The 2009/10 season is already looking to be another banner year for the Viking tour.

Over $500,000 in Prize Money Won On The Viking Tour Last Season

As the 2009/10 Season of the Viking Tour gets ready to kick off it’s only natural that we look back and take stock of how the Viking Tour did in it’s 07/08 season. As most business were cutting back and citing declines in revenues due to recessionary reasons we are pleasantly surprised to say the the Viking Tour had it’s best season ever for our players, sponsors and room owners alike in the 15 year history of the tour.

During the past tour season the Viking Cue 9-Ball Tour added $154,500 in cash prizes to the tour event prize funds and an additional $5,000 in Viking Cues were given away as prizes to junior players that participated in the events. With the added monies and the tournament prize funds combined the tour gave away over 1/2 million dollars in cash prizes to our members last season.

The tour was originally scheduled to only have 91 events but added an additional 53 events to its roster midway through the season. Prior to last years record breaking season the highest record of events the Viking Tour ever held in a single season was 93. Last season was a 65% increase in events from the prior record.

Viking Tour Director, Mike Janis stated. “Our record breaking year is due mainly to our sponsors. They put their faith in us and donated well over $300,000 in products to the tour that we passed on to our host locations and that’s what gave us the ability to do 144 events and promote our sport so effectively.” The tour was also able to attract additional outside industry sponsors to the events (Roaring Lion Energy Drink, Miller Lite, Motel 6 and Studio 6) added to the success for our location owners and players.

Additional factors played into the tours success last year.

Early in the season the tour saw a major increase in amateur player participation. This increase led the tour to expand the amateur division and add an amateur-advanced division along with its open division which accounted for the increase in events. Along with this change the tours host locations and the tour saw an increase in sales revenues of 70% compared to same sales data from previous years. Percentage wise, the amateur divisions accounted for 49% of all participants and of sales while the open division declined to 36%. 10% Woman and 5% junior players accounted for the rest.

“The increase in participation, sponsorship products and sales at the events thrilled the owners of the host locations last season.”, stated Viking Tour Co-Director Terrie Janis. She added, “Before Mike and I could pack up the tour and head out the door the location owners were already scheduling their next events with us. It was amazing!”

Every Viking Tour location last season received double the money added to their event in products from the Viking Tour sponsors. This in itself made the events virtually free for each host location and helps to explain their excitement.

The 2009/10 season is already looking to be another banner year for the tour.

Sponsorship is up… Billiard products given to the host locations for hosting Viking Tour events from the tours sponsors already exceed an amazing 200% over the cost of hosting an event. In the first quarter of the season the tour is expanding into Virginia, Missouri and SE Florida. To top it off the tour has already completely booked all but two possible weekends through June of 2009 and already has events waiting to be scheduled through 2010.

For more information about the Viking Cue 9-Ball Tour visit our website at www.viking9balltour.com