Archive for category: Jeff ‘Laca’ Conway Blogs

Dania Jai-alai will have locked up their doors, but that is not stopping “Magic City Tournament Star” Matt DiDomizio from keeping his doors open as they are about to enter their 12^th season with another big tournament coming up.

The next one is scheduled for 3 big days – December 3-5^th, in “historic” Berlin Connecticut, home of America’s best amateur jai-alai cancha.    

This event with be a Doubles Partido Tournament – where you pick your partner and enter as a team.

The entry fee is $100 per team.

Note:  Your team will only play either Friday and Sunday or Saturday and Sunday.

Sunday is Playoffs/Finals day.

The tournament is open to everyone – with experience and is limited to 24 teams.

Players must be signed up and PAID for by Thanksgiving. 

To register, contact CAJA at 860-335-6346.  NJAA players can contact me if they wish to register, as I keep in touch with Matt frequently.

When I was there playing last month, Matt indicated that the initial response was excellent and a record turnout may be expected. He fully expects to fill up most of the 24-team slot allotment, which would be great news.       

(Click Link above for USNJAC website)

*** HERE IS LINK TO DAY 1 OF ACTION IN THE MASTERS DIVISION ***

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XMAoPSHwzg

Magic City Casino in Miami, Florida will be the jai-alai capital of the world this weekend with amateurs, former pro’s and current pro’s will compete with $26,500 in prize money up for grabs.  The USNJAC will be holding their second event, following a very successful inaugural.  Last year’s event was canceled multiple times because of COVID-19, but this year’s event will go on as scheduled.   

Last year’s event had Jairo (Jairo Baroja) as the Singles Champion with Arrieta (Inigo Gorostola) & Goitia (Inaki Goitiandia) as the doubles champions.

This years championships will be held over three days, instead of last year’s two-day event which resulted in a couple of long days.  And because of Dania Jai-alai not opening till September 1st, the schedule will be better balanced.

On Friday –  the first day of the event –  will feature the “Masters Division”, which is open to amateurs and former professionals who have not played professionally since December 31, 2015.   The matches start at 10am.  Entries were limited to 28 singles and 14 doubles teams.  All matches are played to 6 points and the finals to 7 points.  There will be a Playback bracket in Doubles only.

Finalists in Singles and Doubles will automatically be entered in the Pro Tournament Division. 

The Masters Singles is a single elimination tournament.

Singles Prize Money is $1,000 with second place money $500.  Finalist in Singles and Doubles will automatically be entered in the Pro Tournament Division.

On Saturday, the Professional Tournament will begin, also at 10am. This will be open to current professional players and former professional players who have played professionally since January 1, 2016.

Singles Prize money is $7,500 for first place and $2,500 for coming in second.

There will be 24 singles entries and 24 doubles teams with all matches to 7 points and finals played to 9 points.  There will be playback bracket in doubles only.    

Doubles prize money is $10,000 for the winner, and $5,000 for coming in second place.

The finals will take place on Sunday.

Spectators are allowed in the fronton on Friday and Saturday for friends and family of players and Sunday will be open to the public.  They are “requesting” everyone wears a mask except when eating and drinking.

All 3 days of play will be streamed live on the Jai-alai Channel on YouTube for those that cannot attend.

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Aug 27th – Photos

North America’s newest cancha is now open in Cancun.  Built by the Salas brothers, this fronton has Loren Harris working with them putting on some great events for kids and adults. 

The next big event is Labor Day weekend for their International Fall Festival.  For more details go to Loren Harris and Fronton Salas Facebook pages. 

Decoupling  of jai-alai went into effect August 1^st, but that is not hindering America’s only full-length jai-alai fronton from opening. 

Unless you have been to the moon or somewhere, its likely your aware decoupling was passed this past spring allowing jai-alai frontons to continue other means of gambling without having to run live jai-alai games to keep their permit.  Of course, most of the other frontons will be closing down. Calder is running out their schedule which concludes in a couple weeks.  Miami is free to open year-round Cirque du Soleil or whatever they have planned.  Instead of watching Goiko and Lopez out there, you get a completely different show.  Ocala can get rid of their black curtains and hope a farmer will buy much of their property.  Orlando could give a rat’s ass either way.  Ft. Piece could use some night life now – perhaps turn the court into a nightclub? 

OK, kidding aside, there is one full sized, goat-skin fronton that will stay open.  And that is Dania Jai-alai.  As we first reported several months ago, they fully intend on staying open  – for a while.  They just need your support like showing up! 

The season opens September 1^st.  There will be matinees on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday  at 1pm.  The Sunday matinee has been moved from 4pm to 1pm.  Evening performances will run Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7pm.  Hooray!  Prime Time Jai-alai!  Great schedule.

The roster has some changes.  Bailo has chosen to retire and will not return in the fall.  He will not be replaced by another backcourter as they have two frontcourters in Elgezabal and Aratz that are actually both backcourters currently playing the front.  The decision on which of the two will move to the back will be made soon.     

Dania has brought in two frontcourters to complete in the 26-man roster.  One of the frontcourters is number 16 Goenaga who was here a few season ago but had visa problems and could not return.  The other one is a young player by the name of Cosme.  He is from the same town as Goiko and was heavily recommended by Inali as a prospect for the future.  Unfortunately, Dania applied for the visas in April and they have not been approved yet.  The are hoping that their visas will be approved soon but enable to start the season in September they are currently looking for a couple of players that can fill those spots until those visa applications are approved.

Unlike other seasons, the Dania season will end November 28^th, which is the last Sunday in November.  Normally they play two weeks in December but this year they will end at the end of November.  It is too bad that there will be no jai-alai over Christmas thru New Years’ time, usually the busiest tourist season time.

Dania is currently scheduled to return in February and play thru the end of April.  They intend on adding a month to the winter season to make it four months in total – but have not made the final decision if that will be January or if it will be in May.  Nonetheless, the season in the winter time, after the three month fall season will be a total of four months. 

Dania is looking forward to the beginning of the fall season and are also hoping that they will be able to continue the fall challenge with a Partido action that they have had in the last three fall seasons.  Those decisions will be made in September.  Hopefully they bring those back.  Nothing beats those partidos.         

Its time to support Jai-alai folks.  There’s no guarantee how long this will go.  And kudos to Scott Savin at Magic City for all they are doing there!