One Pool Tour heading in the right direction...

vjmehra

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Probably something people here on AZ aren't overly aware of, but over here in the UK we have a Blackball (UK 8-Ball) tour called the IPA, which seems to have received a good amount of sponsorship from a leading bookmaker!

For anyone interested watch from 7hours 16 mins (the presentation lasts about 15 mins):

https://youtu.be/7wN1KCleq-w

Essentially it breaks down the prize money and lists quite a few events...but importantly talks about am ambition to be broadcast on mainstream TV and they already stream (for free) in HD via their website, youtube and facebook. Apparently the games will also now be shown in betting shops!

I don't play on the tour myself and I'm still convinced 9-Ball is the best game for TV, but its good to see someone has the ambition to take pool forward (albeit probably in a format most people here aren't keen on, being UK 8-Ball).

Given the US fascination for bar boxes, why not simply use our tables instead they are 7 foot too and play much tougher ;-)
 
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I agree with you on your last paragraph: if US pool is going to be played on bar tables, the pockets need to be either 1) English style, or 2) somewhere in the neighborhood of 3 5/8 inches with a deep shelf.

Its already happening in the pool hall near me. People are referring to all of the 9 foot tables as one pocket tables.
 
I agree with you on your last paragraph: if US pool is going to be played on bar tables, the pockets need to be either 1) English style, or 2) somewhere in the neighborhood of 3 5/8 inches with a deep shelf.

Its already happening in the pool hall near me. People are referring to all of the 9 foot tables as one pocket tables.

I still maintain the future could be 7 foot Chinese style tables...
 
http://ipapool.com

Just on the off chance anyone is interested, it looks like they've updated their site and the prize fund for the main 5 stop tour is GBP 101k (guaranteed), with the 1st prize for the World Championship GBP 10k.

Nothing like the pro snooker tour, but at least it's a pool tour that seems to have found a sponsor and hopefully can only get bigger and better!
 
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