Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Despite death of Bud Pong, beer pong lives!

The Wall Street Journal has a helpful free article and video this morning on the expanding market for beer pong product, despite Budweiser's disastrous experience at trying to market the sport under the "Bud Pong" moniker a few years back. (People thought, since the game forces your opponent to drink if the ping pong ball you've thrown lands in his cup of beer, that it might inspire binge drinking. Ya think?) Anyway, Budweiser to one side, it's quite the entrepreneurial opportunity, inspiring custom balls, tables, and even apparel, um, apparently. Though my experience with beer pong tracks back to the old-fashioned version of the game, in which people played ping pong and tried to aim the ball with their racket into the glass, it would be great if someone came up with ping pong ball sanitizer. Let's just say that the ball lands a lot of places it shouldn't before it actually lands in a cup of beer, which ain't exactly sanitary.

2 comments:

FootballTragedy2008 said...

Speck Productions Proudly Presents...

Beer Pong: Beyond the Glory (Comedy, Mockumentary)

Logline: A local investigative journalist discovers an epic neighborhood beer pong tournament and a group of fanatical characters.

Producers: Hunter M. Davis & Chris St. Pierre
Directed by Hunter M. Davis & Chris St. Pierre
Written by Hunter M. Davis
Edited by Chris St. Pierre
Staring: Anthony Adornetto (from last comic standing), Craig David Lewis, Eric J. Patton, Steven Robert Olson, and Craig Conard

Check the trailer out on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Beer+Pong+Beyond+the+Glory&search=Search

Special Reserve Screening @ the E! building in Los Angeles on Friday September 7th. Limited seating still available.
Please contact Hunter @ Huntergun@aol.com if interested in attending to screening and afterparty.

Pong On,
Speck Productions

Anonymous said...

Why is this childs-play "lob" pong getting so much press?

I have to point out that there is a much more relevant variation of beer pong being played out there among die hard enthusiasts; slam pong. This variation involves a much more violent degree of athleticism, teamwork, and glory. The format is similar to a 2 on 2 volleyball match with a set-spike format. To thrive at this variation of the game you must have a lightning quick serve in order to mitigate an easy set-spike attack from your opponents. The game requires a small degree of athleticism, a passion for winning and most importantly, an all-encompassing fear of losing. Hitting the ball as hard as possible is encouraged and knocking over your opponent's cups with a spectacular spike or "slam" is the ultimate, much like a grand slam in baseball. Ultimately, the game is not about drinking but rather about perseverance, trash talking, intimidation and battle among close friends.

Quite naturally, to a beer pong player who has tasted the thrill of slam pong, "Beirut" is a juvenile and unrewarding alternative. My friends and I, for example, would never consider playing "lob pong" as it is more reminiscent of a carnival game than a drinking game.

Here is a link to some pong action:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2-CVHxXre8

Here's a link to the rules:

http://www.nbpl.net/rulesyes2.html#sandiego

Cups!!