Hard Rock Players Strike

[Lainie_Wolf]

I’ve heard that the Hard Rock has decided that they don’t want us to play there any more, as evidenced by their draconian cutback in free play. I think that we should have a players strike – stop playing at the Hard Rock and see if they want to reconsider their decision.
   
  I was talking to a friend who’s a strategic planner and marketer, and my friend is convinced that the person who decided to cut the mailers doesn’t understand the impact of this decision. As we know, it’s the marketing promotions that make the games attractive to players. If those promotions are gone, there’s no reason to play there.
   
  The Hard Rock is a publicly traded company, and as such, they have to report their results to the SEC. My friend went to the SEC’s website to look at the Hard Rock’s recent filings. Here’s what my friend had to say (and my friend gave me permission to post this),
   
  According to the Hard Rock's latest filing with the SEC (which I found on their web site), in the last quarter, their slot revenues increased.
   
  "The increase in slot machine revenues was due to an increase in slot machine handle partially offset by a decrease in slot machine hold percentage. Slot machine handle increased $21.8 million or 28% to $100.4 million from $78.6 million. Slot machine hold percentage decreased 0.7 percentage points to 4.5% from 5.2%."
   
  Based on this, you can assume that their average monthly handle during the quarter was $33.5 million. If there are 100 locals who play $10k/month, the group would be responsible for about $1 million/month or about 3% of the casino's action. Since the group is playing video poker, their play would likely affect the hold results -- but since we're talking about negative games here, their revenue per machine would increase. Thus, their own numbers are consistent with our thoughts.
   
  It's important to note that it's the mailers that come from the marketing department’s budget that makes the games attractive for us players, not the games themselves. If the new slot director cuts down on the marketing and eliminates (or cuts back on the play) from this very important group, then the slot director will certainly have some explaining to do to both management and share-holders.
   
  Based on this analysis, if we all boycott the Hard Rock and stop playing their negative games, the impact will be felt. Hopefully, it will be felt enough to reverse the decision.
   
  Lainie

···

---------------------------------
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[peppermillionaire]

Stupid question time:
What in the world at the Hard Rock is remotely playable? Even with
mailers?

--- In vpFREE@yahoogroups.com, Lainie Wolf <lainiewolf702@y...>
wrote:

  I've heard that the Hard Rock has decided that they don't want

us to play there any more, as evidenced by their draconian cutback
in free play. I think that we should have a players strike – stop
playing at the Hard Rock and see if they want to reconsider their
decision.

   
  I was talking to a friend who's a strategic planner and

marketer, and my friend is convinced that the person who decided to
cut the mailers doesn't understand the impact of this decision. As
we know, it's the marketing promotions that make the games
attractive to players. If those promotions are gone, there's no
reason to play there.

   
  The Hard Rock is a publicly traded company, and as such, they

have to report their results to the SEC. My friend went to the
SEC's website to look at the Hard Rock's recent filings. Here's
what my friend had to say (and my friend gave me permission to post
this),

   
  According to the Hard Rock's latest filing with the SEC (which I

found on their web site), in the last quarter, their slot revenues
increased.

   
  "The increase in slot machine revenues was due to an increase in

slot machine handle partially offset by a decrease in slot machine
hold percentage. Slot machine handle increased $21.8 million or 28%
to $100.4 million from $78.6 million. Slot machine hold percentage
decreased 0.7 percentage points to 4.5% from 5.2%."

   
  Based on this, you can assume that their average monthly handle

during the quarter was $33.5 million. If there are 100 locals who
play $10k/month, the group would be responsible for about $1
million/month or about 3% of the casino's action. Since the group
is playing video poker, their play would likely affect the hold
results -- but since we're talking about negative games here, their
revenue per machine would increase. Thus, their own numbers are
consistent with our thoughts.

   
  It's important to note that it's the mailers that come from the

marketing department's budget that makes the games attractive for us
players, not the games themselves. If the new slot director cuts
down on the marketing and eliminates (or cuts back on the play) from
this very important group, then the slot director will certainly
have some explaining to do to both management and share-holders.

   
  Based on this analysis, if we all boycott the Hard Rock and stop

playing their negative games, the impact will be felt. Hopefully,
it will be felt enough to reverse the decision.

···

   
  Lainie
   
---------------------------------
Yahoo! Music Unlimited - Access over 1 million songs. Try it free.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[VpKing77_vpking77]

--- In vpFREE@yahoogroups.com, Lainie Wolf <lainiewolf702@y...>
wrote:

  I've heard that the Hard Rock has decided that they don't want

us to play there any more, as evidenced by their draconian cutback
in free play. I think that we should have a players strike – stop
playing at the Hard Rock and see if they want to reconsider their
decision.

   
  I was talking to a friend who's a strategic planner and

marketer, and my friend is convinced that the person who decided to
cut the mailers doesn't understand the impact of this decision. As
we know, it's the marketing promotions that make the games
attractive to players. If those promotions are gone, there's no
reason to play there.

   
  The Hard Rock is a publicly traded company, and as such, they

have to report their results to the SEC. My friend went to the
SEC's website to look at the Hard Rock's recent filings. Here's
what my friend had to say (and my friend gave me permission to post
this),

   
  According to the Hard Rock's latest filing with the SEC (which I

found on their web site), in the last quarter, their slot revenues
increased.

   
  "The increase in slot machine revenues was due to an increase in

slot machine handle partially offset by a decrease in slot machine
hold percentage. Slot machine handle increased $21.8 million or 28%
to $100.4 million from $78.6 million. Slot machine hold percentage
decreased 0.7 percentage points to 4.5% from 5.2%."

   
  Based on this, you can assume that their average monthly handle

during the quarter was $33.5 million. If there are 100 locals who
play $10k/month, the group would be responsible for about $1
million/month or about 3% of the casino's action. Since the group
is playing video poker, their play would likely affect the hold
results -- but since we're talking about negative games here, their
revenue per machine would increase. Thus, their own numbers are
consistent with our thoughts.

   
  It's important to note that it's the mailers that come from the

marketing department's budget that makes the games attractive for us
players, not the games themselves. If the new slot director cuts
down on the marketing and eliminates (or cuts back on the play) from
this very important group, then the slot director will certainly
have some explaining to do to both management and share-holders.

   
  Based on this analysis, if we all boycott the Hard Rock and stop

playing their negative games, the impact will be felt. Hopefully,
it will be felt enough to reverse the decision.

   
  Lainie
   
---------------------------------
Yahoo! Music Unlimited - Access over 1 million songs. Try it free.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

You mean the Hard Rock is suppose to provide a 3% oppurtunity for
players in relation to coin vs free play. The pendulum always swings
the other way. When a casino makes a mistake like the Hard Rock they
retaliate in way to get their money back. In this case the cut is
make up for their error.

[Bill]

I think you're missing the point. If the mailers do come from the
MARKETING budget as was suggested (and it seems to makes sense) then
it was SMART of the Hard Rock to use some marketing dollars to bring
in players to play their crummy negative games (as opposed to running
some more billboards or whatever that only attract the party crowd).
It was DUMB of them to move away from that strategy so abruptly that
it will result in an immediate and noticeable drop in their handle.
The analysis that was posted showed that their former marketing
strategy (if that is what it was) worked - handle increased and gaming
win increased (though by a lower percentage because so many of us were
playing games that were only slightly negative). Whether by plan or
accident, the Hard Rock did what every company tries to do - they used
marketing dollars to improve their results. Now, by plan or accident,
they will potentially reverse course. Would it have been
understandable to reduce their mailers a bit? Maybe. But instead of
using a scalpel, they used a hatchet. I certainly don't intend to
reward their ham-handedness by playing there until things change.

···

--- In vpFREE@yahoogroups.com, "VpKing77" <vpking77@y...> wrote:

You mean the Hard Rock is suppose to provide a 3% oppurtunity for
players in relation to coin vs free play. The pendulum always swings
the other way. When a casino makes a mistake like the Hard Rock they
retaliate in way to get their money back. In this case the cut is
make up for their error.

[Jean_Scott1]

<<Stupid question time:
What in the world at the Hard Rock is remotely playable? Even with
mailers?>>

Lots of 8/5 Bonus in all different denominations and some multi-line. With good CB and BB, it has been a good play in the past. Whether it remains so, remains to be seen.

Remember the warning I have been giving for years: Don't marry a casino. Any one casino is too fickle to expect more than brief flings!!!!

···

________________________________________
Jean $�ott - http://www.FrugalGambler.biz
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