OT: Bucks Halftime Halfcourt Shot - Prize

[Thunder Muscle]

Last Saturday my girlfriend and I went to a Bucks game. Anyway, we were eating on one of those high rise tables before the game and a Bucks employee approached us. He asked if she would be willing to participate in the halfcourt shot to win a car, they were looking for 2 women (obviously less likely to win that car:) ). Anyway, she was hesitant but eventually said what the hell and did it. Long story short, she beat her opponent in the free throws and came up a little short on the halfcourt shot. However they said she won 2 round trip tickets (flight) to Boston courtesy of Midwest for beating her opponent. We waited after the shot to see if we had to sign and pick up anything, but they said no and enjoy your trip to Boston. I assume she'll get something in the mail. Anyway, does anybody know any restrictions in regard to those airline tickets? Strings attached? I was just curious. Maybe MD had a little insight on it.

It was a cool experience. I got to stand behind the basket for the 2nd quarter and get close to the action. Kinda cool. Glad she decided to do it.

[Matches Malone]

what kinda car was she shooting for?

[MickeyDavis]

I was asked to do it about 3 years ago but was disqualified because I coached basketball (grade school). Unbelievable. They ask you a bunch of questions, do you play professional basketball? college basketball? Do you coach basketball? Even coaching little kids counts as coaching and they disqualify you. You can lie about it of course but if you win anything they do a background check before giving you the prize.

As for getting her prize, assuming they have all of her info you will probably get mailed a voucher. And of course the IRS will be informed as well so she will have to claim it as income.

What she has to watch out for is what value they put on the prize. Midwest writes off the cost so be careful they don't put a value of $1,000 or something ridiculous like that. If they do you can claim "fair market value" on your taxes next year but be prepared to have some proof on that in case the IRS investigates the discrepancy.

I won a trip to Cancun a few years ago and it was a hassle at tax time as they radio station I won it from put a hugely inflated value on the trip.

[Thunder Muscle]

Thanks. I figured it could be a potential hassle. That guy didn't really drill her with any questions surprisingly. He asked if she's played basketball before and she said 'a little bit' or something to that extent. She might get disqualified if they do a background check though, as she played a little college ball at a small jr college or tech school. We'll see how it goes. Like I said, thanks for the info.

The car was a Chevy Malibu I believe.

[GrandAdmiralDan]

I was asked to do it about 3 years ago but was disqualified because I coached basketball (grade school). Unbelievable. They ask you a bunch of questions, do you play professional basketball? college basketball? Do you coach basketball? Even coaching little kids counts as coaching and they disqualify you. You can lie about it of course but if you win anything they do a background check before giving you the prize.

As for getting her prize, assuming they have all of her info you will probably get mailed a voucher. And of course the IRS will be informed as well so she will have to claim it as income.

What she has to watch out for is what value they put on the prize. Midwest writes off the cost so be careful they don't put a value of $1,000 or something ridiculous like that. If they do you can claim "fair market value" on your taxes next year but be prepared to have some proof on that in case the IRS investigates the discrepancy.

I won a trip to Cancun a few years ago and it was a hassle at tax time as they radio station I won it from put a hugely inflated value on the trip.

Yeah, I wish their rules were less restrictive.
I thought it would be ok for me to do it since I literally played 0 minutes in any games all through high school basketball, but just by the mere fact that I was on the team, practiced with the team, etc. meant I was not eligible for the prize.
Their goal is to eliminate most people with any type of basketball skills.

I didn't realize that you could get disqualified just for COACHING basketball (especially grade school basketball). I guess they figure that if you care that much about basketball, you probably have played it enough so as to be more likely to be able to hit a half court shot. That's a bit of a stretch.

I find their disqualifying people who have been on high school or higher teams at least somewhat reasonable, but not disqualifying coaches just for being coaches.

Were you on your high school team MD?

[GrandAdmiralDan]

Thanks. I figured it could be a potential hassle. That guy didn't really drill her with any questions surprisingly. He asked if she's played basketball before and she said 'a little bit' or something to that extent. She might get disqualified if they do a background check though, as she played a little college ball at a small jr college or tech school. We'll see how it goes. Like I said, thanks for the info.

The car was a Chevy Malibu I believe.

That definitely would disqualify her from winning the car.
You might luck out in that perhaps they won't bother checking for just the airline tickets. Just be sure she reads carefully whatever she might have to sign in order to accept her prize, as she could get herself in some legal trouble for not disclosing that information and still accepting the prize.

[Thunder Muscle]

That's the bull--- about this. Yes, its a cool experience, but its not worth the headache that follows. For starters, half the crowd is probably eliminated due to their restrictions. Then all the crap after you have to watch for.

Thanks for all of the heads up. Glad I posted this thread.

[schweig]

I was thinking back if I remembered seeing seeing her or you last Saturday, but I only remember the principals shooting for money for their schools. They only had one guy out of everyone shooting too, but an older woman got the closest of anyone. Now I might know why that guy didn't get closer, he probably would've been disqualified beforehand. Ah, I was probably distracted by the blow-up dolls coming down on parachutes.

[Buck You]

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Yeah, I wish their rules were less restrictive.
I thought it would be ok for me to do it since I literally played 0 minutes in any games all through high school basketball, but just by the mere fact that I was on the team, practiced with the team, etc. meant I was not eligible for the prize.

They disqualify you if you played on a high school team? What do they want, fat slobs who shoot potty shot style?

[BuckFan25226]

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They disqualify you if you played on a high school team? What do they want, fat slobs who shoot potty shot style?

Ugghhhh, do you not see the uncoordinated stiffs they throw out there?

[Buck You]

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Ugghhhh, do you not see the uncoordinated stiffs they throw out there?

I haven't gone to a game in a long time, so no. But that's kind of mean if you think about it. The employees are basically set out to find someone who looks like they suck at basketball. They are basically saying when they ask you, "Hey, you look like you suck at basketball, want to shoot some free throws and a half court shot to try to win a car?" Bucks organization.

[jerrod]

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I haven't gone to a game in a long time, so no. But that's kind of mean if you think about it. The employees are basically set out to find someone who looks like they suck at basketball. They are basically saying when they ask you, "Hey, you look like you suck at basketball, want to shoot some free throws and a half court shot to try to win a car?" Bucks organization.

umm, that's a pretty universal thing

the insurance company that underwrites stuff like that isn't gonna want college all americans shooting for car leases

[BuckFan25226]

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umm, that's a pretty universal thing

the insurance company that underwrites stuff like that isn't gonna want college all americans shooting for car leases

I understand that but I don't care if you have the best shooter in the world going every game. The odds of them making that half court shot are slim to none in one try.

[jerrod]

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I understand that but I don't care if you have the best shooter in the world going every game. The odds of them making that half court shot are slim to none in one try.

the odds are considerably higher than a bunch of soccer moms who can't get the ball the more than 47 ft to the hoop though

[Buck You]

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I understand that but I don't care if you have the best shooter in the world going every game. The odds of them making that half court shot are slim to none in one try.

Exactly. NBA players can barely hit them. Especially from the point of the floor they have you shoot it. Right by the scorers table? Why don't they at least let you shoot it from the center.