Tourneys
Topic: Another Poor BPPPA Comp

It would be nice if an event started on time for a change, as advertised. I also agree it would be nice to pay everyone something who makes it through to the second day.

Not sure about dwindling numbers - is there any numerical proof of this. As with any tour some players drop off, and new ones arrive. 69 runners this weekend I believe. Not huge, but not paltry either, and some players are elsewhere.

Not too long ago it was a regular 80 players, and as soon as an event was played near London you could expect over 100 entries. Missing players this weekend only account for 3 of the top 16 as I take it you are refering to the EPT. Personally i know of at least 4 regular players that live within an hour of Stafford but said that they wern't bothering. I could be wrong but the last 4 or 5 events have seen numbers around the 70 mark. I think over 10 of the top 30 players were missing today.

You have to take into account that it is the holiday period aswell.

Sorry,IPT not EPT.

Here we go again, haven't we seen it all before?

It is not easy organising a tournament, it is even more difficult organising a complete tour. A fact that many players who simply pay their money and simply turn up on the day don't seem to realise.

Some time ago, the only recognised tour was run by Doug Gordon and Brenda Smith which went well for years and the majority of players were reasonably content.

The day came when things weren't going to some people's satisfaction and the sniping and backstabbing began.
How easy it is to attack someone publicly from behind a nickname or a hidden identity, this is what terrorists do.
Certain players who were too cowardly to identify themselves destroyed the previous tour and if you are not careful it will happen again.

I thought that the BPPPA had a player's committee, if this is the case, that is where comments, suggestions and even criticisms should be directed.

People like Doug, Brenda and now Ted are dedicated to the sport and do what they do for little or no financial game. Without people like these, there would be no sport.

There are very few player's who could organise a pool competition, it all seems so easy doesn't it.

If things are to work, you all have to work together and not start this eternal moaning the minute you lose a game or you have a bad hair day.

Daryl has started up a new tour and I hope that it all goes well but beware Daryl, you can't please all of the people all of the time.

Criticism must be constructive and preferably not directed anonymously towards individuals who don't even know who is criticising them.

I remember when I first started playing on the tour, there were always between 90 and 100 entrants and I can't remember the last time we had that many. Danny, you have got to open your eyes and see this is not an attack on Ted or the BPPPA, it is just players that want improvements on the conditions and changes being made that players have been crying out for ages! I have many concerns with the tour, many that have been mentioned on here with the main ones including the excessive membership fees (what are they being used for?) and not all qualifiers being paid!!!! We have seen a lot of players leave the tour and changes need to be made if the BPPPA is going to be able to continue long into the future.

With regards to the players council, I think this is a waste of time from what ive heard. Im pretty sure that these issues have been raised in the past at meetings but even if all members were to vote for something, Ted could overrule and make the deciding vote. Again I cant stress enough this is not an attack on Ted but is just the opinions of dissapointed players who dont like the direction the tour is heading.

Hi All, Mark Mills here, just to put you in the picture I started Cuesport UK basically as something extra for the players I run this myself but the main aim is to promote a North West individual tour ran similar to the Matchroom Snooker League a minimum of 8 players and max of 10 paying £250 each per season (once a year) and £50 a match (payable one match in advance) for each Individual match you win you earn £70 whilst the other goes into the prize pot along with the £250 entries so if you play 9 games and win 5 you have earnt 5 x £75 along with any prize money for your league position finish. Also we are holding ring games and some Satelitte qualifying events, and our other main aim is to promote a new Ladies tour which will start in Jan/Feb 2007 with some sponsorship money already in place and hopefully more to come, Lynette is on board as a Ladies Rep and helps me with the Ladies side of things. As for Daryl no he does not run Cuesport UK with me but I do run the EPT with him.
One thing we all do though weather it is Cuesport UK, The EPT or BPPPA or the APN, we are not against each other we do talk to each other and will help each other where we can at Stafford I spoke with Andy Jeronimedis (hope I spelt it right) to see if we can work together and that was no problem, and Ted also agreed he would help sanction the Ladies British Open next year which I am running as a Cuesport UK event so working together has never been an issue. I myself have helped Ted with the Junior events in the past and he knows that offer is always there. Lets get behind all organisers who are trying hard to promote the game to make it better for you it is not as easy as people think to get sponsorship.

Oh and sponsorship is another thing I forgot to mention. I'l cover this briefly, local businesses should be approached in the lead up to each tournament and I am sure they would find sponsors. After speaking to business men back home in Southport, a lot of them would be willing to shove quite a lot of money in to sponsor the event. I am sure this would be the case in most cities and towns.

Also I think deals can be done with hotels as well. I know Ted has advertised hotels on flyers etc. but deals can be done, im sure. At Croyden I was staying at hotel that was a stones throw away from the club and I think a deal could have be done there easily. The BPPPA needs promotion as well, results could be put in newspapers and on teletext and this could raise the profile of the tour and the game.

cusack, these potential sponsors who are willing to put in quite a lot of money......why not put them in touch with ted?

They would only be willing for local events i.e. local advertising, no event is possible in Southport as there are only three tables in the whole town. But what this does show is that if local businesses are approached there will be interest.

To add to this, if results were to be published in newspapers and in the press then this would help to attract sponsors as well.

so who won? or does nobody care coz the tournament was poorly run!

Kevin Uzzell beat Gary Bullocke 11-6 in the final.