Help us - what would you like to see in Barnstormers 2017 ?

Thanks Rick. It would be foolish of SOM not to monitor the forums, as it is important to know the feelings of the customers so that products and services can be more tailored to their needs. While I know my posts are lengthy, I write them with the thought that such are being read by SOM officials.

Regarding LANCETUCKER's suggestion about sending SOM a "blitz of emails" from the community about the suggestion, the idea is strong enough to stand on its own without such and I don't want to impose one more hurdle against implementation when the email blitz fails to occur. Rick has not only done a great job over the years balancing his own ideas about the tourney with those suggested by the playing community for the betterment of all involved, but he has been a tireless advocate for perks from SOM for tourney participants, which have increased tournament participation, and, not coincidentally, revenue for SOM. This is one more idea along those lines.

While I don't think that anyone could more strongly advocate for this idea than me, I'm glad that you are on board, Rick, and I'm comfortable with the thought of you presenting the idea to SOM, as I believe you have your finger on the pulse of the playing community and are able to understand that it is important to maintain the balance between the best interests of the playing community and the continued viability of the ATG game, in addition to having one thing I don't, being the ear of SOM honchos. Let's hope that they view the proposal in a favorable light, seeing it as a great opportunity to increase the participation level and revenue of the ATG game at little or no additional cost. As I've said all along, it's a win-win situation.

SOM shot down the "choice" of a credit or adding players to the game and countered with.

Champ - adds 5 cards / Runner-up - adds 3 cards / 3rd and 4th place add 1 card ea.

In addition, this is on top of the credit instead of choice. They claim that adding players is something exclusive to the winners of the tournament.

Also, we only get the 12 extra credits for adding the 24 team semi-finals if we reach 150 players on the tour. Don't know at this point if we will reach that. I'm e-mailing those who have not come on board yet for the second and third time - and I getting quite a few that are convinced that they are done - no interest.

And we are drawing down to a couple of weeks left until Event #1.

Sorry for the bad news.

Thanks for the update, Rick. Well, you got 5 extra cards for the BSers Finals playoff teams. It can hardly be called a counter offer, as a counter offer is part of a negotiation. It's more like a few "take it or leave it" crumbs thrown to the serfs from a dictatorship. It's a little progress, but far short of the enticement needed to get the fence sitters to play and nowhere near commensurate with your herculean efforts in organizing the tourney or the income SOM derives from such. SOM has once again shot itself in the foot. I think it is somewhat arrogant of the SOM honchos to assume that you will continue to sacrifice your valuable time to organize the BSers tourney when there is little incentive for you to do so. They continue to take you for granted.

It pains me to say this, but perhaps we should take a page from the 1994 MLB Players Union and have a "work stoppage" for round two and subsequent rounds until SOM sweetens the pot with a decent offer instead of a few crumbs. Rick, I know that you take a lot of pride in the tourney and are emotionally invested in such, but really, what is there to lose? If you refuse to continue to run the tourney until the prize pot is sweetened to your satisfaction, SOM would be foolish not to make a better offer. The problem is that SOM clearly believes that you will continue to run the tourney with little or no incentive from SOM to do so.

I hope that you are willing to prove SOM wrong.

I'm not playing this year, except for the odd "filler team" when needed. Or, I will not accept advancement to the semi-finals and give it to the next person in line.

I'm not in favor of a work stoppage, I wont disappoint the 150 people who love to play in this tournament.

Chances are this will be my last year, however. Will cross that bridge when it comes to it.

I really don't think anything we do will affect managements actions, they have never shown any tendencies to accommodate the needs of the community, so why start now.

We play if we love the game with it's faults, and those who move on - do so.