Gut instinct?

Timberly · #1 (**permalink**) 10-17-2006, 09:44 AM

What does your gut tell you about the IPT? One of the IPT players called me last night and said that they've really been hopeful up until now. Their gut instinct is telling them that they will not get paid and that today's announcement will be another carrot added to the stick to drag things out.

What does your gut instinct tell you about the future of the IPT and the payment issues?

My gut tells me that KT will simply add another carrot and not give any definite answers today and in the end, when he's done refreshing carrots, the players will not get paid. I hope I'm wrong... this is one time that I would love for nothing more than to be proved wrong....

Rich R. · #2 (**permalink**) 10-17-2006, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Timberly

What does your gut tell you about the IPT? One of the IPT players called me last night and said that they've really been hopeful up until now. Their gut instinct is telling them that they will not get paid and that today's announcement will be another carrot added to the stick to drag things out.

What does your gut instinct tell you about the future of the IPT and the payment issues?

My gut tells me that KT will simply add another carrot and not give any definite answers today and in the end, when he's done refreshing carrots, the players will not get paid. I hope I'm wrong... this is one time that I would love for nothing more than to be proved wrong....

My gut tells me that you are pretty close.

I think they will be paid eventually, but maybe not soon.
They may have to wait until late November, in Chicago, or even later.

What my gut tells me about the future of the IPT is that, when the deal with Mr. Ho goes through, if in fact it does go through, most of the IPT tournaments will be moved to Asia and all of the players will have to travel there to continue the tour. A prominent pro player expressed the same concern at the Open.

I guess, in a way, it is no different than the Asian players coming here to play, but it is certainly not what a lot of the American players counted on, when they joined the IPT. I wonder how many of them can afford the travel, before the money starts to flow, assuming it will be flowing?
Does KT own stock in the airlines?

Like Timberly, I would like to be wrong. Of course, I would have liked everything to go smoothly, as planned, and there be no reason to bring this topic up in the forum.

gator · #3 (**permalink**) 10-17-2006, 10:59 AM

My gut is telling me that something needs to happen ASAP or the IPT ship will hit the iceberg. It doesn't have to be amazing. Just somewhere near what they have promised. the pool players have very little choice but to continue to play if the checks come out and cash without incident. Who cares whose name is on them?

Gator

dirtypool · #4 (**permalink**) 10-17-2006, 12:37 PM

With all of this talk about the sell and the stock market, it's a wonder that the IPT isn't going to offer payments in stock. It could happen. All they would have to do is promote the stock with the rest of the billiards folks. Then, POOF, viola. They'll double or even triple their money... Do you think that the players would go for that?

Dirtypool

Sufferin · #5 (**permalink**) 10-17-2006, 12:43 PM

At what point do the players say "no mas" to the IPT? Are they staying around because the IPT is made up of such trust-worthy individuals? Are they staying around because they love the TV exposure? Is it the promise of good things for the future? Is it the fact that there's no other game in town? What about all of the negative talk on the forums?

There's a lot of questions. I'm just wondering what it would be like to be a player. Right now, no thank you. I have all of the problems that I can handle.

Sufferin

rocketman · #6 (**permalink**) 10-17-2006, 01:27 PM

Several things that I know; It easy to talk negatively about things. In billiards, when you talk negative, you're proabably going to be right.

There's a lot of negativitiy surrounding the IPT. some of it's people trying to be the guy that said, "I told you so" and some of it is people trying to make something happen like get paid. Most of these people do not see the big picture and do not love the sport in the manner that they should. There are "protectors" of the sport, but most forum posters really fall into the "I told you so" category and just want the social reward that comes with prognosticating the worst event to happen.

The real irony is that the buzz marketing that the IPT used to create itself is now being used to chip away and endanger it.

My advice; we should quit talking and start listening. As a business that relies on marketing, the IPT has to say something eventually. It may not be what we want to hear, but at least they will say something. I'm not saying that I'm going to make positive posts, but at least I will refrain from the megative ones until I hear something from the IPT.

Rocketman

Eric. · #7 (**permalink**) 11-07-2006, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dirtypool

With all of this talk about the sell and the stock market, it's a wonder that the IPT isn't going to offer payments in stock. It could happen. All they would have to do is promote the stock with the rest of the billiards folks. Then, POOF, viola. They'll double or even triple their money... Do you think that the players would go for that?

Dirtypool

On a serious note, I remember reading something about KT doing an "IPO" of sorts. That is probably the most unlikely thing that could possibly happen. IPO, which stands for Initial Public Offering, meaning that the IPT stock will be listed on a stock exchange and sold to the public, is pretty much a pipe dream. Whitout getting too technical, the company (IPT) would never meet the various regulatory and listing requirements. For that matter, the IPT would be hard pressed to find an Investment Bank to underwrite the issue.

I hope nobody gets sucked in by that one.

Eric

tarfu · #8 (**permalink**) 11-11-2006, 11:14 PM

Howdy All;
Have any of you tried to watch or record to view later any of the "listed" shows on VRS. (the old OLN), I was all set to watch and record tonight's (11/11/06), and all I got was an eye full of Buck'n Bulls and Fly'n Cowboys from the PBR (not the beer)

, bummer dude. It's been happening all week. Sort of like the TV network wants to broadcast the shows but something ain't quite right as maybe the money didn't arrive as scheduled, the bank is playing basketball ( dribble-dribble) with the check?
However I do not think we should pass judgement untill T.K. himself tells us what is happening. After all He is the one that has made all of the money, as He was so fond of saying in the FAQ section of the IPT website. Varrely (sp) for as He is the only one that is rich enough to render the only true and correct decisions (The [b]GOLDEN RULE [b] states "HE WHO HAS THE GOLD SHALL MAKE THE RULES").
I do truley feel bad for the players. They placed alot of trust and faith in what is/was trully a great idea. Just the wrong person running the show.
That's my two cents.

renofred · #9 (**permalink**) 11-18-2006, 08:57 AM

OK I'm a total idiot!!! I've been in this game since 1965 and I pray that one day my kids(since it's too late for me, damn it!!!) will have a good tour to compete in. So far nothing! I heard that the players are getting paid in three installments, who knows but, back to a tour, as all of us I was hoping KT was our guy, well it don't look like it WOULD SOMEONE PLEASE STEP UP AND GET IT RIGHT pool is a losing battle right now and if the IPT takes a **** it's just going to make things worse. Like I first said I'm an idiot but I'll support and spend my money on the best game in town and if it's going to be the IPT so be it. KT DO WHAT YOU SAID YOU WERE GOING TO DO OR SELL IT TO SOMEONE WHO CAN!!! there is a million players just waiting

Timberly · #10 (**permalink**) 11-18-2006, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by renofred

I heard that the players are getting paid in three installments

Not quite.

They've been given three dates. When the 3rd payment is made, the players will have been paid a total of 1/3 of what they're owed. (This is very interesting considering he told them a couple of weeks ago that he was only going to pay them a 1/3. Most of the players said no thanks and started talking union and lawyers. Four days later KT says he'll pay them in full)

After the 3rd payment, there is no payment plan. They'll simply be paid "before the next IPT event". There's currently none scheduled. London was canceled and Chicago was "postponed" according to the IPT.

Hope for the best and expect the worst.