BCA MEMBER Update
Inside information from the Billiard Congress of America

An exclusive service to Billiard Congress of America (BCA) Business Members, the BCA Member Update is announced via email semi-monthly and resides online at www.bca-pool.com. Please print and circulate this newsletter widely and feel free to submit your comments, suggestions or contributions to BCA Executive Director Stephen D. Ducoff.
Vol.1, No.10
Dec. 3, 2004
FAST BREAK:
> July gets Vote
> 9-Ball Sponsors
> CoOp TV Test
> JR Qualifiers
> NWPA on ESPN2
> ATC PR Report
> Shop Online
> BCA Products
> BCA Profile
Next Issue
Back Issues
Validation


MEMBER VOTE FAVORS JULY FOR EXPO ...
Following a special, single-issue vote requested by the BCA Board of Directors on November 5, Business Members chose July as the time frame for the International Billiard & Home Recreation Expo, starting with the 2007 show in Las Vegas.

Ballots were received and counted by the Colorado Springs law firm of Holme, Roberts & Owen, and the BCA Board of Directors met via conference call on December 1 to confirm the membership's decision.

“The most important factor in deciding the time and location for the Expo is the will of BCA Business Members,” said BCA President John Stransky. “Our members have indicated a strong preference for July, and the board knew that definitive action was required in order to move forward with specific locations and dates beyond 2006.”

Due to the advance planning required by an event of this magnitude, the 2006 Expo has already been scheduled for April 6-8, and will be held at the George R. Brown Center in Houston, Texas. [ see press release ]

“The BCA is committed to its membership and to the success of the billiard industry. Because contracts were signed earlier this year with the Houston convention center and host hotels, it is not possible to re-negotiate the dates for 2006,” said BCA Executive Director Stephen D. Ducoff.

The International Billiard & Home Recreation Expo is the world’s largest business-to-business trade event of its kind, featuring virtually every major manufacturer, wholesaler and supplier of billiard and home recreation products and services.

FINAL WEEKEND ... New exhibitor and attendee registrants who sign-up for the Expo online by Monday, December 6, will be entered into a drawing to win the collectible billiard game featured in the November 5 issue. A winner will be announced in the next edition of Member Update. Sign up this weekend to be included in the drawing!

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  Open 9-Ball Sponsor Update ... Tweeten Fibre Company recently signed on as the Official Chalk Sponsor of the 2005 Open 9-Ball Championships, filling one of the few available official product categories remaining for the event.

In Vegas next May, official sponsors will be able to display their company name, logo, phone number and/or website on rotating arena banners, just like those used by the NBA in pro basketball games. But unlike 30-second commercial spots, these banners cannot be edited out of footage, assuring each sponsor continued exposure to millions of billiard fans on ESPN and ESPN2 when the matches are aired in encore presentations.

Interested in sponsorship, but need more info? Contact Marketing Director Amy Long at 719-264-8300, ext. 104.

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  New York Co-op media test nearing launch ... Nine BCA Room Operator members have combined their efforts with matching BCA funds, to underwrite the placement of a 30-second commercial that will begin airing on cable at the end of December. The spot was filmed at Slate Billiards in Manhattan and offers discounted food, drinks and free play time among the co-op rooms, while promoting the group's yet-to-be-named website. You can also download and preview an advance videostream of the spot.

The co-op group is led by Greg Hunt of Amsterdam Billiard Club in Manhattan, and includes: Amsterdam, Brownstone Billiards (Brooklyn), Corner Billiards (Manhattan), Olympia Billiards (Queens), Paradise Café & Billiards (Queens), Play (Queens), Slate (Manhattan), Slate Bayside (Queens) and The Billiard Company (Queens).

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Stay in the loop ... with all the 9-Ball Qualifiers for 2005 events, as they are confirmed. You'll find online lists for both Adults and Juniors under the "Play" tab at www.bca-pool.com.
It's not too Late to Host a Junior Qualifier  ... Each year over 50 rooms are selected nationwide to conduct a double-elimination format junior qualifier, with first and second place finishers advancing to the Junior Nationals. Earlier in the fall, all BCA Room Operator members were invited to bid on hosting a prelim, leading to the 2005 Junior & Collegiate 9-Ball Championships to be held at the University of Michigan, June 15-20.

The $15 entry fees go toward the Junior Player Membership, and host rooms may also charge and retain a $5 greens fee. With the $25 sanction fee (per division), the BCA will provide each host room with a full promotional package to include event posters (sample shown at left), flow charts, a rulebook, entry forms and winner plaques, as well as appropriate regional and national advertising to ensure the success of the event.

If you're interested in hosting a junior qualifier, please contact Tracy Hart by phone at 719-264-8300, ext. 110.

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  Wheelchair Pool on ESPN2 ...  The National Wheelchair PoolPlayers Association [NWPA] has announced that ESPN2 is scheduled to air competition footage from its 2004 NWPA National 8 & 9-Ball Championships in January of next year. The tournament was held at The Playing Field in Richmond, Virginia, in September, and ESPN2 is slated to broadcast a two-hour program on Saturday, January 15, 2005 from 4:00 - 6:00 pm [EST].

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HELP ATC PITCH YOUR LINE

BCA Business Members are invited to submit product photos and descriptions to Bill Holtz, the BCA’s Senior Account Supervisor at ATC. Please indicate your ability to provide product samples for upcoming demonstrations and appearances. Our goal is to give visibility to as many of our members as possible, so please feel free to take part!

Public Relations Update ... The BCA’s public relations firm, Alan Taylor Communications [ATC], continues to place billiards front and center with the public. The “Ultimate Poker Room” segment on ESPN2’s Cold Pizza has been moved from December to January, so there’s still time to submit your unique home gaming/poker items to Bill Holtz at Alan Taylor Communications. Please include a product photo and description with your submission.

The new "B. Smith Style" show on Discovery Channel is set for a Jeanette Lee appearance, where she would give a lesson and play against the host. The shoot is expected to take place in December or January, with the air date not yet confirmed.

Maxim will feature the Spider instructional device for the March issue and is now interested in two other concepts: custom-printed cloth for an upcoming “hot products” article and touring women pros for the May issue.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is expected to feature products from the Poker Chip Company in a holiday gift guide.

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  Online Storefront Glitch ... If you've been having difficulty with the BCA storefront lately, you haven't been alone. The host server suffered some damage from a virus, and the BCA site was down for an extended period (in online time). With its recovery, the BCA needed to change the "proper name" of the site, so if you have it bookmarked, you'll need to make some minor adjustments.

The "secure." prefix in each URL is no longer needed – and has been replaced by the standard "www." designation – so your existing links (containing the word "secure" in them) will now bring up an error message, or will be re-directed for a brief transition period. Please change your existing bookmarks to: https://www.bcamemberstore.com/ or follow the embedded link here, then re-bookmark the corrected URLs.

The BCA offers a great selection of items for your store or pro shop. And – as always – if there's ever a problem with online ordering, the BCA is always happy to take orders by phone or fax. Download a complete price list (in .pdf format) to take advantage of that option. Happy Shopping!

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  Product Highlight: How to Play Pool Right DVD ...  The BCA has transformed the celebrated "How to Play Pool Right" instructional program into a new DVD format!

Featuring BCA Master Instructor Jerry Briesath, this hour-long DVD teaches the fundamentals of stance, grip, bridge and stroke, plus the advanced techniques of English, position play, and patterns. Filled with state-of-the-art graphics, this DVD can improve your game whether you are a beginner, intermediate or advanced player.

This comprehensive teaching aid is also available in standard VHS and PAL videotape formats – and the accompanying booklet and poster reinforces the techniques that viewers learn. Volume discounts (starting at just 10 of any one item) are available to BCA Business Members to use as gifts or resale items.

Single-unit pricing is also discounted for BCA members, so it's easy to purchase this item for holiday giving, but you'll want to order early! Go to the BCA Member-ONLY storefront, then navigate to the "books and videos" section to place your order. Please contact Shipping@bca-pool.com for wholesale pricing, if you'd like to purchase this item for resale.

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  BCA Profile:  Ms. Tracy Hart ... has just accepted a position with the BCA and taken over the former duties of Carrie Benson's office, with responsibilities in junior development, event management and coordination of Billiard Education Foundation (BEF) projects. A welcome addition to the BCA staff, she relocated cross-country with her recent move from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and is now enjoying – and adapting to – the chilly winter months in Colorado Springs.

Tracy completed her undergraduate studies at Florida State University, earning a BS in Sport Management. After graduation, Tracy worked in Minor League Hockey for five years, where she was responsible for merchandise and player relations as well as the organization of the Junior Boosters and Community Relations. In the Spring of 2003, Tracy returned to school to pursue her MBA in Sport and Athletic Administration, which will be complete in the Spring of 2005. During her schooling, she completed an internship with USA Badminton at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, which included organizing tournaments and managing tournament sanctioning and member relations.

Tracy's background and enthusiasm promise to become valuable assets to the BCA, as she works toward expanding the Junior program and bringing more awareness to the community. "I am looking forward to meeting all of you, and I am always open to suggestions. I am very excited about this opportunity, and I hope that we can work together to make the BCA Juniors and the Billiard Education Foundation a stronger part of the billiard community."

Tracy can be reached by phone at 719-264-8300, ext. 110, or by email to tracy@bca-pool.com. Welcome aboard!

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  • In coming editions ...
  • Women's World Championships
  • 9-Ball Qualifiers
  • Contest Winner
  • Membership Renewal Report
  • Alan Taylor PR Updates
  • Product Highlight
  • BCA Profile
  • Program & Event Updates
  • Next Issue: Vol.1, No.11 – December 17, 2004

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  VALIDATION ... Hyperlinks within this document (to external sites not managed by the BCA) are tested for accuracy as of each issue's release date. Subsequent changes to those independent sites (or to time-sensitive BCA material) may cause links to become inoperable over time. If this occurs, please utilize standard internet search practices to obtain updated information from the originating sites.
 

The Billiard Congress of America (BCA) is a non-profit 501(c)(6) trade organization, dedicated to providing its members with exceptional value by promoting and growing cue sports worldwide. The BCA supports its membership with educational programs, the International Billiard & Home Recreation Expo, tournaments and other programs designed to make pool everybody's game. For more information, please visit www.bca-pool.com.