Having had the time to read what I missed in this post since my last visit to AZB, IMHO the Arizona Rating System is in many way is responsible for the decline in people playing pool because of how the rating committee tries to tweak the system, again, and again.
Was it a year or so ago that the AZ Rating Committee decided to Lower everyone Rating Number so to bring players back to the Bars & Rooms to compete in tournament play, and that move appears to be a failure as player have not returned. One need only go to Metro Sport Bar to see the Nightly Tournament board is not full like it was.
The Rating System discriminates against a player who reach being a “9“ under the old ratings number, now an “8” under the new rating number as when you become the worst of the best, an old “9”, or new “8”, fewer nightly tournaments are available for you to play in. So why play better, as it will only penalize you, and limit your opportunities to play.
Than you have the sand baggers who go from Bar to Bar, or room to Room hiding their true speed, faking physical impairments, constantly taking second or third money and openly bragging about how they are hiding their speed, and stealing second or third money.
Than you have to Bar, Room Owners, and Tour Director who for the life of things can not figure out why people are avoiding playing in their Room, Bar, or Tournament when there are like 13,000 Player listed in the AZ Rating Books.
But honestly how many times has one of these Bar, Room Owners, and Tour Director approached you personally and quested you personally why do come out and play.
I personally do not go to one room any longer as there are too many people out of control drunk, openly sharking, and just being --- -----, and the management does not care. Another Bar I avoid advertises added money, and then on Tournament Day the money was not added as promised. Than another Bar allow “friends”[ no matter what their rating is to play in their event, and shall we say take the money from the underlings. Then another Bar I use to like to play in weekly went under so it is no longer there.
Than you have the tournaments that start at 7:30 PM, and End after 1 AM and their are only 12 or 14 players, and you spend the night there for next to nothing after factoring in entree fee, quarters, gas, a few drink, and who need it?
My buddy live in Montana they just had an Annual Memorial Pool Tournament up near the Canadian Border, in the middle of Winter with 80 Men, and 23 Women showing up to play for two days. Montana uses no Rating System it is just Play Your Best or, be eliminated, stay & watch and learn, or go home.
The promised Added money was Added, Winners got Paid in CASH not Rubber a Checks, and everyone for the most part had fun.
JMHO.