Ah, now you know why Matchroom has expanded so much in the U.S. in the past two years. The overriding goal is to ensure the success and survival of Team USA in the Mosconi Cup by improving the talent pool in America.
To that end, MR created two new majors, the Florida and Arizona opens, and added secondary events such as Vice City and Phoenix.
I think the motives extend beyond this.
We are already seeing some of the top Asians bowing out of WNT play, in large part because they can now earn a solid living at home through the Duya Tour and Heyball. There are also high-purse Predator PBS events in Asia, with events in both Vietnam and Indonesia in the next month.
If the Americans continue to skip or perform poorly at the WNT majors, they will stop showing up. Three members of Team USA from 2025 (SVB, Woodward, Thorpe) skipped both of the two WNT majors contested in Europe. Even when they do show up in American-based events, they are failing (0 quarterfinalists at Vice City, 2 quarterfinalists at the Florida Open, 1 quarterfinalist at the Arizona Open, 1 quarterfinalist at the Phoenix Open and 1 quarterfinalist at the US Open). The American players, as a group, are in a very long slump and American fans will gradually lose interest unless some young American players emerge as world class players.
I am sure Matchroom realizes that if Asian and American participation in WNT events continues to decline and American results continue to disappoint, their tour will become a chiefly European tour which will not draw too many eyes elsewhere.
As American pros, because of their mediocre results, must manage their participation costs more than most, building a greater presence in America might just be their only shot, and the Matchroom management team is a capable one that surely understands this.
Frazer has also mentioned the desire for a major Texas Open and another big event on the West Coast.
That would be nice.
Payne McBride and Harrison Leinen, for instance, played in all five WNT events in August. These two have a good chance to be on future Mosconi teams.
Yeah, I have no idea how far either will rise, but at least there is steady progress from these two young players and they appear sufficiently committed to their development.
Matchroom also wants to create a pathway to the pros – previously nonexistent - for talented American juniors to increase the talent pool for future USA Mosconi teams.
I do not see much progress being made in this respect. Perhaps, though, I am uninformed.
MR operated three major tournaments this year for juniors in Florida, Arizona and Frisco. We saw some very impressive American youngsters, including Haydn Ernst (17), Austin Axe (14), Colston Harrelson (14) and … Gavin Mathew (12).
I think Hayden Ernst is just 14. Matchroom's commitment to having junior events in conjunction with their majors is something I ave always admired. They do it in America as well as at majors contested elsewhere. Yes, some of these youngsters have possibilities.
