WPA, WADA, WCBS, and BCA, an Alphabet Soup of Pool Organizations

[JAM]

I don't know any details of any of these events, and certainly don't support WPA nonsense, but I think these type of tournaments are what Fran was referring to:

KUWAIT OPEN 9-BALL CHAMPIONSHIP DRAWS THE WORLD’S BEST - WPA Pool

By Ted Lerner WPA Press Officer (Kuwait City)--Welcome to the new frontier of pool. The State of Kuwait is all set to host a brand new event on the pool calendar, the Kuwait 9-ball Open, an event that is making an auspicious start by immediately jumping to the top of the tournament heap as the […]

wpapool.com

Thank you for your kind reply.

Though it is certainly a nice venue, the $250,000 added, promoter Mohamed Salah from Qatar organizing this tournament, with $50,000 to the winner, there's truly not much difference in added monies from that tournament in 2016 to today's purses, sad to say. I'm, instead, interested in seeing where the, quote/unquote, "hundreds of thousands of dollars" is being spent on relating to pool; thus, the reasoning that some believe the WPA and its "affiliates" are paramount to pool's survival as a sport and getting into the Olympic Games.

Pool is a fractured industry, and all these organizations for pool—drug-testing pro players who probably earn less than $20,000 profit a year, to include those who can't afford to compete in international events because of costs—diminish professional pool's success. There is no transparency. When is the last time the WPA, as an example, put out a press briefing for the pool public and inform them on happenings around the world? They remain radio silent on a lot of issues.

The flippant attitude of some folks is also alarming. I respect everyone's opinion and thoughts, even if they go against mine, but I don't care for the way some choose to communicate their opinions and thoughts. I am in communication with quite a few pool peeps of all caliber, e.g., authors, pool's fourth estate, pool promoters, tournament directors, regional tour TDs, and professional pool players here in USA and around the world, and none of them are rude to me. They share their opinions and thoughts very politely, and I listen, whether I agree or not agree.

Somebody is getting fat on the sanction fees being paid and other monies coming in from country governments to the alphabet soup of pool organizations, and it is not the professional pool players.

And the American professional pool scene is in poor shape. Some members of the BCA today chastise anyone for mentioning their lack of attention and support to professional pool and state, hey, we're an industry-member group; it has nothing to do with professional pool. Yet the Polish players this week have all their expenses paid by their country's government to attend a Euro Tour event.

Pro pool used to shine in USA, and now we're in the gutter. While the BCA industry members get fat on their products sold to social and recreational pool players, the BCA organization doesn't give a flying f*ck about professional pool today. And it shows. Look at how many pro players Americans have now compared to the '80s. I can count them on one hand. It's sickening.

Here in the USA, the BCA, which is supposed to be the governing body of professional pool in North America, according the blue-blooded WPA, doesn't seem to give a damn about professional pool. They sh*t-canned the once-a-year BCA Open event that wasn't really an open but an invitational with 50 percent reserved for Americans and the other 50 percent reserved for our international brethren of pool players around the world.

Professional pool is in bad shape, and at this juncture, the WPA and its "affiliates" can fly around the world and attend banquets and pool events, these "volunteers." Nobody knows what's going on behind the curtain of the WPA and its "affiliates," and they like it like that.

I like what Matchroom Multi-Sport is doing for pool and would love to see them at the helm of all of this, to include getting pool in the Olympic Games. They have done more for pool in the last 5 years than the WPA has done in multiple decades.

 

[skogstokig]

pool is one of three cue sports in that WCBS thing but the only one with prominent players of russian nationality. the other two, carom and snooker, had little to lose in voting for a ban on russian players and pool really drew a blank here.

it begs the question, do we have to be conjoined with this particular alphabet soup? the olympic dream is a pipe dream imo and if it would happen it would be carom or snooker anyway. jmho.

 

[sjm]

Thank you for your kind reply.

Though it is certainly a nice venue, the $250,000 added, promoter Mohamed Salah from Qatar organizing this tournament, with $50,000 to the winner, there's truly not much difference in added monies from that tournament in 2016 to today's purses, sad to say. I'm, instead, interested in seeing where the, quote/unquote, "hundreds of thousands of dollars" is being spent on relating to pool; thus, the reasoning that some believe the WPA and its "affiliates" are paramount to pool's survival as a sport and getting into the Olympic Games.

Pool is a fractured industry, and all these organizations for pool—drug-testing pro players who probably earn less than $20,000 profit a year, to include those who can't afford to compete in international events because of costs—diminish professional pool's success. There is no transparency. When is the last time the WPA, as an example, put out a press briefing for the pool public and inform them on happenings around the world? They remain radio silent on a lot of issues.

The flippant attitude of some folks is also alarming. I respect everyone's opinion and thoughts, even if they go against mine, but I don't care for the way some choose to communicate their opinions and thoughts. I am in communication with quite a few pool peeps of all caliber, e.g., authors, pool's fourth estate, pool promoters, tournament directors, regional tour TDs, and professional pool players here in USA and around the world, and none of them are rude to me. They share their opinions and thoughts very politely, and I listen, whether I agree or not agree.

Somebody is getting fat on the sanction fees being paid and other monies coming in from country governments to the alphabet soup of pool organizations, and it is not the professional pool players.

And the American professional pool scene is in poor shape. Some members of the BCA today chastise anyone for mentioning their lack of attention and support to professional pool and state, hey, we're an industry-member group; it has nothing to do with professional pool. Yet the Polish players this week have all their expenses paid by their country's government to attend a Euro Tour event.

Pro pool used to shine in USA, and now we're in the gutter. While the BCA industry members get fat on their products sold to social and recreational pool players, the BCA organization doesn't give a flying f*ck about professional pool today. And it shows. Look at how many pro players Americans have now compared to the '80s. I can count them on one hand. It's sickening.

Here in the USA, the BCA, which is supposed to be the governing body of professional pool in North America, according the blue-blooded WPA, doesn't seem to give a damn about professional pool. They sh*t-canned the once-a-year BCA Open event that wasn't really an open but an invitational with 50 percent reserved for Americans and the other 50 percent reserved for our international brethren of pool players around the world.

Professional pool is in bad shape, and at this juncture, the WPA and its "affiliates" can fly around the world and attend banquets and pool events, these "volunteers." Nobody knows what's going on behind the curtain of the WPA and its "affiliates," and they like it like that.

I like what Matchroom Multi-Sport is doing for pool and would love to see them at the helm of all of this, to include getting pool in the Olympic Games. They have done more for pool in the last 5 years than the WPA has done in multiple decades.

I'm more than 90% on board here.

I'm trying to cut this post down to size in my own mind, but if the premise is that American pool players have not often benefited from the goings on at the international level and have less support even at the national level than in the past, there's no doubt you're right.

As you suggest, there is big money involved, but it's not in WPA sanctioning fees where the big money lies, for in a typical year over the past decade, only a couple of million dollars worldwide would be subject to the 5% WPA sanctioning fee, meaning sanctioning fees don't raise much money, perhaps as little as $100,000 per annum, and often less.

Contrastingly, the IOC, for the four-year period of 2021-24 has what's called a "solidarity budget" of $590 million, meaning about $150 million per annum. With the distribution of this money, the IOC offers supports to athletes, National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and Continental Associations of NOCs. Yes, America gets a big piece of that $150 million each year, but I have no idea exactly how much, and that money enables the American National Olympic committee to support its athletes as it sees fit in both established and potential Olympic sports.

Were pool an Olympic sport, some of that money would go to pool every single year and one way in which that would manifest itself is through the funding/reimbursement of the participation costs of American players in internationally sanctioned pool events. It is, of course, the option of the National Olympic Committee to offer such funding to potential Olympic sports, but in America it seems this hasn't happened to any great extent when it comes to pool. Of course, the BCA, working with WPA, tried to position American pool so that it would be assured of its piece of this enormous pie, but at least so far, it hasn't worked. Contrastingly, many other countries, such as Poland, have taken a different view and have used some of the money received from the IOC "solidarity fund" and other lesser sources to help pool itself and pool players in their countries.

The bottom line, then, is that you're right, pool's plight in America is disconcerting and doesn't seem to be improving much. As you've noted, the BCA's decision of many years ago to focus on being a trade organization while deemphasizing the professional side of American pool has factored in this.

In truth, however, the emergence of new WPA sanctioned events is a big deal in Poland and many other countries because those players have their expenses covered by their government and National Olympic Committee. Since 2021 alone, we've seen seven new WPA sanctioned events emerge in the five Predator 10-ball tour events, the UK Open and the European Open.

Unfortunately, and as you accurately note, Americans don't get to share in pool's growth to the same extent that others, such as the Polish players, do and it's a crying shame. As you say, event producers like Matchroom and CSI/Predator are, indeed, growing the sport, but in the case of the American pro, their earnings are not growing to the extent they might as a result of that growth. Things have and continue to improve, just not enough.

Still, if you think that one can paint all of worldwide pool with a single brush and think that the players of all nations are going through tough times, you are mistaken. Your "professional pool is in bad shape" comment is true here in America, for even with the game's growth, times are tough for the American pro, but pro pool is thriving in some countries and is furnishing a decent living for more players now than it has in a long, long time.

 

[JAM]

I'm more than 90% on board here.

I'm trying to cut this post down to size in my own mind, but if the premise is that American pool players have not often benefited from the goings on at the international level and have less support even at the national level than in the past, there's no doubt you're right.

As you suggest, there is big money involved, but it's not in WPA sanctioning fees where the big money lies, for in a typical year over the past decade, only a couple of million dollars worldwide would be subject to the 5% WPA sanctioning fee, meaning sanctioning fees don't raise much money, perhaps as little as $100,000 per annum, and often less.

Contrastingly, the IOC, for the four-year period of 2021-24 has what's called a "solidarity budget" of $590 million, meaning about $150 million per annum. With the distribution of this money, the IOC offers supports to athletes, National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and Continental Associations of NOCs. Yes, America gets a big piece of that $150 million each year, but I have no idea exactly how much, and that money enables the American National Olympic committee to support its athletes as it sees fit in both established and potential Olympic sports.

Were pool an Olympic sport, some of that money would go to pool every single year and one way in which that would manifest itself is through the funding/reimbursement of the participation costs of American players in internationally sanctioned pool events. It is, of course, the option of the National Olympic Committee to offer such funding to potential Olympic sports, but in America it seems this hasn't happened to any great extent when it comes to pool. Of course, the BCA, working with WPA, tried to position American pool so that it would be assured of its piece of this enormous pie, but at least so far, it hasn't worked. Contrastingly, many other countries, such as Poland, have taken a different view and have used some of the money received from the IOC "solidarity fund" and other lesser sources to help pool itself and pool players in their countries.

The bottom line, then, is that you're right, pool's plight in America is disconcerting and doesn't seem to be improving much. As you've noted, the BCA's decision of many years ago to focus on being a trade organization while deemphasizing the professional side of American pool has factored in this.

In truth, however, the emergence of new WPA sanctioned events is a big deal in Poland and many other countries because those players have their expenses covered by their government and National Olympic Committee. Since 2021 alone, we've seen seven new WPA sanctioned events emerge in the five Predator 10-ball tour events, the UK Open and the European Open.

Unfortunately, and as you accurately note, Americans don't get to share in pool's growth to the same extent that others, such as the Polish players, do and it's a crying shame. As you say, event producers like Matchroom and CSI/Predator are, indeed, growing the sport, but in the case of the American pro, their earnings are not growing to the extent they might as a result of that growth. Things have and continue to improve, just not enough.

Still, if you think that one can paint all of worldwide pool with a single brush and think that the players of all nations are going through tough times, you are mistaken. Your "professional pool is in bad shape" comment is true here in America, for even with the game's growth, times are tough for the American pro, but pro pool is thriving in some countries and is furnishing a decent living for more players now than it has in a long, long time.

I agree with almost 100 percent of your post, which is chock-full of more information than anyone can get from the WPA website. It is enjoyable to engage in an informative back-and-forth colloquy with other pool peeps who, like me, are passionate about professional pool and its survival.

The WPA and its "affiliates" still leave me with a big question mark as to their importance. What little one can glean from the internet about them is miniscule. It's as if they seem to hide behind a veil of secrecy, reminding me of the secret society of the Freemasons.

The BCA organization should change their name from "Billiard Congress of America" to "Billiard Industry Members of America," (BIMA).

American professional pool is dying. Soon we won't need a governing body of professional pool here in the States. USA has gone from a country where people from Europe, Philippines, and elsewhere would flock to America to compete in our pool tournaments, some who ended up living here permanently, to a country with a governing body of professional pool that turned its back on pro players. It is really quite sad. Bye-bye, American Pool Pie. See you on the other side of the pond.

And the WPA and its "affiliates" could care less about USA.

 

[buckshotshoey]

I dont want the United States government to pay for pool players. If anything, I want this government to just stay the hell out of it. They are already spending our money with impunity. They need to stop spending on everything that is not constitutional.

 

[kling&allen]

I agree with almost 100 percent of your post, which is chock-full of more information than anyone can get from the WPA website. It is enjoyable to engage in an informative back-and-forth colloquy with other pool peeps who, like me, are passionate about professional pool and its survival.

The WPA and its "affiliates" still leave me with a big question mark as to their importance. What little one can glean from the internet about them is miniscule. It's as if they seem to hide behind a veil of secrecy, reminding me of the secret society of the Freemasons.

The BCA organization should change their name from "Billiard Congress of America" to "Billiard Industry Members of America," (BIMA).

American professional pool is dying. Soon we won't need a governing body of professional pool here in the States. USA has gone from a country where people from Europe, Philippines, and elsewhere would flock to America to compete in our pool tournaments, some who ended up living here permanently, to a country with a governing body of professional pool that turned its back on pro players. It is really quite sad. Bye-bye, American Pool Pie. See you on the other side of the pond.

And the WPA and its "affiliates" could care less about USA.

It's also sad that lots of our talent can make more money selling windows, or playing in local $1k pot tournaments, than playing pool professionally all the time.

 

[kling&allen]

I dont want the United States government to pay for pool players. If anything, I want this government to just stay the hell out of it. They are already spending our money with impunity. They need to stop spending on everything that is not constitutional.

No argument here, but I think one issue is that the WPA is 100 percent devoted to the IOC, which provides no benefit to American players because our US Olympic rulers don't invest in pool (wisely given the popularity of other sports).

So the WPA's Olympic focus the last 30 years has grown the game in Europe and the Middle East without doing anything for the US (despite US players funding the WPA).

 

[MattPoland]

No argument here, but I think one issue is that the WPA is 100 percent devoted to the IOC, which provides no benefit to American players because our US Olympic rulers don't invest in pool (wisely given the popularity of other sports).

So the WPA's Olympic focus the last 30 years has grown the game in Europe and the Middle East without doing anything for the US (despite US players funding the WPA).

You might want to check this podcast out from the 53:00 mark. Ishaun Singh from the WPA talks about sanction fees, where they go, and what the role of the WPA is. To summarize my takeaway is that their fees are highly allocated to the drug testing, the world championship, and Olympic promotion. They really don’t operate at a level to support the sport at a regional level in any capacity. That’s what the regional governing bodies are for. That’s why you don’t hear from the WPA because that’s not their role. In the US we are meant to have high engagement levels with the BCA and they exist to support pool in the US.

 

[sjm]

You might want to check this podcast out from the 53:00 mark. Ishaun Singh from the WPA talks about sanction fees, where they go, and what the role of the WPA is. To summarize my takeaway is that their fees are highly allocated to the drug testing, the world championship, and Olympic promotion. They really don’t operate at a level to support the sport at a regional level in any capacity. That’s what the regional governing bodies are for. That’s why you don’t hear from the WPA because that’s not their role. In the US we are meant to have high engagement levels with the BCA and they exist to support pool in the US.

Thanks for that, Matt.

 

[sjm]

I dont want the United States government to pay for pool players. If anything, I want this government to just stay the hell out of it. They are already spending our money with impunity. They need to stop spending on everything that is not constitutional.

It's certainly OK to take this stance, but the funds received by the US from the IOC is already earmarked for investment in Olympic and would-be Olympic sports, organizations and athletes. How that money is divvied up by the US National Olympic committee across the various sports has no legal or constitutional issues associated with it. This distribution of funds across the sports is not US government spending and has no budgetary implications at the macroeconomic level.

 

[sjm]

I agree with almost 100 percent of your post, which is chock-full of more information than anyone can get from the WPA website. It is enjoyable to engage in an informative back-and-forth colloquy with other pool peeps who, like me, are passionate about professional pool and its survival.

The WPA and its "affiliates" still leave me with a big question mark as to their importance. What little one can glean from the internet about them is miniscule. It's as if they seem to hide behind a veil of secrecy, reminding me of the secret society of the Freemasons.

The BCA organization should change their name from "Billiard Congress of America" to "Billiard Industry Members of America," (BIMA).

American professional pool is dying. Soon we won't need a governing body of professional pool here in the States. USA has gone from a country where people from Europe, Philippines, and elsewhere would flock to America to compete in our pool tournaments, some who ended up living here permanently, to a country with a governing body of professional pool that turned its back on pro players. It is really quite sad. Bye-bye, American Pool Pie. See you on the other side of the pond.

And the WPA and its "affiliates" could care less about USA.

Great post.

I'm OK with everything but the last sentence. The WPA's efforts have grown the game globally in a big way, but as noted accurately by Kling and Allen in Post #47, the US didn't benefit because its powerbrokers chose not to invest in pool as it pursued Olympic inclusion, while many other countries did invest. The stage was set for growth, and America chose not to participate. There's no evidence that America's lack of growth in pro pool was caused by WPA apathy regarding America.

In addition, since 2021, six new events in the Americas have gained WPA Sanctioning (the five CSI/Predator tour 10-ball events and the World 8-ball), so WPA is doing a lot to help the new pro pool efforts in the Americas gain some momentum). These events have added about $700,000 to the total prize fund in US-based tournament play per annum. We're both looking for more, but it's a start.

On balance, though, I don't think our views on American pool are far apart.

 

[JAM]

Great post.

I'm OK with everything but the last sentence. The WPA's efforts have grown the game globally in a big way, but as noted accurately by Kling and Allen in Post #47, the US didn't benefit because its powerbrokers chose not to invest in pool as it pursued Olympic inclusion, while many other countries did invest. The stage was set for growth, and America chose not to participate. There's no evidence that America's lack of growth in pro pool was caused by WPA apathy regarding America.

In addition, since 2021, six new events in the Americas have gained WPA Sanctioning (the five CSI/Predator tour 10-ball events and the World 8-ball), so WPA is doing a lot to help the new pro pool efforts in the Americas gain some momentum). These events have added about $700,000 to the total prize fund in US-based tournament play per annum. We're both looking for more, but it's a start.

On balance, though, I don't think our views on American pool are far apart.

$700,000 total prize fund in the U.S.-based tournaments, yet the first place prize will be in the area of $30,000, give or take 5- or $10,000. After expenses attending these tournaments, most pool players are in the red, stuck for expenses, even if they're fortunate enough to win, place, or show in the money at one or two of them. If they make the money rounds, that might be enough to cover expenses, and sometimes it is not.

For those those who get paid $2,000 just to show up, believe me, that $2,000 covers expenses mostly, airfare, lodging, food, miscellaneous. It's a free roll, though, and that's nice.

In order to compete against world-beaters, it is essential to devote one's life to practice, practice, practice pool full-time. If one does not, they won't have a snowball's chance in h*ll to come in the money rounds playing the top players around the world. In this regard, they can't maintain a full-time job, and if they try to, what will they tell their employer? "Hey, I need to take off a week to go compete in a pool tournament every month or every other month?" Unless they have a rich enabler, a wife/girlfriend or husband/boyfriend to pay the bills, or a stakehorse with deep pockets, they cannot advance in a pro pool-playing career. In USA, Shane Van Boening has managed to eke out a living, but when Shane retires, do you think USA will have any pro players of his caliber? Look at how many pro-caliber players we have today compared to 40 years ago.

There's too many cooks in the international pool kitchen with the alphabet soup of pool organizations, and as the saying goes, too many cooks spoil the soup.

In USA, recreational pool, social shooting, and leagues are doing well. Professional pool in USA is circling the drain. Most American regional events ban pro players, and the pro player, even if they haven't hit a ball in 10 years, is considered a pariah and must give up a ridiculous handicap where they have no chance to win if they want to compete in some regional tours.

The WPA and the alphabet soup of pool organizations is not advancing professional pool, considering the amount of funds they collect to support their own expenses, and American professional pool has been orphaned by all.

I hope AzBilliards is still in existence in 2035 and somebody pulls up this thread and reads what has been written. My prediction is pool will still not be in the Olympics. If flag twirlers, table tennis, and baton throwers can make the Olympic Games, then lawn mower races and hot dog eaters have a better chance of making the Olympic Games than pool does.

 

[JAM]

Here's a list of pool players at a couple American pool tournaments in 1984. Look at the abundance of American professional players during this era, and look at first-place prize money in 1984. How many American professional-caliber pool players do we have today in 2022?

 

[JAM]

Ronnie O'Sullivan received $613,225 (£500,000) for recent his win in Sheffield, meaning his career winnings now exceed $14,717,400 (£12 million). However, he's recently spoken out for players unable to associate with those kinds of figures. In December 2021, he argued he would not be encouraging his own son to play snooker because of the lack of financial incentive in the sport. "I’m not talking about the winners," he said. "I’m talking about the guys that are ranked 60, 70 in the world that are struggling. It’s not good for them.

"If you compared the 125th golfer and what he earns and the 125th snooker player then he’d make a million dollars on the golf tour. You can afford to miss a few cuts because you can make enough money to offset the losses you might make." What would Ronnie O'Sullivan think about the professional pool world and their opportunities to earn an income?

The icon did however, offer a solution: "One way you could maybe remedy it is at least give the first round losers their expenses," he added. "A lot of these guys have not got the money. It’s unfair. Take it off the top. Winners don’t really need that extra money, give it to the first round losers so at least it doesn’t cost them anything. Then you can call it a job." There have been major changes in total prize funds elsewhere though, with increased funding available for the Turkish Masters, British Open, European Masters, English Open, Northern Ireland Open, Scottish Open, German Masters and Welsh Open.

Read more here: Ronnie O'Sullivan wish snubbed as World Snooker Tour announces new rules and prize money. [Retrieved 2022 June 26]

 

[Guy Manges]

I can understand the desire to have billiards in the Olympics, but after 40 or more years of talking about it, it doesn't seem to be any closer to ever happening. There are new Olympic sports now that didn't exist 30 years ago.

I understood that there was a hope that billiards would be in the Tokyo Olympics since Japan has a pretty strong billiards community, but even in a venue where billiards is popular, it didn't make the cut.

However, billiards is in the World Games, which is governed by the International World Games Association, under the patronage of the International Olympic Committee. It handles events that are prominent and popular, but not in the Olympics.

Even in the billiards community, there's little interest in the World Games. If there was more interest, maybe the Olympic Committee would take note.

But I suspect that that's the way things will stay - in the World Games, not in the Olympics. I'd put money on it.

I think China will bring billiards into the Olympics, In time... Guy

 

[Guy Manges]

I agree with almost 100 percent of your post, which is chock-full of more information than anyone can get from the WPA website. It is enjoyable to engage in an informative back-and-forth colloquy with other pool peeps who, like me, are passionate about professional pool and its survival.

The WPA and its "affiliates" still leave me with a big question mark as to their importance. What little one can glean from the internet about them is miniscule. It's as if they seem to hide behind a veil of secrecy, reminding me of the secret society of the Freemasons.

The BCA organization should change their name from "Billiard Congress of America" to "Billiard Industry Members of America," (BIMA).

American professional pool is dying. Soon we won't need a governing body of professional pool here in the States. USA has gone from a country where people from Europe, Philippines, and elsewhere would flock to America to compete in our pool tournaments, some who ended up living here permanently, to a country with a governing body of professional pool that turned its back on pro players. It is really quite sad. Bye-bye, American Pool Pie. See you on the other side of the pond.

And the WPA and its "affiliates" could care less about USA.

I think to a great degree you are wright, Billiard industry members is America... A better job done is coming, Must. I pray for our pool... Guy

 

[Guy Manges]

I could be old and wrong , will be, But I can't see our profession of pool going to bad, Gee look at our government and we are all still here... No matter what we do with it we are blessed... Pool is the greatest sport on this earth and it will be here when we are gone... Guy

 

[Guy Manges]

$700,000 total prize fund in the U.S.-based tournaments, yet the first place prize will be in the area of $30,000, give or take 5- or $10,000. After expenses attending these tournaments, most pool players are in the red, stuck for expenses, even if they're fortunate enough to win, place, or show in the money at one or two of them. If they make the money rounds, that might be enough to cover expenses, and sometimes it is not.

For those those who get paid $2,000 just to show up, believe me, that $2,000 covers expenses mostly, airfare, lodging, food, miscellaneous. It's a free roll, though, and that's nice.

In order to compete against world-beaters, it is essential to devote one's life to practice, practice, practice pool full-time. If one does not, they won't have a snowball's chance in h*ll to come in the money rounds playing the top players around the world. In this regard, they can't maintain a full-time job, and if they try to, what will they tell their employer? "Hey, I need to take off a week to go compete in a pool tournament every month or every other month?" Unless they have a rich enabler, a wife/girlfriend or husband/boyfriend to pay the bills, or a stakehorse with deep pockets, they cannot advance in a pro pool-playing career. In USA, Shane Van Boening has managed to eke out a living, but when Shane retires, do you think USA will have any pro players of his caliber? Look at how many pro-caliber players we have today compared to 40 years ago.

There's too many cooks in the international pool kitchen with the alphabet soup of pool organizations, and as the saying goes, too many cooks spoil the soup.

View attachment 648093

In USA, recreational pool, social shooting, and leagues are doing well. Professional pool in USA is circling the drain. Most American regional events ban pro players, and the pro player, even if they haven't hit a ball in 10 years, is considered a pariah and must give up a ridiculous handicap where they have no chance to win if they want to compete in some regional tours.

The WPA and the alphabet soup of pool organizations is not advancing professional pool, considering the amount of funds they collect to support their own expenses, and American professional pool has been orphaned by all.

I hope AzBilliards is still in existence in 2035 and somebody pulls up this thread and reads what has been written. My prediction is pool will still not be in the Olympics. If flag twirlers, table tennis, and baton throwers can make the Olympic Games, then lawn mower races and hot dog eaters have a better chance of making the Olympic Games than pool does.

View attachment 648092
View attachment 648091

Power On ... I don't think any logic could disagree with your writings... God bless you and pool ... Guy

 

[kling&allen]

I think China will bring billiards into the Olympics, In time... Guy

That's an excellent point. I don't have a link handy, but my memory is the Chinese 8 ball tour events in China pay more than Matchroom events.

 

[Guy Manges]

That's an excellent point. I don't have a link handy, but my memory is the Chinese 8 ball tour events in China pay more than Matchroom events.

I've been with Chinese pool now since 2016 and have enjoyed all of the women and men and the 8 Ball games... From what I've read their education is one of the best systems on earth. Some of their pool equipment like Joy tables and cue work is some of the best I think thats available... I have a case that was made in China, A designer case that the quality is the best I've seen and cheap. I think JB Case John sold his case company to China... Their young players, maybe five hundred + how are some of the best players that I've seen... Being old and stuck at home I try and watch ( thanks to YOUTUBE , two or three sets a day, have for many... I heard Alison say that when she was over there that they had pool tables and classes in all schools... Guy