Please tell me how KT hustled pool players
- Thread starter mnShooter
- Start date
I have to pre-qualify this by saying this is not representative of all pro players, but this whole ordeal is no better than some players "scamming" cuemakers by saying that they will endorse their cues, getting one free to use, then simply selling them to make a quick buck and never looking back. Shame on them, but also shame on the cuemaker for not doing their homework.
Here are the 2 things that I believe are true in this instance. I don't like what happened any more than any othre true pool fan. #1 - KT does actually have the money to back up what he says. #2 - As sole owner, unfortunately he has the right to handle his business any way he sees fit, even if it is to the dislike of his customers/players. Just because you have a lot of money and start a business doesn't mean you are a good businessman. That sucks, but there are many other businessmen out their just like him. I haven't heard of any players placing in those tournaments who have taken up lawsuits to make him pay out what he may legally have to. It would seem that the payout structure, etc. are written contracts? Don't know.
Here are the 2 things that I believe are true in this instance. I don't like what happened any more than any othre true pool fan. #1 - KT does actually have the money to back up what he says. #2 - As sole owner, unfortunately he has the right to handle his business any way he sees fit, even if it is to the dislike of his customers/players. Just because you have a lot of money and start a business doesn't mean you are a good businessman. That sucks, but there are many other businessmen out their just like him. I haven't heard of any players placing in those tournaments who have taken up lawsuits to make him pay out what he may legally have to. It would seem that the payout structure, etc. are written contracts? Don't know.
maybe he has/had the money but didnt/doesnt think it was that much a fun scene to be around as he thought it was going to be. He looks like a party guy. Maybe he just didnt gel with everyone as he anticipated. Everyone wants to belong somewhere. So he moved on. It just could have personal. imo
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I agree with SJM. Although on net and despite the non-payment of Reno to date the IPT may have paid out more to the players collectively than it took in collectively from them, there is still the amount of money and time spent on training, equipment and expenses of all the players who tried to compete and who did compete in the IPT system.
Regardless of Trudeau's intentions or advice he received, he made one statement that is the linchpin for the whole thing. "The Tour is fully financed and guaranteed for two years."
This statement alone is the only thing that the players counted on and why they were willing to comply with the IPT's rules and demands of them.
Now, Kevin Trudeau has a vast library of matches that he can milk for years to come. He has tons of footage of the world's best players that he can arrange into tv shows in any way that he can sell them. The players were hustled because they were led to believe that doing the work would at the least give them two year's of tournaments to play in and beyond that the possibility that the other grand things Trudeau promised would come to pass.
The players were hustled out of their time, talent and souls.
Regardless of Trudeau's intentions or advice he received, he made one statement that is the linchpin for the whole thing. "The Tour is fully financed and guaranteed for two years."
This statement alone is the only thing that the players counted on and why they were willing to comply with the IPT's rules and demands of them.
Now, Kevin Trudeau has a vast library of matches that he can milk for years to come. He has tons of footage of the world's best players that he can arrange into tv shows in any way that he can sell them. The players were hustled because they were led to believe that doing the work would at the least give them two year's of tournaments to play in and beyond that the possibility that the other grand things Trudeau promised would come to pass.
The players were hustled out of their time, talent and souls.
You can talk about Sigel all you want to but it was Trudeau's responsibility to do the appropriate research.
Trudeau made statements that he had this all mapped out and funded to weather the initial phase.
The truth is that he didn't. He probably did not see enough buiness through the purchasing of time slots informercial style. Probably didn't get the responses from the Versus telecasts nor the amount of IPT purchases he'd hoped for in the short run. And as it turns out, he wasn't in it for the long run as he stated he was.
A book could certainy be written about this debacle. One topic would be how to mismanage the chance to own a sport. Trudeau could certainly hve owned pool had he managed this properly AND if he had the funding he claimed.
Trudeau made statements that he had this all mapped out and funded to weather the initial phase.
The truth is that he didn't. He probably did not see enough buiness through the purchasing of time slots informercial style. Probably didn't get the responses from the Versus telecasts nor the amount of IPT purchases he'd hoped for in the short run. And as it turns out, he wasn't in it for the long run as he stated he was.
A book could certainy be written about this debacle. One topic would be how to mismanage the chance to own a sport. Trudeau could certainly hve owned pool had he managed this properly AND if he had the funding he claimed.
Mike Sigel
Let's talk a little more about Mike Sigel before we decide to give him a free pass.
There is no question that it was KT's responsibility to do his own due diligence with respect to the IPT's business plan and prospects. But, I think that the issue to discuss here is Mike Sigel's relationship and his responsibility to his fellow IPT players and, as one of pool's "living legends", also to the game of pool, not his arrangement with Kevin Trudeau.
Mike Sigel's signature is all over the IPT, he and KT used Mike's name and reputation as a drawing card to deliver the entire pool world into the hands of Kevin Trudeau. That's how it was planned and it worked. Sigel and his name, gave the IPT credibility and put wind into it's sails.
Whether Mike Sigel conned Kevin Trudeau, or the exact nature of their business relationship, is something that we may never truly know. But that relationship has no bearing on the obligation that Sigel had to all of the players and others that became involved with the IPT, even partially, because of his name.
If pool is ever to emerge into mainstream sports, every one of it's leaders need to start living and thinking a little differently. Things like ethics and responsibility have to be taken seriously, and when they are not, those people need to be held responsible by the others involved in the sport, not looked upon as some kind of hustling hero. If that doesn't start happening, pool will always remain a second class sport.
If someone needs to betray himself, his friends and his sport in order to drive a Ferrari and wear two thousand dollar suits, he can stuff them all. Mike Sigel holds as much responsibility for the IPT folly as does KT. He needs to acknowledge that responsibility publically and apologize to all of those who's life he negatively affected, and then hope that they have it in their heart to forgive him.
Jim
Roadie said:
Let's talk a little more about Mike Sigel before we decide to give him a free pass.
There is no question that it was KT's responsibility to do his own due diligence with respect to the IPT's business plan and prospects. But, I think that the issue to discuss here is Mike Sigel's relationship and his responsibility to his fellow IPT players and, as one of pool's "living legends", also to the game of pool, not his arrangement with Kevin Trudeau.
Mike Sigel's signature is all over the IPT, he and KT used Mike's name and reputation as a drawing card to deliver the entire pool world into the hands of Kevin Trudeau. That's how it was planned and it worked. Sigel and his name, gave the IPT credibility and put wind into it's sails.
Whether Mike Sigel conned Kevin Trudeau, or the exact nature of their business relationship, is something that we may never truly know. But that relationship has no bearing on the obligation that Sigel had to all of the players and others that became involved with the IPT, even partially, because of his name.
If pool is ever to emerge into mainstream sports, every one of it's leaders need to start living and thinking a little differently. Things like ethics and responsibility have to be taken seriously, and when they are not, those people need to be held responsible by the others involved in the sport, not looked upon as some kind of hustling hero. If that doesn't start happening, pool will always remain a second class sport.
If someone needs to betray himself, his friends and his sport in order to drive a Ferrari and wear two thousand dollar suits, he can stuff them all. Mike Sigel holds as much responsibility for the IPT folly as does KT. He needs to acknowledge that responsibility publically and apologize to all of those who's life he negatively affected, and then hope that they have it in their heart to forgive him.
Jim
If anyone wants to make a fortune by starting a faith healing ministry---you now have a great business plan.