The WPA has been run by one man out of apartment in Australia for decades. Matchroom is a real company with offices and staff. They are a real organization dedicated to producing professional sporting events to be shown on television all around the world, not just someone looking for a sanction fee handout from every promoter. It's no contest here!
The WPA is like the Titanic right after it hit the iceberg, it doesn't know its sinking yet.
At least we know the 5 would be orange or FatBoy would never sign off on itI'm just picturing the "AZBilliards 9Ball Tour". Now THAT would be a trip.
Right! But here, the WPA was like "I bet I can take on this iceberg, heh" and drove right into it on purpose, arguing that doing so was the for good of the passengers. I guess if they find themselves out of a job they can look forward to a long successful career as politicians.
Cut and paste what I wrote in the other thread about this:Meanwhile...
World Snooker Tour (“WST”) Statement - World Snooker
The WST is disappointed to hear that a number of players under contract with the WST have elected not to play in a WST event, preferring instead to play in a non-sanctioned event in Macau thereby being in breach of the terms of their player contract. Following recent speculation and the...wst.tv
Yes, unfortunately true it is fractured and for as long as I can remember back in the 80's. At least MR has been improving the public face. We need a good public face to bring along the money... more televised professional events etc. What happened to choice...WPA just dug their own grave. Players will opt out.
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Life threatening? Probably none. They played under the auspices of the local leadership. Political fallout? Who knows? Maybe nothing, maybe a few years climbing out of an annoying hole. I'd watch the winner boards for any emerging patterns.the absolute hipocrisy in saying they protect the players while at the same time leaning against qatar and congregate 128 players in qatar is becoming more disturbing by the day. now the hamas leaders, based in doha in qatar, is drumming for full out jihad and war:
Former Hamas chief calls for protests, neighbours to join war against Israel
Former Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal called for protests across the Muslim world on Friday in support of the Palestinians and for the peoples of neighbouring countries to join the fight against Israel.www.reuters.com
that's in the same city as the qatar open.
how far away from direct danger were those players, WPA?
Regardless the 'optics' are not good. With the attacks on Israel even the mere whiff of association will have big-time negative fallout.
not to defend anyone here but the fact that Qatar is the home office of Hamas is not news. haven't heard one player say they felt it was dangerous to go. don't think that event will happen again now in light of those asswipes killing civilians like that. Any credibility Qatar may have had probably just evaporated.
Gotta agree. Big Trouble in Committeetown.
A pool tournament, even with the Sheiks in attendance seems like a lousy target. IDK Me no strategist.
snookerhq.com
Macau event WST notice: https://wst.tv/wst-statement-update/ Looks like MR has the willingness to work these situations out. IDK if the WPA does.Here is an interesting article on the bans that some "rogue' snooker players were looking at because they were going to play in an exhibition in China that conflicted with a tour event. The bottom line is that if you have an organized tour that people actually watch -- that is, you have a saleable product -- there will likely be the chances of bans.
Shaun Murphy - 'it's not a small amount of money that you're offered to go' - SnookerHQ.com
Shaun Murphy has shared his views on the ongoing standoff between the so-called Macau Five and the World Snooker Tour.
