9 ball was allready fixed. It's called 10 ball and nobody watches it. Even 10 ball has been tampered with quite a bit recently. Both 9 ball and 10 ball have seen breakboxes, 9 ball has had the rack moved, 10 ball had call shot/call safe. Everything that could be tried, has been tried. Frankly, every time people try to fix these games, they make them complicated and unwatchable. The new break rules are idiotic, and makes the game a complete crap shoot. For a game to be at least somewhat entertaining, the audience needs to know what is going on. A guy breaks and makes two balls, and have to turn the table over to his opponent, wtf is that? Every thing that has been changed in 9 ball over the years have been to make it "fair" with shorter races. It went totally the wrong way. Alternate break, 3 point rule, break boxes, pattern racking, racking templates, it has been a complete disaster. The clock needs to be wound all the way back for 9 ball to be viable, to undo all the moronic changes that well meaning idiots have made to it over the years. As is, it's a stupid game. We're going to end up with races to 3 with some sort of powerball machine throwing the balls out instead of an actual break.
I live in Europe and EVERY flippin' year the break rules change. The box moves, the 9 moves, 3 point rules, no 3 point rule....I hate this stupid back and forth. What kind of sport has the rules changing every season? You know that guy who complains every tournament when he loses, blaming everything but himself? They listen to that guy EVERY year and implement all the changes he suggests, that's what ruined the sport, they couldn't ignore that guy. Even as screwed up as 9 ball is right now, I think I'd be ok with it if they COULD JUST STOP FUCKING AROUND WITH THE GOD DAMNED RULES EVERY YEAR!
IMO the best game, that develops the most complete player is rotation. 15 ball break which is hard to master. This break rewards power. There are many balls on the table, interesting strategy and most of all it's a fair game. You get points for the balls you put down. The Filipinos are great all around players for these reasons, they have to bank, kick safe, play caroms and combos, the game has it all. Most of all the rules are easy to explain and understand and don't need one hundred stupid exceptions.
The IPT showed that 8 ball, which EVERYBODY understands can be a very competitive game, even for pros, under the right conditions. For an audience, that is the best chance our game has. The IPT did most things right, as far as rules and equipment goes.