Tournament Entry Fee$

[Island Drive]

Has anyone, anywhere/in any country seen this?
Event is a couple mths away from this post.

Tournament flyer States..... "no refunds on entry fees".
It's a fir$t for me.
How do feel about this?

bm

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

Well have only played in what I call day of tournaments, I think the NO Refund is to keep people from registering, not pay for spot in advance, and not showing up.

 

[Jimmy_Betmore]

Without seeing the flyer and knowing more about the tournament it's kind of hard to have much of a real opinion on it. But generally speaking, if it's just flat-out no refunds for any reason, screw that. They could just cancel the tournament and keep all entries. But if it's no refunds because you figured out you couldn't make it, I kind of understand. Dealing with people flaking out gets old and makes it impossible to have any guaranteed prize money.

 

[garczar]

Without seeing the flyer and knowing more about the tournament it's kind of hard to have much of a real opinion on it. But generally speaking, if it's just flat-out no refunds for any reason, screw that. They could just cancel the tournament and keep all entries. But if it's no refunds because you figured out you couldn't make it, I kind of understand. Dealing with people flaking out gets old and makes it impossible to have any guaranteed prize money.

Most tournaments allow cancellation within a certain time before event. A flat 'no refunds' policy with no stipulations is nitty as hell.

 

[Biloxi Boy]

Is it a limited entry? Can you sell your spot?

 

[Jimmy_Betmore]

Most tournaments allow cancellation within a certain time before event. A flat 'no refunds' policy with no stipulations is nitty as hell.

I agree. And the beauty of it is that if the players agree they'll vote with their entry fees and won't sign up at all.

 

[Sheldon]

It's either a misinterpretation, or a TD that is not thinking clearly. Show the flyer.

 

[InsertCleverNameHere]

Nothing wrong with a deadline as long as it's firm and applies evenly to everyone regardless of who it is.
But NO REFUNDS at all is pretty dumb, life happens and people need some degree of flexibility.

 

[Fore Rail]

Don't show up on time & pay when you get there - kinda like most pool tournaments are run.

Seriously if it's that good of a tournament & spots are hard to come by, I myself wouldn't worry about the no refund policy. Now with good reason, hospitalization etc I have to believe the $$$ would be refunded. If not then this particular tourney would be very easy to just take a pass.

 

[maha]

well you do have to plan number of tables and rooms and how many to hire for it. so if you get too many cancellations or no shows you can get ruined.
most places that not allow cancellations give a cutoff date or only return a portion of your money.

its only fair to the tournament that you make the commitment or not at some definite point in time.

 

[Island Drive]

Most tournaments allow cancellation within a certain time before event. A flat 'no refunds' policy with no stipulations is nitty as hell.

That's exactly what was on the flyer.
It's the Steel City Open in Pueblo CO,

Well have only played in what I call day of tournaments, I think the NO Refund is to keep people from registering, not pay for spot in advance, and not showing up.

True, but players like me and Medina in our prime years, often showed up at the last minute.... knowing less would enter if we paid early, when they saw our names on the list.
I was at a big event in OH yrs ago, the city next to where Pete Rose got busted for Gambling?
Calcutta, 80 players went in ONE lot bet. That was a first.

 

[Island Drive]

Without seeing the flyer and knowing more about the tournament it's kind of hard to have much of a real opinion on it. But generally speaking, if it's just flat-out no refunds for any reason, screw that. They could just cancel the tournament and keep all entries. But if it's no refunds because you figured out you couldn't make it, I kind of understand. Dealing with people flaking out gets old and makes it impossible to have any guaranteed prize money.

Yep, the TD responded on FB saying....it's tooooooooooooo difficult.
Pool players....
Yah can't change the spots on a leopard.
When your dealing with them, that's how they have always rolled, and that will never change.
Best players always pay la$t....

 

[Island Drive]

Most tournaments allow cancellation within a certain time before event. A flat 'no refunds' policy with no stipulations is nitty as hell.

That's the TD's response on FB.
It's the Steel City Open in Pueblo CO.
End of April. *
$80 entry.... $10 G/F $10 TD.
4K added 8 ball 5/4.

 

[kingwang]

What other well organized sport can you pay last minute without registering? A no refund policy seems totally reasonable and is in line with the more well tournaments like the US Open and other Matchroom events. If we want pool to grow and become more professional then we'll have to lose some of the more amateur quirks of pool culture of years past.

 

[skip100]

If it's a popular, well-run tournament this seems totally fine and helps the organizers plan how many people will attend.

 

[iusedtoberich]

I kind of think its solving a problem that doesn't exist (widespread): players paying early then backing out.
The usual problem is player says: "put me on the list, TD", then never pays and never shows up. Having players pre-pay solves this problem, so the TD knows who is "really" coming.

All that said, except for super super popular tournaments, players are a "morning of" decision for the most part if they will play. I don't see that changing anytime soon.

 

[maha]

no wont change but it does get those others to commit and not be one of those that changes at the last minute and doesn't play. works both ways.

besides this one is only 80 bucks to enter. that is just a tank of gas and if it figures into your entry you should be taking a second job.

 

[Bob Jewett]

A local TD runs monthly tournaments. You have to sign up by Thursday and pay. He tells you when you're going to play so you don't have to be early. If you can't make it, your entry carries over to later months.

 

[Island Drive]

Thx.... for all your perspectives guys.
Old school thinking and the current ways are important to understand, before one makes commitments to enter, get a hotel, find a friend to split costs.
Like any financial decision, it's nice to know the rules and how matters are handled when situations come up.
But if you ask a simple question, and they get upset.... that speaks loudly to me.

bm

 

[Rickhem]

A local TD runs monthly tournaments. You have to sign up by Thursday and pay. He tells you when you're going to play so you don't have to be early. If you can't make it, your entry carries over to later months.

I think that is a good way to handle a repeating tournament for what are probably locals and the "regulars" at a tournament like this.

If this bigger tournament is usually sold out early, then offering refunds should be offered by a deadline date. Pretty much every professional has a similar policy, if you don't cancel before something like 24 hours prior to your appointment, there's a fee charged. I understand a top level player waiting to maximize the entries, but most top level tournaments these days are filling easily, and the common complaint is that there's too much "dead money" in there. From a tournament directors perspective, any paid entry is not "dead money".

I completely understand that a registration really isn't complete without a payment. Even if they decide a registration will hold a spot temporarily, the fee needs to be paid by that deadline date, and anyone paying will claim that spot.