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Vol.3,
No.3 — February 10, 2006
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| EnjoyPool.com ● BCAExpo.com |
 NEW! Expo Exhibitors who plan to show new products will receive a special notation on the Exhibitors List, and be recognized on site in Houston. Help drive traffic to your booth by giving us a heads-up about your plans to show new product in April. You don't have to disclose the item, just let us know and we'll help to pass along your news! |
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:: STRICKLAND NAMED TO BCA HALL OF FAME ... The BCA has tapped Earl Strickland to be inducted to its Hall of Fame at ceremonies scheduled to be held in conjunction with the BCA International Billiard & Home Recreation Expo in Houston. Mr. Strickland is well known for both his playing ability and passion for the sport, which promises to make him an exciting honoree in April.
Join the BCA and many current members of the Hall of Fame, to hear Earl's pearls of wisdom on becoming a champion and being recognized as one of the world's greatest billiard players. The Hall of Fame reception program and formal induction ceremony will take place at the Hilton-Americas at 7:30 pm on April 6, 2006 and attendees are urged to order tickets in advance. [ attend ]
 Mr. Strickland was one of three candidates reviewed in the "Greatest Player" category, along with Maurice Daly and Allen Hopkins.
Born in 1961, Earl Strickland was a dominant player during the 1980s and 1990s, and continues to be so today. He currently holds over 100 tournament titles and has been named “Player of the Year” five times. He won the Akron Open nine times and the US Open 9-Ball Championship five times: 1984, 1987, 1993, 1997 and 2000. He has won the World 9-Ball Championship six times: 1984, ‘88, ‘90, ‘91, ‘94 and 2002. He most recently won the World Pool Masters Trick Shot Challenge in 2003.
In addition to his individual championships, he has been a team member on nine winning U.S. Mosconi Cup teams, including 2005, and was captain in two of those years. He has conducted numerous exhibitions at trade shows, Air Force bases and at the Raoping Billiard School in China. Mr. Strickland maintains an active charity schedule, donating exhibition time for programs such as Pool Aid ’95, D.A.R.E., Paralyzed Veterans of America, Brenner Children’s Hospital, Billiard Education Foundation, Children’s Burn Center and others. [ view Billiards Digest report ]
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| SHOOT FOR ... OR WITH ... THE STARS |
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In support of the Billiard Education Foundation scholarship fund ... the BCA will once again host the “Challenge the Stars” benefit event during the 2006 EnjoyPool.com 9-Ball Championships in Las Vegas this May. The special challenge fundraiser will take place on Tuesday, May 16, at the Riviera Hotel & Casino’s Grande Ballroom. [ 2005 report ]
 With 128 of the world’s top pros on hand, thousands of enthusiastic players and fans will have an opportunity to get up-close-and-personal with their favorite billiard stars. This entertaining fundraiser offers players the option of selecting the $10 BCA Challenge (BEF picks the pro for one game of 9-Ball), the $40 Pro Challenge (one game of 9-Ball with one of three top choices, based on availability) or the $100 Ultimate Challenge (three games of 9-Ball with one of three top choices). Want to take part, or donate to the BEF Scholarship Fund? [ learn more ]
Pictured L-R: At the 2005 Challenge the Stars event, Tony Robles posed with fellow pro Julie Kelley. Photo: Amy Long, BCA Director of Marketing. |
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STRIKE IT RICH ... with your EXPO DIRECTORY AD |
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 EXPO DIRECTORY ADS DUE ... THIS Monday, February 13 ... your full-page black & white ad will be seen by everyone at the Expo, and the pocket-sized directory is kept year-round as a reference guide. Premium cover positions are sold out, but you can still arrange to include your promotional ad on an inside page of this important book. [ download specs & order form ]
Last minute drill: To reserve your space, contact Tracy Hart by email or phone at 719-264-8300 x110. Then review the spec sheet and email your ad to Ginni Francis, along with a faxed hard copy to her attention, at 719-264-0900. |
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PUBLIC RELATIONS UPDATE |
| Media |
Impressions |
| Radio |
1,003,000 |
| Broadcast |
5,674,334 |
| Internet |
12,508,082 |
| Print |
93,609,502 |
Total |
112,794,918 |
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Over 112 Million Hits ... That's the total number of billiard media impressions generated by Alan Taylor Communications in calendar year 2005. ATC compiled these summary numbers for the BCA's annual report, which was approved in presentation form at the recent board meeting in San Diego. |
| With More in the Chute ... The team at Alan Taylor Communications continues to generate a high profile for billiards, using personalities, tournaments and industry news to drive placements, like: |
- Two feature segments with WVIT-TV (NBC, Hartford) profiling U.S. Amateur Champion Peter Genovese, which aired on January 26 and 29. (129,739 total media impressions)
- Steppin’ Out Magazine will profile Jennifer Barretta in one of its May issues. Barretta will appear on the magazine’s front cover.
- Customized placements for select consumer magazines focusing on “How to Build the Perfect Room.”
- ATC is developing interview queries with several billiards professionals, key manufacturers and BCA members.
- Meeting with producers of the syndicated TV magazine show “Living in Style” regarding potential billiards feature segments.
- Approaching New York Spaces Magazine regarding its upcoming issue focusing on Adult Playrooms / Game Areas,
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 Help ATC pitch your line
... Want to see your company in the news? All
BCA Business Members are encouraged to submit their latest product
news to Tom Cosentino.
He’ll use your information to design a
pitch for the best possible fit, and print and
broadcast media will make their own final selections
on which items to feature.
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MEMBER MARKETING
101 ... From "52 Ways to Make Pool Everybody's Game" |
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TIP № 17 |
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Host a live radio broadcast from your location to generate traffic |
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STRATEGY: |
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Radio is a great way to reach a large, yet targeted audience. With a live broadcast from your store, you create excitement and give listeners a reason to visit that day. This event can include a pool competition between radio personalities and other celebrities, with the proceeds going to a charity. And the chance to see radio personalities and other celebrities can be a draw for listeners to visit. |
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EXECUTION: |
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- Get media kits from radio stations to determine which ones reach your target audience and approach the best “match” with a proposal for a live broadcast
- Check with local charities to see if any are already working with a celebrity who will make a personal appearance
- Hire a BCA instructor to conduct a demonstration or clinic
- Offer an incentive for visiting your store that day, such as a nice prize to anyone who pockets the 9 ball on the break or a free T-shirt to anyone who makes a donation
- Promote with balloons and banners to attract drive-by traffic
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| :: IPT TOUR NEWS |
 Recent International Pool Tour Promos ... have included the release of online audio of founder Kevin Trudeau, who talks about the tour and how its players are paid, plus a broadcast clip and the formal release of the tour lineup for the coming season.
Audio ... Browsers can hear a recording that gives tournament updates, TV schedules and Q&A - or select "How IPT Players Get Paid" to learn more about how profit sharing works, along with information on minimum player payouts. [ select & listen ]
Video ... also released via the website was the King of the Hill broadcast promotional video. The piece runs for several minutes and has been well received by networks worldwide, while generating industry "buzz" about the tour programming. [ view ]
News ... The 2006 International Pool Tour season will include six major tournaments and over $8 million in prize money. Payouts are guaranteed and not based on entry fees or number of participants. The tour is in final negotiations for television broadcasts of all the tournaments in 2006, with announcements expected shortly to confirm unprecedented worldwide television coverage, on major networks, in primetime, and (in some countries) live. Spectator seating at these events will be extremely limited, and tickets will be available soon. [ full press release ] |
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GOOD NEWS FROM VENDING TIMES |
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 In its Census of the Industry 2005 survey ... Vending Times reported that "pool tables remained the amusement industry's dominant game, in terms of dollar volume and unit placements. The category produced 35% of coin drop receipts in 2004 and represented 26% of all amusement devices tracked by this study." A graphic with the report cited a $2,121,000,000 dollar volume from 340,000 coin-operated units on location.
The annual professional study has been a recognized source of marketing data for the amusement industry for the past 60 years, providing decision-makers with the information they need to analyze sales trends and gauge industry performance. The yearly reference work is provided as a supplement to subscribers, and mailed with a designated summer/fall issue.
Elsewhere on the VT site, a recent article entitled "Pool is White-Hot Worldwide" opens with: If you thought Tom Cruise and Paul Newman sparked the ultimate pool craze in 1986 with their film “The Color of Money,” then wake up and smell the chalk dust. Today pool is hotter than ever, boosted by million-dollar purses, breathless cable TV broadcasts, and sexy female stars. Indeed, from Seoul to Cincinnati, the sport of billiards has reached an all-time zenith of popularity and appears poised to keep rocketing ever skyward as prize money, TV coverage and celebrity influence all expand. [ full article ] |
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| :: BCA MEMBER NEWS |
:: BCA PROFILE |
High-End McDermott ... Recent press materials from McDermott claim that the company makes the world's most expensive cue, with the release of its ultimate fantasy cue, The Intimidator, priced at $150,000.00. [ view specs ]
“When we first considered creating a fantasy cue like no other, we realized that it had to be more than just beautiful; we would need the finest components, and the finest craftsmanship. The final product was a cue that stirs the imagination and stimulates the senses,” said Claude Napier, President and CEO of McDermott. |
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“We set out to create the most expensive, one of its kind, extravagant gift or collector’s item that the billiard’s industry has ever seen,” said Nat Rosasco, Executive Vice President of McDermott.
The Intimidator took a painstaking 1862 hours to craft and features over 210 separate inlays, 24K gold, Genuine Italian Obsidian, 112 hand polished Precious Metal inlays on the black Ultra-violet handle, and four winged blades. |
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 ALISON B. HALL ... recently joined the BCA staff by accepting the position of Office Manager / Executive Assistant. Originally from Tucson, Arizona, Ms. Hall spent 10 years in Denver before moving to the Pikes Peak region in 2000. She brings over a decade of administrative experience to her new role, after beginning her career in transportation engineering with a metro Denver company. Over the years she has enjoyed working in local city government, including Denver, Manitou Springs and Colorado Springs.
In her off hours, Alison manages her own part-time business in home staging and packing, helping homeowners in the Colorado Springs area sell their homes quicker and easing the process of moving. Mom to a four-year old son, Alison enjoys home improvement and decorating, gardening, skiing and camping. [ staff list ]
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:: BCA PRODUCT HIGHLIGHT |
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NEW RULEBOOKS READY TO SHIP NEXT WEEK ... The BCA's new 2006 edition of the Official Rules & Records Book will be available to ship at the end of next week. BCA Members receive substantial volume discounts, so you can order now, we'll process your order right away and bill you later!
The BCA Official Rules & Records Book contains the World-Standardized Rules for 8-Ball, 9-Ball, 14.1, One Pocket and many other popular games, along with fully illustrated schematics, diagrams and sketches.
In addition, the book includes BCA Hall of Fame biographies, tournament results and records and instructional tips. Each year, the recordbook section of the publication grows to include the champions named from a wide range of major events, and you'll enjoy catching up on the most recent wins. Find your member and volume discounts at BCAMemberStore.com. |
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:: BCA NOTES & NEWS BRIEFS |
| THIS JUST IN ... |
... Steve Lillis of Gospel Trick Shot Ministries filed a follow-up report to earlier Member Update coverage on his trip to Albania [ read ]
... The McDermott All-American Tour recently reported the results of its 12th circuit event. The ACS website archives the full set of series results online. [ view ]
... Updates to the EnjoyPool.com 9-Ball Championships sponsor page now include logos and website connections. Late bids were accepted and finalized at the end of January, in several categories. |
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| DEADLINES ... COMING UP |
● EXPO Directory ad materials DUE: February 13
● FREE EXPO Badge orders DEADLINE: February 17
● Hall of Fame program ad
DUE: February 23
● See the FULL LIST of EXPO deadline reminders & links
● BCA Junior Qualifiers
Must be Hosted prior to June 4
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TRICK SHOT TITLE #4 |
MASSEY CLAIMED HIS FOURTH WORLD TITLE ... at the WPA Artistic Pool World Championships, hosted by Shooters Billiards in January. It was his fourth title in six years.
Players from around the world gathered to compete for this prestigious Trick Shot title, including names like Nick "Quick Nick" Nikolaidis, Tom "Dr. Cue" Rossman, Andy "The Magic Man" Segal, Charles Spit Ball" Darling, Bruce "The Big Guy" Barthelette and Sal "Cool Cat" Conti. [ full results ] |
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But it was Mike "The Tennessee Tarzan" Massey (above center) who defeated Nick Nikolaidis (left) for the title; Mike Dimick placed third (right). Massey was inducted to the BCA Hall of Fame in 2005. |
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| GO BADGERS! |
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Badger State Games ... Last fall, BCA Executive Director Stephen Ducoff had received word that Billiards had been added to the 2006 Badger State Winter Games. "Billiards is a natural fit for the State Games format" said Ducoff, "so we were happy to help make this work in Wisconsin."
"We are often approached regarding adding sports to the Badger State Games," said Ryan Richards, Director of Operations for the Wisconsin Sports Development Corporation. "... [with billiards already] part of the Rocky Mountain State Games and the State Games of America ... the addition to the Badger State Games was easy." [ more ] |
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 An exclusive service to Billiard Congress of America Business
Members, the
BCA
Member Update
is announced via email twice monthly and
archived
online. Please print and circulate this newsletter widely and feel
free to submit your comments
or contributions to BCA Executive Director
Stephen D. Ducoff
or Communications Director/Editor Linda Mojer. |
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Copyright © Billiard Congress of America |
NEXT
ISSUE: Vol. 3, No. 4 – February 24, 2006 |
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