|
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 28, 2014 11:36:10 GMT
Thank you ! I used to take it upon myself to maintain the calendar before we changed systems, but, since I stopped, 2014 nearly went past without a single entry. So much trouble could be avoided if people developed the habit of checking and updating the calendar when booking their tables for events. Now that we now how simple it is to maintain the calendar which is there for our assistance - let's use it !  |
|
jordans
Distinguished Member
Posts: 687
|
Post by jordans on Oct 28, 2014 13:50:02 GMT
I tried it for the Bucks Open - it works! :)
Here in Bucks we are also a very small league, with Wycombe being the only one. Only 8 teams left of the 64 when I first started playing :(. We often struggle for teams for the Team Championship, Mens Div 2 and as far as women go, well with only four ladies now playing it's almost impossible to get a team together. For the men, we always manage to get a team, it might not be our best team, but so far have never had to drop out.
As the only lady that enters from Bucks I would be really disappointed for:-
1. The Specail Ladies to become a pairs competition. I am still very proud to represent my county (although I do feel a little guilty sometimes when say the Sussex ladies have had to play many games to win the right to represent Sussex in the All Enland, and the Bucks representative has played at the most 3 matches). I would not be able to find a lady to partner from Bucks, so would not be able to enter. It would also be a real shame to lose a ranking tournament, we struggle enough to get some as it is :). I would be very much be against losing this competition.
2. For it to be moved from this area. For many years we travelled with a group from Bucks and we entered all the Opens and to all the ladies competitions. For personal reasons we stopped going for a few years, but have over the last two years started entering again. I think it is very fair that one ladies ranking tournament is held in Oxon/Berks and one to be held in Sussex/Surrey/Kent. It was very disappointing this year to have a very low number enter, but think it was more to do with the grouping together of so many AEBBA competitions. I know that even though Didcot is only a 45 minute drive for us, having been there quite a few times, and still quite a few to go over the next few weeks it is getting a bit much.
Anyway, don't say much on here, but now you have my opinion :)
|
|
|
|
Post by gandalf the untidy on Oct 29, 2014 6:46:22 GMT
Looking at the number of county open entrants this year, looks like there is about 50 less people than last year ! Approx 11% reduction in one year
|
|
|
|
Post by BB Warrior on Oct 29, 2014 8:15:06 GMT
Looking at the number of county open entrants this year, looks like there is about 50 less people than last year ! Approx 11% reduction in one year You are pretty close there Gandalf.... Open - 2013 Entries - 2014 Entries - Variation Oxon 76 74 -2.6% Surrey 95 88 -7.4% Guernsey 61 63 +3.3% Sussex 108 88 -18.5% Kent 75 60 -20.0% Bucks 82 69 -15.9% Berks 53 57 +7.5% Overall 548 499 -8.9% Other national competitions show a similar decline.... Comp - 2013 Entries - 2014 Entries - Variation B'mouth 53 54 +1.9% E. Anglia 64 62 -3.1% Ladies 24 20 -16.7% O.T.S. 62 53 -14.5% Jersey 144 132 -8.3% Total 347 321 -7.5% The drop in numbers for the AEBBA has already been well documented here.... not a happy picture overall.  |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 29, 2014 9:36:42 GMT
The developing trend is easy to see, but can we have the full picture ? To achieve this you would need to include AEBBA Singles Alternative Rules National Mixed Pairs A block for Team events....... Inter-County Ladies County National Team ......and a breakdown of the Ladies stats please to: BIOC Ladies AEBBA Ladies Special Ladies Open if you would be so kind !  |
|
|
|
Post by BB Warrior on Oct 29, 2014 9:56:34 GMT
As requested....
AEBBA Singles - 8 (2013), 8 (2014), No Change
Alternative Rules - 42 (2013), 28 (2014), -33.3& variation
National Mixed Pairs - 20 (2013), 11 (2014), -45.0% variation
A block for Team events.......
Inter-County
Division 1 - 6 Teams (2013), 6 Teams (2014), No Change
Division 2 - 6 Teams (2013), not played yet in 2014.
Ladies County - 6 Teams (2013), 5 Teams (2014), -16.7% variation
National Team - 6 Teams (2013), 6 Teams (2014), No Change
......and a breakdown of the Ladies stats please to:
BIOC Ladies - 24 (2013), 20 (2014), -16.7% variation (as shown in previous post)
AEBBA Ladies - 5 (2013), 5 (2014), No Change
Special Ladies Open - 12 (2013), 8 (2014), -33.3% variation
To complete a full picture, we might as well add the following competitions as well.
AEBBA Age Related Competitions
Under 25's - 8 (2013), not played yet in 2014.
Over 50's - 25 (2013), not played yet in 2014.
Over 60's - 12 (2013), not played yet in 2014.
And these two Pairs events as well....
Guernsey Pairs - 27 (2013), 27 (2014), No Change
Jersey Pairs - 61 (2013), 55 (2014), -9.8% variation
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 29, 2014 13:02:43 GMT
Thanks Warrior,
Makes good reading as a useful exercise to do, but I agree the results are rather alarming, and can't really be put down to one thing.
tommo
|
|
colinm
Full Forum Member
Posts: 423
|
Post by colinm on Oct 29, 2014 13:22:48 GMT
Thanks Warrior, Makes good reading as a useful exercise to do, but I agree the results are rather alarming, and can't really be put down to one thing. tommo I agree there won't just be one reason but I know from personal experience that I will certainly not be attending many opens next year unless some changes are made to the format of the opens, there may or may not be others who agree? The changes I would suggest would either be going to group formats in early rounds of the opens, alternatively some staggering of the early rounds, to reduce the waiting around between the first and second round matches? I know for me on one occasion that was a 4 1/2 hour wait! Only to get put in and make an early mistake and then watch 2 legs of billiards before going home. There have been complaints in the past about people not staying for the plate but if someone goes out at 10.45 and has to wait until 4pm for the plate then I completely understand why people don't stay. I understand the frustration this causes others in particular the organisers but I wonder how these days used to be organised with larger entries in the past? There must be amore suitable formulae that has been used in the past? Perhaps this could be discussed at the AGM? Colin |
|
|
|
Post by BB Warrior on Oct 29, 2014 14:41:02 GMT
The changes I would suggest would either be going to group formats in early rounds of the opens An interesting thought and certainly worth considering.  Colin, perhaps you could put forward some suggested formats that could be used and how this would fit into the normal timescales for a County Open, especially if there were more than 64 entries? To give you a start of the sort of things that would probably need to be considered.... - Single Leg or Double Leg Games? - If single leg, how could you arrange it so all of the players get an equal number of first breaks? - How many players would progress to the next stage of the Main Competition? - Would there still be a Plate Competition? If so, how many would progress to that? - What changes would be needed to the Ranking Point System? Obviously, any decision to use a new format would have to be at the discretion of the County running the competition, but a change of format would probably need the approval of the AEBBA AGM as far as eligibility as a qualifying event for Grand Prix and Ranking Points are concerned. I look forward to seeing your thoughts on this.  |
|
|
|
Post by triplex on Oct 31, 2014 17:32:40 GMT
[/quote]I was wondering about the 'fate' of the National Off-the-Spot, as that seemed to be the only competition not confirmed for next year (apart from date for Oxon Open of course): Our thanks must go to Kent for hosting it (successfully) for the first two years. [/quote] With regards to the 'OTS' competition, I've considered it many times about bringing it to Northants, as a trial really to see if we could make it viable to run an open. I've had a couple of kind offers to help run the event as I've ran in house competitions before but never an open. As yet I've not brought this to the attention of our committee as one of my main concerns would be a venue and traveling. Unfortunately it looks like my concern on traveling could be valid. Obviously we are another hour away from Didcot for most people, so after reading opinions would it hinder the 'OTS' bringing it to Northants rather than help it. I would very much welcome peoples views and interest on this subject. |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 31, 2014 18:25:02 GMT
Hi Simon,
When the National Off-the-Spot was resurrected a couple of years ago (following much discussion on this Forum), it was with a recommendation that it would "go on the road", i.e. a different county would host it in turn. Tenders would be submitted at each AEBBA AGM and a successful one chosen.
So far Kent have hosted it twice, in Tonbridge (Tunny Wells league) and Chatham (Medway league) and we have just heard that Surrey (Redhill league) will be tendering for the 2015 competition.
So I think that in a year's time any bid to host it by Northants would be received most favourably - as after three southern events it would seem fair to give a 'northern' county (in bar billiards terms) their turn.
Rgds tommo
|
|
|
|
Post by BB Warrior on Oct 31, 2014 19:21:14 GMT
With regards to the 'OTS' competition, I've considered it many times about bringing it to Northants, as a trial really to see if we could make it viable to run an open. I've had a couple of kind offers to help run the event as I've ran in house competitions before but never an open. As yet I've not brought this to the attention of our committee as one of my main concerns would be a venue and traveling. Unfortunately it looks like my concern on traveling could be valid. Obviously we are another hour away from Didcot for most people, so after reading opinions would it hinder the 'OTS' bringing it to Northants rather than help it. I would very much welcome peoples views and interest on this subject. Hi Simon, Personally, I would happily travel up to Northants once a year for a National Competition, whether that was the Off-the-Spot or if Northants were to run a County Open in the future. I think the "concern on travelling" is a problem this year due to the number of competitions held at Didcot in a short period of time with many players having to make numerous journeys up there almost every weekend for a couple of months. I think that many of the "regular" players from the southern region would probably also be prepared to support a new competition, you may lose some because of the distance but you may find some other who would take their places simply because it was "new".... Surrey certainly had very large attendences in the first couple of years and local support there has also kept the numbers up. I can understand your concerns about trying to run the competition and finding there is not enough support to make it financially viable, perhaps I could offer a couple of suggestions that may help... 1) I see from the table diary that you normally hire 8 tables for your Finals Weekend, could the National O-T-S (or an Open) be held on the same weekend so the 2 competitions all go towards the cost of the table hire? I don't know how big the venue is that you use for the Finals, but it could solve that problem if it is big enough? Note - you may need to consider a different weekend to the start of May as that could clash with the Guernsey weekend so some players may not be available. 2) Would it be worth running the OTS (or Open) on a Saturday with a slighly later start to allow players more time to get to the venue that are travelling long distances? That would give the option for players to stay in Northants on Saturday night if they didn't want to travel back and a later finish would probably not be so much of a problem? I hope to see a new competition at some time in the future in Northants. |
|
