Calgary & Edmonton & Saskatoon
| Topic: Foosball Clubs |
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I have just been reading through a lot of foosball information on various international pages and have noticed one reason that I think plays a huge factor in growing Foosball in Europe as compared to here. For the record in Belgium they have more than 13,000 league players. France is similar, Germany, Austria, Italy and even the UK are getting pretty involved and growing too. They have "foosball clubs" which you become a member of and represent. When players attend a tournament it shows which club the player represents next to their name. Also worth noting is that other sports that have grown to be successful have clubs with members, especially single person sports such as foosball. I feel that this is a huge reason for the failure to grow foosball in North America: Everyone is always competing against each other. Even people that are good friends become hostile when competing against each other. New players would prefer a welcoming attitude. Join a baseball/hockey/soccer team and everyone is your friend and wants you to get better, join a foosball league and everyone hopes you lose. It makes it tough for people to buy into when they already are the worst player there and nobody is on their side to help them. In france at clubs they have: weekly drop in training sessions with a coach/leader Matches against another club - team event, rookie playoffs, pro vs pro, etc. 1 day event taking a few hours. More than one type of table (how many times do people complain about a table they haven't played on before) Club shirts/jerseys/hoodies/track suits |
Posted: Jan 6 2011 8:51PM
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Any idea's on how we can get to the point that we could have multiple clubs from one city as they do there? |
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In Vancouver we would need to get more than 6 regular players. |
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Will it is my opinion to run regular DYP's on every Saturday, Rookie - Beginner D.Y.P's starting about 12 Noon and then Pro - Semi D.Y.P's around 2:00 pm. You need more tables , say 6 or more at one location to optimize time. This would allow out of towners to come in to play or even the Saturday drop in players to view tournament style players. Allow all new beginners free entry to the Rookie - Beginner D.Y.P for the first 3 D.Y.P's ... until they place top 2. Entry fees could range between $5 - $15 for the two events. Get a Food /drink special for New players.(Pizza slice + Bootle of beer for say $3 ...limit of 2) This would give a starting point to see where each NEW player is at in regards to Tournament Table Soccer playing. At the End of the Month you could run a Single events for 1. Rookie + Beginners and for 2.Semi + Open events. See what is the present interest level is with some good incentives for new players to try out some easy setting events and to also get feedback on any players willing to show - up for Saturday Tournys. Saturday events are easier for some players to show up and easier to get passerby people to inquire on tournament play while at the venue location (Gateway). All the while promote your proposed W.E.M. tournament to every player coming through. The League (Teams)play would not really take -off until general numbers of players (in Edmonton area) quadrupled (IMO). |
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Belgium has a population density of approx 360 people per square kilometer. Canada has about 3. Probably has something to do with it. |
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Not true in reality 90% of Canada's population is within 100 miles of the American boarder. That effectively makes it about 33 ... but not much better lol. |
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Plus Canadians have access to real sports whereas the Belch just have foosball, Lambic drinking, and looking down on the French. |
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Sorry Will, I know you are trying to have a serious conversation but I am in a derailing mood today. |
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Great observation Will. I know Calgary is getting to be a big city and if there was another place to play, in the south and closer to where I live, I would come out to play more often. It would raise the level we play at too. |
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>> looking down on the French. is than because of it's geographical location? |
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Of course I meant it to be geographical Simon. Why else would anyone possibly consider even remotely looking down on the French for any other reason? |
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I would like to know the economics of a club. One time fee, or all coin tables and just run it off of coin income? Sell booze there for profit, etc.? Is the goal to break even and the members handle the day to day cleaning, bill payments etc.? What a break even number of members is, etc. We had a school/club here a few years back and I could never get the economics to work so had to close it. Plus always just played the same people all the time. At least in a bar you get more fresh meat. (Tim's witticism goes here) Doubt we will try it again here as most serious players here have no money and the ones with money are not that serious and leave after a year or two. Not expecting answers to these questions. Just wanted to add to the discussion... Fred |
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Thanks for adding. It appears some clubs in france run off free play tables and charge memberships, but play out of a gym or something like that. Set up tables before and tear down after, maybe go just 1 or 2 times a week. This would be cheaper especially if you could find a place that is free for only temporary times, like a school gym or something. I think coin op would be detrimental to the purpose of a club like this, it would be nice to let it be free for your first time and kids always free or something like that - maybe having a foosball/billiard store support a club by letting them use the basement or back room of a store for training purposes, and in turn it would bring potential customers that already are interested in foos coming in. Any way to keep it out of a bar would be nice, but maybe liquor sales make it possible if it was a place that had liquor and allowed kids... |
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My basement has liquor and allows kids. |
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That sounds like something Michael Jackson would have said.  |
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