killa,
most of what you said is interesting but it doesn't really say what will happen to foosball. Who knows if this was bought for the pool tables, air hockey, or foosball...does he want to grow one or all, does he want to keep statis quo and make more money on the units which means cut back manufacturing costs? does he want to be in the tournament business, does he want to build a consistant super high quality tournament/coin op table or does he want to cut back on extranious expenses like tournaments?
If you look at their website, it should stand to reason that Kelye Stites and ChampShuf would also approach manufacturing, especially "inhouse" manufacturing for Tornado DV products, with roughly the same care as he does his fine shuffleboard tables. ChampShuf obviously has had access to decent wood and laminate for years, which should be an advantage, supply-wise. Their "knockdown and shipping skills should also help with end-user/distributor delivery quality and reliability. Production knowhow with respect to coin and electronic servo mechanisms have to be there, too.
If they aren't ABSOLUTE TOTAL MORONS AND RETARDS, especially in this recalcitrant economy, then obviously whatever floats will win out, whether its the pool tables, air hockey tables, or foosball tables. I recall them all still being human and have to eat, average 95-105 IQ or better, at least as far as I know about people off Rte 121 in Texas. Hopefully all divisions will continue: which leads to the REAL question: will the current market continue to support them? If Tornado DV customers and clients don't, then duhhhhhhh ?? .....
Shuffleboard is highly tournament and competition intensive and concentrated, so that's a good starting point: they should be PRETTY F*ING FAMILIAR BY NOW, with how important AND DIRECTLY TIED INTO SALES the tourney and event promotion activities are. They have their leagues, associations, and organized rules, including different games. They support all the major rules sets and even provide them online IN A SEPARATE SECTION. I don't see any real disadvantages there.. Definitely a much better fit than making boats or fitness equipment!!
As to building consistent high-quality tables for tournament play, Warrior has already disproved the absolute necessity for that. The whole coin-op market knows, HECK.... WE ALL KNOW!!, if a million dollar tour were played on official one-ply toilet paper tables (no disparagement of Warrior tables meant... just an example) they would HAVE A TOUR. Business wise, who the f*** cares about having the ultimate high-quality table, at least who matters to the owners? Decent manufacturing and passable quality manufacturers stand no less chance of floundering and failing as any high-end niche (<-pun).
...... does he see the value of players, does he want to build a new generation of players, does he want to or can he get them on TV, how will he respond to the ITSF, USTSF, USTSA, Jim Stevens, and NetFoos
Who could know or divine this? Who would know how Kelye and his team hits it off or not with so many different individuals, groups and organizations? Which driving need to know is driving these worries that NOONE CAN REALLY DO ANYTHING ABOUT EXCEPT SEE THE OUTCOME? So if he thinks they're all *ssholes and dropkicks the "ITSF, USTSF, USTSA, Jim Stevens, and NetFoos," so these groups are forced to liquidate, or perhaps move to the all-Warrior side, or even Bonzini support, if he doesn't like rulebooks in Francais with English subtitles, or wants THEIR OWN shuffleboard tourney people he's been dealing with forever to take over, SO WHAT? The current Tornado DV tour and overall state of affairs "shore ain't heaven, neither," right 'bout now!!!
.....you said, "Let's hope they put some domestic ad and tour muscle into Tornado DV."
the key to this statement is "Lets hope" because until the new owner speaks or they "do" somethings there is no way to know how this will impact foosball
sounds good he is in the coin op business so he knows Tornado foosball but that is where it ends
I have to conclude that all we can know is that Tornado DV is now owned by people familiar for decades with the vending and games business. In their corner, they've been installing, operating, promoting and maintaining their core product side-by-side in the same venues as Tornado has for decades. They work with wood, laminate, electronics and support local, regional and national events. They obviously are allowing Tornado DV HQ to keep operating in its current location for now, until they examine it and make THEIR decisions, which is THEIR right on THEIR DIME.
BBT, I must not be reading something, because your statement seems to imply that ChampShuf, I guess without a grand tour announcement and press conferences and clippings, isn't any better fit with Tornado DV, instead of the million to 1 times better fit that it seems to look like over the previous ownership.
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