By the way, this thread really smacks of exaggerated nationalism and xenophobia. Blaming the ITSF for V-T's marketing policy seems all too easy to me. If the Tornado-manufacturers have been consistently disappointing their customers, why have they kept buying those tables? I've never run a business, but I guess I too wouldn't care for my customers' feedback if they kept buying my products anyway. It's called a free market, something which I thought American citizens needn't be taught about.
BodyG,
iWhat if the US Tennis Association, suddenly found itself in a dominant position in the international tennis federation, like the presidency and other positions, and THEN requested, in the name of homogeneity, that continental European tours (where the clay season is played) switch to hardcourts? That's OK, because .. "you don't ask, you won't get...." Can't blame the US federation, or its sponsors, who can sell a ton more Penn and other hardcourt balls, perhaps more hardcourt rackets (still made in Asia, of course) to Europe. Not a dominant position in the market, but definitely better positioned.
BUT THEN, if the French, Italian, and other Low Country federations suddenly started to follow suit, putting in hardcourts for tournaments within a calendar year.... and Americans start showing up in all the formerly clay Euro tournaments and winning .... Man, do you even get the idea of exactly what kind of "exaggerated nationalism and xenophobia" will be exhibited by European continental tour players and fans? They will logically resent and hate the US federation and blame them, but they will VILIFY their own national federation/s for selling out. They're not gonna start hating the Williams sisters for stepping all over everyone except the other foreigners, the Russians, but they will certainly resent their suddenly being able to compete and win without adjustments !
BBTuna and I've tried to explain to you how this is happening with Valley-Tornado's dealings with the ITSF. I believe many US foosers understandably resent, but not blame Farid Lounas for trying to do his job of internationalizing foosball, which is a laudable effort. But right now, BECAUSE OF VALLEY-T, it is at the expense of US foosball! And oh yeah, Valley-Tornado has been the monolithic giant for 20 years, but that's because of the original, almost life-time durable design of the original Tornado and its commercial and private acceptance. Valley did not invent the Tornado, they inherited it. So there's no braintrust to even be respected over there.
It took an enterprising promoter named Mary in Kentucky, who started her own tour format with IFP, got other promoters like Charlie into it, to show how slow and a-retentive Valley-T was... She follows and supports the international movement and of course adopted the new rules, as any good Tornado promoter would do. An ace and a let and and a fault are an ace, a let, and a fault, as they should be, in any lawn tennis game. She paid the lower ranks more, in keeping with the money and time these non-pros in the lower half of the pyramid have always been putting into tournaments. She, and Alan Cribbs with Bonzini as well, found sponsors, which Valley-T should have been doing 10 years ago, instead of using their promotional budgets to send their officials overseas to promote themselves. They offer more events to allow more people to play. Quite a difference.
Time and world economics has caught up with Valley-Tornado's management, and I'm sure Brunswick will be evaluating why they haven't been running tournaments that are as complete an entertainment event like other Brunswick brand tournaments, why they haven't been able to get 2 or more major sponsors like "smallfry" Mary and Alan (continuously)have done to defray costs and use the marketing punch of tour events, and why they haven't been responsive to the market like any g*d*mn self-respecting capitalistic corporation should be doing. Neither of them can afford to just wait out their corporate retirement, while enjoying the perks like regular overseas travel to Paris and Frankfurt, like some relics from the old Tornado barnstorming days, who obviously will let the market go to hell, because they don't have the motivation anymore.
I am sure that Brunswick took over Valley-T to position itself better in the leisure products market, because the new commercial battleground, of course, will be Asia: China and the Pacific Rim nations, as their humongous populations start approaching the leisure time products potential that will dwarf Europe. Thanks to our new local player, a fine expatriate Canadian, Fred "Shanghai" Gower, who started a small but growing cadre of players at his "dojo" there and led China to second place in the Asian championships in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Those were held, by the way, on Tornado, because even the Pacific Rim knows how durable and playable the table design is,
Asians rightly admire American power foosball, AND that includes Frederico in his own US power foosball MODE. Just as they admire foreign NBA players who show they can be as good and dominant. But its the NBA that showcases them, nothing else comes close. Asians know very well that US power foosball, like US basketball, backed by hundreds of locals, dozens of regionals, and national and professional events, over THIRTY YEARS of organized play, played in the equivalent of 50 nation states, is WHERE IT IS STILL AT. Shanghai Fred's now with us, living in Miami, but he left that indelible mark there. And the best player there in Asia, who also plays in South Florida when he can, Miqdad "Mickey" Suwaidi, has already made inroads with Cespedes-Martin by doubling the Pro (non-Open) events this recent Worlds in Las Vegas. And manufacturers Leonhard, TecBall, Lehmacher, Warrior, Legend, et al (where the hell's Valley?) already have firm firm feet and factories planted there.
And if Valley-T continues to abandon their US player base for whatever reason, Asian factories are hungry and ready for the US market. Potential? Overall, probably at least 3000 tour & locals players, maybe another 1000 family & residence hall locations, and maybe another 2000 sportsbars, community centers, gamerooms and parlors. That's 3 to 5 million Euros every two-three years if there's a tour to support and sponsor it, PLUS parts and PLUS other complementary products like dartboards, dart machines, video stands, and pool tables. Duhhhh?
You can also immediately realize, it's good practice, before Asia deals with its own potential, what 10-20,000 players??? And yes, they like to drink, gamble and sing karaoke, too.