This thread is to provide suggestions or constructive critique on how to make this event better and stronger next time. This thread is not meant to bash the event or the promoter. If you want to do that, there's another thread already started for that.
My suggestion would be to create better overhead lighting over the individual tables. Pool players can zone in better when there is an overhead light instead of the entire room being lit.
Anybody else have thoughts? It would be nice to hear from those who were there, if they could weigh in on this thread.
First off I would like to thank the Seminole Tribe and Vivian for their hard work and commitment to pooI. I have no axe to grind but in all honesty, the tournament did have some petty basic problems. Not what you would expect from a 3rd year of doing it. I support pool, attend many tournaments and between travel, hotel and $250 for VIP seating I spent over $1,000 to attend this tournament. There were a number of obvious issues.
1 - player names were not put on the tables. I know most pro's but there were some locals in the pro event and lot's of players in the amateur event that it would have been nice to have names so you knew who was playing.
2 - scores were not posted where you could see them. The flip type scoring on the floor tables faced away from spectator seating so you couldn't see them. Who would watch a football game if you didn't know the teams or the score? Fortunately, the streamer saved the day for the 4 center tables as I could go online and get scoring updates on my iPhone even though I was sitting 5 feet from the match. I witnessed spectators asking players what the score was more than once.
3 - the electronic brackets are a great idea but only showed some of the bracket, you had to ask the people up on the stage to scroll up or down & they weren't too happy about that
4 - there were no times posted on the bracket for future matches so you couldn't figure out who was playing when or where
5 - While this issue did not impact me because I had VIP seating, I noticed that people who bought "Floor Access" couldn't see the 4 feature tables unless they went up into the bleachers to see over the heads of the people in VIP seating. There was "Bleacher" seating, "Floor" seating and "VIP" seating in ascending pricing so people who paid more for floor access couldn't see the 4 featured tables where all the finals were played unless they went to the least expensive seats.
6 - The venue was just too big. I was there every day and there were more empty seats than full seats in the VIP and Floor sections. The bleachers were at about 3% or 5% full at peak so 95% of the seating was empty! Who likes empty restaurants, dance floors or bars? Kudos to them for doing the tournament but I think they hurt themselves by having it in the main room. I look forward to the day we can do a tournament in a venue that large, but, that is not now.
Lastly just a personal opinion about streaming in general. Based on what I have learned from speaking with several prominent streamers the concept of Pay Per View streaming is just not viable. A free stream of a good event can get 40 or 50 times the number viewers and can in fact add up to some respectable numbers. When Netflix charges $10 a month it is hard for a pool fan to justify $30 a weekend ($120 a month) to watch pool. While Vivian may only put on one event a year, people watching streaming pool events watch them every chance they get so the cost can add up pretty quickly. At least this streamer puts out multiple matches at the same time so you can always watch a match that interests you. For what it is worth, I think promoters need to look at the TV model and try to make their money on streaming off of sponsors and advertisers as opposed to paid subscription.
Again, thanks to the Seminole Tribe and Vivian, regardless of any shortcomings, you are doing something positive for the sport and I hope you continue.
Joel
