OK, so they have 1 person watching
Jayson Shaw First Contracted Pro on WNT
- Thread starter JAM
- Start date
Speaking as someone that will never threaten to be in the top 10,000 in the world, let alone the first 128 on the WNT. I think this is the best approach. It's not a slight to whoever finished 129th, but a priority placed to ensuring they have the best available product to produce.
Society as whole prefers to celebrate whiners these days, so my opinion probably won't be popular. However Mr. 129 should feel hungry, not bitter for not getting a contract pushed in his direction. Earn that spot. Keep the best fighting to stay on the world stage. You want that guaranteed spot...?..., then knock the low man off the perch.
I'm loving it
Agreed, although Top 128, to me, is a very lenient standard for guaranteed inclusion. Still, I'm happy for all the beneficiaries of this new methodology for field filling.
Whether we're moving toward golf's basic methodology of taking one's touring card away if they fail to maintain a Top 128 ranking in any given year is not yet clear.
number 129 will for sure get in, if he wants. because at least one of the 128 isn't signing
I have to imagine MR would prefer that all their 'signed' players will take part in their majors, and locking in what is generally accepted as half a full field of a major (256) seems like a good starting point for the line that needs to be drawn somewhere.
Is there a number you would prefer to see...? I like the exclusivity of the 128. Gives the impression of the "best of the best" if you will.
That remains to be seen. I truly hope they move in that direction. If for nothing more than the additional year end drama for the WNT "deadmoney" if you will.
"Will Chris Reinhold at 116 manage to hold on to his spot..?
He's been struggling as of late and there's a host of Asian player nipping at his heels...
There only two events left in the season and he need another 20pts to hold on to his card..."
Well thus far it seems as though half the draw for events will be open for qualifiers so it's not like the product will get stale after only one year. I think it would be more interesting if they turned it over on a yearly basis.
There are annual changes, like there is a Q-school every year where several players get tour cards, but the ranking points are over two years. That allows a player to have a brief dry spell and not fall off the tour. More stability for the players and their lives.
totally agree on what good they've done, but in some of those countries the federations are almost non-existent. sanjin's father is a real driving spirit for pool in that region, and has been for many years. it's also pretty common that european pool players got the interest from watching eurosport (snooker). i hear that all the time.
hopefully the WPA will backtrack on the bans, but it might take a year or so
Yes, I see your point about locking in half the field. In truth, however, the 128th ranked player will likely, on average, be at a Fargo 750-760, and as painful as this is to say, is probably dead money in Matchroom majors. Still, keeping the number at 128 should leave the door wide open for emerging players to supplant those who fail to make the grade.I have to imagine MR would prefer that all their 'signed' players will take part in their majors, and locking in what is generally accepted as half a full field of a major (256) seems like a good starting point for the line that needs to be drawn somewhere.
Is there a number you would prefer to see...? I like the exclusivity of the 128. Gives the impression of the "best of the best" if you will.
That remains to be seen. I truly hope they move in that direction. If for nothing more than the additional year end drama for the WNT "deadmoney" if you will.
"Will Chris Reinhold at 116 manage to hold on to his spot..?
He's been struggling as of late and there's a host of Asian player nipping at his heels...
There only two events left in the season and he need another 20pts to hold on to his card..."
On the subject of Chris Reinhold, I liked what I saw from him at the US Open 9ball.
No, they aren't. To me, dead money means those with almost no chance for a top five in a major. In 2023, Jinhu Dang won the Spanish Open as a lower-ranked player and Chua/Aranas, neither ranked in the Top 20, won the World Cup of Pool. Pehlivanovic, Labutis, Bijsterbosch and Pecelj medaled at the majors, none as a Top 20 ranked player in the Matchroom rankings.
The fields are deeper than you seem to think.
My point is, week in and week out who are you betting on. If its the people outside the top 20, you've got all the action you can stand.
Hell, Tommy Kennedy won the US Open, doesn't mean he wasn't dead money. Dead $$$ will win occasionally, doesn't mean they're not net loser year after year
I have no idea who they invite, i don't watch sports or anything else for that matter(except the top pool players), they make money by extending it as long as possible, the venues are full, the bars are full, its a huge event.
Nobody is watching pool and there is no ad revenue or gate to be made at a pool tournament. I would guess the longer it goes on the less money a promoter makes. Wish it were different.
Myself, I'm not even watching pool if it isn't the top 20 and even some of those I don't care to watch. There are a few outside top 20 Aranas, Woodward, Mika and Melling, but other than that, myself, personally, I'm just not watching.
Hopefully they get more in depth with the players(the 128), their backgrounds, past matches between the players etc. There has to be a connection between the fans and the players.
oh wow, that's narrow. looking at FR it's more like top 100 for me. the spanish open final was incredibly entertaining and both were low ranked at the time. there are plenty outside the 100 that i like watching as well such as rodney, ellerman, earl, tony drago, soufi and efren of course.
pro pool talent is deep. 128 is definitely a reasonable number in my opinion.
I just mean for expected winner type stuff. Of course those other guys can win and I legit hope they do, but day in day out its really nothing but the top 10
I maybe mistaken. But the above illustrates what could happen, if the WPA was to be replaced or at very least. If a vote of no confidence was brought up against the current WPA president.
Having once played on the Euro Tour for years, I understand the structure and how national governing bodies work.
I also understand that politics rule. WPA have to abide by it's laws and respect the hierarchical structure.
Obviously, MR as a private company DO NOT.
If the structure disagrees with the WPA from top to bottom... Then what happens?
I think this is the only way I can respond to you.
You add a great value to this site and I've said it many times.
I hate arguing with you because I think you are a good person and many people have said such. I find myself discussing ethics( which I will die for) vs the sometimes shady pool deal. My intention was not to bring K into this conversation, but merely an example of close to home gambling experience. K Is a national treasure and that was not my intention.
I spend quite a bit of time down at MGM national harbor playing poker which I know your other half enjoys. If you'd enjoy a night at voltaggios, I'd be more than happy to host the 2 of you. I know we've had
beef over the years but all the people I know saw we'd get along great.
I understand if you're like F U lol. We'll work on it.
Had a friend that won a tournament and somehow his boat ended up in the basement. Video is available lol