The Basic Rules
Chances are if you've gone to college in the last decade or so, you've played. If not, you've probably never heard of it. Beer pong (known as beirut in some parts of the country) is one of the biggest drinking games on college campuses around the country today. Rules vary widely from school to school or even fraternity to fraternity. The basic premise in most games, though, is to set up ten Dixie cups in a triangular formation (like bowling pins) on opposite sides of a table. Usually, teams of two line up on both sides of the table and take turns trying to throw ping pong balls into the other side's cups. When they land a ball in their opponent's cup--the opponent has to drink the beer in that cup. That cup is then removed from the table. The first team to knock out all of their opponents cups wins the match. The losing team then has to drink all the beer left in the winning team's cups. There are plenty of other twists, and you can read them all in the World Series of Beer Pong's official rules. Word to the wise--ask the owner of the table what their rules are. Most have their own variations and love enforcing them. Sounds kind of silly, right? Well, not so fast.
The Business of Beer Pong
Do a Google search for "beer pong" and you'll be bombarded with companies selling you their unique items to make that drinking experience all the better. Among them: cup racks that are freezable to keep your beer cold, ping pong balls with your favorite team's logo emblazoned on them, or tables with your own favorite design on them. Liquor stores around the country often set up displays of beer pong kits--tables, cups, and of course, beer! Steve Karlotski is founder of "Are You Clutch Beer Pong." He builds custom tables--and specializes in drilling holes in them to place the cups inside. 
He began making tables as a small operation to play with friends--and three months later--he makes enough profit to pay his entire tuition at San Diego State University. "You want something that is customized. You don't want what everyone else has. You want something that is your style," he said. He builds, sells, and rents the tables. Buying one costs between $125-250--depending on the customization. 
He said corporations have even begun renting from him, "its a huge market that you can't ignore. Corporations are going to be going after it one way or another." Karlotski plans on making beer pong his full-time job after he graduates this semester--and is looking at national and international distribution possibilities. 
A Sport?
No where can find more intense beer pong enthusiasts than at the World Series of Beer Pong. Its the largest and longest running beer pong tournament in the world. It will be held at the Flamingo in Las Vegas from Jan. 1-5, 2009. The winning team splits a $50,000 prize. This will be their fourth year and last year's event drew 600 participants from 39 U.S. states and 3 Canadian provinces. Two-player teams can buy-in for $1,000--which also includes 4 nights at the Flamingo and 12 guaranteed games. 
Two San Diegans--Michael James Orr and Jeremy Hughes--won last year's tournament. Their opponents had a four cup advantage on them, and then the San Diegans staged an epic comeback to win. "They already thought they had it in the bag. They had already started celebrating and everything and then we walked away with the money," Michael said. Jeremy laughs when beer pong is referred to as a "sport". He said, "its just drinking, how can it be a sport?" But Michael was more serious, "it takes mind power and muscle memory." They play often to prepare and love the nature of the tournaments, "the competitive part is the fun part for us. That's why we always got good," Jeremy said. With the winnings Jeremy (who works in IT) and Michael (a restaurant server) said they were finally able to make some "discretionary spending". In addition to treating their friends, Michael "paid off my credit card bills" and Jeremy "bought a bed". Since winning, "its a lot easier for us to get in beer pong games, but a lot harder to get games for money." They were among the more than 90 teams participating in San Diego's satellite tournament for the World Series of Beer Pong. 
The winner gets free admission and a slot in the Las Vegas tournament.
Competition at 'Canes
Canes in Mission Bay was packed with teams looking to take home the big prize. Entry was $40 per team at the door. Peter Rusch co-founded the satellite tournament and the Southern California Beer Pong League after attending the World Series with his friend Tyler two years ago. 
He said he thought Southern California wasn't represented well and needed a place to organize and practice. He admitted many in the crowd came just to get drunk. But with the water rules, said, "I don't have to feel responsible for that!" When he was in college, he added, he wasn't that serious about it. But he loved the competitive nature. "I played sports in high school and once I got to college and I wasn't a top notch athlete anymore, this is a way I could get that release of competition." He said beer pong, "is a sport for the everyday person. I don't see this any differently than bowling or darts. Games you can play and win money at and in time become a sport themselves." He said of 90 teams, about 15-20 are serious players who travel from event to event to practice.
Professional Beer Pong Player?
Among the most intense about the "sport" is Felipe Mendoza. He and his teammate Bryan Newell make up "Team Kobe". Mendoza said he plays in twenty tournaments a year and "makes more money playing beer pong than I do working. I'm a server at a restaurant and money is OK but I can show up here and get $1,000 prize. That's better than any serving job no matter how good a tip I get." He considers himself "a professional beer pong player, or at least as close as you can get." Mendoza said he practices about five days a week--both "sober" and "drunk". They won a recent tournament in Huntington Beach and hope to win the World Series of Beer Pong this year. They didn't win the tournament at Canes, though. After an intense victory early in the competition, they bowed out. 
The finals featured last year's World Series of Beer Pong champions versus Team Beirut of Temecula. The challengers to the defending champions had never won a tournament but drive 90 miles a week to practice in two separate Southern California Beer Pong League games. In the end, Team Beirut upset the champs and will be soon heading to Vegas. Others at the tournament didn't have quite the intensity. Mike Brown and his girlfriend Katie had already downed two pitchers and several shots of Vodka before they began their matches. After all that, they somehow didn't win a game. Still, Mike was feeling good. "Win or lose, we still booze. Either way, we're all winners here."
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