Conditions to participate in the upcoming U.S. Open

jimmyg

Mook! What's a Mook?
Silver Member
Some of us like to watch all the Sit-Coms on TV and others like the Reality series more. Different strokes for different folks. I've seen packed houses on the edge of their seats for a great 9-Ball match and the same thing for One Pocket and Straight Pool. Very similar to golf, they are silent when a player is shooting and show their approval after a good shot. The MC seems to be a different animal, especially when it's held in the UK. There, the crowd has to be reminded to be respectful when a player is shooting and not yell out during their back stroke. Less of that when it's played here. Then there's the beer, gallons of it being consumed on that side of the pond, with the expected results. Between matches the crowd around the beer sales is three deep and no one walks away with a single beer! God bless the Brits! They love to see the Yankees tossed on their ears.
I'm one of those, Jay...love watching a great match played by talented players, the more talent, the better. Prefer top notch boxing to Wrestlemania. To me, the MC antics are a distraction and I cannot watch it for very long. The old pool culture was/is a major part of the attraction of the game, take it away and we get something like this:

 

9ballhasbeen

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I see this thread has turned into another... Prize money - How to make Pool more relevant discussion....

Has anyone seen anything "official" from Matchroom clarifying that if a player plays in a different open format 9-ball tournaments in the States, such as the International Open, that there would be zero issues for that player?
 

336Robin

Multiverse Operative
Silver Member
I see this thread has turned into another... Prize money - How to make Pool more relevant discussion....

Has anyone seen anything "official" from Matchroom clarifying that if a player plays in a different open format 9-ball tournaments in the States, such as the International Open, that there would be zero issues for that player?

I have not. The clumsy wording of their policy leaves a lot to be desired and doesn't indicate how a player is really supposed to know
whether or not he can register the 9 ball portion of the International event by Pat Fleming. It seems to be designed to cast doubt and
its going to have a devastating effect on that event. Some really bad juju in my opinion.
 

336Robin

Multiverse Operative
Silver Member
Come to think about it, if the clumsy wording leaves doubt about whether or not players can enter the US International 9-ball
event that Pat Fleming is having, wouldn't that include Turning Stone as well?

It would seem to me that someone is drawing a line in the sand if that be the case and the players are caught in the middle between
the promoters who were once free to offer them events. Is this move good for Pool? or what is this? No one seems perfectly clear.
 

9ballhasbeen

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Come to think about it, if the clumsy wording leaves doubt about whether or not players can enter the US International 9-ball
event that Pat Fleming is having, wouldn't that include Turning Stone as well?

It would seem to me that someone is drawing a line in the sand if that be the case and the players are caught in the middle between
the promoters who were once free to offer them events. Is this move good for Pool? or what is this? No one seems perfectly clear.
Indeed, any open format 9 ball tournament could be up for "review," and that doesn't sit well with me.
 

eddiethelock

Locksmith
Silver Member
sent multiple emails expecting answers about the event and ignored so far.. wtf
Received this email from a Mr. Teale today on details :


Hi Ed,

Thanks for your email. No, nowhere in the contract is there any suggestion that you cannot enter the International Open.

Thanks
Nick


Nick Teale​
Tournament Director ‑ Multi Sport​
 

336Robin

Multiverse Operative
Silver Member
Received this email from a Mr. Teale today on details :


Hi Ed,

Thanks for your email. No, nowhere in the contract is there any suggestion that you cannot enter the International Open.

Thanks
Nick


Nick Teale​
Tournament Director ‑ Multi Sport​

I have to wonder why they even came out with statement if that is the case. Its very vague.
 

patscue

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
So there is no confusion, Matchroom and the International 9-Ball Open will be open to anyone. Of course, at the International, you will not need to sign a contract, nor be required to stay at the host site, and can play in any other tournament that you wish.
I do wish the U.S. Open much success. I'll be there supporting it and hope to see many of you at the International.
Pat Fleming
 

jay helfert

Shoot Pool, not people
Gold Member
Silver Member
So there is no confusion, Matchroom and the International 9-Ball Open will be open to anyone. Of course, at the International, you will not need to sign a contract, nor be required to stay at the host site, and can play in any other tournament that you wish.
I do wish the U.S. Open much success. I'll be there supporting it and hope to see many of you at the International.
Pat Fleming
Classy, as always!
 

JusticeNJ

Four Points/Steel Joints
Silver Member
So there is no confusion, Matchroom and the International 9-Ball Open will be open to anyone. Of course, at the International, you will not need to sign a contract, nor be required to stay at the host site, and can play in any other tournament that you wish.
I do wish the U.S. Open much success. I'll be there supporting it and hope to see many of you at the International.
Pat Fleming
Pat Fleming, folks. A class act all the way.
 

KRJ

Support UKRAINE
Silver Member
Bottom line, do the powers that be have the time, money and inclination to litigate against something so asinine? The answer is no. There will be no lawsuits, there will be no penalties, this means nothing. Just play where you want and ignore the fine print ;) Seriously.

Folks think litigation is easy and you just file papers and bam, you win. It takes time, money and lawyers. They would spend thousands of thousands of dollars with no chance of collecting a dime from a pool player. Trust me, play anywhere you want, nobody is "coming" for you. lol

Of course, they could use it as an excuse to not allow you to participate in another of their tournaments. But, that's only if they are checking names of players who entered, and I doubt they are going to stop any big names from playing again. Just silly.
 

Scrunge19

Registered
Bottom line, do the powers that be have the time, money and inclination to litigate against something so asinine? The answer is no. There will be no lawsuits, there will be no penalties, this means nothing. Just play where you want and ignore the fine print ;) Seriously.

Folks think litigation is easy and you just file papers and bam, you win. It takes time, money and lawyers. They would spend thousands of thousands of dollars with no chance of collecting a dime from a pool player. Trust me, play anywhere you want, nobody is "coming" for you. lol

Of course, they could use it as an excuse to not allow you to participate in another of their tournaments. But, that's only if they are checking names of players who entered, and I doubt they are going to stop any big names from playing again. Just silly.
The players aren't going to sue Matchroom for this addendum nor will Matchroom sue a player if they play in the US Open and an event that falls within their vague parameters. Matchroom has accumulated enough power and influence over the sport already that all they will do if you violate that clause is cut you off from their future events. I doubt they ever even thought about the possibility of filing suit against a player when they put that clause in. It's just a stick to make the players toe the line.
 

336Robin

Multiverse Operative
Silver Member
The players aren't going to sue Matchroom for this addendum nor will Matchroom sue a player if they play in the US Open and an event that falls within their vague parameters. Matchroom has accumulated enough power and influence over the sport already that all they will do if you violate that clause is cut you off from their future events. I doubt they ever even thought about the possibility of filing suit against a player when they put that clause in. It's just a stick to make the players toe the line.

Its a very vague stick at that. I can't imagine that one player is going to sign up for Pat's event without needing to contact Matchroom first
to find out if its ok. When those answers start finding their way here is going to be interesting.
 

9ballhasbeen

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The players aren't going to sue Matchroom for this addendum nor will Matchroom sue a player if they play in the US Open and an event that falls within their vague parameters. Matchroom has accumulated enough power and influence over the sport already that all they will do if you violate that clause is cut you off from their future events. I doubt they ever even thought about the possibility of filing suit against a player when they put that clause in. It's just a stick to make the players toe the line.
My issue isn't really with Matchroom (though I'm not. fan of their bully approach), private companies can do what they wish, but for the BCA to allow that type of language in an event they sanction is where I'm left scratching my head.
 

jasonlaus

Rep for Smorg
Silver Member
I'm not sure what you last 3 or 4 posters are talking about, eddiethelock posted the response he got from matchroom and there is NO conflict
 

dnschmidt

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Just one obviously point. IT IS CALLED THE U. S. OPEN. Doesn't that mean that it's OPEN to anybody. In golf you play in a qualifier and if you make it you're in THE U. S. OPEN. Same with THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP. How the hell can you restrict who can play in THE U. S. OPEN? Now with the other tournaments matchroom does they can do whatever they feel like. But, that's not the case in a tournament called THE U. S. OPEN.
 

336Robin

Multiverse Operative
Silver Member
There shouldn't be a fkng contract in the first place.

They somehow see themselves as employers with what 5 events a year? lol Do they have a benefits program or something?
We let you play our events....is that the program? You're right contracts at that point is like the cart before the horse. In this
case the horse doesn't even have a saddle to sit on.
 
Top