AZB Has A Chat With Barry Behrman

We at AZBilliards are in touch quite often with Barry Behrman, promoter of the US Open. Today we had a chat to recap this years rendition of the US Open 9-Ball Championships and got his permission to share the conversation with you.

First, he is overall very pleased with the way the event went this year. The field was full, the fan attendance was a new record, and the event went off quite well. He is disturbed by the negativity that some have expressed about his payment plan to Darren Appleton, the winner, but told us that Darren is quite satisfied with the one-month time frame and weekly payments and that he gave Darren the choice of waiting until Monday morning to get his full amount in cash but that Darren did not want to be on an airplane with that much money and wished to keep his Sunday travel plans anyway.

He also filled us in on some behind-the-scenes activities that we wish to share. The Hall of Fame ceremony this year honoring Franciso Bustamante, Terry Bell and Larry Hubbart was originally going to be held across the highway and everyone would have had to get into cars and drive over there. But when the BCAPL canceled their event that was going to be held in the Marriott ballroom just across the parking lot from the US Open convention center location, Barry made some calls to see if he could move the HOF dinner closer, over to the Marriott. It was found to be possible, but a $3,000 cancellation fee would have to be paid to the other location. Barry took the 3 grand over to the original location and the HOF was moved to the Marriott. As a result, no one had to be troubled with driving or directions and the HOF had some more seats to sell. My understanding is that they sold them all.

Also, while the figure that gets tossed about concerning how much Barry put into the event is the $50,000 in added money, it should be pointed out that he also pays the entry fees for the past champions and by the time you add that and some other incidentals into the picture the true figure is around $75,000. Hosting a US Open is not cheap.

Finally, Barry wanted to remind us that he is reincarnating the Masters Championship beginning next March 1-5. And this Masters event and all future US Open events will also have an APA amateur regional event as a side-by-side. With over 2,000 APA players in the Tidewater region alone Barry feels this is an addition that will grow with every passing year.