DID YOU KNOW?

• About 75% of BCA retailer members own one establishment compared to
  about 20% who own more than one establishment.

• BCA retailers say they have an average of three full-time employees
  on staff.

• About 36% of all BCA retailers sell casual furniture.

ARE YOU AWARE?

• Over 80% of BCA room operator members own one billiard hall, compared to about 15%
  who own more than one billiard hall.

• BCA room operators say they have an average of five part-time employees on staff.

• About 48% of BCA room operators note their total revenue comes from alcohol sales.

And there’s more where this came from, as the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) announces the availability of the results of its annual membership study, including two in-depth and comprehensive reports specific to the billiard retailer and pool room operator segments of the BCA membership.

The BCA, in partnership with Ellison Research, of Phoenix, Arizona, conducted the annual membership study in January of 2008. The main goals of the study were to understand the overall state of the BCA, in addition to providing retailers and room operators with specific information about their respective parts of the industry. Each report is broken into several parts, including:

• Various baseline indicators used to assess key similarities and differences between
  billiard retailers or room operators;

• The financial implications of owning a retail establishment or a billiard hall;

• General challenges billiard retailers or room operators are facing;

• The role of the Internet in owning a retail establishment or a billiard hall; and

• Subsequent overview of the main findings throughout each specific report.

Both reports are now available for download from the BCA Web site and current BCA members can download the reports free of charge. BCA members will be asked to provide a username and password in order to access the reports. The reports are also available in hard-copy format to non-BCA members for a fee of $250 (per report).

“To succeed, jump as quickly at opportunities as you do at conclusions.” – Benjamin Franklin

As we all can attest … it’s a tough economy for everyone. And while it’s time to be practical, control costs and carefully manage your business, it’s also the right time to take market share, discover new revenue streams and position yourself more strongly than ever for when the market turns around.

Use your time at the 2008 BCA Expo to help accomplish many of these tactics. Based on last year’s positive response for the Business of Billiards Seminar Series, we’ve expanded the series with additional seminars to help you move your business forward. Whether you’re a retailer, billiard room operator, manufacturer or distributor, you’ll find these well worth your time. They offer insights into understanding the consumer, marketing efficiently and solutions to today’s challenging economy.

The BCA booth (#439) will host the Hall of Fame Lounge and offer free Internet access. Additionally, we’ll have a mini-retail store layout highlighting some new design strategies. We’ve also added a BCA Membership Services row in the exhibit hall this year. Take some time to meet the companies that provide BCA membership benefits and learn more about them. There are some great savings to be had! Finally, if you’re already a BCA member, join us on Wednesday, June 11, 2008, at 5:00 p.m. for the Annual Membership Meeting.

Make your plans now to join us in Charlotte, June 12-14, 2008. Register today to do some serious business in Charlotte. Opportunity is knocking! Hotel rooms at great prices are still available. Additional event details can be found on the 2008 BCA Expo Web site.

Tickets for the GenerationPool.com 9-Ball Championships ... June 8-12, 2008, at the Charlotte Convention Center, Grand Ballroom, are now on sale. Ticket prices are $100 per night for VIP tickets and $20 per night for general admission tickets. Seating is limited, so call 615.859.9725 to reserve your tickets today!

2008 GenerationPool.com 9-Ball Championships Schedule:

*Includes VIP seating in upscale leather chairs and all inclusive food and beverage service. Suggested dress attire is business.

Make your plans now to attend the BCA Annual Membership Meeting … which will be held Wednesday, June 11, 2008, at 5:00 p.m. at the Charlotte Convention Center, Room 203, in Charlotte, North Carolina (the home of the 2008 BCA Expo). The agenda for the meeting includes election of the BCA Board of Directors, as well as an update on current and future BCA projects and initiatives.

All BCA members are invited to attend the meeting, but only those who hold a current BCA membership with a charter date prior to March 12, 2008 (90 days prior to the election) are eligible to vote. Please keep an eye out for the Board of Directors ballot, which will be sent via postal mail on or around May 15, 2008. Installation of the new Board of Director members and election of the BCA officers for 2008-2009 shall take place immediately following the Annual Membership Meeting.

As the role of the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) continues to change within the industry … it is occasionally necessary to update the bylaws of the association in order to keep them current with the way the BCA is doing business.

On this basis, the BCA Board of Directors has prepared a rewrite of the current bylaws, which updates the document and allows the BCA additional flexibility in order to better serve the membership as the organization moves forward. In light of this, the revised bylaws and an overview of the changes to the bylaws were mailed to all BCA Voting and Associate members in late April.

If your organization falls into either one of these membership categories, please take a moment to review the changes and vote to approve them. Please be sure to return your vote postmarked by Wednesday, May 14, 2008.

If you are a current BCA member in either of the aforementioned membership categories and did not receive a bylaws packet via postal mail, please contact Robin Dahlen, BCA associate managing director, at 866.852.0999 or via e-mail at robin@bca-pool.com, for assistance.

Billiard Congress of America (BCA) members said … they want to track how the industry performs over time. Members also said they want to learn how they compare to fellow members who have similar businesses. As such, the BCA recently launched the Billiard Industry Trends Report project and, by now, all BCA members should have received, via postal mail, a copy of the survey, as well as username and password credentials for completing the survey online at www.ellisonresearch.com/surveys.

The BCA hired Phoenix, Arizona-based
Ellison Research to act as the neutral and confidential third party for this project. Your answers will never be shared with the BCA and they will remain secure and confidential. By completing the short survey, you will receive a mailed, personalized document showing how you performed compared to similar BCA members. The document will also show how the industry as a whole performed in the previous quarter.

All BCA members are encouraged to participate in this important membership benefit, as you will learn valuable information about the billiard industry and gain an edge over other businesses. Participation is free for all members.

If you have any questions regarding the survey or if you did not receive your survey materials via postal mail, please feel free to contact Robin Dahlen, BCA associate managing director, at robin@bca-pool.com or 404.760.4248.