Please Please Please Help Me!!
- Thread starter jhendri2
- Start date
Does the recreation center have a tournament? If so, players might be going to that one. Is there a pool room off base that might be drawing the military players away?
I first got serious about pool when I was stationed at Travis AFB, and I continued playing regularly when I was at Yokota AB. It was great having free table time. I got fairly good at darts too.
I first got serious about pool when I was stationed at Travis AFB, and I continued playing regularly when I was at Yokota AB. It was great having free table time. I got fairly good at darts too.
Jim before I retired from the Army in 2003 there were three things that would draw Soldiers to an event, Lots of Women, free food, or lots of beer. Our Nco Club use to have free Taco night once a week, if your has something similar have your tournament on that night.
Good Luck
Generating Interest
Hi,
I retired from the Navy in 1992 and have been teaching pool and running events tournaments since then. The biggest problem I see with 8 ball tournaments is that they take so long. I have seen at corporate events where each match takes up to a half an hour.
What I have done in this case is to run 3 ball king of the hill tournaments. It goes like this. Make a play list and a score list. First two players on the list play, winner gets one point and keeps playing, kind of like king of the hill. Loser goes to the end of the play list. Others are added to the play list as they show up.
For each game that they win, the player gets one point. At the set ending time, the person with the most wins is first, next most second, and then third. The game is really fast, has a lot of luck, and is interesting to spectators.
For added fun, I add rules that the incoming player can name some Mum rules. Things like talking or putting your cue on the floor--silly things like that, but if the rules are broken, instant loss of game. This keeps the spectators in the game and is a lot of fun as well.
Finally, I totally agree with the above--get some rack girls, coat check girls, and serving girls, add some beer and food and I think you will have a big crowd.
Let me know how it turns out//Best wishes//Mark
Hi,
I retired from the Navy in 1992 and have been teaching pool and running events tournaments since then. The biggest problem I see with 8 ball tournaments is that they take so long. I have seen at corporate events where each match takes up to a half an hour.
What I have done in this case is to run 3 ball king of the hill tournaments. It goes like this. Make a play list and a score list. First two players on the list play, winner gets one point and keeps playing, kind of like king of the hill. Loser goes to the end of the play list. Others are added to the play list as they show up.
For each game that they win, the player gets one point. At the set ending time, the person with the most wins is first, next most second, and then third. The game is really fast, has a lot of luck, and is interesting to spectators.
For added fun, I add rules that the incoming player can name some Mum rules. Things like talking or putting your cue on the floor--silly things like that, but if the rules are broken, instant loss of game. This keeps the spectators in the game and is a lot of fun as well.
Finally, I totally agree with the above--get some rack girls, coat check girls, and serving girls, add some beer and food and I think you will have a big crowd.
Let me know how it turns out//Best wishes//Mark
I've already got the club to giveaway free pizza and chicken wings for the Friday night tourney. I'm trying to get with the manager and see if I can buy a case of beer at wholesale to give away too.
I may try to get some of the Dorm girls over there for just one night and see if we can drum business that way.
I retire here in a few months and would like to see this be successful. I may try the 3 ball tourney to see if that can drum some business.
I did find out the O club has a snooker table, but they only have three balls for it and use it to play crud. What a f'n waste!
Jim
I may try to get some of the Dorm girls over there for just one night and see if we can drum business that way.
I retire here in a few months and would like to see this be successful. I may try the 3 ball tourney to see if that can drum some business.
I did find out the O club has a snooker table, but they only have three balls for it and use it to play crud. What a f'n waste!
Jim
Well Jim, good luck with your retirement, hell you can always do what I did when I retired and open a pool hall, it certainly sounds like you would be successful.
Take care Jim
Are you trying to get them to play, or just hang out? If you've been focusing mostly on male players, you might try female-oriented pool events. You might find good business that way, and maybe even a future Alison or Jeanette.
You might be able to find a set of snooker balls on eBay or wherever for a good price. If you don't want to donate them to the O club (probably not a good idea), you could just bring them with you for snooker events.
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Run some Ads & Post Flyers
Heya Jim,
Some of the local rags allow you to post events for free!? Our local newspaper (as well as some of the rags) have online sites which allow you to post an "EVENT" for free too!?
FLYERS always work....especially if you can post them at other Pool Venues.
We started a BCA 9-Ball league "in-house" this past fall which only requires 3 players per team with a 6 team minimum that we pony-back with another league down south of us in the Seattle area.
Also, we host a monthly Scotch Doubles tournament that gets a little interest with couples that may spark some interest with the better-halves of some of your everyday players as well.
Keep the faith and good rolls' to ya,
Ken :wink:
Heya Jim,
Some of the local rags allow you to post events for free!? Our local newspaper (as well as some of the rags) have online sites which allow you to post an "EVENT" for free too!?
FLYERS always work....especially if you can post them at other Pool Venues.
We started a BCA 9-Ball league "in-house" this past fall which only requires 3 players per team with a 6 team minimum that we pony-back with another league down south of us in the Seattle area.
Also, we host a monthly Scotch Doubles tournament that gets a little interest with couples that may spark some interest with the better-halves of some of your everyday players as well.
Keep the faith and good rolls' to ya,
Ken :wink:
The flyer's are great as the above poster said. I'm not really sure posting them in other halls is exactly what you want. If you post in other halls you will probably get some of them to come to your event. However I not to sure the other halls are interested in losing customers to you for a one night per week or month or whatever.
Here is what I would do: Not saying this is the only way but this is what I'd do:
1. Stay with the flyer's. Their cheap.
2. Go to all hair dressing shops and ask them to hand them out. The women may love it b/c of all the military guys around. Every hair dresser shop.
3. Next to the local restaurants - Explain to the waitress what you want to do and why. Ask them to hand out flyer's for you and invite them expressly and sincere.
4. Go to your local car wash. Explain to them and ask them to hand these out to every car they wash.
5. Local car dealers. Hand them to the salesmen/women and invite them especially attend your event. Don't forget the guys in the garage.
6. Next off to the local gyms - Lot's of macho types who would never allow you to think they couldn't shoot pool. Don't forget ladies go to the gym also.
I think you see where I'm going with this. All of the above are places where maybe some people play pool but not many. Soooo, you are tapping into the very people who've always wanted to play pool but haven't gotten around to it yet. Or they've played at the local neighbors house who has a pool table.
An added bonus you may want to mention is where else can you have fun, meet people, play pool and do it for next to nothing! It's a great inexpensive evening and loads of fun. Talk about your product (pool) and present it an evening out. The location happens to be in a pool hall. The reason behind this is these people may already be having an evening out but it just ain't playin' pull. It's a great game and we need to spread the word. :thumbup:
Here is what I would do: Not saying this is the only way but this is what I'd do:
1. Stay with the flyer's. Their cheap.
2. Go to all hair dressing shops and ask them to hand them out. The women may love it b/c of all the military guys around. Every hair dresser shop.
3. Next to the local restaurants - Explain to the waitress what you want to do and why. Ask them to hand out flyer's for you and invite them expressly and sincere.
4. Go to your local car wash. Explain to them and ask them to hand these out to every car they wash.
5. Local car dealers. Hand them to the salesmen/women and invite them especially attend your event. Don't forget the guys in the garage.
6. Next off to the local gyms - Lot's of macho types who would never allow you to think they couldn't shoot pool. Don't forget ladies go to the gym also.
I think you see where I'm going with this. All of the above are places where maybe some people play pool but not many. Soooo, you are tapping into the very people who've always wanted to play pool but haven't gotten around to it yet. Or they've played at the local neighbors house who has a pool table.
An added bonus you may want to mention is where else can you have fun, meet people, play pool and do it for next to nothing! It's a great inexpensive evening and loads of fun. Talk about your product (pool) and present it an evening out. The location happens to be in a pool hall. The reason behind this is these people may already be having an evening out but it just ain't playin' pull. It's a great game and we need to spread the word. :thumbup:
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