US Open 9-Ball, 2023, Atlantic City, Sep 25-30

Lightnin' said:
By your logic; you are saying you don't want to see great play from the amateurs and semi pros, who might I remind you are the BULK of revenue in billiards in general...you want league players to show up, pay up, but not have much chance to do well, as they're used to playing on barboxes or big pocket brunswicks....you want them to get weeded out and see NO upsets, just status quo going forward to the later stages....how boring is that !!! Maybe these 4" pockets are appropriate for 10 ball ...but in my humble, league level, bang ball opinion, 9 ball pool should be... Fast n Loose, more exciting this way.
...And I'd love to see something implemented like this; ...2-game points for a win by combo or carom ....how exciting would that make 9ball....and at the same time bring back the old Hustler style of high risk high reward power shot making.
Click to expand...
So, you want high-school or college, football or basketball teams to show up on your TV to play a pro team? It's absolutely no different - nobody wants to see that and certainly nobody wants to PAY to see that.

Hopefully soon it will only be the top 128, 64 or 32 players in the world showing up for these events with maybe a few qualifiers trying to knock the bottom players out of the rankings and moving into their positions. To be honest I really dont want to see #100 vs #128. I want to watch the top players compete period - no bracket fillers.
 
Lightnin' said:
Maybe all us "no one else matters" players should STOP supporting, stop watching, stop attending, and stop participating (I'm sure leaguers made up the BULK of that 256 field).
Then see who really matters.
Click to expand...
Since nobody wants to watch league players nobody is gonna miss any of them especially the ones who whine about everything
 
Lightnin' said:
Maybe all us "no one else matters" players should STOP supporting, stop watching, stop attending, and stop participating (I'm sure leaguers made up the BULK of that 256 field).
Then see who really matters.
Click to expand...
Would probably make room to field more pros... Qualifying satellite tournaments should run instead of it being an 'open' (in my eyes, allowing qualification, still makes it an open, just an extra step of 'quality control'). Probably generates more revenue in entrance fees too. Can't see it as being anything other than positive compared to what exists now.
Ensures people play by the standard needed for the actual competition, and don't moan about it being 'Too hard' for them...
 
jasonlaus said:
So, you want high-school or college, football or basketball teams to show up on your TV to play a pro team? It's absolutely no different - nobody wants to see that and certainly nobody wants to PAY to see that.

Hopefully soon it will only be the top 128, 64 or 32 players in the world showing up for these events with maybe a few qualifiers trying to knock the bottom players out of the rankings and moving into their positions. To be honest I really dont want to see #100 vs #128. I want to watch the top players compete period - no bracket fillers.
Click to expand...
I'd watch 100# vs 128# if there were conditions that meant the standard of those players was raised... Not in the current context.
 
jasonlaus said:
Behrman ran 1 tournament per year and on top of that players rarely got paid on time.

I'm sure 95% + of the players are thrilled Matchroom is running things.

APA IS American pool and we all know how much you love league pool 😇
Click to expand...
I'm not dismissing Matchrooms revival of this game we love, they have brought structure and viewership to the standards it always should have been at.
....I'm worried about the changes they're making in equipment. This trend will kill the hopes/ excitement of the game for a great many.
My 2$ if a anyone even cares ....active Pro players need a living wage. And then open the pockets back up...and allow leaguers to come, enjoy the game with them, and possibly bring upsets with them .....that would be exciting for the game....and not hurt the Pros livelihood in the process.
 
Lightnin' said:
Hahaha .. the feelings very much mutual my friend. Haters and insults are not needed, wanted or appreciated. Thanks but NO thanks!
Btw....where are you from, you sound 110% like a Euro team supporter, just saying.
Those APA bangers are what your sponsors like Predator and Mezz and the rest make their money off. Soo some respect please!
Click to expand...
I am an American living in Germany, and I agree with him. There are 5 players in my podunk little club that would be the best player in most pool halls in America. It's not an insult, if it's the truth.
 
Lightnin' said:
...and why do you think they were calling for tighter pockets. To protect their livelihood.
Newbie question here....do or have Pro pool players ever received a living wage?
Click to expand...
Yup. Greenleaf made a crapton of money playing pool and doing exhibitions with his wife, Princess Nai Tai Tai.
 
jasonlaus said:
... Hopefully soon it will only be the top 128, 64 or 32 players in the world showing up for these events with maybe a few qualifiers trying to knock the bottom players out of the rankings and moving into their positions. ...
Click to expand...
If pool goes like snooker....

At many snooker events, all but the top 16 ranked players have to go through qualifications rounds. That's a big incentive for the top players to keep their ranking up and consequently show up for all major events. There are only 128 players holding tour cards. Snooker has a Qualification School which is basically a bunch of tournaments. Anyone can enter. This year, 200 players entered including some who had fallen off the pro tour. The top few finishers get a two-year tour card and the top remainders are used as fillers when the field doesn't fill.

I don't know if it still in-plan, but shortly after Matchroom acquired the Open, they said the goal was to have zero entry fee. That's what you can do when you global video coverage and sell broadcast rights.
 
Last edited:
Lightnin' said:
I'm not dismissing Matchrooms revival of this game we love, they have brought structure and viewership to the standards it always should have been at.
....I'm worried about the changes they're making in equipment. This trend will kill the hopes/ excitement of the game for a great many.
My 2$ if a anyone even cares ....active Pro players need a living wage. And then open the pockets back up...and allow leaguers to come, enjoy the game with them, and possibly bring upsets with them .....that would be exciting for the game....and not hurt the Pros livelihood in the process.
Click to expand...
Who is going to pay the Pros a "living wage" ? Seriously, where should that $$$$ come from?

Most pool players complain if it costs $5/day to watch an event, they think everything should be free. If MR was selling 50million worth of pool jerseys, 100million worth of sneakers, and 100's of millions worth of tickets to events then sure, they should be paying the players a wage
 
Flakeandrun said:
I'd watch 100# vs 128# if there were conditions that meant the standard of those players was raised... Not in the current context.
Click to expand...
Me too ...I wouldn't mind to watch some local banger up against a Fedor or SVB or FSR or Raga ....would be fun, regardless of the outcome. BUT watching them struggle with 4" pockets....NO fun at all.
 
Bob Jewett said:
If pool goes like snooker....

At many snooker events, all but the top 16 ranked players have to go through qualifications rounds. That's a big incentive for the top players to keep their ranking up and consequently show up for all major events. There are only 128 players holding tour cards.
Click to expand...
My point since the very beginning.... this is becoming like Snooker. !!!
 
No
Lightnin' said:
Me too ...I wouldn't mind to watch some local banger up against a Fedor or SVB or FSR or Raga ....would be fun, regardless of the outcome. BUT watching them struggle with 4" pockets....NO fun at all.
Click to expand...
Not what I'm saying, I'm saying #128 should be able to deal with 4" pockets too, without complaint. I'd watch anyone play anyone in a competitive game, that comes from raising the bar, not lowering it imo
 
Lightnin' said:
My point since the very beginning.... this is becoming like Snooker. !!!
Click to expand...
Are you talking matchplay, or organisation? I think Snooker, though not perfect, is starting to be organised in a more understandable, and interesting way, that stimulates progress, growth and new faces on the scene.
 
Bob Jewett said:
And the snooker world championship had over half a billion viewers. No, we wouldn't want that.
Click to expand...
🙈
Ugh .. of course we want that, and YES matchroom has moving pool in this direction....BUT ...my point is....don't change our game ...especially 9ball ...in the process!
 
jasonlaus said:
There is nothing wrong with league play at all, the US Open is not the place for league rules and pocket/table sizes.

There is a thread about league play that you can read for days.

The reason American players don't do well against pros from all over the world is they don't have discipline period
Click to expand...
rack.JPG
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top