Sport Today

> I don't know what the policy is but I can tell you that friends of mine
> worked their asses off to establish a BCA league in a strong VNEA/APA
> territory only to have it ONE year and wath a second league be awarded to
> the VNEA league operator so that the VNEA L.O. could run combi-leagues
where
> you play one set of matches using VNEA rules on one night a week, pay a
> little higher fee and get credit for both leagues.  Needless to say it
just
> about destroyed my friend's league.  This was done after assurances from
the
> BCA that my friends would have the only BCA leauge in their area.

> Nice.  The BCA puts on a great tournament in Vegas every year.  Other than
> that I don't see that they have done much to make pool more popular.  They
> compete with established businesses, they run a trade show for an elite
> group of members and not for the majority of their members.  They are
> ineffective as a trade organization and ineffective as a sporting
> organization.  There are great people who work there but as a group I am
> left wondering what the BCA really does for pool?

> John

> > Its my understanding that this is incorrect. While the BCA doesn't sale
> areas
> > you are supposed to get on ok from a league operator in your area before
> you
> > can start up a league in the same area. This is to prevent a disgruntled
> player
> > from trying to ruin someones league.

> > I also dont see why just because some LO has a certain area that no
other
> > leagues should be allowed. If you have a crappy LO and he is charging
way
> too
> > much for his services what happens then?

> > I also want to address another thing mentioned. I run a BCA league and
no
> of
> > several other's around where i live. I have never seen any LO charge a
> player
> > more then the 10 dollar BCA fee just to make a buck.

> > As far as i am concerned its simple. I dont care who's name is on the
> league,
> > BCA, APA, TAP, etc. Without the players you dont have league.

> > My league is a player's league. We vote on how we want things done and
> what
> > rules to play by. I give write up and what the cost are for the league
and
> what
> > i am taking out and why. BCA gives me this freedom. The only reason i
> sanction
> > with the BCA is so players can join for 10 dollars and have the option
of
> going
> > to Vegas. If someone were to buy the BCA and try and tell me how to run
my
> > league then i would be done with the BCA.

> > Mark-n-Torrance
> > MNT Pool league

> > >Just look at who can start a
> > >BCA league. Anyone and anywhere. I can start a league across the
> > >street from a established league and take all of that ops hardwork
> > >away from him and no one could stop me. You have to have

> On 2/1/04 2:02 PM, in article

> >> OK.  But how are you supposed to stop THAT?  Send BCA delegates to all
> >> member leagues to verify matches are being played?  Who pays them?

> >> Mark0  <--played on a BCA league some years back

> > Hey, it's their league. Let them fix their own problems. I as a player
> > would not belong to a league structure that can not police over
> > itself. BCA is to loose of a league, imo. Just look at who can start a
> > BCA league. Anyone and anywhere. I can start a league across the
> > street from a established league and take all of that ops hardwork
> > away from him and no one could stop me. You have to have structure,
> > licensing rights and protection and a national office that can double
> > check and make sure these league are actually playing their matches
> > instead of having ghost leagues. BCA as far as I can see does not have
> > this.

> You can do the same thing with an independent league, too.  The reality is
> that the players who don't want to do APA, TAP, VNEA, etc., want a venue
> that they can contribute, control and provide the framework they want.
For
> the BCA to "sell" a bunch of leagues that they don't control, provide for
or
> mandate much beyond 'must play in 50% of the league matches to go to the
> nationals' seems really stupid.  Other than the $10/player fees, what's in
> it for someone else?  My sense is the costs are going to go up for these
> guys, the L.O.s are going to have to work according to someone else's
rules,
> and that many of them will laugh about it and throw in the
> towel.....probably just what the prospective buyers really want.

> What would be better is if the terms of the purchase were that the buying
> league had to use and enforce BCA rules in all of their matches.

> --Jim

> >>>>> To begin with, all BCA Leagues are already independent local
leagues.
> >>  They just
> >>>>> happen to be sanctioned, in whole or in part, by the BCA.  A lot of
> >>  them (most
> >>>>> of them?) don't even have BCA in the league's name.  The BCA
National
> >>  office
> >>>>> provides a national tournament, some rules (which the local leagues
> >>  don't even
> >>>>> have to observe) and some promotional material.  While the national
> >>  tournament
> >>>>> may seem huge, it's actually only a tiny fraction of the local
players
> >>  who have
> >>>>> any interest in the regional or national events - they are there
> >>  because of the
> >>>>> local league operator, the format, and everything else that is
totally
> >>  provided
> >>>>> and controllable by the local LO.  Many, if not most of the players,
> >>  wouldn't
> >>>>> even notice such a change if is were to occur.

> >>>> I've heard BCA leagues don't even have to follow BCA rules.  This is
> >>>> simply amazing to me!   Someone else should certainly take over.

> >>>> At a minimum, an amateur pool organization should:
> >>>> 1-Adhere to a standard rule set
> >>>> 2-Inspect/enforce equipment specifications
> >>>> 3-Bond its operators for financial impropriety
> >>>> 4-Promote regional, national and international tournaments
> >>>>      (maybe international is stretching it)

> >>>> What else?

> >>>> --
> >>>> sonny
> >>>> rocky mount

> >>> It's funny that you mentioned this. I know for a fact that some so
> >>> called BCA teams in Pa. that go to the BCA nationals every year never
> >>> played one league match. They just all get together at a local bar one
> >>> night and fill out enough fake matches and scores to get themselves
> >>> qualified as a league and than they put their respective teams
> >>> together. If this is what the BCA is all about and there is no
> >>> policing or rules enforcement than you can count me out of ever
> >>> joining a organization like that. Please don't read anything into my
> >>> post either. This is my own opinion as a player and not of The
> >>> Association for P.O.O.L.(TAP)

> John,
>             If I'm not mistaken, that dual certification stuff was struck
> down by the BCA. It was announced at the last L.O. meeting last May in
> Vegas.

> > I don't know what the policy is but I can tell you that friends of mine
> > worked their asses off to establish a BCA league in a strong VNEA/APA
> > territory only to have it ONE year and wath a second league be awarded
to
> > the VNEA league operator so that the VNEA L.O. could run combi-leagues
> where
> > you play one set of matches using VNEA rules on one night a week, pay a
> > little higher fee and get credit for both leagues.  Needless to say it
> just
> > about destroyed my friend's league.  This was done after assurances from
> the
> > BCA that my friends would have the only BCA leauge in their area.

> > Nice.  The BCA puts on a great tournament in Vegas every year.  Other
than
> > that I don't see that they have done much to make pool more popular.
They
> > compete with established businesses, they run a trade show for an elite
> > group of members and not for the majority of their members.  They are
> > ineffective as a trade organization and ineffective as a sporting
> > organization.  There are great people who work there but as a group I am
> > left wondering what the BCA really does for pool?

> > John

> > > Its my understanding that this is incorrect. While the BCA doesn't
sale
> > areas
> > > you are supposed to get on ok from a league operator in your area
before
> > you
> > > can start up a league in the same area. This is to prevent a
disgruntled
> > player
> > > from trying to ruin someones league.

> > > I also dont see why just because some LO has a certain area that no
> other
> > > leagues should be allowed. If you have a crappy LO and he is charging
> way
> > too
> > > much for his services what happens then?

> > > I also want to address another thing mentioned. I run a BCA league and
> no
> > of
> > > several other's around where i live. I have never seen any LO charge a
> > player
> > > more then the 10 dollar BCA fee just to make a buck.

> > > As far as i am concerned its simple. I dont care who's name is on the
> > league,
> > > BCA, APA, TAP, etc. Without the players you dont have league.

> > > My league is a player's league. We vote on how we want things done and
> > what
> > > rules to play by. I give write up and what the cost are for the league
> and
> > what
> > > i am taking out and why. BCA gives me this freedom. The only reason i
> > sanction
> > > with the BCA is so players can join for 10 dollars and have the option
> of
> > going
> > > to Vegas. If someone were to buy the BCA and try and tell me how to
run
> my
> > > league then i would be done with the BCA.

> > > Mark-n-Torrance
> > > MNT Pool league

> > > >Just look at who can start a
> > > >BCA league. Anyone and anywhere. I can start a league across the
> > > >street from a established league and take all of that ops hardwork
> > > >away from him and no one could stop me. You have to have