For a PDF copy of this document, click here.

With the assistance of many, we have come up with a plan or system for allowing room owners to place bids to hold a USBA Tour Event in their room. In 2010, we will hopefully continue this practice so as to give more rooms a chance to be represented in the USBA Tour events. For 2009, we have already scheduled the first 4 events. That means that we have availability for at least 2 additional events this year, possibly 4 or 5 more, depending on the amount of money we have remaining from sponsors. Let me explain the situation so that you can understand everything from our point of view:

Our goal is to have as many USBA Tour events as possible. That means that the more money we have from sponsors, the more events we can have. If we do have a lot of Tour events, we have the added dilemma of making sure that a qualified tournament director(s) is able to run the event(s) properly. As many of you know, I have made it my business to attend and run every single Tour event we have had over the last 2 years with a few exceptions. That is because the Tour needs to be run properly. As the main Tour Director, I insist that averages be kept for every game, especially in the preliminaries where we need player statistics the most. Also, I make sure that every single player is current on their membership dues and sanction fees are collected. The tournament results and statistics are kept and a picture of the top 3 finishers is always taken so that we can put the picture in our newsletter as well as on the USBA and Professor-Q-Ball websites. I am not trying to talk highly of myself. These are the things that I insist be done for a USBA Tour event.

If we do have many more Tour events per year, then it is only realistic that I will not be able to attend all of them: partly because I don't like to travel long distances and partly because my wife will divorce me. Therefore, in order for a room to have a Tour event (especially if I can not attend), there must be a person or persons who will make sure that all the requirements are fulfilled.

Another issue concerns the regions of the country. We would like to distribute the Tour events evenly around the country so that everyone has a chance to participate. With only a few events per year, this becomes difficult. California and New York have, by far, the most billiard rooms and the most players. Therefore, we have made sure to hold 2 events per year in each of those states. Miami is also a hot spot, so we have made sure to hold 1 event per year in Miami. That already takes up 5 events per year, so there hasn't been much left over to distribute around the rest of the country; an event here and an event there. That is why we wish to increase donations from as many individuals (hint, hint) and corporate sponsors as possible. The more money we have, the more events we can have, provided that we also have qualified and cooperative tournament directors to run them.

Yet one more issue we have is to evenly distribute the TYPE of Tour events, whether it is an Open (A) event, a “B” event or a “C” event. As an example, we had the Nationals in February which is an “Open” event with many “A” players. We do not wish to hold “back-to-back” Open events, meaning one in February and one in March. It is much better if we have an “Open” event in April, then a “B” event in May, then an “Open” event again in June, then a “B” or a “C” event in July, etc. This helps to insure a better turnout at each event.

Out of respect for the better players, we believe that we should be willing to add more money to “Open” events than to “B” events and likewise we prefer to add more money to “B” events than to “C” events. We don't think it is right that a .400 average player makes more money for winning a “C” tournament than a 1.300 average player does for winning an “Open” tournament. Of course, it will never always work out perfectly, but that's what we strive for.

Now that you understand our situation better, we have come up with a chart which tells you how much money you, the room owner, should be willing to add to a Tour event held in your room. The amount depends on such variables as:

1) Do you wish to hold an “Open” event or a “B” event?

2) How much money do you want the sponsors to add?

3) Do you want raffle merchandise from the sponsors?

4) How many Simonis cloths do you want?

We will now present the charts to you and we will explain them as well:

This chart is for “Open” tournaments. So if you look at the bottom package (“Open” package 3x), it tells you that if you add $ 1,000.00 then you will receive 2 Simonis cloths, no raffle merchandise and the sponsors will donate $ 1,500.00. That gives you a total of $ 2,500.00 which will be added to your tournament in addition to all the entry fees that are received for the prize fund. The normal entry fee for an “Open” tournament is $ 255.00, but that is up to you. Some room owners charge a lower entry fee for players below .800 average, such as $ 155.00. Again, that is up to you. In this package, you will be receiving $ 500.00+ in cloth and the sponsors are adding $ 1,500.00 to spice up your event.

If you look at the package above it (package 3), you will notice that if you add an additional $250.00 that the sponsors will also add an additional $ 500.00 compared to package 3x.

The next package is package 2x. By adding $1,500.00, you receive 4 cloths ($1,000+ value), plus you get an Adam RCH-1 cue valued at $700.00, plus the sponsors will add $3,500.00 giving you a total of $5,000.00 added to the event.

The next package (# 2) requires $ 2,000.00 added by you. For an additional $500.00 from you compared to the 2x package, you get an Adam RCH-1 cue valued at $ 800.00 + 2 Carom TV DVD's and miscellaneous gloves and grips. The sponsors will add an additional $ 1,000.00 compared to package 2x giving you $ 6,500.00 in added money for your event.

Package # 1x requires $ 2,000.00 from you where you get 6 Simonis cloths ($1,500.00+ value), you get an Adam RCH-1 cue ($700.00) and the sponsors add $4,000.00 giving you $6,000.00 total added to your event.

Package # 1 is the cream of the crop: By adding $ 2,500.00, you get 6 Simonis cloths ($ 1,500.00+ value), an Adam RCH-2 cue ($ 800.00 value), 2 Carom TV DVD's plus gloves and grips and the sponsors will add $ 5,500.00 giving you a whopping $ 8,000.00 which will be added to your event not counting all the entry fees by the players.

Now we have the “B” packages. I am sure you get the picture by now. You can add as little as $ 500.00. It is up to you. The best “B” package (package # 4 on top) has you adding $ 2,000.00, but you get

$ 1,500.00+ worth of Simonis cloth, an $ 800.00 cue, DVD's, gloves and grips and the sponsors will also add $ 4,000.00 totaling $ 6,000.00 added to your “B” event.

There is no package at this time for a “C” event. If you wish to hold a “C” event, then we suggest holding it simultaneously with a “B” event and use the “B” packages chart above. Also, you can hold a “B” event and also a separate “C” event on a different date and divide up the total added money between them. For instance, if you choose “B” package # 4 above, then you can divide the $ 6,000.00 in added money as follows: $ 4,000.00 added to the “B” event and $ 2,000.00 added to the “C” event.

IMPORTANT: We will tell you below what events are available and when. Also, the amounts that you need to add which are listed in the charts are MINIMUMS. We will be accepting bids. The highest bidders will be selected provided that they fall within our guidelines. These packages are only available if we have enough sponsored money to cover them, enough Simonis cloth and enough Adam cues. If not, we will let you know what we have available. Minimum number of tables required to hold a Tour event is 2.

To place a bid, contact the Secretary at:

516-238-6193 or email by clicking here.

List of events available for bid:

September 11-13, 2009 : “B” or combined (“B” and “C”) tournament (California rooms only)

October 9-11, 2009 : “Open” tournament (Florida rooms only)

* November 13-15, 2009 : “B” or combined (“B” and “C”) tournament (open to any qualified room)

* December 4-6, 2009 : “Open” tournament (open to any qualified room)

* January 8-10, 2010 : “B” or combined (“B” and “C”) tournament (open to any qualified room)

*Subject to available sponsor funds, available Simonis cloth & available Adam cues.

Rules and Guidelines regarding USBA Tour Events:

1) A qualified tournament director approved by the USBA Secretary must be present to run the event if the Secretary is unable to attend.

2) All players must be current on their USBA membership dues – no exceptions. A list of all members that are current on their dues will be provided by the Secretary if he is unable to attend. All players that pay their dues at the event must also complete a USBA Membership Application which is available at www.USBA.net . Click “USBA Forms” on the left-side menu.

3) Entry fees must include the $ 5.00 USBA sanction fee per player. So the entry fees should be $ 255.00 or $ 155.00, whatever amount is relevant.

4) Room owner is responsible for collecting all entry fees and keeping the list of players.

5) Room owner should provide hotel information to the Secretary so that it can be posted on the USBA website for the benefit of the players.

6) Tournament format is decided by the Secretary.

7) If there is any money collected from auctions or lotteries, the full amount goes to the prize fund.

8) The room owner has the option of keeping and selling any raffle merchandise or holding a raffle. The room owner keeps 100% of the raffle proceeds.

9) During the tournament, no table time is to be charged to the players.

10) The day before the tournament, the room owner will insure that the tables are made available to the tournament players for practice. Table time may be charged to the players if the room owner desires. The room owner and tournament director should make sure that all players have the chance to practice and that nobody monopolizes a table. Two hours on one table should be sufficient; then their name goes to the bottom of the list if they wish to practice further.

11) 100% of the added money for the tournament plus 100% of all the entry fees (minus $ 5.00 sanction fee) must go to the prize fund. No exceptions.

12) The room owner will attempt to allow the players to compete comfortably, meaning that if possible, any adjacent pool tables should be closed off. If that is not reasonable, then the pool tables should not be given to customers who are loud, unruly or not considerate to the players in the tournament. The room temperature should be comfortable for the players. Light music in the background is ideal; loud music is not.

13) The room owner should expect that the tournament will last from as early as 9:00am until as late as 10:00pm. It might end earlier, but the room owner shouldn't expect it to. This, of course, depends entirely upon the format, number of players and other variables.

14) The room owner will insure that there is a reliable vacuum cleaner and a reliable ball cleaner.

15) The room owner will provide a person or persons who will clean the table after each game is completed. Vacuuming is intrusive and time-consuming. Ideally the tables should be wiped down after each game with a clean, slightly damp microfiber cloth which can be purchased at Walmart. I believe that a package of 6 is around $5.00 which should be enough.

16) The tables should be vacuumed thoroughly once per day in the morning. During the finals, they should be vacuumed after each round throughout the day.

17) The balls and tables should be cleaned at the direction of the Secretary or tournament director.

18) Water or alcohol should normally NOT be used to clean the balls, unless the table conditions are unusually long and slippery.

19) Only Aramith Ball Cleaner should normally be used on the balls, unless the table conditions are unusually slippery (long) or unusually high-friction (short). Again this is 100% at the direction of the Secretary or the tournament director.

20) If new Simonis cloth is to be put on the tables, then the Secretary will decide exactly WHEN they are to be placed on the tables. Normally it should be completed no later than one full week before the beginning of the tournament and no sooner than two weeks before the beginning of the tournament. There are some exceptions. The Secretary will make that decision. A good way to gauge the table is as follows: by banking the cue ball from one corner through the 3rd diamond on the opposite long rail with high maximum English and medium speed, the cue ball should bank 3 rails and come either flush into the corner or slightly long of the corner (hitting the short rail near the corner, not the long rail).

21) All tournament results will be placed on the USBA website ( www.USBA.net ), the Professor-Q-Ball website ( www.professorqball.com ) and the USBA newsletter in Professor-Q-Ball publication (10,000+ circulation) along with pictures and a story or recap of the highlights. If the Secretary is not present, then the tournament director is responsible for taking a picture (digital) of the top 3 finishers of the event (one picture). Any other pictures are helpful. The tournament director will email the tournament charts, story and pictures to the Secretary within 2 days of the end of the tournament. If necessary, the tournament charts can be scanned into a computer and then emailed to the Secretary in either a PDF or a JPG format. A picture of the outside and inside of the room as well as a picture of the room owner is also ideal.

22) The tournament director is responsible for sending all sanction fees and dues payments to the Secretary within 2 days of the end of the tournament. All players should only pay cash especially if they pay you at the tournament. If the tournament director accepts a personal check, it is 100% at the risk of the tournament director. My advice is to not accept personal checks unless they are paid at least 2 weeks before the tournament to give them time to clear your account. Checks for entry fees should only be made out to your room. Just one check or money order should be sent by the tournament director to the Secretary for the full amount due and the check should be from the room or the tournament director, not any of the players.

23) Taxes (if any) that are required to be withheld by the federal or state governments and the filing of 1099's or other forms are the sole responsibility and decision of the room owner, not the USBA.