Playing beer pong for fun in dark basements just got better. The World Beer Pong Tour made a stop at The Old Bay Restaurant Sunday night, where beer pong teams competed to win various prizes, including a five-day, all-inclusive Spring Break vacation.
The WBPT made their stop in New Brunswick as a part of their tri-state tour, according to a press release.
WBPT President Sam Pines said 26 teams participated with 10 tables set up.
“The average amount of teams is 50 teams,” he said.
All WBPT events are double elimination with a maximum of 80 teams participating, according to a press release.
“First place winners win a five-day, all-inclusive Spring Break vacation, courtesy of Student City.com,” Pines said.
Vacation choices include Acapulco, Cancun, Mazatlan, Jamaica, Panama City, a Bahamas party cruise or South Padre Island, according to the WBPT Web site.
The second place team received a $100 gift certificate to The Old Bay while the third and fourth place teams won $25 gift certificates to the restaurant. All top four placing teams received two $25 coupons good for $25 off a BJ’s Beer Pong Table and several complimentary cans of Cocaine Energy Drink, according to the Web site.
Pines said teams were recruited from around the New Brunswick area including the University, and “Beer Pong Divas” were hired to promote the event around campus and the city.
Rutgers College junior Nicole Guzman and College of Nursing sophomore Katie Cosimi said they saw advertisements for Beer Pong Divas and called to participate.
Guzman said they handed out fliers before the tournament, T-shirts and had to take pictures during the tournament.
“We make them feel comfortable,” Cosimi said.
Both girls were sporting tank tops with “Beer Pong Diva” logos on the back, and were serving beer and handing out cups to the team members.
New Brunswick residents as well as University alumni were participating in the competition. University alumnus James Justis said he and his partner participated in the WBPT for almost six years now.
“We always won every tournament at the frat parties,” said Justis, who was sporting a Rutgers jacket signifying his beginning beer pong competitions. “We just thought we were really good even though we haven’t won a game [at the WBPT] yet.”
Justis said this is the first time the WBPT came to New Brunswick, and he was excited to participate.
Teams created their own team names, such as team Lefty Connection, whose team members Jay Soltren and Kyle Williams said they used the name because they are both left-handed.
Soltren said he participated because he loves pong, competition and winning free stuff.
“We want to make it one of the biggest games,” he said.
Soltren said they try to participate as much as possible to make beer pong more popular.
Beer pong at The Old Bay is not a new event, according to the bar’s security guard Ed Hakim. He said beer pong games are held Mondays at the bar.
“It’s a big thing,” Hakim said. “People really take it seriously.”
Pines said that the WBPT is successful because they follow all the legal guidelines, and all participants must be at least 21 years of age.
“Drinking is 100 percent optional,” he said. “We don’t force anyone to drink.”
Pines founded the WBPT in 2006, beginning with a six-city tour that now expands to 20 cities with the first tournament held in Rochester, Pines said.
Pines said after two years touring popular New York cities, the WBPT expanded their tours around the tri-state area. He had weekly beer pong leagues with friends while at college in New York.
“Beer Pong is huge,” Pines said. “Everyone plays it.”
Students aim for king cup at beer pong tournament
Published: Monday, November 3, 2008
Updated: Monday, November 3, 2008
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