The United States Table Soccer Association announced today that they are making several significant changes to the major professional foosball tour. Among these changes will be a new national tournament director and a newly renamed season-opening event in Las Vegas, which will offer increased prize payouts and feature a brand new event format which will change the way tournament foosball is played.

Beginning with the all new ³USTSA International Championships², March 2-6 at the Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas, Wisconsin promoter Bill Maloney will officially take over duties as the new Tournament Director. Bill, who has long been one of the countryıs top foosball men, will be taking the reins from foosball Hall of Famers Dave Courington and Link Pendley, whose efforts over the last 15+ years have created a solid foundation, which Bill hopes to build upon.

³We have been blessed with pioneer individuals, who have made huge contributions to the tour and the game of foosball itself², says Maloney. ³Names like Dave Courington, Link Pendley & Steve Murray. We will forever be in debt to them for keeping the game alive and taking it to the next level. The level, in fact, that we are ready to take one step higher²,

Over the past ten years Bill has been the driving force behind the innovative Wisconsin foosball program, which under his leadership has grown into one of the nationıs true table soccer strongholds. Now, having taken control of the USTSA major tour, Maloney is ready to implement some of the ideas and techniques that he has developed during his many years as a player, promoter and regional tournament director.

³By March every single fooser will be ready to take the next step in what we would like to call ŒThe New Generation of Foosballı², declares Maloney. ³The tournaments as we are accustomed to will no longer exist. New formats, new payouts, and a new tournament direction will replace those of the past.²

With the help of his ³braintrust² (Table Sports Limitedıs Phil Schlaefer, Jim Stevens of Inside Foos, Foosball.comıs Stacey Myers, Hall of Fame Player Steve Murray, and VIFA Executive Director Gregg Elliot), Bill has announced the following changes to the 2005 season-opening event in Las Vegas:

-All players will now compete in events of their own ranking and any open events (Mixed Doubles, DYPs, Specialty) on the tournamnet schedule. This will dramatically cut down on conflicts and give players far more control over their playing schedules. The prize money has never been better in the Amateur and Semi Pro events with more than $13,000 going to the top finishers in these ³non-pro² competitions.

There will be the standard four ratings classifications: Amateur (formerly Rookie), Semi Pro, Pro, and Master. The point ranges for these categories will remain the same, as follows:

Amateur: 0-1199
Semi Pro: 1200-1799
Pro: 1800-2399
Master: 2400 and Up

NOTE: Players will be permitted to ³register-up² one package classification, but will not be allowed to play in their own ratings class if they do so. An Amateur can move up to Semi Pro, A Semi Pro to Pro, and a Pro player can play in the Championship events, with the purchase of the higher ratingıs package. Lady players can purchase the ³regular² Package Deal of their ranking if they wish, but would forfeit the right to play in the Womenıs events.

Amateur and Semipro players should note that there will be ³double events² for you in Las Vegas. This means that there will be two separate Amateur Singles and Doubles events, held on two separate days, and two individual Semi Pro Singles and Semi Pro Doubles events, giving you two chances in each event to take home the big money!


THE MAIN EVENTS WILL NOW BE PLAYED AS FOLLOWS:

-Amateur Singles A: Open to all Amateur players.
-Amateur Singles B: These are 2 separate events open to all Amateurs.
-Amateur Doubles A: Open to all Amateur teams.
-Amateur Doubles B: 2 separate events open to all Amateurs.

-Semi Pro Singles A: Open to all Semi Pro players.
-Semi Pro Singles B: 2 separate events open to all Semi Pro players.
-Semi Pro Doubles A: Open to all Semi Pro teams.
-Semi Pro Doubles B: Also open to all Semi Pro teams.

-Pro Singles: Open to all Pro rated players.
-Pro Doubles: Open to all Pro Teams.
-Championship Singles: Open to all Master players.
-Championship Doubles: Open to all Master Teams.

-Open Mixed Doubles: Open to players of every rating.

-Womenıs Singles: Open to all lady players.
-Womenıs Doubles: Open to all womenıs teams.
-Amateur Womenıs Singles: Open to Amateur women only.
-Amateur Womenıs Doubles: Amateur womenıs teams only.
-Amateur/Semi Pro Womenıs Doubles: One Amateur and one Semi Pro woman per team, or two Amateurs.


AMATEUR DOUBLES & SINGLES: There will be two separate flights in both Doubles and Singles. The 4 highest finishers in Flight A will join the top 4 in flight B in an 8 team/player playoff, with a $4500 payout in Doubles and $2250 in Singles. First place in Doubles will be $2000, with $1000 going to the winner of Singles, with all eight qualifiers taking home cash.

SEMI PRO DOUBLES & SINGLES: Just as in the Amateur events there will be two Semi Pro flights, with the payouts and first place prizes the same as above. This event will only be open to Semi Pro players and any Amateurs who purchase a Semi Pro package.

PRO DOUBLES & SINGLES: Pro players (and willing Semi Pros) will play just one Doubles and Singles event with payouts identical to the Amateur and Semi Pro events. This event is great news to pro level players who were previously restricted to playing only Open events.

CHAMPIONSHIP DOUBLES & SINGLES: These are the tournamentıs  premier events, where only the biggest and baddest names in the sport will compete. Master players (and a few strong-willed and confident Pros) will compete for more than $18,000 in Doubles and better than $10,000 in the Singles competition. Both ³Championship² events will pay all the way down to 32nd place.

WOMENıS DOUBLES/SINGLES: The payouts in these events have been increased and will also feature first place prizes of $2000 in Doubles and $1000 in Singles, with the total prize funds being the same as the Amateur, Semi Pro, and Pro events.

OPEN MIXED DOUBLES: This will be a true ³open² event with all player classifications receiving Mixed Doubles in their package deals.

There will also be Draw Your Partner and Specialty Events, along with a variety of daily ³mini tournaments² held throughout the weekend, allowing hard-core foosers the chance to compete almost continuously.


THE FACTS...

What: The all new USTSA International Championships
Where: The Riviera Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada
When: March 2-6, 2005
Cash Payout: More than $62,000


NOTES...

-Prize Money for this groundbreaking 2005 season-opener is up more than 25% over the 2004 Hall of Fame Classic with the Amateur events setting a record for the highest payouts ever seen on the major USTSA tour...

-Package Deals will be available for pre-registration only. Table fee is $30. If you do purchase a package through pre-registration, the table fee will be free. Non-package players will be charged the $30 table fee...

-For the first time in recent history there will be both Doubles and Singles events for ³Pro² rated players, with $6750 available to the top finishers in these events...

-Continuing a tradition, there will be a Hall of Fame Ceremony in Las Vegas, with the newest honoree being introduced at a free (for everyone) Induction Banquet on Saturday night...

-The ninth annual VIFA League Championships will again be held in conjunction with the Vegas tournament. Look for information on this event in the new Table Talk or at http://www.vifa.com in the very near future...

-Improved event scheduling and fewer conflicts should result in more free time and less waiting, allowing players the chance to enjoy the sights and sounds of Las Vegas...

-However, the Specialty events and daily DYPs will offer ³foos-aholics² the opportunity to play nearly non-stop foosball if they wish...


Table Talk Magazine, which should arrive in your mailbox in the next week, will include all the information, schedules and breakdowns for this all new Las Vegas event. There will also be a link to an online flyer available at http://www.vifa.com tomorrow. New Tournament Director Bill Maloney has also written a ³Letter to the Players² in the next Table Talk to express his view of the future in more detailed terms.

If you have questions you can email info@insidefoos.com or call Toll Free 877-833-3603, or post on the EZboard. We will post further statements and information every few days.

Jim Stevens
Inside Foos Productions

The 2005 USTSA International Championship flyer will be online at http://www.vifa.com beginning November 3, 2004.