Re(1): Stu on Santi Posted on August 4, 2025 at 01:23:55 AM by Stu Neiman
As with “most things” there is an explanation for World’s & then Florida Gaming’s reluctance to send players to tournaments. In the “pre-Goiko” days (so Arra, Mitch, Irastorza, E. Arriaga) era there were 3 issues. 1. Our regular client base still numbering in the hundreds and more via ITW wanted their favorite players at Miami. Especially when they could not play them at another facility where they were not familiar with the other players (this complaint I heard myself as AGM a number of times. 2. These tournaments frequently took place as our top players were competing either for the Singles, Doubles or Most Winn’s title which after 1990 seemed to mean more to them individually. 3. What I like to call the “Ernesto Arriaga Conundrum.” While representing Miami in Milford tournament, Arriaga chased one to the screen and wound up tearing his ACL (the first time). So we not only lost him for the days of the tournament BUT he was out for almost a year AND at that time the company was self-insured so we bore the cost of his surgery and rehab and when you added that to a factor of potential list revenue by making the 12th and 13th games less competitive- the actual/ potential cost of sending a player to represent either themselves or the company was significant. It was never about not wanting to allow our top players to play tournaments. Both the player and the company had to factor in the cost of something bad happening. Yes, we understood that Jai-Alai was /is inherently dangerous but with another fronton receiving a direct benefit without sharing in the potential liability the argument was we risk less by keeping the players on our court. In the example I mention with Arriaga - that injury presented a direct cost of $25 to $30,000 in medical fees plus the loss of his ability to compete daily and his salary and benefits continue (as they should) while he can’t play. Depending on the event, especially when we were all hurting and paying our top players the most in the sport I understood the logic and the argument. Also, not unlike the lawsuits - they just seemed to happen to us more. Replies:
Tiger's Jai-Alai Chalk Talk
