| |
BGonline.org Forums
Feedback requested for ELO webware for US Backgammon ratings
Posted By: phil Simborg In Response To: Feedback requested for ELO webware for US Backgammon ratings (Rod)
Date: Monday, 8 June 2009, at 5:02 p.m.
I love what you guys are talking about doing with US Play. The ABT approach does not encourage new players, does not make it profitable and exciting to attend tournaments, does not truly recognize or reward performance and attendance.
While I certainly don't take credit for all of the ideas to improve the above, I have written and published many articles and sent hundreds of emails to players and directors trying to encourage others to join me to insist on change.
In order to have a point system and regulations that improve the game, we first need to have an organization. Right now, the ABT is run by really great people with lots of experience, but they have little time, energy, or desire, or possibly it is lack of vision, imagination, or ego, that allows them to make changes that many of us believe are important to the game.
So what is needed is an organization that can make decisions and require that certain rules and procedures get implemented. That organization must be supported by a large group of tournament players, and hopefully the directors as well.
Then, of course, there needs to be a basic "vision" and goals for the organizaiton. Clearly the vision is to increase participation in live backgammon and backgammon in general in the US. We know that increased numbers will eventually result in greater overall popularity of the game, increased prize money, and also in the ability to get sponsorship and media support.
Listing goals is far more detailed and specific, and I have covered many in articles and emails (including one that will appear shortly on GV), but here are just a few that should be at least discussed:
1. a set of rules and regulations that are more in line with the rest of the world...in particular, Japan and Denmark where they have agreed on established rules of competition and points; 2. a point system that rewards more players more accurately for their participation and for their skills; 3. a reward system to reward players for attending; 4. standards for tournaments to make them comply with the regulations and to apply minimum standards for the players in terms of cost, hospitality, venue, rules, etc. etc.
To offer a specific example, one of the things I believe is that a portion of every entry, say $5, go to the ABT (or whatever the organization is), and that half of that be used to pay for the administration of the web site with updated ratings and rankings and information, and the other half to be given back to the players who attend 6 ABT events or more during the year. (Over time this fee might be raised to $10, and the reward might go to people who make 8 tournaments...we can adjust as needed to achieve the desired goals.)
Another example is to have a rating system that rewards not only for finishing high, but for every match won. In addition to that, a w/l percentage and acknowledgment for that as well.
Another example of a change I would like to see is to allocate about 25% less of the prize money to the current places that we pay, and give that to the quarter-finalists. The winners will hardly notice the fewer dollars; they will still make more on the side pools and calcuttas, but more people will at least get their entry fee back and maybe a little more, so more people are encourage to play as their odds of winning something go way up. The way it stands now, the true odds of cashing if you are not one of the top players in your division are extremely low. With a more even distribution of the funds, the odds of cashing become more equitable. By the way, this will NOT cost the top players money if the result is that we have greater participation in the tournaments! And of course, if greater participation leads to a greater ability to attract sponsors, which is the goal in the future, the better players will gain tremendously.
The question is, which is the cart and which is the horse. I have seen some great ideas here for improvement, but without an organization and a means to implement change, it is a waste of time. We must have an organization and leadership willing to make meaningful changes, and in the 20 years I've been involved in the ABT, I have to say we do not have such an organization at this time.
So how do we get one? Revolution! That's too strong...and we need people like Bill and Carol and Howard to work with us and embrace the changes and help implement them. But we need an organization that includes the players, as well as the directors, making the decisions. We cannot run such an organization by popular vote, but we can vote a board of directors who makes these major decisions, and we can as a group require that board to implement something if a large majority of the membership wants it.
The ABT must be changed into such an organization, or a new organization must be formed, and hopefully, the directors of the ABT will embrace the new group and become a strong part of it. The ABT cannot continue without player support, and I believe players should not continue to support the same old ways of doing things. It isn't working. The game is not growing as it should and as it could.
Phil
| |
BGonline.org Forums is maintained by Stick with WebBBS 5.12.