Why not Just make it an Invitational?

[jonriv]

Since it appear that invited teams outnumber teams going through the qualification process- why not make it an Invitational Tournament and have set qualifications to be invited? To avoid the accusations of favoritism etc...., just set a criteria of how to get invited. You can still draw from top teams and attract more top teams from outside California(while still maintaing the terrific Socal location) Earlier notice will also allow teams to better budget and fundraise to get there. I understand the play to get in concept, but since that does not seem to be the reality anyway-why stick with it?

Here's an example, but I am sure there are many other ways to come to a similar solution-

Here's who would be invited:

Top 25 previous year PGF Teams
Top 10 ASA National Finishers
Top 5 NSA National Finishers
Top 5 USSSA National Finishers
Top 2 TCS WS finisher
PONY National Champ
LL National Champ

10 at large bids

perhaps 2-3 international invites

Other orgs not mentioned might also be added

Any team not finishing in the TOP 25 would excluded for the following years PGF

This will help keep a nice rotation of very good teams and rotate out those that do not compete. It keeps other tournaments and organizations relevant, but establishes PGF as the "Premier" place to go and introduces it to a much larger audience than it has now.

JMO

[ontheblack]

Since it appear that invited teams outnumber teams going through the qualification process- why not make it an Invitational Tournament and have set qualifications to be invited? To avoid the accusations of favoritism etc...., just set a criteria of how to get invited. You can still draw from top teams and attract more top teams from outside California(while still maintaing the terrific Socal location) Earlier notice will also allow teams to better budget and fundraise to get there. I understand the play to get in concept, but since that does not seem to be the reality anyway-why stick with it?

Here's an example, but I am sure there are many other ways to come to a similar solution-

Here's who would be invited:

Top 25 previous year PGF Teams
Top 10 ASA National Finishers
Top 5 NSA National Finishers
Top 5 USSSA National Finishers
Top 2 TCS WS finisher
PONY National Champ
LL National Champ

10 at large bids

perhaps 2-3 international invites

Other orgs not mentioned might also be added

Any team not finishing in the TOP 25 would excluded for the following years PGF

This will help keep a nice rotation of very good teams and rotate out those that do not compete. It keeps other tournaments and organizations relevant, but establishes PGF as the "Premier" place to go and introduces it to a much larger audience than it has now.

JMO

That would almost make USSSA and NSA relevant.

[THE GODFATHER]

Since it appear that invited teams outnumber teams going through the qualification process- why not make it an Invitational Tournament and have set qualifications to be invited? To avoid the accusations of favoritism etc...., just set a criteria of how to get invited. You can still draw from top teams and attract more top teams from outside California(while still maintaing the terrific Socal location) Earlier notice will also allow teams to better budget and fundraise to get there. I understand the play to get in concept, but since that does not seem to be the reality anyway-why stick with it?

Here's an example, but I am sure there are many other ways to come to a similar solution-

Here's who would be invited:

Top 25 previous year PGF Teams
Top 10 ASA National Finishers
Top 5 NSA National Finishers
Top 5 USSSA National Finishers
Top 2 TCS WS finisher
PONY National Champ
LL National Champ

10 at large bids

perhaps 2-3 international invites

Other orgs not mentioned might also be added

Any team not finishing in the TOP 25 would excluded for the following years PGF

This will help keep a nice rotation of very good teams and rotate out those that do not compete. It keeps other tournaments and organizations relevant, but establishes PGF as the "Premier" place to go and introduces it to a much larger audience than it has now.

JMO

I like it!

[Trophy Hunter]

Not sure I understand. An invitational is when they invite who they want, like they do now. Your proposal locks in so many teams, there are hardly any invites left over.

To the comment that the proposed idea might make USSSA and NSA relevant, they already are relevant in some parts of the country where PGF seems to be struggling to catch hold. It could be argued that their inclusion would make PGF more relevant, in a national sense.

[NumeroUno]

Business 101

1 Starting a new business

a Have a business plan and goals
b Get strong knowledgeable people around you
c Look for customers to better your business

2 Build your business

1a Make a plan to out do your competition

a Offer things to your customers that your competition isn't
b Give things away (berth)
c Show them the big picture
d Do what you say treat everyone with respect and give them what they ask for ( must be reasonable)
e If things aren't perfect at first explain that Rome wasn't built in a day

class dismissed

[Trophy Hunter]

Awesome! I think NumeroUno University might displace Notre Dame at #10 in the Top College ROI thread.

As for the the giving away lesson (2.1a(b)), aren't you in the Heating/AC business? Any chance you will give me a new AC unit for the summer? I'll trade you a berth.

[NumeroUno]

Yes 22 years in that business and boy does it get in the way of softball.

Unless you are old or broke I don't give sh$t away any more, I don't need to.

Years ago I gave many check ups away for free, pull up to a house fixed a simple problem sometimes with a flip of a switch and when it broke completely down and they needed a new system guess who they called

BTW beat the summer heat with a new System from All Season Heating and Cooling
10% off a complete install for any bucket head

[jonriv]

Business 101

1 Starting a new business

a Have a business plan and goals
b Get strong knowledgeable people around you
c Look for customers to better your business

2 Build your business

1a Make a plan to out do your competition

a Offer things to your customers that your competition isn't
b Give things away (berth)
c Show them the big picture
d Do what you say treat everyone with respect and give them what they ask for ( must be reasonable)
e If things aren't perfect at first explain that Rome wasn't built in a day

class dismissed

Some excellent points-however.......

Successful businesses must figure out what they want to be and what their market is. Looking from the outside, PGF seems to be torn between different mission and its "brand" IMO suffers from it


A few questions seem to come out from all the posts I have read over the past couple of years:

1) Is their goal to be a streamlined and more competitive from of the ASA nationals?
2) Are they a "super" college showcase
3) Are they a "members only" exclusive organization
4) Are they set up for the convenience of California organizations that let some select few from the outside in
5) Are they truly striving to be a true National organization
6) are they looking to conquer the fastpitch world and replace ASA?

I did my post assuming that they plan to be a selective niche organization within the existing fastpitch world. Kind of like the Porsche of softball. (Not everyone can afford one, but a lot of people still want one) My suggestions(well intentioned I might add) were merely suggestions on how they might expand their customer base without diluting quality. I thought that by developing a system that puts their brand above others, would make it that much more attractive.

PGF is well know here on HB, but in many parts of the country they are a virtual unknown- this was merely an idea to overcome this

[jonriv]

In many parts of the country I don't think it would matter what they did.
I think everyone would agree that in the fastpitch world everyone knows about ASA Nationals but there are many teams from all over the country that would never attend or even make an effort to qualify. It's just not in their plan. Those same teams would probably never travel to SoCal for PGF even with an invite.

I disagree- Socal is a much more attractive destination than most of the organizations nationals(except maybe TCS) Many teams in this area do not compete in ASA because a fastpitch organization it is kind of lacking around here. The vast majority play PONY- simply because that is what they know

[AlwaysImprove]

What teams from the NE do you think are getting over looked? How would anyone know if they are competitive at the upper levels if they only play NE and Pony? Do these teams play Colorado?

I have seen the Jersey Intensity play a number of times and they are always competitive. Have these teams played the Jersey Intensity?

I guess what I am getting at is we have a lot of teams in our area that declare themselves competitive, and they win a lot around here. But, then there is another group of teams that go to Colorado, go to SoCal. These are the teams that go to PGF, and Independence day, etc. When those teams show up for a local tournament the tend to kick all the other 'competitive' teams butts.

I think PGF is doing fine. They got Team North Florida and Wichata Mustangs both of which were strong in ASA gold last year. They seem to be adding the right teams to keep the competition up and continue to expand the geographies.