Wait till you hear about all the new Heyball Contracts...
The Chinese dollar is the most used currency in China. And China is the largest market for Chinese people.
Jayson Shaw First Contracted Pro on WNT
- Thread starter JAM
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Wait till you hear about all the new Heyball Contracts...
The Chinese dollar is the most used currency in China. And China is the largest market for Chinese people.
I do not understand why the WPA is making this out to be harder than it is. Simple, ban the matchroom players from their events and then go and contract as many big tournaments as you can, add in some money and boom, problem solved.
let the fans continue screaming and kicking about all this stuff. Just run your business and do it well.
let the fans continue screaming and kicking about all this stuff. Just run your business and do it well.
So how would that work...? They collect their 5% sanctioning fee from said tournaments and then add it back to bolster the prize pool...?
What does the tournament gain during this transaction...?
Can anyone tell me what value the WPA adds to any event they sanction these days...? It was calendar protection if I remember correctly. Of course they're at the mercy of everyone who doesn't care about the WPA. That list keeps growing....
The WPA isn’t a business and has never done anything well.
Does WPA endorsement help the WPBA?
If its a moot point drop it. Without a global olympic affiliated sanctioning body does the WPBA suffer losses of events of prize funds?
The WPA sounds like agents, but they got beat by MR this year.
WPA goes to countries and says this...
MR is doing that now direct to people...
Both systems are needed.
Controlling the government angle is costly but better to have. Look at Europe, they all travel to the US.
If its a moot point drop it. Without a global olympic affiliated sanctioning body does the WPBA suffer losses of events of prize funds?
The WPA sounds like agents, but they got beat by MR this year.
WPA goes to countries and says this...
MR is doing that now direct to people...
Both systems are needed.
Controlling the government angle is costly but better to have. Look at Europe, they all travel to the US.
I think it's a matter of identity. To me Matchroom is so far the most successful commercial pool promoter and the WPA is simply a structure of semi-government-subsidized Olympic-affiliated pool federations. Commercial and Olympic-affiliated pool can be unified if they can align on common interests. I think we've learned that won't happen because the WPA views itself as a universal authority on pool and has strict requirements dictated to it from the IOC on how certain things are executed (like drug testing and suspension enforcement). I'm with you that commercial pool doesn't need to give a flying fk about the Olympics. I'm certain Matchroom is there too. But the entire identity of the WPA as an Olympic-affiliated entity is to desire it. If they can't pursue that from the back seat of commercial pool, then they simply need to chase it separate from commercial pool. Which to me does mean doing it with amateur pool.
If this continues and Matchroom gets a near monopoly on the best players ...
1) the WPA's hand will be forced in everything but Heyball, which I'm still not convinced has anything to do with pro pool.
2) WPAs choice will be to strictly enforce the edicts of Qatar and continue their events with mediocre fields or to back down and allow Matchroom players entry into such events. The most likely scenario to me would be that they will back down.
In this scenario, Matchroom would hold all the cards and WPA would likely either a) reconcile with Matchroom, giving Matchroom absolutely everything they want, b) abandon the policy of banning Matchroom players, or both of these.
WPA has helped to build pool's infrastructure worldwide and they can and will continue to do so, but at pro level, they'd play second fiddle to Matchroom, just as many of us want. As Justnum points out, the WPA has done a lot for women's pro pool and will likely continue to do so.
WPA can remain a very positive force in our sport, but they'll no longer be able to bully the organization that is pool's greatest hope for growth in over twenty years.
1) the WPA's hand will be forced in everything but Heyball, which I'm still not convinced has anything to do with pro pool.
2) WPAs choice will be to strictly enforce the edicts of Qatar and continue their events with mediocre fields or to back down and allow Matchroom players entry into such events. The most likely scenario to me would be that they will back down.
In this scenario, Matchroom would hold all the cards and WPA would likely either a) reconcile with Matchroom, giving Matchroom absolutely everything they want, b) abandon the policy of banning Matchroom players, or both of these.
WPA has helped to build pool's infrastructure worldwide and they can and will continue to do so, but at pro level, they'd play second fiddle to Matchroom, just as many of us want. As Justnum points out, the WPA has done a lot for women's pro pool and will likely continue to do so.
WPA can remain a very positive force in our sport, but they'll no longer be able to bully the organization that is pool's greatest hope for growth in over twenty years.
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I find it a shame matchroom haven’t made any real progress in promoting the women. It looks like they will be with the wpa. Shame because there are a lot of them worth watching and in my opinion, a lot easier on the eye as well!
Wonder why that is or maybe that will be a later project
The same reason for 90% of other sports - nobody cares
Why don't you post on their streams and show some activity on WPBA events?
I watch some of the chats and it is always more empty than the men's events.
It takes 10 seconds to login, post and and click like. Are you saying all the male pros are too busy to do that?
The men's events have bots, spammers and all kinds of social media inflation technology.
The women's streams just need at minimum 128 likes from male pros. If all the male pros post and like, that shows a level of organization.
Common to colleges and minor and major teams.
I think women in snooker get support in three ways. I think the top women (1 or 2) get tour cards. I think there are some mixed pairs events. And the WPBSA does produce a World Snooker Championship for women and six or seven other ranking events. It looks like the top female players can make about $30,000 per year.
The problem is one of viewership, as mentioned above. People prefer to watch O'Sullivan/Selby/Trump/Higgins/Brecel/Robertson over a qualifying match between two players in the bottom 32 of the ranking list.
Maybe it is not possible to market women's snooker successfully so the only real opportunity is on the main tour. There are currently three women with tour cards.
Right now in pool women can play on the Nineball Tour but with no separate division. I would expect that to continue more or less like the snooker main tour. I do not expect Matchroom to promote women-only tournaments or a tour before the main tour is established.
Their investment is in men's pool. It hard to figure why anybody would question the strategic direction that Matchroom has taken. Women's pool is in good hands with WPA/Predator, and if you want to watch them, you'll have ample opportunity, both live and on stream.
I'm sure Matchroom won't tell you where to invest your money and you shouldn't tell them where to invest theirs.
women's pool has been more successful than women's snooker. twenty years ago it ago it was on ESPN and had celebrity players. i think an honest answer as to why that was would be considered sexist today.
Look at Snooker or Darts. Do Matchroom show or promote women tournaments. No!
If you want to be shown or promtoted by MR you have to play in the "open division"
I just don't believe they are signing them at this slow pace. But that's me. That's why.
It's going to take weeks to sign all the players they want.I just don't believe they are signing them at this slow pace. But that's me. That's why.
Gorst said in his podcast he hasn't signed yet but said he probably will. So he's in no hurry.
There are probably players who haven't even received a contract yet.