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Vol.5,
No.8 — July 18, 2008 |
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THE BILLIARD CONGRESS OF AMERICA (BCA) …
announces a call for nominations for two vacant Board of
Directors seats for the 2008-2009 Board year. Any member can
nominate themselves or a colleague for either of these positions.
Candidates for the Board seats must be current members of the BCA
and qualify in the appropriate member category. The following are
the open positions available on the
BCA Board:
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Manufacturer/Distributor Seat
— Candidates must qualify as a manufacturer or distributor
to apply for the Manufacturer/Distributor Seat. This means the
organization the candidate represents is a licensed business
entity primarily engaged in the manufacture or wholesale
distribution of billiard equipment or accessories.
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Room Operator Seat —
Candidates must qualify as a room operator or league operator to
apply for the Room Operator Seat. This means that the
organizations the candidate represents must be a licensed
business entity operating an establishment where billiards are
played or a licensed business entity operating a billiards
league or league system.
According to the
BCA Bylaws, the
Board of Directors has authority to make interim appointments to the
Board in the case of a position vacancy. The Directors appointed to
fill the two vacancies shall serve until the next general election,
at which time a successor Director shall be elected to fill the
remaining terms of office. This means candidates successful in
securing these appointments will serve only until the next general
election in June of 2009. The two persons selected to fill these
interim appointments can run again for office in the next general
election.
 In order to select the best
candidates, the decision will be based on the needs of the
organization and the information provided by potential candidates.
Each nominee will be provided a
Candidate Data Form that is designed
to allow candidates to tell the Board why they are the best
candidate for the position at this time.
The Board will make its appointment
decision at the next scheduled Board meeting, August 5-6, 2008,
based on the information contained on the
Candidate Data Form and
the needs of the BCA relative to the foreseeable strategic
challenges of the industry over the next two to three years. All
candidates will be contacted as to whether they have been appointed
or not. Candidates unsuccessful in securing a Board appointment will
be asked if they want to contribute to the organization in other
ways, such as through committee participation.
Candidates interested in running or
those wishing to nominate a candidate should e-mail Robin Dahlen,
BCA associate managing director, at
robin@bca-pool.com to let the
BCA know of their intentions by 5:00 p.m. EDT, Monday, July 21,
2008. Those who are nominated will receive a Candidate Data Form via
e-mail no later than the next business day.
The form is also available on the BCA Web site as a PDF file.
The nomination should include a
message stating the candidate name, title, company and complete
contact information (including e-mail address) along with a message
identifying the position to which the person is being nominated. The
Candidate Data Form must be completed and returned by 5:00 p.m. EDT,
Wednesday, July 30, 2008, in order to be considered for a position.
Completed forms should be returned to Robin Dahlen, BCA associate
managing director, at robin@bca-pool.com or via fax at 404.240.0998.
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DON'T MISS FIRST-RUN ACTION OF THE 2008 GENERATIONPOOL.COM 9-BALL
CHAMPIONSHIPS! |
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 Mark
your calendars … and program your DVR for all of
the first-run action of the semi-final and final rounds of the
2008 GenerationPool.com 9-Ball Championships. The events will debut on
ESPN on Saturday, July 19, 2008, from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. EDT.
As you can see, ESPN is committing more time to showing the
GenerationPool.com 9-Ball Championships on ESPN and ESPN2 in 2008.
ESPN has added two additional hours of programming, meaning the
event will air for a minimum of six hours. These additional hours of
airtime will add more than 30 percent of first-run coverage shown on
television.
The event was held June 8-12, 2008, in Charlotte, North Carolina,
and the tournament’s semi-finals and finals events took place June
11-12 in the Grand Ballroom at the Charlotte Convention Center. At
the conclusion of an exciting week of top-notch tournament play,
Jeremy Jones and Xiaoting Pan were crowned
 champs of the 2008
tournament.
2008 GenerationPool.com 9-Ball Championships ESPN Schedule:
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Time |
Match |
| 12:00 p.m. —
1:00 p.m. EDT |
Men’s Semi-Final 1:
Johnny Archer vs. Ronnie Wiseman |
| 1:00 p.m. — 2:00
p.m. EDT |
Men’s Semi-Final 2:
Shawn Putnam vs. Jeremy Jones |
| 2:00 p.m. —
3:00 p.m. EDT |
Men’s Final:
Ronnie Wiseman vs. Jeremy Jones |
| 3:00 p.m. —
4:00 p.m. EDT |
Women’s Semi-Final 1:
Anna Kostanian vs. Xiaoting Pan |
| 4:00 p.m. —
5:00 p.m. EDT |
Women’s Semi-Final 2:
Jasmine Ouschan vs. Ga Young Kim |
| 5:00 p.m. —
6:00 p.m. EDT |
Women’s Final:
Xiaoting Pan vs. Ga Young Kim |
As more broadcasts are scheduled, show updates
will appear regularly on the
GenerationPool.com Web site. Be sure to
check back often for the latest ESPN airdates! |
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annual research study reveals
consumer attitudes toward billiards |
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 In early 2008 … the Billiard Congress of
America (BCA), in partnership with
Ellison Research, of Phoenix,
Arizona, conducted the second annual comprehensive quantitative
research study of the general public to gauge consumer attitudes
toward the game of billiards. The study was conducted through online
panel interviews among 1,033 randomly selected people who reside in
the United States and are 18 years of age or older.
The overall sample comprised three segments,
including people who own a billiard table, people who play the game
of billiards, and people who neither play the game of billiards nor
own a billiard table. All respondents received a base set of
questions, including demographic questions, and some received a
specific set of segment questions. The overall structure of the
findings includes behavior trends across segments, understanding the
purchase process and further exploring the purchase intender.
Results of the study were recently presented
during the 2008 BCA Expo in Charlotte, North Carolina, and are now
available to BCA members. BCA members can
download the report
(PDF file) free
of charge. BCA members will be asked to provide a username and
password in order to access the reports. The report is also
available in hard-copy format to non-BCA members for a fee of $250.
The order form for the report can be found on the BCA Web site. For assistance with downloading the report, contact Kari Freeland,
BCA membership coordinator, at 866.852.0999 or
kari@bca-pool.com.
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2008 JUNIOR NATIONALS CROWNS CHAMPIONS |
 The
Billiard Education
Foundation (BEF) crowned four winners ... at the
2008 BEF Junior National
9-Ball Championships. Over 100 junior pocket billiard players,
representing 30 states, competed for the title in four divisions.
The competition was held at the University of Arizona in Tucson,
July 10-13, 2008, in conjunction with the
ACUI Collegiate 9-Ball Championships. Below are the results of
the 2008 Junior National 9-Ball Championships:
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2008 Junior National 9-Ball champs gather for
a post-tournament photo opportunity. The event, which was held
in Tucson at the University of Arizona, welcomed over 100
players
representing 30 states. |
19 & Under Boys’ Division:
1st: Austin Murphy (Folsom, California)
2nd: Nick Tafoya (Albuquerque, New Mexico)
3rd: Richard Barney (Hagerstown, Maryland)
4th: Chuckie Holyoke (Mt. Vernon, Washington)
19 & Under Girls’ Division:
1st: Allison Hardwick (Evansville, Indiana)
2nd: Chelsea Hardwick (Evansville, Indiana)
3rd: Nicole Hernandez (Des Plaines, Illinois)
4th: Heather Torpin (Mesa, Arizona)
14 & Under Boys’ Division:
1st: Landon Shuffett (Greensburg, Kentucky)
2nd: Billy Thorpe (Dayton, Ohio)
3rd: Chad Behnke (Farley, Iowa)
4th: Ronnie Kidd (Tucson, Arizona)
14 & Under Girls’ Division:
1st: Briana Miller (Allentown, Pennsylvania)
2nd: Taylor Reynolds (Winston, Maryland)
3rd: Macy Bullard (Richmond, Texas)
4th: Courtney Frank (Knoxville, Tennessee)
Nearly 300 people attended the
banquet on Thursday, July 10, 2008, to welcome the junior
participants and to honor the 2008 collegiate winners. The BEF also
presented Academic All-American awards to 24 junior pocket billiard
athletes who excel in the classroom as well as in competition. Guest
speaker Robin Dodson, 2005 BCA Hall of Fame inductee, shared words
of encouragement to all in attendance. The evening ended with
artistic pool entertainment from Tom “Dr. Cue” Rossman, and
jump-shot demonstrations and instruction from Ms. Dodson.
Winners of the four divisions were
awarded $1,000 in academic scholarship funds, a berth to represent
the U.S. in the upcoming Junior World 9-Ball Championships, trophies
and prizes. Second-place finishers in all four divisions received
$500 in academic scholarship funds, trophies, and prizes. In
addition, second- and third-place finishers in the 19 & Under Boys’
Division will also represent the United States in the Junior World
9-Ball Championships.
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BILLIARDS IN THE NEWS |
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Joe Kerr ...
one of the game’s top tournament promoters and
directors, recently passed away in his hometown of
Akron, Ohio, at the age of 63. Kerr had been battling
Myasthenia Gravis for the last 18 years of his life.
He made a name for himself as “Akron
Joey”
and later “The
Joker”
for his business, Joker Promotions.
[
more ] |
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IN OTHER NEWS ...
SouthPeak Games announces the
upcoming release of “Pool Party” for the Nintendo Wii
system. With 13 different types of pool, including
9-Ball, 8-Ball, Rotation, Black Jack and Snooker,
there’s a game of billiards to satisfy any pool shark.
The game, available July 19, 2008, includes competitors
with intelligent AI and tables with real-world physics.
- BCA member PoolDawg recently
announced its
sponsorship of WPBA touring pro Debbie Schjodt. Schjodt,
currently ranked 19th by the Women's Pro Billiard Tour,
will represent PoolDawg at upcoming pro billiards
events.
- BCA member Iwan Simonis has
struck an arrangement to be an initial sponsor of Pool,
Poker and Pain, the extreme challenge series being
promoted by Blair Thein. Under development for nearly
four years and rapidly gaining interest from key players
in the extreme sports world, the Pool, Poker and Pain
challenge provides a stage where contenders will have to
balance mental and physical toughness with finesse and
strategy in order to be victorious.
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Fox Sports Network is now featuring matches from the
2007 World Pool Masters and 2007 World Cup of Pool
during the month of July. The viewings mark a return to
FSN for United Kingdom-based Matchroom Sport, producer
of both events, as well as such highly regarded fare as
the Mosconi Cup and World Pool Championship.
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Are You a
GenerationPool.com Insider? |
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Add to the pool etiquette section of
GenerationPool.com, post your pool tips, post any pool and
billiards tournaments or events, sell your used pool equipment and
join the
social network to meet other pool
fans across the nation.
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MEMBER MARKETING
101 ... From "52 Ways to Make Pool Everybody's Game" |
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TIP №
33 |
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Hold a
Grand
Prize sweepstakes. |
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STRATEGY: |
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People will do almost
anything for a chance to
win. If the prize is a
high-ticket item, people
will frequent your
business to improve
their chances. Your
business can benefit
greatly from the
publicity of a fantastic
Grand Prize. When you
give away something
people value, you
encourage customers to
spend more time, and
money, at your business. |
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EXECUTION: |
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Choose a great Grand Prize,
such as a trip to Hawaii, a
flat-screen TV, a Nintendo
Wii or a pool table, as well
as fun “secondary” prizes
(accessories, T-shirts).
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Work with prize suppliers to
get a price break in
exchange for free publicity.
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Create tiers of prizes so
entrants have a better
chance of winning.
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Use direct mail, newspaper,
Internet and radio to direct
people to your store to
register.
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Discuss legal issues
pertaining to your
sweepstakes with your
attorney.
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Enter all registrant
information into your
database.
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Host a live radio broadcast
as the prize announcement
party.
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Back to Vegas:
Save the Date for the 2009 BCA Expo |
Be sure to mark your calendars now for the International Billiard
& Home Recreation
 Expo,
June 25-27, 2009, in Las Vegas, Nevada. The show will be
held at the Sands Convention Center. Additional details, including
exhibitor and attendee information and the schedule of events, will
be available soon on the BCA Expo
Web site. |
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| :: BCA NOTES & NEWS BRIEFS |
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COMING
UP ... |
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>>
JULY 2008
…
2008 GenerationPool.com 9-Ball on ESPN,
July 19, 2008, 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. EDT
>>
AUGUST 2008
… BCA Board Meeting, August 5-6, 2008,
Lake Forest, Illinois
...
APA National Team Championships, August
15-23, 2008, Las Vegas, Nevada
…
APA 8-Ball Wheelchair Challenge, August
20-21, 2008, Las Vegas, Nevada
>>
SEPTEMBER 2008
...
WPBA Carolina Classic, September 10-14,
2008, Durham, North Carolina
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BCA
GRANTS TEACHING/TRAINING AID
SEAL OF APPROVAL TO THE TOTAL SHOT TRAINER |
 The
BCA is pleased to announce … the latest BCA Teaching/Training
Aid
Seal of Approval recipient —
The Total Shot Trainer.
The Total Shot Trainer is a hands-on training aid that teaches the
three parts of a pool shot all at one time: aim; cue ball path; and
speed control. The Total Shot Trainer stays on the table throughout
the shot. It will not move, and it does not interfere with action of
the cue ball or the object ball. The player will learn to see the
aim line, predict the cue ball path (position route) and feel the
speed of the cue ball to play exact position — all as parts of one
total shot. Reusable ball markers are used to reinforce learning and
for freelance practice. A game called “Hit the Zone” is included to
make learning fun. Also, “The 10 Steps to Consistency” are included
to help the player develop a solid routine at the table. Learn more
about this new product online at
http://totalshottrainer.com/.
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BCA
PRODUCT HIGHLIGHT: BCA RULE BOOK |
 Secure
your copy of the ... Billiards: Official Rules & Records Book
— BCA 60th Anniversary Edition. The must-have resource
for the billiard industry, the 2008 BCA Official Rules & Records
Book contains the newly updated World-Standardized
Rules for 8-Ball, 9-Ball, 14.1, One Pocket and many other popular
games, including the introduction of a new game, 10-Ball. In
addition, the book includes: fully illustrated schematics, diagrams
and sketches; a brief history of the game; BCA Hall of Fame
biographies; tournament results and records; and instructional tips.
Copies of the rule book can be purchased online via the BCA Store at
bcastore.com. Or, orders can
be placed by contacting the BCA at 866.852.0999. Volume discounts
are available for BCA members.
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POOL ROOM OWNERS: GET YOUR ROOM IN BILLIARDS DIGEST! |
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BCA member GC Billiards took
Best Renovated Room in 2007. |
For the past 20 years ...
Billiards Digest
has been celebrating beautiful poolrooms with its annual
Architecture and Design Awards. This year, they want to make sure
they hear from the best and brightest of new and renovated rooms.
From the quirky beer bar to the
million-dollar, high-class joint, pool rooms come in all shapes and
sizes. Billiard Digest's Design Awards recognize the design,
construction and modernization of billiard facilities, both public
and private, in the United States and around the world.
Rooms completed after July 1, 2007,
are eligible to enter one of four categories: Best New Billiard
Room, Commercial; Best New Billiard Room, Home; Best Renovated
Billiard Room, Commercial; and Best Renovated Billiard Room, Home.
The top 10 new commercial rooms,
along with the all-around architecture and design winners will be
featured in the November 2008 issue of Billiards Digest. To
get a hold of an entry form, e-mail
masonk@billiardsdigest.com or call 312.341.1110. Entry forms can
also be found in every copy of Billiards Digest. The
deadline for entries is August 31, 2008.
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An exclusive service to Billiard Congress of America Business
Members, the
BCA
Member Update
is distributed via e-mail twice monthly and
archived
online. Please forward, print and circulate this newsletter widely and feel
free to submit your comments
or contributions to Robin Dahlen,
associate managing director. |
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Copyright © Billiard Congress of America |
NEXT
ISSUE: Vol.5, No.9 |
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