Future of amateur cash prize events

[Horton]

The Centurion BallOfSpray Cash Prize is hopefully the first of many. If things go the way I want there will be 4 events in 2016. I have some pretty strong opinions about most of the details. I am still thinking about others.

 

One of thing things I am unsure how to handle is the target skiing audience. For the tournament this year, I made things less attractive for ex-super elite pro skiers. Perhaps I did not go far enough. I want a mix of guys that battle at 39 and beyond AND the guys at 28 to 38. The 28 to 38 skiers are as or more important. This is not a pro event. It is a fun ski weekend with a cash prize to make it more exciting.

 

At the high end do we need a never made rule and separate events for never made 38 and never made 39 and 39+? I have never liked ability based concepts for a championship bit this is about fun.

 

Then there is the problem of kids. My goals are to make the event as wife and kids friendly as possible. A Jr event on the Friday is a possible add as soon as there is momentum.

 

There are many questions….

 

As for 2016 I will need 4 sites. Each site must be near a major airport and a city that my wife (or yours) wants to visit. Besides that all I need is a strong local club to handle the local details and get the site ready.

 

[MrJones]

Your current set up sounds good so far. I would think it wise to see how it goes from this first event and modify as needed.

 

Allowing wives and kids a way to ski is a bonus to many of us. Skiing is very family oriented. One of my issues with the Big Dawg is leaving the wife and kids for a weekend. They are skiers too and it "feels" selfish to me taking off for a weekend of skiing without them. (Luckily they don't like cold water and will shut it down by the end of September, so no guilt about rolling solo to Austin!)

 

Juniors would be great, but really need their own division. My PB has moved up 1 buoy in 10 years. My son had 3 PB's in one weekend in June. Hard to handicap that.

[Chef23]

There is a site in New York called Twin Lakes that is close to NYC. I haven't skied it but have heard it is great and it fits your criteria. Most of the other sites I know in the Northeast that could hold an event are either a good distance from an airport or have a funky setup.

[MattP]

@Horton that is @AdamCord s stopping grounds I believe.

[ALPJr]

Orlando would be a good location for skiers and families, maybe Charleston SC, there are a few slalom sites not to to far from Boston, Twin Lakes in Monroe, NY is about 45 min from NYC, not sure what's close to Wash DC. Seattle, Portland, Bay Area -Berkeley, Houston, oh yes and San Diego would be cool.

[rodltg2]

Too bad the foster city site isn't ideal other than location. I'm sure getting wives to go to San Francisco would be easy .

[Horton]

@rodltg2

Imagine in this thing gets big ....Berkeley

[Mateo_Vargas]

@horton if you want to come up and check out Berkeley for an Urban Ski Tour site let me know.

[Horton]

@"Mateo Vargas" we would really have to have momentum to get skiers to go but I think it would be awesome

[GregDavis]

Okeeheelee, , Tx. Ca. and S.C or Hickory NC.

[Wish]

+1 Orlando. Family central and beaches.

[rodltg2]

Sacramento not a great destination but lots of sites to choose from close to an airport. Lake Minden I mentioned in a different post would make an excellent venue. Camping for all, plenty of room for every baller

[Chef23]

How close to a major city are we talking? In the Boston area it is at least 45 minutes to a site that could host a tournament.

[GregDavis]

It's important to go to where the skiers are. i.e. Fl. Tx. North West US, and Carolinas . Important to have good sites, good conditions, easy to get to, Not important to have near major populations. i.e. LA, NY, Boston, etc. not that many skiers live around those cities. Go to where skiing is popular and has most skiers. i.e. TX, Fl. Need experienced club to host event.

[Horton]

@GregDavis l plan to go to cities that wives want to visit. Charleston good. Canton bad. Austin good. Bakersfield very bad. Competition does not always mean perfect conditions and mega scores.

[webbdawg99]

Whitestone Lakes is situated right between the Carolinas and Florida! Just sayin'!

[wtrskior]

There are thousands of skiers in the NE. Boston area would be a great spot, as would upstate NY and through the rust belt; Cincinatti, Detroit, etc.

[Craig]

+1 for Whitestone

[ALPJr]

I think there are quite a few skiers in the SF Bay Area. When I was out there BATA Bay Area Tournament Association was made up of 6 or 7 clubs with over 500 total skiers in the 90's. Aquatic Park, Berkeley was once a hot bed of slalom and was the site of the annual California International Cup 3 event pro tourney.

[ALPJr]

Just outside of Boston are a couple sites that could work, all a short drive from Bean Town, Cape Cod, and many very nice southern and northern New England places.

[boarditup]

One of our best events had the tournament on one lake and a "demo day" on the adjacent lake. We had both a slalom boat and a wakeboat available and we pulled the non-tournament skiers (and the tournament skiers during off times) up and down the lake. We kept to a 4-pass rule so we could cycle more people though and keep waiting lines short. Waterskiing is a partcipant sport, not a spectator sport. So, when everyone skis, everyone is happy.