Todd, Ryan,
I would not say there is still bad blood between the companies. I personally have no use for RP products or retailers that sell them. To me, they still remain a low end quality knockoff that can confuse the consumer. We get bombarded with calls about replacement parts for RP tables all the time and have to say "No can Help". I'm sure the Bonzini price has help vault current RP sells and customer disappointment in the quality. Remember I spent my first 24 year of foos playing and organizing (low scale) events on RP tables. It was a huge downer to find out it was a fradulent copy according to the French court system. I have no regrets at all switching to Bonzini tables. Their track record on consistency and quality is umatched. For 60 years their design has not changed.
We have many former RP customers bite the bullet and get a Bonzini which they know will last them for generations. Legendary RP fooser John Hayes is now playing the B-90 as of last week. John's story is featured the the World Table-Soccer Alamanac. Truly a pioneer in the game. Our ability to customize tables for corporation marketing events is growing annually. Anyone can put a table out on a tradeshow floor, but we design a program that will attracts a competitors client and hold them there. There is so much more to growing the game of foosball than just trying to buy the players.
Ryan,
You definately need to make it to one of our events and shed the outcast feeling. In the foos world you have the givers and the takers. Our player base, for the most part, understands that for the game to grow they need to keep a sense of public awareness about themselves. Usually our field of players can quote to a complete stranger observing the purpose and format of the event they are attending. Attitudes and egos are checked at the door, that way they are easy for one to pick up on their way out if they have a different agenda at our events. We are here to help. You may be at the beginning of establishing a new Bonzini U.S.A. players organization in the DC area.
We are really placing additional attention for the 2009 NC State Foosball Championships in Wilmington, NC on October 2,3, and 4.
It will be the 35th Annual NC State Foosball Championships and we hope to assemble some the early greats to attend and hang out. Make your plans to attend.
Todd,
Unofficially, we have this planned for 2009:
Feb. 6-7
Crystal Coast Foosball Challenge
Atlantic Beach, NC
Domestic Violence Assistance of Carteret County
March 20-22 (original date changed to accommodate player going to the HOFC)
NC Open
Raleigh, NC
Jimmy V Foundation Cancer Research
May 1-2
SC State Foosball Championships
Columbia, SC
Alzhieimer Research Center
May 21-24
Bonzini World Championships
Eaubonne, FR
July 17-19
VA State Foosball Championships
Staunton, VA
AMC Hospice
Oct. 2-4
NC State Foosball Championships
Wilmington, NC
Boys and Girls Club
Nov 13-14
Twin City Foosball Bash
(Corporate and Tour Event)
Winston-Salem, NC
Brenners Children's Hospital
I hope to have all the hotel room blocks, posters, sponsor forms and paperwork done for the 2009 season done over Thanksgiving Holiday.
Thanks for the kind words on our 10th anniversary. It has been a long journey and when I think of all the players and people that I've come in contact with over the past 35 years of playing, it becomes a little overwhelming. After being the typical foosball player in the 70's and 80's, I thought the perception and persona of our game could be taken to the next level with the founding of Bonzini U.S.A. I believe we are headed in the right direction. To date we've raised over $130,000.00 for charitable donations since 2001. We've donated quite a few tables in the process. We've visited hospitals, Boy's and Gilrs Club and schools and introduced hundreds of kids to the game. We've given many players an opportunity to revisit a lost youth and regain a passion for game they thought was lost forever. We have established an organization that allows parents to bring their kids in to show them their game. Bonzini U.S.A. has had exposure in many marketing venues and corporate outings. The table and organization lets a player, when asked "What do you do for fun"?, clearly and proudly state that "I play on the Bonzini U.S.A. Foosball Tour and we support (such and such) local charity. Come on out and check out the event". We run "ZERO Profit" tournaments because I've never felt the game has progressed to the point of making a living off of other players. I know how much it cost for a player to travel and compete at one of our events. There time away from family, added expense of entry fees, food, hotels are the motivating factors for Bonzini U.S.A. to produce events that entertain and fulfill a players need for competition. At the sametime, we desire to keep the events small scale to achieve those goals. I've seen some try to pit our organization against others for whatever reason, but we remain independent from the manufacturer. We are a player owned and operated entity that has chosen the Bonzini table to convey our mission. Just a different table with a different focus.
One question I posed to our Bonzini Yahoo Group was "Without the formation of Bonzini U.S.A, where would you and your relationship with foosball be? I got some really good responses.
I hope to shoot a YouTube video going over the past 10 years and post pretty soon.
We will expand our presence in 2009. There are a few new locations that have asked specifically for a Bonzini U.S.A. Foosball event. We will do everything possible to bring Bonzini U.S.A. Foosball events to those areas. I hope to start training again as a player. My goal is to play well enough to represent the U.S. in May at the Bonzini World Championships. I really love this game alot and idolized athletes like Ben Hogan who were relentless practitioners. As soon as the schedule is nailed down, I'll be hitting the table.
Bonzini U.S.A.- "Where the game is played with as much imagination, as skill".
Later guys
AC
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