NAPA, APA, TAP differences
Pool League Information > Player Information
NAPA is the BEST pool league in the US! You may want to know why. Below is a comparison between NAPA, APA, and TAP. There really is no comparison.
Please remember a few things.
- Every league handicap system has good and bad points, however, the goal of ANY handicap system is to give each player a 50-50 chance of winning. APA has their "equalizer" system. TAP has their own version. NAPA has theirs. However, NAPA of Central Missouri has a 68% hill to hill race ratio. That means that 68% of their matches go to the LAST game. Much higher than the 50% other leagues strive for. The other leagues do not tell you what their hill to hill ratio is.
- Every league, except NAPA, requires you to pay an annual dues. You NEVER get that back. What do you get for the annual dues? The same thing that you get with NAPA...and it costs you NOTHING.
- Every league has payouts. Usually the payouts are determined by the league operator. How many times have you know BEFORE league begins what the payouts will be? In NAPA I publish the payouts so you know. NAPA also has HIGHER payouts than other leagues. We recommend a 4 person team in NAPA for 8 ball. Even with only four players NAPA pays higher that other leagues with teams of 5 players. That is more money in your pocket! We recommend 5 player teams in 9 ball and 10 ball. The payouts are much higher than other leagues with five player teams. The players also have an input on how deep to pay (we recommend the top 50% of teams), how long the season will be, and much more.
- Most every league gives out trophies. NAPA gives out trophies as well. But NAPA also gives out achievement certificates for the first place team, most break and runs, most 8's on the break, and most "rackless" matches (winning the lag and all games...not touching the rack), MVP male and MVP female. We also give a plaque to the sponsor of the first place team.
- You must keep score in every league. NAPA is different. We have paperless scoring which is very simple and you get the results the next day! It is as simple as marking who won and who lost each game. Other leagues keep score on paper and send it in and hopefully get results in the next few days.
- At the end of the season, and its close as to which team will win or be in the money, you will ALWAYS want to know how the other teams are doing. With NAPA you can monitor the other teams in your league (actually any league in the US), in REAL TIME. No more phone calls or visits to where they will be playing.
- Each league has options for the end of the season. You can either end it after so many weeks or continue with playoffs which require more money which is NOT included in the payouts, or have no playoffs. Whatever place you end up in at the end of the season is your payout. NAPA of Central Missouri does not have playoffs or regionals.
- Each league may hold regionals as well, to see who qualifies for their National tournament. NAPA of Central Missouri does NOT have regionals so you do not have to pay extra to play or travel to find out if you qualify for Nationals. You can qualify LOCALLY and not have to travel. If you are the first place team, the highest point person on your team, a team captain, or MVP male or MVP female, you are AUTOMATICALLY qualified for Nationals.
- Some players cannot afford to go to Nationals. Therefore, NAPA of Central Missouri holds a yearly tournament that has FREE ENTRY and where you can earn quite a bit of money! In 2014 it was a $6,500 tournament. In 2015 it was a $7,500 tournament. In 2016 it was a $9,000 tournament. FREE!! It was split up into four handicap brackets so you would only play players near your handicap. If the league wanted to participate they pay an extra $1 each week per person playing and 100% of it goes to the tournament. If leagues do not want to participate they do not have to.
- Each league has sandbagging problems. It centers around the score keeper or captain. You can mark additional defensive shots, extend innings, leave more balls on the table, allow your opponent to come close to winning, and much more. No league can eliminate 100% of sand bagging but NAPA has come very close. NAPA does not keep track of any of the things mentioned. It only keeps track of games won and bonus points (8 on the break, break and run, or rackless match). Scoring has a lot to do with it as well. In NAPA if you win all your games you get 20 points. If you lose one game but still win you get 14 points. No more letting the other player get close and then win. As a loser you get 1 point even if you don't win a game. You get 3 points if you win at least one game. Then you add bonus points to both players if they achieve a bonus.
- In NAPA you can research the other team players if you are into that. NAPA makes available the ENTIRE NAPA playing history of each player. How they fared against the opposite sex, the venue, the time of year, different handicaps, how many break and runs they have had, how many 8 on the breaks, how many rackless matches, and MUCH MORE.
| Central Missouri NAPA | ANY APA | ANY TAP | |
| Annual Dues | NONE $0 | $25/year per person | $25/yr per person |
| Lifetime member after first match | YES | Yes | Yes |
| CALL 8 Ball | YES | NO - SLOP | Yes |
| 9 Ball point system | NO (just like professionals play) | Yes | No |
| Playoffs | NO (NO local or regionals playoffs) | Yes | Yes |
| Responsive Communication by League Operator | YES | Depends | Depends |
| Publish Payouts before season begins | YES | NO | No |
| HIGH Payouts ($1660 for 1st with 18 teams) | YES | NO | No |
| DEEP Payouts (Pay top 50% of teams) | YES (Flexible. Determined by players) | NO | Depends |
| CASH Payouts at end of season | YES | Depends | Depends |
| Player Trophies/Sponsor Plaques/Player MVPs | YES | Depends | Depends |
| League Operator Controls Handicap | NO | Yes | NO |
| Very Accurate Handicap System | YES | NO | NO |
| Range of handicap | 0-150 (accounts for skill level better) | 2-7 (limited range) | 2-7 (limited range) |
| Races based on difference in handicap | YES | Yes | Yes |
| Hill to Hill matches. 50% or better target | 68% | Unknown | Unknown |
| ALL player races are very competitive | YES | NO | NO |
| Max number of games | 11 | 9 | 9 |
| Max number of games per player | 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Handicaps/matches are viewable | YES | NO | NO |
| Handicap changes each time you shoot | YES | NO | NO |
| Paperless Scoring | YES | NO | NO |
| Simplified Scoring System | YES | NO (innings) | NO (count balls) |
| Anti-Sandbagging scoring (no def, shots, etc.) | YES | NO (complicated) | NO |
| Match race matrix sent before match begins | YES | Depends | Depends |
| View other league matches in REAL TIME | YES | NO | NO |
| Results of matches known the next day | YES | NO | NO |
| COMPLETE player history available | YES | NO | NO |
| Each Player has their own web page | YES | NO | NO |
| Certificates for Achievement | YES | NO | NO |
| Player National Ranking | YES | NO | NO |
| Player Local Ranking | YES | NO | NO |
| Local, $9,000 FREE Yearly tournament (opt in) | YES | NO | NO |
| Varied formats (8, 9, 10, Lagger's Choice, singles, doubles, double play, scotch) | YES | NO | NO |
| 1-2-3-4-5 person teams | YES | Yes | Yes |
| Paypal for payment of fees | YES | Depends | Depends |