP seats at the Marriott last year and was so disgusted by the layout that I didn't go this year.

ARE YOU ACTUALLY TELLING ME THAT THIS YEAR WAS WORSE THAN THESE TWO DISASTERS? Really?

The Holiday Inn was a nightmare and probably the worst case scenario. This year was definitely worse then last year IMO.

 

[Brian in VA]

I agree that it's asking too much of Barry on this score, especially since he appears incapable of running an event with little to no drama.

The point I was making was that, with no corporate funding available in the current world, running a top notch event that players AND fans clamor to enter and watch respectively, is the only way for him to build the game that he claims to love.

I hope that I'm not asking too much of him to run the event in a high quality manner; frankly, in 39 years one should learn things. To have not figured those out in all that time strikes me as just stupid.

And we all know, you can't fix stupid. You can only hope to muffle it with duct tape.

Brian in VA

Brian, I'll concur with those who've applauded your post. As you rightly observe, Barry has two constituencies that he must simultaneously serve in the players and the pro players if his event is going to be vital and sustainable.

While there's no doubt that Barry can do a better job in serving his current customer base, inclusive of those who know of, but don't attend, the open, I question whether Barry can have any appreciable impact at the gane's grass roots level.

Barry is, I feel, constrained by the level of interest, or lack thereof, in pool. That level is far more in the hands of poolroom proprietors, instructors, and all who participate in programs promoting and advancing the health and growth of the game.

My sense, therefore, is that, at least to some extent, you asking too much of Barry.

 

[Colonel]

I don't know if he has a chance to get back to the convention center do to the reasons it was stopped being held there, again him not paying what was owed. His pattern of inability to pay his bills has pervaded every facet of this event from venue to players, it's a shame.

 

[Icon of Sin]

I don't know if he has a chance to get back to the convention center do to the reasons it was stopped being held there, again him not paying what was owed. His pattern of inability to pay his bills has pervaded every facet of this event from venue to players, it's a shame.

There are other sizable places other then the conference center in the area. It needs to get out of a damn hotel.

 

[amicenheimer]

Corporate America has no interest in working with Barry Behrman. However, I think if Barry incorporates his own version of The Voice/American Idol in between TV matches he has a solid chance of landing a big sponsor. What a joke. hahaha

 

[RJB]

My seat wasn't worse this year than last. Last year I had a 100% view of the head of the gentleman in front of me, I watched all the TV table matches on my friends laptop. This year i had basically a 60% table view unobstructed and if i leaned forward, backwards, or to the sides i could get more depending on who was sitting in front of me. Oh, Also, I had my friends Eric and Suzy switch seats 3 rows down because my boy Eric has a giant head

 

[Eric.]

My seat wasn't worse this year than last. Last year I had a 100% view of the head of the gentleman in front of me, I watched all the TV table matches on my friends laptop. This year i had basically a 60% table view unobstructed and if i leaned forward, backwards, or to the sides i could get more depending on who was sitting in front of me. Oh, Also, I had my friends Eric and Suzy switch seats 3 rows down because my boy Eric has a giant head

Don't be hatin' on my fat melon. Dechaine still gives me the 5 out...


Eric

 

[Nostroke]

I don't know if he has a chance to get back to the convention center do to the reasons it was stopped being held there, again him not paying what was owed. His pattern of inability to pay his bills has pervaded every facet of this event from venue to players, it's a shame.

The Tables too I heard. He use to have Brunswicks.

 

[Blue Hog ridr]

And we all know, you can't fix stupid. You can only hope to muffle it with duct tape.

Silence is Golden.
Duct Tape is Silver.

I have that on the back of a tee shirt, A devil holding a ball peen hammer on the side.

I can't tell you how many times I have been in a grocery store and had people comment on how funny they thought that saying was.

My only reaction was to smile and think, if you only knew.

 

[5am]

Barry was apologetic about the seating in his (too) many nightly speeches before the 8:30 p.m. matches. Thing is, I've been hearing this every year from Barry since he moved out of the convention center. I heard on the grapevine he paid some unspecified "lot of money" to a consultant to design the seating for this year's edition. Utter fail. Indeed, seating every year since 2011 - fail.

Heck, he and the fans would have been better off with the bleachers he had last year.

Players this year shooting on tables 5,6,7, and 8 were incessantly dealing with people crossing back and forth in their peripheral lines of sight because of the too tight design. Would have annoyed me like crazy. Most players just kept quiet and tried to deal professionally with the distractions.

And yes, the stairs were accidents waiting to happen. The chairs in the viewing areas were also crammed in too tightly and being typical hotel conference room chairs with plastic tips on the chair leg ends, you couldn't slide the chairs easily while seated to allow people to move in and out of their seats. Everyone knew that once into a row, you weren't getting out easily, and if you did want in or out, you were gonna cause a lot of noise and commotion. Hence, people tried to stayed on the row ends or flowed into the aisle passages, making exit and entry even more of a pain for everyone.

 

[spartan]

Barry Behrman (BB) was interviewed by Mike Howerton on http://www.americanbilliardradio.com/
Great job by Mike Howerton pressing BB with the tough questions
Interview 1 hour long in 2nd segment
BB was verbose and kept repeating same answers :
-apologising for delayed payment, not informing the players that they will be paid post dated cheques etc
-reduced seatings resulted in drop of revenues by about $30K
-Q is doing phenomenally well and credit card sales take some days to be credited to bank
-that next year 40th anniversary will have Corporate America (he claims he has 3 sponsors already) and corporate america will write the checks next year which players can cash at bank opposite almost immediately
-keeps reiterating that post dated checks will clear and funds will be there this Tuesday 28 Oct

He brought up some "interesting" stuff:
-claims last year prizemoney in escrow and when came time to pay players money was not transferred from escrow to US Open account and there was delay. He named Johnny Archer (says he is not blaming JA but etc etc). Anyone knows what happened then?
-no promoter will have $170K funds ready before tourney is over. He cites as example Matchroom which pays players 1 to 2 weeks after event finishes.
(IMHO, Maybe Matchroom pays players 1 to 2 weeks later but that does not mean they have funds in escrow or available before event starts)
-claims Corey jumped queue to collect his check and showed BB his phone with his lawyers contact details. Claims that Corey told him to call his lawyer if he does not get his money.He gave Corey endorsed check to cash

 

[itsfroze]

Barry Behrman (BB) was interviewed by Mike Howerton on http://www.americanbilliardradio.com/
Great job by Mike Howerton pressing BB with the tough questions
Interview 1 hour long in 2nd segment
BB was verbose and kept repeating same answers :
-apologising for delayed payment, not informing the players that they will be paid post dated cheques etc
-reduced seatings resulted in drop of revenues by about $30K
-Q is doing phenomenally well and credit card sales take some days to be credited to bank
-that next year 40th anniversary will have Corporate America (he claims he has 3 sponsors already) and corporate america will write the checks next year which players can cash at bank opposite almost immediately
-keeps reiterating that post dated checks will clear and funds will be there this Tuesday 28 Oct

He brought up some "interesting" stuff:
-claims last year prizemoney in escrow and when came time to pay players money was not transferred from escrow to US Open account and there was delay. He named Johnny Archer (says he is not blaming JA but etc etc). Anyone knows what happened then?
-no promoter will have $170K funds ready before tourney is over. He cites as example Matchroom which pays players 1 to 2 weeks after event finishes.
(IMHO, Maybe Matchroom pays players 1 to 2 weeks later but that does not mean they have funds in escrow or available before event starts)
-claims Corey jumped queue to collect his check and showed BB his phone with his lawyers contact details. Claims that Corey told him to call his lawyer if he does not get his money.He gave Corey endorsed check to cash

Fitting, Corey figures out the break,
and figures out how not to be broke !