Some aggregate stats for the Florida Open's Stage 2 matches played on Table 1 are now available here: https://forums.azbilliards.com/threads/break-stats-2025-florida-open-9-ball-august-2025.578611/
Florida Open 2025, August 5-10, Orlando, Caribe Royale
- Thread starter Bob Jewett
- Start date
much of the single elim was great, play wise. just such a high level all over. atencio, morra, lechner, etc. they're playing on tight diamonds but are making it look easy. the fans were brilliant, i hope this event will be a permanent fixture on the tour
I'd be astonished if the Florida Open does not become a permanent major. Has all the ingredients. MR has been seeking the right venues in the right locations. They are thrilled by what they saw in Orlando last December and this August.
Hanoi was the first place MR struck gold. Now Orlando. MR is praying Manilla turns out to be another.
The UK and European opens, on the other hand, have not found the ideal situation.
I posted earlier this year about MR's end game. I figured they would like to have at least two big majors in the U.S., two in Europe and two in Asia. Plus there would be the wildcard of the World Pool Championship with floating locations (though next seven years in Saudi).
Would Matchroom go beyond that?
They also have the Reyes and Mosconi. They still have to figure out which of the three other non-ranking events - World Pool Masters, World Cup of Pool, and Premier League of Pool - to keep.
There may be no WPM this year for just the third time in 40 years. The World Cup of Pool is about to be absent for the second year in a row.
Big Matchroom events take a minimum of 9-10 days for WNT and the players if travel time is included. That's a lot of time.
Could MR go behind seven big majors? Seems no more than nine is likely in the long run, but even that might be too much given WPA events and other established tourneys (International, Derby, etc).
Of course, MR has now created a tier of so-called GOLD, SILVER and BRONZE events. They are aiming to have more SILVER and BRONZE events with the help of partners. Good strategy to build on.
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yea, i think it will land somewhere around seven. if you look at snooker, they have other promoters too, the tour is quite busy.
this annoyed me a little bit with the graphics they used for the schedule during this event. international open was omitted, and peri open too. i think if the prize money is above a certain amount, the other promoters events should be on there. the international i think have a 35k or 40k first prize, peri open is up there too. other than that i think the graphics and commentary was good.
Nobody knows. Frazer has talked about it in such a way as to suggest it could be a big deal for them, but all vague generalities.
Given how WNT TV seems to respond (belatedly) to US viewers, I would guess the bulk of the viewers are in America. Now, $100 a year isn't a lot to me, but it would be to someone in the Philippines or many other parts of the world.
If MR got 100,000 subscribers, that's $10 million in revenue. Revs would be $50 million with 500,000 global subcribers. And $100 million with 1 million global subscribers.
I'd guess 100,000 to 200,000 is a reasonable goal for now, but the pool-paying public does appear to be stingier than most other sports.
Phillipines and other part of the world comming here with travel expenses and a chance at 100k ? That would cover it and make it a worthy investment ? Hmmm..I dont think so. Even within the US, it isnt enough $ and we dont have to spend all that Hassles for Visa and travelling expenses as much
I notice Fedor is using it less now as well. He seems to put it on for longer shots whereas he was leaving it on and just removing it for finesse shots.
To me it makes sense to have it on if you are a certain height, it can’t be right that the optimum cue length for a 5 ft 5 person is the same as a 6ft 4 person. I changed because I often found my hand holding too close to the butt as I am above 6 ft.
I would estimate they have between 10,000 - 20,000 subscribers at the moment. That's still $100,000 - $200,000 per month, so not to be laughed at.
They really need to get an app sorted, older pool fans will want to watch on the television.
billiards_watch
Well-known member
I like the extension because it allows for a further bridge and the further back the better the accuracy without compromising your stroke.
I can stand further back with a 58" cue but I will compromise a good follow through stroke. Sometimes you have to be aware you are not shooting through the ball. The extension and added length allows you to stroke through the ball.
I still shoot the same with or without one but a longer cue feels better to me then again, I'm over 6ft in height.
I can stand further back with a 58" cue but I will compromise a good follow through stroke. Sometimes you have to be aware you are not shooting through the ball. The extension and added length allows you to stroke through the ball.
I still shoot the same with or without one but a longer cue feels better to me then again, I'm over 6ft in height.
I was impressed with Krause this week too. He played aggressively when I watched and didn't back down from any tough shots. I thought Biado would come back on him on Friday but Mickey didn't flinch.
yea, mickey shouldve been mentioned. he really showed that he belongs when he's in high gear.
Yeah, it's about being old.
Or maybe people with pool tables at the back of their home theaters would rather not watch on their iPhones . . .
middleofnowhere
Registered
This is probably a bit off subject but you might have an insight. Does MR have anything in place that prevents players from cutting the money up? That's a lot of money in the case of this most recent tournament difference between first and second was $24,000.The draw for this event has been announced. There is a full field of 256 with a few wildcards not yet available.
256 players
$200,000 prize fund
$250 entry
Standard WNT format: double elimination into single for the last 64.
Here is the draw, but I think you need a free membership to see it:
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I think they pay down well enough that might not be a problem unless it is someone from Europe or Asia with considerably more expenses. Skyler, Billy, Shane, etc. probably had really low expenses.
I think Matchroom has shown that they are seriously against players doing anything funny with prize money. Whether they have talked to the players specifically about "savers", I don't know.
middleofnowhere
Registered
Hypothetically, would you want to play one set for $24,000? I remember a tournament I was at where the final both players, you know them, had made a deal in the final. Parica who could care less about a trophy didn't even make it look good. He lost like 11 to 2. I remember BH and another player just freewheeling around in a final cause it didn't matter. People paid to watch this.
can never protect fully against savers. how would that work?
i don't think it's very prevalent in the current situation though. these top guys that play in MR / pred finals have an abundance of opportunities, good paying tournaments, and better sponsor deals than having to peddle cues. not that they won't complain, they're pool players after all, but shane doesn't have to split with yapp, or fedor. so why would he?
i don't think it's very prevalent in the current situation though. these top guys that play in MR / pred finals have an abundance of opportunities, good paying tournaments, and better sponsor deals than having to peddle cues. not that they won't complain, they're pool players after all, but shane doesn't have to split with yapp, or fedor. so why would he?
middleofnowhere
Registered
In the case of these guys your probably right. Back in the day in the US tournament, pick the names it doesn't matter, the regular crew would basically cut up all the top end money.
The problem with the MR tournaments for the players are, they are legit. They have to pay taxes and it is all accounted for. In Florida there is no state income tax. In say CA they have to pay state and fed taxes if the tournament is held there.
People on Wheel of Fortune sadly discover that. Pool players all of a sudden need to keep records no getting paid in cash and shoving it in your pocket
Hmmm, I see that CA has a "jock tax" -- created specially for high-earning athletes. It seems that even some cities have such a tax. According to our computer overlords:
AI Overview
California state taxes for visiting athletes
California levies an income tax on the portion of income earned within the state by professional athletes (and others) who do not reside in California. This is commonly referred to as the "jock tax".
Here's how it generally works:
Scope: The jock tax applies to income earned by professional athletes, coaches, trainers, and other individuals associated with a sports team who travel and earn income in different states.
Origin: California introduced the jock tax in 1991, taxing the earnings of visiting athletes like Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls during the NBA Finals in Los Angeles. This led other states to adopt similar measures.
Calculation: The jock tax is typically calculated by determining the portion of an athlete's income that is subject to the tax. This is often done using a "duty days" method, where the number of days spent performing services (games, practices, travel) in California is divided by the total number of duty days for the season.
For example, if a player's team has 200 total duty days in a season and they spend 10 of those days in California, then 10/200, or 5% of their total salary, would be subject to the California jock tax.
Withholding: Withholding agents (like teams or event promoters) are required to withhold 7% from payments to nonresident payees (including athletes) when the total California-sourced income exceeds $1,500 in a calendar year.
Impact: Athletes playing for California teams face a high marginal tax rate of 13.3%, which is the highest state-level tax in the U.S.
Deductions & Planning: Athletes can claim deductions and credits, and strategic tax planning can help them manage their overall tax burden. For instance, credits for taxes paid in other states can help prevent double taxation.
Important Note: The jock tax rules and regulations can be complex and vary by state and city. Athletes should consult with a tax professional specializing in athlete taxation to ensure compliance and understand their specific tax obligations
middleofnowhere
Registered
Often musicians and gig players discover this.
They are used to getting paid in cash at the end of the night only to find out that the guy who paid them reports this. After a few years here comes the IRS. I think one of the most famous cases of this is Chuck Berry. He plays a gig and thought nothing of shoving like $30,000 in his pocket and never report it.
You see the stories all the time the famous people actors musicians owing to the IRS like millions. You say to yourself how the hell did they manage to do that, this is how. Those late charges and interest add up.