Are you in favor of mixed tournaments/matches?

Should the gender barrier be dissolved?

  • Yes

    Votes: 73 70.2%

  • No

    Votes: 31 29.8%
  • Total voters
    104
Shaft

Shaft

Hooked and Improving
Silver Member
Should the gender barrier be dissolved? (This concept was mention on ESPN this weekend.) I vote no.

I love women pool players, but I am not a fan of mixed matches or tournaments.

First, I don't see why men and women could not compete on a level field in this game. Women, over time, could dominate the number of players, and by shear probability, the number of pros. If that ever happened, it will have become a "woman's game."

Women don't care about sexual stereotypes associated with the game. Men care more. (Don't flame me, you know it's true.) If teenage boys start to perceive this as a "girl's game," men as a group will come less and less to it, and THAT will be the BIG nail in the coffin, financially.

Keeping the genders separate keeps it from becoming a "man's game" or a "woman's game." MHO.

I love the game and want to see it grow. I want more pool rooms, more equipment, better quality. That only happens if there is a thriving market. It is all about money. Why don't we have more male matches on TV? I'm sure money has something to do with that, too.
 
I'm in favor of it and at the same time I can also see the men's gripes with it. The women have the WPBA and the men can't just come into one of their tournaments and bump some of them out of the money, but the women can.

Personally I just want to see the best tournament possible and that includes having some of the top women competing in that tournament alongside the men.
 
I enjoyed playing against some of the top women at Turning Stone. I played Kelly Fisher, Karen Corr, tough matches but I won both of them. I've also played Julie Kelly, twice, and lost both matches. I give the women credit for jumping in and playing with the men. They bring in a lot of spectators and interest in the tournament.

As for pool becoming a woman's game, I don't buy it. They play very well but they will never dominate men in the game.

I would like to see a pool-room full of women. I know I'm going in to check it out. The game needs more women. This forum could use a few more, also.

_____________________________

http://tommcgonaglerightoncue.com
 
I like it the way it is. The women have a tour, the men have a tour, then there are plenty of tournaments and tours around that allow both to enter.

gunzby said:
I'm in favor of it and at the same time I can also see the men's gripes with it. The women have the WPBA and the men can't just come into one of their tournaments and bump some of them out of the money, but the women can.

Personally I just want to see the best tournament possible and that includes having some of the top women competing in that tournament alongside the men.
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Again, the men also have their own men's tour therefore they have no room to "gripe". It's not the women's fault that their tour isn't as good as the WPBA.
 
If ran a decent size tournament like Tourning Stone. I would go after the top ten women for sure. The more top women in your tournament the more veiwers and ticket sales. Johnnyt
 
I think we have room for both. I like it as is: a men's tour, a women's tour, and some mixed tournaments.

Besides, if it's broken, why fix it! :p
 
In the 70's I belonged to the Jaycees. Became a exhausted rooster when I was 36. It was a organization for men and the women could belong to the axillary. We all had a good time and the chapters thrived then some women decided that they were denied a equally opportunity, started a law suit and the Jaycees became coed. As soon as that happened many chapters folded and others struggled. The chapter in our city which at that time was one of the most successful in the US also folded. There have been a few attempts to start it again but they have failed.

Many times men and women just need their own space and do things their own way.

The men don't want to have secret pals for birthdays and the women don't want to hear the men burp and fart.
 
I kind of think having women compete against the men creates an interest that few sports can really take advantage of. I know there are alot of great female athletes, but when it comes to the professional level can you put the women in with men on a football field? basketball court? boxing ring? Some sports like tennis, running, swimming...etc....YES. Most major sports that men watch...NO. My point is, why not take advantage of a sport where women have as good a chance as any man and use that to raise interest in the sport? Look at how much interest/hype was created when Yu Ram played Shane...and won! Tell me a few more big upsets like that with a top female coming out on top of a top male wouldn't add a new level of excitement to the sport? Top men matching up will always be the big draw in pool, but top women against men would just add another depth of excitement that few sports can say they have IMO :cool:
 
I think it was 2 years ago at the Vegas BCA that the men and the women played in separate tournaments at the same time. I truly enjoyed that as a spectator. Each session was something like 5 men's matches and 5 women's. It was great to get the best of both worlds.
 
I like mixed everything. Let'em all play. Add more money to everything. Hey, there are some women that will rise, but for the most part, I think letting them play will just be plain fun. Let's face it. Women are fun! I mean, I normally think about them in a totally different light, but they do add to any event. I'd love to draw Jeanette first round. Matter of fact, I'd like to play her some. Not bet extremely high, but just play a little.
 
Let the best player win. Man or Woman. It would be great to take the organization of the womens tour and apply it to mixed compitition, we would see more pool on TV.
 
Men have no advantage over women in pool.....

Reach....nope....some of the best men are 5'6", and many women are that tall or taller.....any sex can learn to use a bridge....

Power....nope.....I've seen 110 pound ladies break with crazy power....

Finesse....nope.....women have us in that category obviously...

I could go on, but you get the point.....there are a ton of great playing female players....many of them do well in men's tournies....
 
Men's pool is so messed up and the women have a good thing going with lots of sponsorship and ESPN time. Why drag the ladies down with the men? If the men ever get their act together, maybe that could work, but not in the present state.
 
Sweet Marissa said:
I like it the way it is. The women have a tour, the men have a tour, then there are plenty of tournaments and tours around that allow both to enter.



Again, the men also have their own men's tour therefore they have no room to "gripe". It's not the women's fault that their tour isn't as good as the WPBA.
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That can be changed quite easily to a coed tour and a women's tour. Much like the PGA there is nothing in there that says it is men only.

I do totally agree with you that the women's tour is much more successful though.
 
gunzby said:
That can be changed quite easily to a coed tour and a women's tour. Much like the PGA there is nothing in there that says it is men only.

I do totally agree with you that the women's tour is much more successful though.
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The UPA states that they are a men's tour on their website.

Unfortunately for the men, they've had some shady characters leading the men's tours in the past.
 
Shaft said:
Should the gender barrier be dissolved?
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Except for the Men's US Open 9 Ball, the majority of the regional tours and their finals are OPEN.

There is NO MEN's Tour. The DCC and Turning Stone are OPEN events.

So, your question isn't really needed.

The women can only play in events that the WPBA has approved and may not (without permission) play in any event that conflicts with a scheduled WPBS sanctioned tournament.

The gender barrier has already been broken and for a very long time.

Either the announcers were making ill informed statements or the Original Poster and the announcers need to get out more.

Women have already started playing in most events... It is the women's tour that forbids men from joining or playing. Not the other way around.
 
Sweet Marissa said:
The UPA states that they are a men's tour on their website.

Unfortunately for the men, they've had some shady characters leading the men's tours in the past.
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Sorry to burst the bubble... but the UPA is not a tour. It is just a collection agency for members to send money.

The UPA doesn't have any scheduled TOUR.

But if you are really interested in the UPA, Arizona will be hosting their LEAGUE system very soon.
 
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