British Isles Off the Spot Open

[enzo]

Hi Dave,

Yes a bit of admin work needed but it could be do-able. It's cost effective for both players and the AEBBA. I've had a decent Idea for the plate that will shave off just enough time for it to work comfortably.

The Friday would need to be used for the first round of the doubles.
As for people travelling distances after work, we could swap games over for those who haven't arrived by say 20:00 start, for pairs that aren't to play until say 22:00.
As long as everyone is told that this could happen and to turn up at 20:00 then it will be fine. (Most will be there on time anyway).
This gives 2+ hours extra travelling time for those coming the distance & traffic etc.

As for the games.. yes you can add 5mins for inbetween games but that's irrelevant as I've allowed for 20mins each game when we all know tables don't always run that long:

Friday - Pairs first round. 2 Legs no plate.
4 rounds of 8 games, 2 legs. Approx 2h.40m

Saturday - Groups stages like Jersey
32 groups of 4. 8 tables. 24 rounds of 8 games, 1 leg = 8hrs
Top 2 from each group go into Main, 3rd place only into plate. 4th place has had 3 games (more than most opens) so better luck next time. This cuts plate down to 32.
-Pairs Last 32. 2 rounds of 8 games, 2 legs = 1h.20m
-Pairs Last 16. 1 rounds of 8 games, 2 legs = 40m
-Pairs Quarters. 4 games, 2 legs = 40m
-Pairs Semis. 2 games, 2 legs = 40m
-Pairs Final. 1 games, 2 legs = 40m
12 hours total play but 09:00-21:00 or 10:00-22:00 isn't unreasonable.

Sunday
-Main Last 64. 4 rounds of 8 games, 2 legs = 2h.40m
-Plate (3rd place only) Last 32, 4 rounds of 4 games, 2 legs = 1h.20m (half share of tables, bare with me)
-Main Last 32. 4 rounds of 4 games, 2 legs = 1h.20m (" ")
-Plate Last 16. 2 rounds of 4 games, 2 legs = 40m (" ")
-Main Last 16. 2 round of 4 games, 2 legs = 40m (" ")
-Plate Quarters. 4 games, 2 legs = 20m (" ")
-Main Quarters. 4 games, 2 legs = 20m (" ")
-Plate Semis. 2 games, 2 legs. = 20m (" ")
-Main Semis. 2 games, 2 legs = 20m (" ")
-Plate Final. 1 game, 2 legs = 20m (" ")
-Main Final. 1 game, 2 legs = 20m (" ")
8h.40m gameplay - start at 09:00 - 17:00 should be fine, those that want to go home can do, if not an hour for presentation etc.

Apologies if the maths is out I already typed all of this out once and my laptop battery ran out so I've had to do it again :)

Obviously there is still the option to have the Pairs plate but this would involve spreading the Pairs out over the 3 days which I can see people having a problem with but it's an option.

I can appreciate that some may favour a more relaxed weekend but there is also the other half of people that go to Jersey for the buzz and no disrespect to anywhere else on the mainland but just to mirror what someone already said, Bournemouth has good night-life for any age group, and don't feel confined to the hotel as you may do elsewhere. Why not make this championship a big event also? ;D

[milhouse]

Jan 27, 2012 12:53:09 GMT tommo III said:

While there is something to be said for 'if Jersey can manage to fit it all in, then why can't we ?' I also subscribe to BB Warrior's thoughts that the logistics would be just too great.

There are many who enjoy Bournemouth 'just the way it is' and might not relish it all becoming too intense. Eric Hill the main organiser might also find the extra constraints put on him to be just too stressful.

I can't see any de-merit of my idea the gentler arrangement of Singles + Mixed Doubles for Bournemouth and a separate BIOC Pairs. Especially as it should solve the problem of the diminishing interest in the Mixed Doubles, usually held in Reading but cancelled last year.

Can anyone tell me why this wouldn't work ?

I don't think this would work as this is what is special about the Pairs tournament, it is all about a weekend away playing. I don't think playing a singles open would have the same draw, maybe i am wrong, but thats what i think.
If you are going to encorporate the mixed pairs into this, then i think you would only get more entries if you play with the pairs, i don't think you would get extra entries if it was a singles & mixed pairs event, once again, just my humble opinion

Jan 27, 2012 13:17:28 GMT milhouse said:

I don't think playing a singles open would have the same draw, maybe i am wrong, but thats what i think..........just my humble opinion

But if you think that playing a BIOC Singles Open would not have the same draw, why are you trying to organise one ? :o :o :o

[BB Warrior]

Jan 27, 2012 13:04:42 GMT enzo said:

Saturday - Groups stages like Jersey
12 hours total play but 09:00-21:00 or 10:00-22:00 isn't unreasonable.

Sunday
8h.40m gameplay - start at 09:00 - 17:00 should be fine, those that want to go home can do, if not an hour for presentation etc.

I can appreciate that some may favour a more relaxed weekend but there is also the other half of people that go to Jersey for the buzz and no disrespect to anywhere else on the mainland but just to mirror what someone already said, Bournemouth has good night-life for any age group, and don't feel confined to the hotel as you may do elsewhere. Why not make this championship a big event also? ;D

Errr.... I think that proves the point it can't be fitted in! :o

The hotel serves dinner from 6.30pm to about 8.30pm...... so when do people eat? ::)

Most people will just be having breakfast at 9am.... except those who have taken advantage of the good night-life of course. :P

Jersey has breaks for food at times when the restaurants are open.... you can't fit that in and you can't expect the hotel to change their meal times to fit in with us.... and I would hate to be the poor person actually running the event, 12 solid hours on the Admin Desk with no chance of getting a meal.

I think that you will find that a lot of the people who go to the Bournemouth Pairs enter the competition as much for the "relaxed, social side" to the weekend as for the actual playing in it.... which is why there are many people who enter this Competition who don't take part in the "Opens" during the rest of the year. ;)

Combining the Pairs with the Mixed Pairs would make sense and could free up a date later in the year for the BIOC Singles.... 8-)

[milko]

Jan 27, 2012 12:53:09 GMT tommo III said:

There are many who enjoy Bournemouth 'just the way it is'.

Spot on, Clive, I for one would be if the BIOP was changed or added to in any way at all, as they say "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".

This has always been one of the most enjoyable tournament W/Ends + Friday on the calendar with plenty of time to relax and socialise on the Friday and Saturday evenings, either going out on the town or sitting watching everyone make a fool of themselves on the dance floor ;)

I also like the fact that it finishes early afternoon on the Sunday giving everyone time to travel home at a reasonable time.

So, as far as I'm concerned the Bournemouth Pairs should be left as it is.


Keith

[bigtj]

Here here Bournemouth is great weekend why try changing it?

Jan 27, 2012 18:07:34 GMT bigtj said:

Here here Bournemouth is great weekend why try changing it?

.....err, to accommodate the smashing new tournament for which efforts are being made to plan, and make it into something more than just another one-dayer for the top players, and something to entice Channel Islands participation. ::)

[enzo]

By the way, I'm not all for changing the pairs weekend, but as an idea for adding the BIOC without causing other problems it could work is all :)

I don't mind having a more relaxed Bournemouth weekend... more time to err.. socialize? ;)

Well, Mark's poll on the first page has become locked, and the results haven't exactly been overwhelmingly enthusiastic.

So what conclusions can be reached ? I'd say the following has come through loud and clear:

• People like Bournemouth exactly the way it is (ie. for Open Doubles and as a super holiday weekend).
  
  
• It is difficult to find something comparable to rival this, to fire people's imagination.
  
  
• The calendar is already 'full', making it very difficult to fit an extra date in that would be convenient to all concerned.  
  
  
• ....and reading between the lines, those willing to organise something are on the 'outskirts' of the b-b world, meaning a lukewarm response from those at the opposite end.
  

 

So can a way be found to keep a great idea on the rails, which at the same time doesn't dampen Mark's enthusiasm, as keen organisers are hard to find ? :-/ :-/ :-/ :-/ :-/

Ok, my idea is this.

We inaugurate a British Open Off the spot Singles, held in two zones, North and South. Initially, two separate competitions.

I say at this point this is nothing new ! There used to be similar competitions run by the NBBA (table operators) with a North v South final.  This was even how the Inter-counties started - in two zones, with a final in Harwell, I believe.

1. The Northern zone, one-day 'Open' competition run by Mark, under the auspices of the Inter Area association, with entrants invited from Cambs, Northants, Oxon, Bucks, Berks and Hants.

2. The Southern zone, BIOC Singles (South), competition run by Redhill DBBL, the day before the BIOC Ladies (in place of their 'Blind Pairs' - they wont mind !), with entrants invited from Surrey, Kent, Sussex (10 leagues) and the Channel Islands, the Horley venue being within a couple of miles from Gatwick Airport.

3. The final between the North and South champion, to be held at Reading later in the year, tacked on to some other suitable event, could even be the AGM !


This idea is designed to get the competition off the ground, and could be developed in the ensuing years into something bigger, better and eventually unified.

tommo (always trying to consider the 'bigger picture') ;D  

[BB Warrior]

Feb 7, 2012 13:41:11 GMT tommo III said:

Ok, my idea is this.

We inaugurate a British Open Off the spot Singles, held in two zones, North and South. Initially, two separate competitions.

This idea is designed to get the competition off the ground, and could be developed in the ensuing years into something bigger, better and eventually unified.

Hi Clive, it is a suggestion but would it be financially viable to run it as 2 separate competitions.... the "South" zone would probably work if it were combined with the BIOC Ladies weekend, but the "North" would have all of the costs (room & table hire, trophies etc) to find for their part. :'(

Most "Opens" need at least 64 entries to get close to breaking even, unless they are able to find sponsors, and some struggle to achieve that.... would we find sufficient interest to run 2 competitions that can cover their costs, when there seems to only be a limited amount of interest in holding the competition at all..... :-/

Add to that the cost of double the number of trophies and more running around with tables for the hard-working Dave Alder and I'm not sure it would be a viable proposition. ???

The more I think about this, the more I think that the only way that this could get off the ground this year would be if it were to be held at the Post Office Club in Reading under the auspices of AEBBA, either as an additional new competition in its own right or in replacement of an existing tournament (Alternate Rules..?) or possibly alongside another competition such as the Mixed Pairs.

Feb 7, 2012 13:41:11 GMT tommo III said:

This idea is designed to get the competition off the ground, and could be developed in the ensuing years into something bigger, better and eventually unified.

I only said to get it off the ground, Dave, and there was a great interest in a BI Off-the-spot singles but not apparently if it's being run on the outskirts of the BB world.

The 'ideal' is the one put forward by KT, ie a smart hotel in Pompey (if such a thing exists!)

Start it off low key, still one competition but in two zones. We have possibilities already for the southern zone - if people turn their noses up to Redhill/Horley, then perhaps Nigel could resurrect his idea ?

Have the northern zone played in Reading by all means, but a Trafford/Inter-Area partnership is well within their capabilities, leaving Dave Alder to stage the Grand Final.

The competitions could be self-funding as far as trophies etc are involved. Not rocket science. ;) And as said, it worked before (when the AEBBA was starting up) so why not again ?

[milko]

It would be nice to have Dave’s opinion on all this, as he’s the AEBBA’s Secretary ?

My opinion is that it should be.....

1.Run by the AEBBA (Dave, Mark & Nigel)

2.Held at the PO Club in Reading (Headquarters)

3.The ONLY competition on the day, or, better still, run it as TWO, i.e. a “Ladies” & “Men’s” BIOC Off of the Spot competitions.

4.Held in November (4th?) just before the World’s, so would be good practice.

5.If this doesn’t work due to any reason, then it should be brought up at the AGM in December to discuss any changes!!!

[milhouse]

Feb 7, 2012 15:56:54 GMT tommo III said:

Feb 7, 2012 13:41:11 GMT tommo III said:

This idea is designed to get the competition off the ground, and could be developed in the ensuing years into something bigger, better and eventually unified.

I only said to get it off the ground, Dave, and there was a great interest in a BI Off-the-spot singles but not apparently if it's being run on the outskirts of the BB world.

The 'ideal' is the one put forward by KT, ie a smart hotel in Pompey (if such a thing exists!)

Start it off low key, still one competition but in two zones. We have possibilities already for the southern zone - if people turn their noses up to Redhill/Horley, then perhaps Nigel could resurrect his idea ?

Have the northern zone played in Reading by all means, but a Trafford/Inter-Area partnership is well within their capabilities, leaving Dave Alder to stage the Grand Final.

The competitions could be self-funding as far as trophies etc are involved. Not rocket science. ;) And as said, it worked before (when the AEBBA was starting up) so why not again ?

So its ok as long as it is played in Sussex/Surrey, but nowhere else? ::) :-X

All the talk before i said about running it was to hold it in Sussex around the time of the Sussex Open and that was all ok, but as soon as someone else wants to run it, then all of a sudden it won't work.
Sorry if people think this is a bit out of order but felt it has to be said.

[milhouse]

Feb 7, 2012 16:47:53 GMT milko said:

It would be nice to have Dave’s opinion on all this, as he’s the AEBBA’s Secretary ?

My opinion is that it should be.....

1.Run by the AEBBA (Dave, Mark & Nigel)

2.Held at the PO Club in Reading (Headquarters)

3.The ONLY competition on the day, or, better still, run it as TWO, i.e. a “Ladies” & “Men’s” BIOC Off of the Spot competitions.

4.Held in November (4th?) just before the World’s, so would be good practice.

5.If this doesn’t work due to any reason, then it should be brought up at the AGM in December to discuss any changes!!!

Nice comments here Keith and let me answer a few.

First of all, as i have mentioned before, i have had conversations with Dave over this and he has agreed that this should come under the umbrella of an AE Competition. I said that i didn't mind organising this in Oxford as it will not add extra workload for Dave.   The talk of whether it will make enough money is a valid one, but as this would come under the AE Umbrella, it is less of an issue.

So, let me answer your questions....

1 - Agreed
2 - I spoke to Dave about this and we felt that as there are so many competitions held as Reading, it would be nice for it to be held outside of there.  Also, there are many people who have expressed a view that there are too many competitions held at Reading and as such do not enter them, so this is another reason for hosting the event elsewhere.
3 - Agree it should be held as any other Open, but idea of a mens and ladies is a good one.
4 - Does not matter to me when it is held, if i am running it.
5 - Agreed

Feb 7, 2012 16:58:51 GMT milhouse said:

So its ok as long as it is played in Sussex/Surrey, but nowhere else? ::) :-X

You sound angry, Mark. No-ones getting at you, and if you read my post through, the suggestion is that we have two zones and that you can run one of them.  

Feb 7, 2012 16:58:51 GMT milhouse said:

2 - I spoke to Dave about this and we felt that as there are so many competitions held as Reading, it would be nice for it to be held outside of there.  Also, there are many people who have expressed a view that there are too many competitions held at Reading and as such do not enter them, so this is another reason for hosting the event elsewhere.

You hit the nail on the head there....we want to avoid it being 'just another competition for the top players' and 'held at Reading'.

I'd like to hark back to Glenn's original idea which seems to have become forgotten.

He wanted a competition where people could enter locally at pub level and then qualify for later stages. His idea wasn't new of course, this is exactly the competition that the Table Operators used to run (known as the Champion-of-pub-champions) which had sponsorship. You would be to young to remember this, of course.

The idea of a north and south zone is an attempt to pay lip service to Glenn's idea, and needn't be two competitions as there would be a build-up to a North v South final. Or two finalists from each could be sent up to Reading to play a round-robin decider for the British Open champion.

I would like to hear Glenn's comments, after all he was the one who started this off. :-/

[milhouse]

Feb 7, 2012 23:50:29 GMT tommo III said:

Feb 7, 2012 16:58:51 GMT milhouse said:

2 - I spoke to Dave about this and we felt that as there are so many competitions held as Reading, it would be nice for it to be held outside of there.  Also, there are many people who have expressed a view that there are too many competitions held at Reading and as such do not enter them, so this is another reason for hosting the event elsewhere.

You hit the nail on the head there....we want to avoid it being 'just another competition for the top players' and 'held at Reading'.

I'd like to hark back to Glenn's original idea which seems to have become forgotten.

He wanted a competition where people could enter locally at pub level and then qualify for later stages. His idea wasn't new of course, this is exactly the competition that the Table Operators used to run (known as the Champion-of-pub-champions) which had sponsorship. You would be to young to remember this, of course.

The idea of a north and south zone is an attempt to pay lip service to Glenn's idea, and needn't be two competitions as there would be a build-up to a North v South final. Or two finalists from each could be sent up to Reading to play a round-robin decider for the British Open champion.

I would like to hear Glenn's comments, after all he was the one who started this off. :-/

What do you mean by 'just another competition for the top players' ?  Whatever competition goes ahead, you are still going to have the same few people doing well, unless you disregard the top x number in the rankings (But i dont think this would work)

The idea of a competition to be entered at pub level is just not going to get off the ground IMHO. It may have been ok 20 years ago when there were 1,000's of tables knocking about.  This idea is just too close to the AE Singles, where you qualify locally for a competition.

A north/South divide is also not going to be viable, the North side will only have about 15 entries!

[enzo]

Feb 8, 2012 8:25:21 GMT milhouse said:

unless you disregard the top x number in the rankings (But i dont think this would work)

You're right this wouldn't really work as number x+1 would similarly destroy the field and especially not the BIOC but another comp would be a lot more attractive and exciting to Divison 1 level players and lower knowing that a chunk of the Prem players aren't playing. I know this isn't viable due to costs etc but I quite liked the idea until you see the flaws.

This idea happens in the Worthing summer league, Prem & Div 1 aren't allowed to enter, so all of the lower teams want to compete and it's the general consensus that if the top teams entered, the lower teams wouldn't see the point.

I don't think this would work for an open though, nor would a North/South divide but they're good suggestions nonetheless.

I don't agree with it being a week before Jersey, for similar reasons to the Sussex Open, in fact the expense of Jersey is greater so it's even worse financially. I do however agree it should not be held in Reading.

Im trying to help you here Mark, but you keep missing the point.

Feb 8, 2012 8:25:21 GMT milhouse said:

What do you mean by 'just another competition for the top players' ?  Whatever competition goes ahead, you are still going to have the same few people doing well, unless you disregard the top x number in the rankings (But i dont think this would work)

Did you read Tony (Barbelman's) earlier post ? He made a good point that to gain sufficient numbers you have to attract people who are willing to give it a go just for the 'craic' thus providing some 'cannon fodder'. Otherwise only the top echelon will bother to enter. So far you've offered nothing in the plan to make me (part of the cannon fodder! ;D) want to enter, and I expect that a lot of people feel the same.

Feb 8, 2012 8:25:21 GMT milhouse said:

The idea of a competition to be entered at pub level is just not going to get off the ground IMHO. It may have been ok 20 years ago when there were 1,000's of tables knocking about.  This idea is just too close to the AE Singles, where you qualify locally for a competition.

I was not advocating starting this at pub level (although Glenn was !!) and agree it would not work for precisely the reason you stated. But as I said, the 'zonal' idea was a way of giving it that sort of flavour, an added kudos to taking part and a 'gladitorial' feel about the Final.

Feb 8, 2012 8:25:21 GMT milhouse said:

A north/South divide is also not going to be viable, the North side will only have about 15 entries!

In the words of John McEnroe, "you cannot be serious". In terms of top players, I would say the split between players of the level that could be attracted to enter the competition, properly organised, would be (North v South) 50/50. Just below the level of County competition you have your "Inter-Area" and we have our "Inter-League". Both are well supported and really competitive, and these are the very players you should be canvassing. It may look as if we have more leagues (10) down in Sussex, but many of the players only go out for league night (once a week) and are just not going to travel a long way to take part in a British Isles Off-the-Spot Open. They might conceivably give it a whirl if it was local (as far as the Semi-final or Final).

[milko]

We have been on about this subject since 2006 and everyone has had time to give their own point of view, so if the AEBBA are going to run this Tournament this year?  it’s time for the Committee to get their heads together now to come up with a name?, date?, venue? and any Sponsorships? (Wasn’t that a job that the President of the AEBBA took on?)

I now look forward to seeing some positive feedback on here, so we can all decide whether to enter or not.


Keith

[milhouse]

Feb 8, 2012 15:30:35 GMT milko said:

We have been on about this subject since 2006 and everyone has had time to give their own point of view, so if the AEBBA are going to run this Tournament this year?  it’s time for the Committee to get their heads together now to come up with a name?, date?, venue? and any Sponsorships? (Wasn’t that a job that the President of the AEBBA took on?)

I now look forward to seeing some positive feedback on here, so we can all decide whether to enter or not.


Keith

Keith - I have everything in place to run the competition this year. The only thing i have not been able to get is a date!  Which is why i started this thread, to find out a suitable date! (Anyone found out about Bucks yet?)

Clive - I know you are trying to help and maybe i am missing the point(?) but the point that i am making from you comments is that if this competition is not held in Surrey/Sussex, it won't be supported?  When you say that there is nothing "special" about this Open, that is true, there is nothing that makes it stand out (except that its Off-The-Spot) but to be honest, none of the other Opens are "special", but they are all still supported!

Well, Mark,

If you're determined to go ahead (and have everything in place) then don't let anything I say - or the poll result showing only 9 interested - stop you !

And some Opens are 'special' by the way: I love the Bucks because of its great setting (despite never doing any good in it) and the last one I'll give up will be the Kent Classic as I have a good record in it. Different reasons, but special to me in their own ways.

One last question - what sort of publicity do you have planned for the new event ?

[BB Warrior]

Feb 8, 2012 15:40:18 GMT milhouse said:

Keith - I have everything in place to run the competition this year. The only thing i have not been able to get is a date!  Which is why i started this thread, to find out a suitable date! (Anyone found out about Bucks yet?)

Clive - I know you are trying to help and maybe i am missing the point(?) but the point that i am making from you comments is that if this competition is not held in Surrey/Sussex, it won't be supported?  When you say that there is nothing "special" about this Open, that is true, there is nothing that makes it stand out (except that its Off-The-Spot) but to be honest, none of the other Opens are "special", but they are all still supported!

I note the comment about whether the Bucks Open is going ahead, but would suggest that the middle of the Summer holidays is possibly not the best time of year to try to start a new competition anyway.... ::)

Perhaps the time has come to stop asking people how and when they want it played and simply organise it and let us all know when and where the Tournament will take place.... until then nobody can really say if they would be available to actually take part anyway. ???

Well said, Warrior. 8-)


Re: the Bucks Open, this from Keith is the latest we have on the subject:

Jan 24, 2012 6:34:02 GMT milko said:

Had an Email from Merv Yearwood yesterday saying that himself and Andy Haines had stepped down from running the Buck's Open but he hoped that someone else was going to take it over and run it this year. He said that Dawn & Ernie Jordan seemed keen, so let's hope so.
Keith

I would imagine that we won't know for definite for a couple of months at least, and it would be inadvisable to press them further at this stage.

[The Chubbster™]

Feeding on from Tommo’s comments, I thought I would make a better case for what I suggesting with regards to a new tournament, which I believe could be incorporated into this idea of a British Isle off the spot competition.

To me, a competition starting at a local level and moving up to a national finals day always made sense to me, for many reasons. Bar Billiards is a pub sport after all, and that’s where you will find the majority of players. That’s where you will energise them, attract them and encourage them. For a start it raises awareness, and would get good coverage. There’s always a great chance of getting more players involved. It raises the profile of the game a large amount, as we’re no longer just a group of select people getting together at a post office club a few times a year. Also a sponsorship deal would not be a problem to find.

See I may be stating the obvious, but I will anyway just in case people are confused. Sponsors like exposure for their product, something which none of our tournaments can really give much of. But a competition starting in pubs run up and down the country would be something breweries would be very keen to sponsor, and a competition in that mould would surely get some sort of news coverage. Not much, but some.

Given all these facts, it amazes me that people dismiss it right off the bat. It’s as though some people don’t actually want to attempt to move forward, does that make sense?

As for how such a format would work, well lets draw up a scenario (all be it a very rough one) and see what people think. So here we go.

The “Insert Sponsor Name Here” British Isle Bar Billiards Pub Championships.

All games played off the spot.

First things first, set up a website for it, sponsors love that, more exposure, and the website would be advertised in all the pubs etc.

Now I have no idea of how many pubs in England have a registered team, but why not make it really simple. Allow any Pub with a registered team to organise a small tournament, anytime that is convenient for them in a 6 (or whatever) month period, and then each pub would have a single pub champion.

Those champions would then have a county finals night, organised by the county association (probably on a competition weekend like we do in Sussex). This leaves a single player from each county.

Then those players (I would imagine 8 or 9) could play early evening on Friday night at Bournemouth in a straight knock out. Would not take long as there would only be 8 or so. It would only take a couple of hours. Then you have your champion.

Now a tournament like this has the following benefits:

•      Individual pubs and then county organisations are responsibly for organising pub tournaments and regional finals as they see fit (if they wish to participate that is)
•      Hundreds of entry’s which gives the competition great prestige
•      You’re actually giving pubs another incentive to have a table and team.
•      A well known sponsor willing to put its name behind it, and pay some decent sponsorship money.
•      All of the above would lead to some local and maybe even a little national news coverage.
•      A chance of really raising the profile of our game and encouraging new players.
•      Bournemouth gets a little extra, bumping up the prestige of the weekend without messing up the schedule (and I’m thinking the disco!)
•      Prize money, which even with small entry fees from each player and the sponsorship would be by a mile the largest prize fund in our game.


So there’s my idea, something along those lines, but you see what I’m getting at. Darts had the news of the world, and it was the one that every player entered. Without that tournament, there never would have been an explosion in darts; it would now be a game that hardly anyone plays.

I put this here because Tommo asked for my thoughts. If we are going to have our own Off The Spot Competition, this would be my suggestion. Sure we could book another venue, run it in the same way as all the other tournament and then watch as the same 80 players enter and have a day out…. We could do that. But I ask everyone, how is that moving our game along? Sure I’d still go, and enjoy it. But is it not worth seriously exploring something else?

Of course, I don’t expect anyone to take this seriously, but I’m fine with that. It kind of reminds me of the last idea I had that I really thought would give the game a massive boost. It was an idea that people looked at me and said “yeah, nice idea Glenn, problem is it will never work because of this, and that, and this, and then you would have that to deal with, and most people are used to doing this.” I remember that very clearly. Thing is I was so convinced, despite everyone telling me to not waist my time, I went ahead and did it anyway.

It was the idea of a forum called British Bar Billiards, and by the looks of it, it seems to be doing just fine 

I’ll be around…..

[BB Warrior]

Things seem to have gone very quiet on this subject..... do we have any news as to whether this is likely to take place this year? ;)

[David.G]

No discussions with aebba about table hire. I will talk to Mark Trafford(as he is the main man in this event) in Bournemouth.

Personally I can't see this event happening this year.

Does anyone know of any local of the spot competitions. If so how many entries do they get. This could help Mark decide one way or the other. It may be an idea to list all those who would actually enter a national of the spot competition

[BB Warrior]

Feb 26, 2012 15:56:12 GMT David.G said:

Does anyone know of any local of the spot competitions. If so how many entries do they get. This could help Mark decide one way or the other. It may be an idea to list all those who would actually enter a national of the spot competition

Brighton & Worthing Leagues both run off the spot competitions on the Sundays after their Masters Competitions are played on the Saturday, usually on a couple of weekends in late September / October before the start of each new season.... entries usually limited to around 24 players for each, although some players do play in both competitions. :D