Cue and tip sales. Did you think I meant Coca-Cola? I mean Predator, Cuetec, Meucci, Diamond, Rasson, HOW, etc.Should have sponsors? Why? What value do they bring to a sponsor?
Cue and tip sales. Did you think I meant Coca-Cola? I mean Predator, Cuetec, Meucci, Diamond, Rasson, HOW, etc.Should have sponsors? Why? What value do they bring to a sponsor?
Cue and tip sales.
Sure, but do they add value? Do the companies actually sell more product because of what a pool player who lives in his car uses?
The answer isn't 'no', but it is close to 'no'.
You don't think maybe one or two Cuetecs have been sold because of SVB?Should have sponsors? Why? What value do they bring to a sponsor?
You don't think maybe one or two Cuetecs have been sold because of SVB?
All of themEven if he did, name four other current pros who would have a similar amount of impact.
They seem to be of the opinion people watch pool because of them instead of the players.Best I can guess:
(1) Darren complained about the WPA and helped start a new players group (PPPA).
(2) WPA (WADA) tested Darren right after his hill-hill loss to Filler in the World Pool Championship. It was his second test in as many weeks.
(3) Darren was angry and said #2 was due to #1. This caused the suspension of unknown length.
The WPA seems to mishandle and destroy everything it touches lately. I don't know why this is all done in secret--it's not the case with other sports. But perhaps it's an effective deterrent as it's rare for players (other than Earl, or here Darren) to complain about the WPA.
None that I'm aware ofLost in all this is the poor neglected 13 ball. Cousin to the 5.
What of his color changes? Well??? Doesn't anyone in Canada care????
Jeff Livingston
Respectfully disagree.
This event is invitational and there is no entry fee. It's a perk for the game's best players, who are guaranteed a payout of $1,750 just for showing up. Like the best known of all Matchroom's invitationals, the Mosconi Cup, it is played in an arena that has room for just one pool table.
Is it a crapshoot? Yes, but completion of the event requires thirty-one matches in four days, and in a one table arena, it needs to be short-race format to be completed without adding days, unless you favor having a smaller field. Don't overlook that this is an invitational event that carries no ranking points. Why should it be managed as if it were a major?
The fans, whether attending or watching on stream, are afforded the opportunity to watch every single match of a tournament. As the Matchroom invitational events (Premier League Pool, World Pool Masters, World Cup of Pool, Mosconi Cup) offer the only chances on the pool calendar for fans to see every match, they are among the most beloved events of the year.
I believe that the short race format is perfect for the World Pool Masters event, and I think it's a crying shame that none of the American event producers do invitationals that ensure the most elite players a good payday. Yes, European event producers are doing far more for the most elite American pool players than American event producers.
Thanks as always for your insights. Yes, we come at things differently, but that's never gotten in the way of constructive exchange of opinions between the two of us. That's because we've always wanted the same thing in our sport, namely tournaments that are lucrative for both event producers and pro players.I'm not sure the pool players would agree with some of what you say, but of course, we each come at this topic from a different vantage point.
I do appreciate Matchroom's efforts to effect a change for the better, but as with everything associated with pool, there's always going to be some disgruntled parties or disagreements on the end result.
Expenses for the pool players are brutal. When Earl Strickland could not compete in the Mosconi Cup after flying out there and getting lodging, it is my understanding that he wasn't afforded an appearance fee and wasn't paid anything. In this regard, it is nice that the World Masters invitational gave each player $1,750, but it really doesn't cut the mustard as far as expenses.
Pool continues to be a rich man's high. Only the very elite and turn a profit, e.g., Shane, Fillers, Albin, Efren, just to name a few.
I personally am saddened at Darren Appleton's situation because he was just getting back into the thick of it and hitting 'em strong, with good results in events he competed in. It is unfortunate, especially for his fans, of which I am one.
As far as Appleton being chosen twice for testing, my understanding is that the WPA and the event organizer have no say in who will be tested. That is determined by the testing agency and the selection is random. If you think about it for a little while, I think you'll see why that's absolutely necessary for such a program. And I believe the testing agency is certified by WADA but separately contracted.
That's certainly the case. The WPA doesn't care what any of the players say and probably isn't even aware of Appleton's comments. But the question is--other than IOC butt kissing--why subject pool players to the strict WADA regimen that is rarely if ever used in US professional sports.
I can only make an educated guess here.That's certainly the case. The WPA doesn't care what any of the players say and probably isn't even aware of Appleton's comments. But the question is--other than IOC butt kissing--why subject pool players to the strict WADA regimen that is rarely if ever used in US professional sports.
I can only make an educated guess here.
Cuesports' affiliation with the IOC occurs at the WCBS (World Confederation of Billiard Sports) level, and pool (through the WPA), snooker and carom all fall under the WCBS umbrella. All three of these have hopes of being in the Olympics one day, and the probability of that happening, which many feel isn't very good, is not really the point. All three cuesports are already included in the World Games, a traditional stepping-stone to inclusion in the Olympic games. I believe that without WCBS and WPA affiliation, pool could not compete in the World Games.
All of that said, if pool wants to give up the Olympic dream and is willing to forego participation in the World Games, it could, but IOC affiliation brings quite a bit of money with it and pool, to this point, has chosen to continue its affiliation with IOC through the WCBS and the WPA, as have snooker and carom.
WADA comes with the territory as long as cuesports are affiliated with IOC through the WCBS, that won't change.
OK, so you're advocating having pool cut ties with the IOC. In theoretical terms, it would seem that this could happen if any of the following were to occur: 1) WCBS were to cut ties with the IOC, something that's possible but hard to imagine, 2) WPA were to cut ties with WCBS, also hard to imagine, or 3) pool were to cut ties with the WPA, a move I personally would think highly inadvisable.I think that's 100 percent accurate. But the issue is whether that Olympic chasing is good for the sport and whether the pro leagues (Matchroom) need to be a part of it. Perhaps without the World Games we wouldn't have state sponsored pool in Eastern Europe and the Middle East (as you have pointed out before), which would limit the player pool more than the crazy bans and suspensions we've seen over the last year.
OK, so you're advocating having pool cut ties with the IOC. In theoretical terms, it would seem that this could happen if any of three of the following were to occur: 1) WCBS were to cut ties with the IOC, something that's possible but hard to imagine, 2) WPA were to cut ties with WCBS, also hard to imagine, or 3) pool were to cut ties with the WPA, a move I personally would think highly inadvisable.
Again, I'm just not enough of an insider to judge most of this and can make no more than an educated guess. For the sake of argument, it seems that if the WCBS/IOC tie were to be cut, pool, snooker, and carom would all be affected, and unless all three strongly advocated such a severance of ties, it probably could not happen.
I can't think of any reason WPA would consider cutting ties with WCBS, as it would make pool an island in the ocean of cuesports, something that seems like a really bad idea. to me.
Finally, despite all the WPA bashing I so often read on the forum, WPA still plays a critical role in our sport. It's OK if people want the WPA to be more effective in its mission, but a centralized sanctioning body is something that pool needs badly.
Hence, I'll leave with you with this. How, exactly, would you affect the changes you have in mind?