Where are the tournament players?

inside_english

inside_english

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
On the 1st. Saturday of every month the owners at my home room add $200 if they get 16 or more players in the weekly 10-ball tourney, which is only $20 entry.
Well, today only 3 people showed up!

Ladt Friday he tried to have a 1-pocket double-elim tourney and NO ONE showed.

I thought people wanted to play in more cheap tournaments. Unless they would prefer to do other things in the nice weather.

It's very discouraging.
 
inside_english said:
On the 1st. Saturday of every month the owners at my home room add $200 if they get 16 or more players in the weekly 10-ball tourney, which is only $20 entry.
Well, today only 3 people showed up!

Ladt Friday he tried to have a 1-pocket double-elim tourney and NO ONE showed.

I thought people wanted to play in more cheap tournaments. Unless they would prefer to do other things in the nice weather.

It's very discouraging.
Click to expand...

Not sure what part of the country you are in but when I lived in the midwest pool rooms were a ghost town in the summer. Too much golf, fishing, picnics whatever normal people do besides play pool.
 
When will people learn that player's don't show up for "if we get x-players we will add x-dollars"? It may not work the first couple of weeks but if you add the money the players will come, case in point is Bankshot Billiards here in Jacksonville that adds $300 every week and gets 40+ players every week.

Also, I don't know what country you are in but here it's the 4th of July which is kind of a big thing.
 
Hello??? Is IS July 4th...a national holiday, and general "family gettogether" time! Most people are visiting with friends and family this weekend! I also agree with what JCIN posted, about summertime in the pool room.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

inside_english said:
On the 1st. Saturday of every month the owners at my home room add $200 if they get 16 or more players in the weekly 10-ball tourney, which is only $20 entry.
Well, today only 3 people showed up.
Click to expand...
 
tournaments

where iam from in south carolina this is big apa area i run handicap tournaments we get 50-70 players every fri night sat 25-50 players sun 20-40 player each week
 
Not lacking for players in Sacramento CA

Today, there are 32 players entered into the Hard Times Billiards monthly One Pocket tournament. That number is down from the last two months.

But, there are some players entered:

Rafael Martinez, Ernesto and Oscar Dominguez, Santos Sambjon JR, Tony Chohan and Ronnie Allen.
 
10 ball?

inside_english said:
On the 1st. Saturday of every month the owners at my home room add $200 if they get 16 or more players in the weekly 10-ball tourney, which is only $20 entry.
Well, today only 3 people showed up!

Ladt Friday he tried to have a 1-pocket double-elim tourney and NO ONE showed.

I thought people wanted to play in more cheap tournaments. Unless they would prefer to do other things in the nice weather.

It's very discouraging.
Click to expand...

Maybe they should make it 9 ball. Make it a race to 3 or 4 loser or alternate break. The same thing happened in my poolroom. It was because the best three players in my area was getting the money every week. That will kill a tournament quick. Why do you think this is happening? Any ideas?
 
I don't know why, but sometimes tournaments just never get off the ground, no matter what the game, money added, entry fee, etc. is. I have seen tounaments with a much worse payout, higher entry fee, etc., draw many more players then a tournamnet with twice the added money, no green fees, and smaller entry fee, etc. It is probably based on the establishments running the tournaments, but I always thought the players would come to were the money is.

Also, I wouldn't think the 4th of July would draw a huge amount of players.
 
I know it's July 4th!

I live in Baltimore. I figured today would be a little slow and did factor that in as well as it being summertime etc., but the turnout has been slowing down for months.

I suppose it is just one of those unexplainable phenomenons...:)

Although lately the same 3-4 players have been finishing in the money so may that is also a discouraging factor.

I guess I am just whining because I wanted to shoot some today...:(
 
I truly believe if you guarantee even HALF of the money he would add if he got more players it would help attendance. Guaranteed money has that effect on people and 9-ball will be an easier sell for sure, maybe even start a 9-ball on the break contest?

Having better players sit out might be a good idea if they win two in a row or if there are only 2 or 3 players that have a legitimate chance of winning. At Bankshots there were 9 different winners in 2008 and he adds $300 every week, there are always 30+ players and some weeks there are 50+.

People like the races also which may be the reason for the good numbers, races to 7 and 5 (winner's and loser's side) for $10 with the city's best players is a good deal and people see that.
 
Same thing around these parts, its summer and people enjoy outdoor activities.
Things pick up in the winter.
Have to agree with Kevin, seen that happen many times.
 
Last edited:
you need a draw...

inside_english said:
I live in Baltimore. I figured today would be a little slow and did factor that in as well as it being summertime etc., but the turnout has been slowing down for months.

I suppose it is just one of those unexplainable phenomenons...:)

Although lately the same 3-4 players have been finishing in the money so may that is also a discouraging factor.

I guess I am just whining because I wanted to shoot some today...:(
Click to expand...

We did a break-and-run jackpot to build up our weekly tournament.It really helped us. Here's how it works.
-poolroom owner starts the pot out for $250 ( even 100 would work)
-sell raffle tickets for $2 each. limit it to $20 worth (walmart has them)
-in order to be in the break-and run jackpot you MUST play in the tourney
-sell tickets at the start and up to the final 4.
-wait until the tourney is at least down to 4 players ( keeps customers there)
-draw winning ticket for the night. ( we didnt allow it to be sold to the best player in the room...or anyone else period)
-make sure you get a neutral (honest) racker
-break and run out you get the pot
-break and run 3 balls you get 30% of the pot(balls on the break dont count) 10% per ball.
-make the 9 on the break your running to the 8 for the run out.

It will take it a few weeks to get going. It will be around 35 to 50 a ball the first night. Our jackpot stayed around 1500 to 3000 most of the time. It would be 150 to 300 a ball. The most they can ever take of the pot without a run out is 7 balls, 70%, 10% per ball. Most of the time it would be 1 to 3 balls. We have a 9 foot diamond with 4 inch pockets which is ideal for this. Use the toughest table you have. You will be amazed at the buzz and excitement this will add to a regular weekly tournament. We had to rule a few players here ineligible. The regular average players get tired of donating to someone they have no chance against. Everyone can run a few balls though. At 200 or 300 a ball it gets real exciting for the averge player. I also have all my players cell phone numbers. It helped to call them and tell them who all was coming and who I had talked to. Comunication goes along way here. Give this a try. It worked for us.
 
Last edited:
Where is your home room? If I knew about it I would have been there with at least 4 people from Delaware. We can't come and play if we don't know it's happening.


:cool:
 
Years ago 4th of July was a BIG HOLIDAY like Memorial, and Labor Day, where you could not even buy GAS, now most store are open. but I think a lot of FAMILIES still get together. May that was the reason you room owner had a poor turnout. Labor day a lot of people leave town as it is traditional the last weekend of summer, and kids returning to school. ALSO as this may sound stupid, but we are still in a RECESSION, and many people are scrimping on things like dinning out, travel, etc.
 
i almost went to play a 1p at side pockets, laurel, the 4th at noon but was too tired and wasn't sure they were holding it on the 4th, but i hear they have good turnouts. also before i went on vacation a couple weeks ago their tues night 9b DE tourney had 17 people.

at big daddys in glen bernie i recall them having good turnouts for their many weekly tournaments
 
kevin s said:
We did a break-and-run jackpot to build up our weekly tournament.It really helped us. Here's how it works.
-poolroom owner starts the pot out for $250 ( even 100 would work)
-sell raffle tickets for $2 each. limit it to $20 worth (walmart has them)
-in order to be in the break-and run jackpot you MUST play in the tourney
-sell tickets at the start and up to the final 4.
-wait until the tourney is at least down to 4 players ( keeps customers there)
-draw winning ticket for the night. ( we didnt allow it to be sold to the best player in the room...or anyone else period)
-make sure you get a neutral (honest) racker
-break and run out you get the pot
-break and run 3 balls you get 30% of the pot(balls on the break dont count) 10% per ball.
-make the 9 on the break your running to the 8 for the run out.

It will take it a few weeks to get going. It will be around 35 to 50 a ball the first night. Our jackpot stayed around 1500 to 3000 most of the time. It would be 150 to 300 a ball. The most they can ever take of the pot without a run out is 7 balls, 70%, 10% per ball. Most of the time it would be 1 to 3 balls. We have a 9 foot diamond with 4 inch pockets which is ideal for this. Use the toughest table you have. You will be amazed at the buzz and excitement this will add to a regular weekly tournament. We had to rule a few players here ineligible. The regular average players get tired of donating to someone they have no chance against. Everyone can run a few balls though. At 200 or 300 a ball it gets real exciting for the averge player. I also have all my players cell phone numbers. It helped to call them and tell them who all was coming and who I had talked to. Comunication goes along way here. Give this a try. It worked for us.
Click to expand...
These are great ideas, thanks.
 
Eruditass said:
i almost went to play a 1p at side pockets, laurel, the 4th at noon but was too tired and wasn't sure they were holding it on the 4th, but i hear they have good turnouts. also before i went on vacation a couple weeks ago their tues night 9b DE tourney had 17 people.

at big daddys in glen bernie i recall them having good turnouts for their many weekly tournaments
Click to expand...
Big Daddy's is the room I am talking about.
There was supposed to be an 8b tourney today at 2 and no one showed again. and that is a double elim, APA-handicapped tournament for only $13 entry.
 
heh, i would've came to that if i knew about it. i have been itching to play pool but have been in mexico for 2 weeks.

the draw break and run pot is a good idea, maybe thats why a lot came to side pockets.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top