I think most would agree that what Matchroom are doing is a net positive and something to be celebrated, myself included. However, I do think it's possible to praise the results and still criticize some of the actions that occurred on the way to those results. Emily Frazer/Matchroom have shown that they refute any opposing thoughts when discussing their vision. You're either with them 100% on everything they do or you're against them. That is a problem. Just because they're doing great things for pool doesn't mean I am going to cheer-lead for them on every decision they make.
Your point about American pros is spot on and I agree with you completely. American pros have not shown that they're willing/able to elevate themselves to the level of professionalism that Matchroom, and pool in general, requires. So I believe that Matchroom's gripes with prominent American players is justified.
That said, if you're going to paint yourself as a bastion of professionalism in pool, don't make flippant remarks about one of your players, regardless of whether or not they're playing in the tournament. It doesn't matter what Emily thinks of Shane, his decision not to play in this tournament, or his proposed rules changes, she shouldn't be airing her grievances with him during the broadcast. That is not an act of a professional and she rightly deserves to be called out for that.
Her comments on Shane hints at her underlying attitude towards any alternate thoughts on the product they are selling. Feedback, both positive and negative, can be appropriate under the right circumstances. For example, Matchroom's decision to photoshop player pictures as part of their Mosconi Cup announcement was flat out wrong. They deserved to be criticized for that decision, yet they refused to admit any wrongdoing, apologize, or remove the edited photos.
On the other hand, the feedback they received on their world ranking system, the new balls they chose for their events, and this latest controversy around sponsorship patches is well within what can be deemed acceptable thoughts. No one was calling for Matchroom to be canceled because they chose the wrong ball color, they were just offering their opinion on the product Matchroom was selling. I think Emily handled that feedback poorly by going aggressive from the start and saying either get on board with this or don't play in our events. She could have been much more diplomatic in her response to this feedback to show that while they may disagree, she understands and appreciates feedback from players, sponsors, and the pool community as a whole. She is not a pool player so I think she should at listen to what pool players are saying about their decisions rather than dismissing them out of arrogance.
Despite all of this, I do think Matchroom has been good for professional pool thus far. However, Emily's attitude and the cozy relationship they have with Predator continue to make me nervous about their long term impact, particularly if other promoters don't step up and Matchroom/Predator end up being the only gig in town. Competition, even among promoters is a good thing and can only help the sport.
I'm gona check it on the vods because I missed that match. but its funny hahaha
