WPA Announces World 8 Ball

Jerry Forsyth

Jerry Forsyth

Well-known member
The World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) is pleased to announce the new WPA World 8-Ball Championship will take place at The Corner Bank in Toronto, Canada this coming August. Tentatively scheduled for mid month, the exact dates will be announced very shortly. This will be the first World Professional Championship in North America in twenty years and the first ever in Canada.


The prize fund for this prestigious event will be over $275,000 CAD and will carry a first prize of $100,000 CAD. With just over 14,000 square feet of workable space and licensed for over 450 people, this new venue is ideally equipped to host any major event. Our hosts for this event will be Jim Wych (our promoter) and his partner at The Corner Bank Sports Bar & Grill, John White.


The Corner Bank and the beautiful city of Toronto, cordially welcome all of the world’s very best players to experience some Canadian hospitality in what promises to be a superb tournament.


For further information regarding this event please contact the event manager Jerry Forsyth at Jerry@azbilliards.com or Jim Wych at jwych@thecornerbank.ca.
 
Jerry Forsyth said:
The World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) is pleased to announce the new WPA World 8-Ball Championship will take place at The Corner Bank in Toronto, Canada this coming August. Tentatively scheduled for mid month, the exact dates will be announced very shortly. This will be the first World Professional Championship in North America in twenty years and the first ever in Canada.


The prize fund for this prestigious event will be over $275,000 CAD and will carry a first prize of $100,000 CAD. With just over 14,000 square feet of workable space and licensed for over 450 people, this new venue is ideally equipped to host any major event. Our hosts for this event will be Jim Wych (our promoter) and his partner at The Corner Bank Sports Bar & Grill, John White.


The Corner Bank and the beautiful city of Toronto, cordially welcome all of the world’s very best players to experience some Canadian hospitality in what promises to be a superb tournament.


For further information regarding this event please contact the event manager Jerry Forsyth at Jerry@azbilliards.com or Jim Wych at jwych@thecornerbank.ca.
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Awesome
That is what I am talking about
The WPA World 8B was missing for number of years , last one was held in 2012 won by Chang Jung Lin
This will probably be highest prizemoney World 8 ball for the champion. Previous editions paid about same as W9B around $30K to $40K
This one pays about $75K

So all the big events will be crammed into 2nd half 2016
W8B
China Open
Kuwait Open (new event $275K added)
W9B
World Cup of Pool
US Open
Mosconi Cup

After WC8B this month, April-July will be dry months with no big events
Pro players can take a break, go flip burgers, go fishing
:thumbup:
 
Wow that's great news. I have to wonder: Where in the world are they getting that kind of money?
 
Might be Shane's golden chance to win a World Championship since he's been unable to do so crossing the ponds :smile:



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one stroke said:
Might be Shane's golden chance to win a World Championship since he's been unable to do so crossing the ponds :smile:



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same thoughts here. also, the possibility of the taiwanese, chinese, filipino and japanese players participating will be less.
 
The Corner Bank is a great venue, and about 20 minutes drive from my place.

To say I am excited about this is an understatement.

Gideon
 
Jerry Forsyth said:
...snip.... This will be the first World Professional Championship in North America in twenty years ...snip...
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Is this a typo? There were 4 years where the Straight pool championship was a bonafide "WPA World Championship", and it was held in New Jersey.
 
No, it was a mind fart. There have actually been two different World events in NA that I failed to remember. One was a low-budget women's event and the other was the low-budget 14.1 stuff.

This event is rich enough to be remembered. And it will be conducted professionally. We will not have sponsors and fans in the playing field. Only players who have proven their worth will be competing.
 
GideonF said:
The Corner Bank is a great venue, and about 20 minutes drive from my place.

To say I am excited about this is an understatement.

Gideon
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About an hour and a half from my place. I'm definitely making the trip for this


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Jerry Forsyth said:
We will not have sponsors and fans in the playing field. Only players who have proven their worth will be competing.
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So it's invitation only, with all that added money, and it sounds like a relatively small field? I don't see how they can do it.
 
It is very simple, really. We have sponsors who have a vested interest in promoting the game in North America. The money is not appearing by magic. We will announce the sponsors list shortly.

This is the biggest pool to hit the America's in quite a while and companies are eager to be a part of the team that will make it happen for years to come. We are not pitching one-year investments. We seek partners who will help us grow the sport and who understand the importance of a vital professional game to accomplish that goal.
 
Jerry Forsyth said:
It is very simple, really. We have sponsors who have a vested interest in promoting the game in North America. The money is not appearing by magic. We will announce the sponsors list shortly.

This is the biggest pool to hit the America's in quite a while and companies are eager to be a part of the team that will make it happen for years to come. We are not pitching one-year investments. We seek partners who will help us grow the sport and who understand the importance of a vital professional game to accomplish that goal.
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Who's the we trying to get the sponsors


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Great news. It seems like pool has been on the upswing the past year or two:) Thanks for being involved Jerry.
 
Jerry Forsyth said:
It is very simple, really. We have sponsors who have a vested interest in promoting the game in North America. The money is not appearing by magic. We will announce the sponsors list shortly.

This is the biggest pool to hit the America's in quite a while and companies are eager to be a part of the team that will make it happen for years to come. We are not pitching one-year investments. We seek partners who will help us grow the sport and who understand the importance of a vital professional game to accomplish that goal.
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Glad to hear it. I'm sorry to be skeptical, it just concerns me whenever I see $x000,000 prizes. IMO, our expectation for that kind of prize money is one of the reasons for the lack of big tournaments lately. And I know the WPA's rules require it for sanctioning. A country like Qatar can do it because they have a government strategy to be involved in sports for international outreach reasons, and they have more money than they know what to do with. I just hope what you guys are doing is sustainable. I know I'll support it by buying a stream if I can.
 
Jerry Forsyth said:
No, it was a mind fart. There have actually been two different World events in NA that I failed to remember. One was a low-budget women's event and the other was the low-budget 14.1 stuff. ...
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Sounds like you are thinking of Dragon Promotions' "Women's International Pool Championship" played in December, 2014 at Steinway. That low-budget event was not an official WPA world championship. You'll remember that it caused quite a kerfuffle with the WPA when Dragon initially tried to present it as a world championship.

But the 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2010 14.1 events did qualify as world championships despite the relatively low prize money.
 
iusedtoberich said:
Great news. It seems like pool has been on the upswing the past year or two:) Thanks for being involved Jerry.
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Jerry thank you for your continued efforts in growing our sport. Jim Wych is a great person with first class integrity and will be an asset to this event. Again, thank you and Best Wishes for a great event.
 
Some posters on this thread have expressed concerns about the money. (Where is it coming from) kind of thing. That does not surprise me and don't blame anyone for thinking that way based on the way things have gone in the past. However, on this one I am not worried. Jim Wych and Jerry Forsyth are good guys and I do not believe they would enter into this without being 100% certain that all was going to go well. I also believe their reputation is worth too much to them that they would not put that on the line. Best of luck to them and thank you for doing what they do.
 
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