Colombian Orphans

[ImBetterDude]

I don't know how or why this pertains to this forum, BUT I work for Kidsave International, and we have had Colombian Orphans living in Washington DC withi perspective host families for the last month now. They leave next week, and hopefully they will all find homes here and will escape the destitute living conditions at their respective orphanages.

I REALLY want to run a charity tournament to help support our company, but I've run into some road blocks. For one, I can't offer prize money to the winners, so I have to get corporations to donate. Do you all have any ideas about who I should go to to get prizes? Travel agencies, maybe? I'm going to advertise at college campuses, $50 buy in, and I was thinking a round trip ticket to the Bahamas or something for 3 or 4 days would be a good prize to the top few players.

Any suggestions on structure, location, or anything along those lines would be appreciated.

[taz115]

Other than the advice I gave in your last thread all I can really say is that I think it is going to be very diffuclt to get corporate sponsors to donate any really good packages if you are having a $50 buy-in tournament that caters to college kids.

$50 buy-in is really small and the value of donations is really an advertising / tax write-off cost for any sponsors. The value of the vacation packages your suggesting may exceed the prizepool of the tournament.

In order to successfully run a charity tournament that cannot award cash prizes I think you need to be well ingrained in the corporate world with lot sof connections to lean on or you need players that do not mind paying to play for small nominal prizes. Without these conditions I think it is going to be tough.

I see it is for a good cause and I wish you the best though.

taz115

[ImBetterDude]

I can't agree more, and as time progresses I see how this could be problematic.

I'm convinced that, if I advertise at 10 universities, that I can scrounge up 150 players willing to fork up $50, with a $20 rebuy option. Poker is fun, and there are college kids out there with a big enough heart to donate $50 to a worthy cause, with a slight possibility of winning a pretty cool prize.

I'd get close to $8,000, and I think I can get a travel agency to offer maybe 5 $1,000 travel packages? Maybe. I could also give the 5 other players of the final table a nice bottle of booze or something, after all, they're college kids, and a bottle of Grey Goose or something might make them feel their time was worthwhile.

Can anyone think of a funny First Bustout prize?

And MAYBE your dad, Taz, would be willing to talk to me? Joe@kidsave.org. It seems he does this frequently, and I'd really love to organize an event like the one your father does.

[taz115]

My dad wouldn't know much about organizing it at all as they are one of the sponsors, basically they fork over a bunch of money and then shmooze with everyone. The lady who orgainzes it is the wife of a successful business man who spends a good portion of her time twisting everyone's leg for money, prizes and players, or so I've heard.

If you can;t get the prizes you expect try to get one decent prize for first place and nominal but usable gifts for the rest.

It is common for internet community tournaments to award a copy of the movie 'Gigli' to the first bust-out player because the movie was the biggest flop ever made. College kids will maybe get the reference but it could be hit or miss outside of the internet crowd.