WPA bans......................
- Thread starter garczar
- Start date
ALT_ESV
Active member
Honest question: Does this mean that people playing in tournaments at Buffalo’s in New Orleans or Turning Stone or Derby City Classic will also be banned? Does it mean that you can’t participate in ANYTHING other than WPA tournaments (which I’m guessing including specific sanction requirements like random anti-doping tests)?
It certainly sounds like they are including any non WPA sanctioned events
CanadianGuy
Well-known member
the new standard to win at this level
tpa's above .930 and b&r %'s at 50 or higher
unreal
tpa's above .930 and b&r %'s at 50 or higher
unreal
I remember when ...
Anybody else remember when the WPA and IPT got into a pissing contest? The WPA insisted on the same percentage payout from the IPT as in small events. Five percent of fifty thousand is a fair sized bite, five percent of million dollar plus purses to have IPT sanctioning that offered little would have been crazy. The IPT justifiably told the WPA to go pound sand. The WPA could have had a reasonable sanctioning fee but a flat five percent was ridiculous. I might have that number wrong but the flat percentage was the deal breaker.
Now the WPA is using the same approach with Matchroom. Our way or the highway. Matchroom will choose the highway I am sure. There are only a few sweet dates to have big events on. Those national or international holidays that give three day or longer weekends are quickly filled up. Aside from pool, some other things have to be considered. Do you want to have a pool event on Superbowl weekend? How about in the same city the same weekend?
Not that what I do means anything but if I have to choose an independent or a dictator there is no question which I would choose. Since Buffalo's was mentioned, I would 100% choose somebody with a lifetime of supporting pool and pool players compared to an association that seems to only be interested in supporting itself.
The WPA seems to be setting itself up to battle the entire nonWPA world. I will place my bets on the world. Aside from anything else I don't like tyrants which is what the WPA seems determined to be.
Hu
Anybody else remember when the WPA and IPT got into a pissing contest? The WPA insisted on the same percentage payout from the IPT as in small events. Five percent of fifty thousand is a fair sized bite, five percent of million dollar plus purses to have IPT sanctioning that offered little would have been crazy. The IPT justifiably told the WPA to go pound sand. The WPA could have had a reasonable sanctioning fee but a flat five percent was ridiculous. I might have that number wrong but the flat percentage was the deal breaker.
Now the WPA is using the same approach with Matchroom. Our way or the highway. Matchroom will choose the highway I am sure. There are only a few sweet dates to have big events on. Those national or international holidays that give three day or longer weekends are quickly filled up. Aside from pool, some other things have to be considered. Do you want to have a pool event on Superbowl weekend? How about in the same city the same weekend?
Not that what I do means anything but if I have to choose an independent or a dictator there is no question which I would choose. Since Buffalo's was mentioned, I would 100% choose somebody with a lifetime of supporting pool and pool players compared to an association that seems to only be interested in supporting itself.
The WPA seems to be setting itself up to battle the entire nonWPA world. I will place my bets on the world. Aside from anything else I don't like tyrants which is what the WPA seems determined to be.
Hu
WPA needs to recognize the value it provides to professional pool is very indirect and limited in scope. It’s not enough merit to entitle them to govern the professional side of the sport and milk money out of events they do nothing to produce.
Some events get money added by governments because they are sanctioned. WPA adds value to those events. Some events handle their own arrangements without sanctioning and WPA adds no value to those events.
Some players get support to participate in sanctioned events. They don’t get support to participate in unsanctioned events. That support doesn’t entitle the federation to own that player and their decisions. As such the players need to decide whether it’s in their interest to enter into contractual arrangements with these kinds of entities. In my mind these kinds of “strings attached” makes those federations and the WPA less desirable, not more.
It’s that simple.
Some events get money added by governments because they are sanctioned. WPA adds value to those events. Some events handle their own arrangements without sanctioning and WPA adds no value to those events.
Some players get support to participate in sanctioned events. They don’t get support to participate in unsanctioned events. That support doesn’t entitle the federation to own that player and their decisions. As such the players need to decide whether it’s in their interest to enter into contractual arrangements with these kinds of entities. In my mind these kinds of “strings attached” makes those federations and the WPA less desirable, not more.
It’s that simple.
In other words the WPA’s role is to aid those that need their aid, not to shackle those that do not need their aid.
I wouldn't be so sure. The original WPA statement kinda insinuated that the punishment would come immediately, and now there is a 4 month grace period? Smells to me like WPA knows that the players with the best chance of cashing high in Matchroom events will tell the WPA to get farked, so the WPA is giving some "wiggle room" to walk it back if needed. If the wind seems to be blowing strongly in Matchroom's favor, I think you see the WPA coming out with another announcement that "negotiations are underway" with "other organizations", come March.
Well, the WPA has some big events around the corner and with 70% of the top pros playing in Hanoi tomorrow, they would ruin their own events if they would take actions immediately.
Also the top Europeans and US players have basically invested a whole season for the race to the Mosconi Cup, so they the won't break with Matchroom at this stage.
I don't know the calendar for 2024, but I guess most players have not already booked flights, hotels etc.
And they give the national federation time to figure out how this ban would influence potential governmental fundings.
Players have to choose between the continental federation titles or the Matchroom sports entertainment titles.
This is better scripted than a wrestling championship.
Most players will start with the federation route, all the government financed programs will control that pipeline.
Matchroom attracts the less regulated side of billiards.
This could be the era that players start to organize financially to take advantage of the clear loopholes.
Each pool room has a federation team and a Matchroom team. Who wants to represent the nation and who wants to prove themselves against all generations of players?
This timing feels well orchestrated as if Matchroom and WPA want to milk the drama.
Pro pool is changing and you have to decide if your a federation player or not.
Long live and prosper.
This is better scripted than a wrestling championship.
Most players will start with the federation route, all the government financed programs will control that pipeline.
Matchroom attracts the less regulated side of billiards.
This could be the era that players start to organize financially to take advantage of the clear loopholes.
Each pool room has a federation team and a Matchroom team. Who wants to represent the nation and who wants to prove themselves against all generations of players?
This timing feels well orchestrated as if Matchroom and WPA want to milk the drama.
Pro pool is changing and you have to decide if your a federation player or not.
Long live and prosper.
It's certainly a power play, some players with stay and some will go...it's in the best interest for pool if both entities coexist that way pool will still be promoted domestically & globally until something better happens...of course if they could join ranks and become a super power that would be the best for pool.
This has been the most internationally news worthy billiards event since the IPT attracted the big wave.
The WPA lockdown and the Matchroom split from WPA will have consequences worth analyzing for decades.
The most immediate being will either take legal action for monetary compensation.
How does the demand for billiard products change as new regions endorse billiards as a youth sport?
Do the players really think they could survive a schedule competing all events?
Players need better management to plan for organizational decisions ahead.
Which collector cues are more in demand in Asia and the Middle East?
American craftsmanship in pool cues dates back to President Grant and Lincoln before he was a president. I have a story about a Japanese solider with close ties to the government, also a billiard player.
Billiard history dates even further back as noted by Cleopatra. Whoever chooses to promote billiards has a choice to tell the story of its history. It will be more common to retell the story for a new generation. The WPA is doing a great job at saying countries have accepted billiards. Matchroom is doing a great job at saying billiards should not only be controlled by the government.
Mission Accomplished!!! Enjoy the break.
The WPA lockdown and the Matchroom split from WPA will have consequences worth analyzing for decades.
The most immediate being will either take legal action for monetary compensation.
How does the demand for billiard products change as new regions endorse billiards as a youth sport?
Do the players really think they could survive a schedule competing all events?
Players need better management to plan for organizational decisions ahead.
Which collector cues are more in demand in Asia and the Middle East?
American craftsmanship in pool cues dates back to President Grant and Lincoln before he was a president. I have a story about a Japanese solider with close ties to the government, also a billiard player.
Billiard history dates even further back as noted by Cleopatra. Whoever chooses to promote billiards has a choice to tell the story of its history. It will be more common to retell the story for a new generation. The WPA is doing a great job at saying countries have accepted billiards. Matchroom is doing a great job at saying billiards should not only be controlled by the government.
Mission Accomplished!!! Enjoy the break.
Players will have to elect to exercise political influence in the WPA. What does Kelly Fisher the inside WPA member think? That is how you play politics. It goes through Kelly. Kelly than requests funds, resources or legal support.
The athlete's declaration is not set. How about an open zoom discussion for how it should be phrased? It would mirror another historical congressional meeting.
It strikes me how misguided this is. A ban or suspension should be a repercussion for egregious actions. Things that bring ill repute onto pool. Sure, some players get federation support for participating in sanctioned events. If they go to an unsanctioned event, they shouldn’t get support for that trip. If they skipped one of the federation’s premiere events in doing so, they should get their financial support suspended. Not their ability to participate in events suspended. This is bringing the punishments to severe levels for hand slap infractions. The punishments don’t match the crime. And then to also apply that same punishment to players that don’t receive federation support is outright injustice.
I guess this means MR will not hold the WPA 9 ball WC? If MR ranked players can't compete in it, I doubt MR will want to showcase non-MR ranked players only,
There is an Iranian federation, a female player was banned for a year because she attended the wrong event. Federations want to ensure their players compete along clear expectations and standards. Joshua Filler has a free pass in some federation player eyes, why does he have so much freedom.
The WPA decision is the beginning of a greater discussion. Why do federations read the rules differently?
How can players petition for rule changes or rule clarifications for all federations, the WPA?
Matchroom Nineball is part of a collection of other sports. Sports exposure on Matchroom can lead to other opportunities. Who can sell billiards as the sport to play while watching some other Matchroom sport.
The WPA decision is the beginning of a greater discussion. Why do federations read the rules differently?
How can players petition for rule changes or rule clarifications for all federations, the WPA?
Matchroom Nineball is part of a collection of other sports. Sports exposure on Matchroom can lead to other opportunities. Who can sell billiards as the sport to play while watching some other Matchroom sport.
I have to wonder if the WPA has considered that all of the supposed tournaments they have on the horizon for next year is a residual effect of the efforts put in by matchroom and CSI/Predator. CSI/Predator have pulled back a bit it seems and if matchroom were to go away or scales back, then the WPAs events will follow.