For all who have been waiting on additional info for the first 2 tour stops Aruba and St Kitts here it is In addition to the main event which has the 2,500 + 200 entry fee. There will be two 500+40 tournaments held during the week in both locations . Rumor has it that these two events will be filmed also and shown on a cable network In addition to these 3 tournaments there also will be multiple 1 table satellites held during the week to win your seat into the 2500 +200 event.If you have already paid for the main event seat and win these tournaments you will receive the cash. All these tournaments are in addition to the on line events that will also be offered to everyone . So as you can see winning your UBT Tour seat is not only open to all but affordable to everyones bankroll. This is going to be a great year for blackjack tournaments and we have UBT to thank for this . Aruba Dates Sept 23-Oct 1 St Kitts Dates Oct 28- Nov 4 Lets not let this great opportunity pass us by .You all saw what happened to poker once it received TV coverage.It looks like 6 blackjack tournaments will be filmed and shown on TV in 2 months between these 2 UBT Tour stops. Joep
As someone who has never even been to a casino... can you tell me what the actual practical process of entering these tourneys will be? Do you have to enter in advance for all/some/none of them? How do you enter? Directly with the casino or through UBT? Can it be done online? What if you have entered but then can't play for some reason. What's the penalty? Do you forfit all/some/none of your fee? Will it only be Europeans in Paris or would a player be likely to come up against all/some/none of you guys? Cheers Reachy
UBT Events Reachy, There will always be an Ugly American in Paris, you just don't know which one it will be......
Thanks Thanks Joe. Greatly appreciated. Now can you tell me if I will win the UBT online event? Because, if I'm not going to win, I won't turn on my PC and waste my time. Thanks in advance. Sidekick
So if I go and enter will U do my make up or will there be professional make-up artists there also? :laugh: Thanks for the info - juggling my schedule at the moment
Good Makeup Great Tournament To answer both questions at one time fgk42 As far as a professional make up artist on location I have no advance knowledge of that but I will tell you that in a pinch Hollywood might be able to suggest what shade of blush will work best for you Now on to Kicks question I see good things happening to you in regards to the UBT But then again I see good things happening for everyone in regards to UBT I hope that answerers both of you questions. See you in Aruba Joep
UBT has some exciting locations on the schedule, I just hope I get sponsored or win some on-line events so I can make some of the out of the country casinos.
Can we see the good in this PLEASE !!!! Rick what is it that you don't understand ? The 500+40 tournaments are open to as many players that want to play in it .All entry fees 100% will be returned as prize money.No one can answer how many tables there will be because that will depend upon the number of players.All tables will be balanced within 1 player from other tables The one table satellites that will award the winning player a seat in the 2500 event. It will be given to the player as cash if they have already paid in advance for their main event seat.Second place may also be entitled to a cash prize also.As someone who has run tournaments before it shouldn't be hard to figure out what the entry fee will be to award a seat worth 2700 and some cash for 2nd. The two 500 tournaments rumor has it will be televised,on a cable network as bonus coverage CBS is the network that will cover and broadcast all the main events for the entire UBT Tour including Season 1 and the following year. I only have the info for the first 2 tour stops and this is what I have posted I was hoping that players would be happy to finally hear all this good news.Which is Open tournaments to all All levels of entry fees 6 televised tournaments within 2 months (More to follow during the UBTTour) 2 year contract with CBS on Saturday at 2 pm eastern time We have had 1 TV Tournament per year in the past 3 years and not open to all the first 2 year. Now we will have 6 filmed in two months Player Ranking System (Finally) for all Tournaments not just UBT But instead I have to dot every I and cross every T .This is really sad Joep
I understand the prize pool can't be determined without knowing the number of entrants, but has UBT decided how many places will be paid and the prize %'s for those places?
Why sad? There are several things the players (including myself) still don't know about the Aruba event. Several players have asked questions that still haven't been answered. Joep, you of all players shouldn't have a problem with anyone player(s) asking questions about a tournament. You alway post about any casino that has a surprise once you get there. All I am trying to do is make sure what all the formats, rules, and conditions are before deciding on going all the way to Aruba. I asked most of the same questions to every casino that offers a tournament before deciding to go play or not, yes I did ask a few more about UBT because of the satellites and filming. This will be a very expensive trip to find out any last minute surprises, like the $100 mulligan at the LV Hilton. What is the fee for sponsorship and wearing a sponsor logo? What is the expected new start up date for the UBT on-line satellites? Will there be a dress code? Does a player have to sign a release form before they play in any of the UBT events? If so will the release have any conditions that forbid the players from playing in any other TV shows within a year or more of being on a UBT event? What dates are the main UBT event on? What are the UBT rules? What is the format? (This is for those players who didn't play last year and don't know). Does UBT have any blocked rooms for the players? What are some other nearby hotels to the Radisson? Does UBT have any airfare discounts? If not I can offer a 5% discount on American flights to Aruba for anyone interested.
Over and Out For someone who states in a previous thread that they weren't trying to "ROCK THE BOAT" I have to admit you are doing one hell of a job in keeping to your word. It looks like no matter what I post you have a new series of questions for me and the UBT.You had a conversation with Russ Hamilton a few weeks back didn't you cover all your concerns then. Did you forget that you were free-rolled and played a UBT tournament ?, the rules are still the same as when you played. You ask about a dress code do you ask every tournament director what you should wear ?. You ask about what hotels are near by.Do you call the Hilton up and ask them what hotels are near by?. Do you want the UBT to be your travel agent also.? You have REPEATEDLY called for casinos or anyone putting on a tournament to have the ability to collect a 10 % fee . Now you are impeaching yourself on this point. The sponsorship question along with many other concerns was addressed on the radio show. Listen to it on the archives. Don't worry when you get to Aruba if you decide to go there will be no "Mulligans" sprung on you no "Coconut Power Chips" it will just be one world class blackjack tournament .One that is open to all even if they "Rock The Boat" .Try rocking the boat publicly on a casino and see how long you will play for. I will not respond to anything further after this post in regards to Aruba. All I was trying to do here was provide additional information for all the players "Boat Rockers" or not. You have killed the messenger Joep
Oh!! My!! God!! Rick, you know that we've always been on good terms with one another, so please don't take what i'm about to say the wrong way: Chill the F out, man!!!!! Jeez, there really is a point when you have to take a step back and say, whatever happens will happen. The UBT has already proven itself to be a major contender in the blackjack tourney world, not only through the incredible production you yourself were a part of last year, but with the development of the website and 2-year deal with CBS. Sometimes it takes a little time to hammer out all the details with affiliate sites, satellites, etc and believe me, the information will be released when everything is in place. Worse case scenario, your schedule will not allow you to break away for this first tourney in Aruba and you'll have to miss it; i think its clear that there are many, many more to come throughout the next year. No one's saying that asking questions isn't a perfectly normal thing to do, but c'mon Tex, this is overkill. I gotta agree with Joep here, half of your 'questions' just don't make sense -- its almost like you're asking them just to be passive aggressive about something. Hell, I'm ON Team UBT and i don't know the answers to questions like wardrobe, the exact schedule while we're down there, and how many advance in these qualifiers. And you know what? Who f-ing cares! We're all adults, we'll adapt to whatever final decisions are made! Bottom line is, the UBT is not out to screw ANYBODY, you are not going to show up in Aruba and find out that 1 advance from a table of 12 or some other nonsense that a typical casino would pull. Have a little FAITH, my brother. Another point that i've been meaning to make for awhile now is in regards to the player ranking system. You keep saying that we need to cater these ranking systems to people who don't have as much money for buy-ins, or to reward the fact that sombody just shows up to play. While i applaud the thought behind this, that you're just trying to start a system everyone can feel included in, its just not realistic. To accurately reflect the integrity of the game, rating systems must reflect not only the actual RESULTS (and ONLY results), but must be weighted in such a way as to give more importance to the higher buy-in events. For proof of this, we need only look at the poker player of the year system -- the more money to buy-in & the higher you place = more credit. its truly a shame because, while i consider myself an excellent poker player, i simply don't have the $250k of disposable income it requires each year to play all the big events. if i did -- well, i'm sure i'd make enough finishes to have a pretty good rating. its just the way it is. Sponsorship certainly helps, but you just can't make the argument that since someone is getting freerolled it takes any less skill to win the tourney. Fact is, WHO CARES if the entry fee money comes from a website who pays your buy-in -- or any OTHER job that gives you a paycheck with which you pay your buy-in. If you wanna get down on those of us who have found sponsorship (while you yourself are out seeking your own, by the way), then why stop there. Let's discount the rating system for any blackjack player who has a large trust fund, or owns their own large company, or who won the lottery last year (Or -- gasp! -- actually won a few blackjack tourneys! Again...RESULTS). Bottom line is, as long as the money is being paid & goes into the prizepool so that the $$equity remains the same, i don't care if the players at the table were SPONSORED or just HAVE A LOT OF MONEY. okay, i've ranted enough for now & hope you understand that i'm not attacking you personally, i really am grateful for all you bring to the table & how you constantly work to enrich our shared community. But sometimes i just gotta call bullshit! -holly d.
Dave said.... "Bottom line is, as long as the money is being paid & goes into the prizepool so that the $$equity remains the same, i don't care if the players at the table were SPONSORED or just HAVE A LOT OF MONEY." Couldnt the equity be better if you and others paid your own way? I understand in poker they have celeb tournaments and thats fine...but does Dole Brunson get a free ride in every show? I understand the happy little niche the certain few here have created for themselves and good for you... but if you and others dont have to pay then that means I have to pay for you....and just like your financial situation w/poker...well....that leaves me mostly out...unless I can be skillful and lucky and win a seat in a satalite..... Now lets have some useful information here about how I can go about doing that.....who gives a crap what you are going to wear....it will probably be something that goes quite well with your persona... Unless I win a seat I wont be seeing you in Aruba....and I really want to go....I cant wait to meet Joe Pain... Good luck to all who do go....sounds like a blast really!!!!!
Sponsorship 101 What are you talking about? The equity is the same regardless. Doesn't matter if a player pays his own way, or has a sposor pay his way, the same money goes to the prize pool. As i said in my previous post. As far as Doyle Brunson paying his own way -- my my my. Here's the reality of poker in the 21st century: practically NONE of the big names in poker EVER pay their own way into a tourney. Doyle Brunson, Phil Hellmuth, Annie Duke, Howard Lederer, Phil Ivey, Mike Matusow, Chris Ferguson, Antonio Esfandiari, Chris Moneymaker, Greg Raymer, the list goes on and on -- ALL of these names have practically every single buy-in paid for them. And on top of that, are probably paid a hell of a lot more by their sponsor websites. That's because part of their 'job' - besides playing cards - is to help promote and/or develop the brand name of their sponsor site. Which is much more than just 'wearing a logo' during a tournament, it also involves a lot of other promotional work in many other media outlets. They are paid for doing this job by being given money in the form of paychecks and/or cash buy-ins to tournaments. The equity for these tourneys remains the same, just as if these players had pulled money out of their own piggy banks. So as you can see, to get caught up in a discussion over whether or not a player's buy-in money comes out of his bank account as a result of a sponsor putting the money there, or any OTHER employer putting the money there, is pretty foolish, and actually borders on being kinda insulting to the players you're criticizing. I don't know what you do for a living, but how would you feel if there was a public debate over whether or not you should be able to pay your tournament buy-ins with that money?? -hd.
Tex, what is the difference in my asking questions about your BJ tour and your asking about UBT? You called me almost everything but a terrorist for asking questions about your tour.
Question for Hollywood Can you assert that no part of the $200 up-front fee paid by the players, which is not part of the prize pool/player equity, goes back to UBT to offset their letting in UBT team members for free? Can you assert that there is no revenue available to UBT to reduce the $200 fee instead of letting UBT team members for free? :joker: :joker: :joker:
What difference does it make where the money goes? You don't ask Tex, Harrah's, the WPT or anyone else what they do with the entry fees collected? You either pay the buy-in and entry fee or you don't play. But at least in the WSOPand the WPT part of the entry fee goes to the dealers so you can forget about tipping them, they already have been paid from entry fees.
Did someone put LSD in the water? Wow, you guys are really bent out of shape by this 8% entry fee, aren't you? I don't understand why its such a mystery. Charging a fee to run a tournament is one of the most standard operational procedures you'll find in the professional gaming world. The reason you don't see it very often for blackjack tourneys is because the casinos who host these events are often doing so purely for marketing purposes, trying to fill their tables with blackjack players from which they then extract their 'fee'. The UBT does not have any such arrangement with any of the host casinos. This is why you constantly run into problems with host casinos who treat a tournament like a circus, complete with circus rules -- because they could care less about who wins or the integrity of the game itself, they just want you to bust out and go lose REAL money to them at the cash tables. The UBT cares about putting on a world-class tournament first and foremost. But don't take my word for it. Here are some examples from the poker world: From the Mini-Series of Poker event currently running at the Bike: http://www.thebike.com/tournaments/schedule/index.php?tournament_id=55 From the upcoming WPT Legends of Poker event at the Bike: http://www.thebike.com/tournaments/schedule/index.php?tournament_id=56 You'll notice entry fees as high as 25%!! Some casinos, to counteract public outcry over fees this high, have changed the format of reporting buy-ins. Now that the standard format for viewing a poker buy-in schedule is to list the buy-in plus the fee, as in "$500+$50", some casinos have started publicly reporting "$500+$0" instead. For instance, take a look at this breakdown for the Bellagio's upcoming Cup II tourney: http://cardplayer.com/tournaments/event_list/719 Does this mean that casinos are suddenly becoming incredibly charitable, dropping their highway robbery tactics in favor of a completely fee-less entry? Of course not! Because when you go to give them your buy-in money, you see the fine print -- that a certain percentage of the prize pool will be withheld from the event for operational expenses (usually 10% or more, unless its a good $5k-$10k event) or, more insiduously, they have a secondary listing that clarifies that the $500 event is actually "$446+$54", an excuse for them to still get their 12% or more while falsely advertising this numerically correct but ethically shoddy "$500+$0" figure. My point is, having an entry fee associated with a tournament is not only the industry standard -- and something you would take for granted if you had played in any number of poker tournaments -- but the 8% is actually much lower than what professional players are expected to pay! As far as your comments regarding how the UBT runs its finances, i have no idea. What i can tell you, and its what i think you're getting at, is that this 8% entry fee would certainly be there regardless of whether or not there was a Team UBT. I can guarentee you that the money the UBT is spending on paying buy-ins for the dozen or so members of the Team is quite literally a drop in the bucket compared to the millions and millions of dollars the UBT is going through (and HAS already gone through) organizing, shooting, promoting, and operating an international, multimedia endeavor of this extreme magnitude. There is a much, much, MUCH larger picture at work here, and tying one random source of income -- entry fees -- with one random expense -- Team UBT -- is a pretty shortsighted way of looking at things. -hd.
My Three Cents, continued. H.D. You conveniently compare BJ tournament to Poker. There is a difference. Also, I suspect, but do not know for a fact, that a high number of big-named poker players will expect and demand free entry. You mention the high production costs associated with UBT. Fine. But what about the high TV revenues? At the end of the day, the promised availability of online low cost qualifiers for a high cost tournament is probably my biggest issue at this point. I am sure that's about to be announced. I think at the end of the day we should all be able to ask questions and debate the pros and cons of UBT freely on this forum without anyone getting bent out of shape. Don't you think?:joker: :joker: :joker:
