I hope to make this easy so everyone can understand. Here goes.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) recognizes the World Confederation of Billiard Sports (WCBS) as the ruling entity for all cue sports. The WCBS in turn recognizes four entities that encompass all the cue sports of which the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) is one.
The WPA recognizes 6 organizations around the world. They consist of: All Africa Pool Association (AAPA) with 14 member countries; Asian Pocket Billiard Union (APBU) with 22 member countries; Confederation Panamerica of Billiards (CPB) with 17 member countries; European Pocket Billiard Federation (EBPF) with 38 member countries; Oceania Pocket Billiard Association (OPBA), the Australian only associations; and, the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) (note: this is NOT Mark Griffin's BCA Pool League) representing the U.S. and Canada.
Yes, the WPA is a big deal. Those 6 entities are charged with the task of rating the affiliating country member players. So, the Billiard Congress of America is charged with the task of rating players from the United States and Canada.
The BCA has gone about this task quite efficiently by using a majority of rock solid events on which to base their ratings. This is a well published list and has been known for over a year.
Just some tidbits to tidy things up a bit.
• The BCA pays a rather large membership fee to the WPA for the right to be the US/Canada representative.
• The WPA will only recognize non-profit organizations as their representative. Currently, there are only two US pool related organizations that fit the mold, the BCA and the American CueSport Association (ACS) of which the WPA has recognized the BCA.
• Many governments around the world fund their Olympic athletes. If the country is a member of a WPA recognized organization and the government funds Olympic athletes, then those players can get entry fee, travel money, training facilities, living expenses, etc. depending upon the country.
• The US government does nothing for our Olympic athletes, nor IMHO, should they. Sadly, neither does our national organization, the BCA. I do believe that the BCA should be held to task on raising funds to allow our top ranked players to attend the WPA point events around the world. If you’ve ever wondered why we (BCA ranked players) don’t fare well in WPA events maybe it’s because very few go. SVB, MD, DH, and a few more should be able to attend every WPA event. It’s pretty tough when they have to foot their own bill, unlike most of the competitors. The old story, how can you be competitive on a world stage unless you are there playing the competition.
• The US Open is a WPA point event.
So what is the Association of Billiard Professionals (ABP) organization trying to do? Are they really trying to take on the WPA? I think not. The ABP is nothing but a little blip of some maybe 10 to 20 players, on a good day, that think they are the prima donnas of pool. They think that pool owes them a living because they are so good. (I feel so bad for them, I could cry.
)
I always heard for every athlete, you are only as good as your last competition. I’m sorry that pool doesn’t have the recognition it so richly deserves. I’m sorry you don’t make the money the top 100 golfers make. I’m sorry you don’t have a great retirement plan or your sponsorship money isn’t enough to live on or…on…and…on…
My question to you ABP members. What have you done for this sport? Okay, so you play good and won some tournaments. Let’s see, you depended on someone to take a chance with their money and put on an event with the hope that they make a little money or worst case break even. (Which you want to play in only if it's your rules, to hell with the promoter.) All you invested was your entry fee and travel for a chance to win 20, 30, 40 times that amount. To have a decent purse, you depended on non-full time players that just wanted the thrill of competing in a big event. They provide the majority of the prize money and most of you treat these players like shit if they even have the audacity to make you sweat a little. On top of that, the ABP wants it seeded because they shouldn’t have to work as hard as everyone else that enters the tournament. I mean, gosh dang, they certainly deserve that, don’t you think? NO!!!!! If I lose, I wasn’t good enough that day. Same goes for them. Most pro pool players I’ve known are simply “takers”. They take everything they can and what they can’t, they expect for free. That is just how the ABP is acting.
Johnny Archer, as president, you should be ashamed of yourself. When the ABP started, you had a legit grievance and a good vehicle. The BCA came to the rescue and now you are paying the BCA/WPA back by going directly against their rating system. The ABP could have been good for pool, instead, it’s “GIMME IT, IT’S MINE. WE’LL ONLY PLAY BY MY RULES OR WE DON’T PLAY.” Johnny Archer, you have more class in your little finger than the direction the ABP is going. Hope that contract with Dragon Promotions isn’t a long one.
Actually, it would be really cool if they tournament promoters of the BCA points events were to weigh in here and support each other in a common cause, BAN ABP MEMBER PLAYERS FROM YOUR COMPETITION. You will probably get more entrants because only the nice players will be there.
OK. OK. That is how I really feel. Sorry so long..got wound up.
Jay
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) recognizes the World Confederation of Billiard Sports (WCBS) as the ruling entity for all cue sports. The WCBS in turn recognizes four entities that encompass all the cue sports of which the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) is one.
The WPA recognizes 6 organizations around the world. They consist of: All Africa Pool Association (AAPA) with 14 member countries; Asian Pocket Billiard Union (APBU) with 22 member countries; Confederation Panamerica of Billiards (CPB) with 17 member countries; European Pocket Billiard Federation (EBPF) with 38 member countries; Oceania Pocket Billiard Association (OPBA), the Australian only associations; and, the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) (note: this is NOT Mark Griffin's BCA Pool League) representing the U.S. and Canada.
Yes, the WPA is a big deal. Those 6 entities are charged with the task of rating the affiliating country member players. So, the Billiard Congress of America is charged with the task of rating players from the United States and Canada.
The BCA has gone about this task quite efficiently by using a majority of rock solid events on which to base their ratings. This is a well published list and has been known for over a year.
Just some tidbits to tidy things up a bit.
• The BCA pays a rather large membership fee to the WPA for the right to be the US/Canada representative.
• The WPA will only recognize non-profit organizations as their representative. Currently, there are only two US pool related organizations that fit the mold, the BCA and the American CueSport Association (ACS) of which the WPA has recognized the BCA.
• Many governments around the world fund their Olympic athletes. If the country is a member of a WPA recognized organization and the government funds Olympic athletes, then those players can get entry fee, travel money, training facilities, living expenses, etc. depending upon the country.
• The US government does nothing for our Olympic athletes, nor IMHO, should they. Sadly, neither does our national organization, the BCA. I do believe that the BCA should be held to task on raising funds to allow our top ranked players to attend the WPA point events around the world. If you’ve ever wondered why we (BCA ranked players) don’t fare well in WPA events maybe it’s because very few go. SVB, MD, DH, and a few more should be able to attend every WPA event. It’s pretty tough when they have to foot their own bill, unlike most of the competitors. The old story, how can you be competitive on a world stage unless you are there playing the competition.
• The US Open is a WPA point event.
So what is the Association of Billiard Professionals (ABP) organization trying to do? Are they really trying to take on the WPA? I think not. The ABP is nothing but a little blip of some maybe 10 to 20 players, on a good day, that think they are the prima donnas of pool. They think that pool owes them a living because they are so good. (I feel so bad for them, I could cry.
) I always heard for every athlete, you are only as good as your last competition. I’m sorry that pool doesn’t have the recognition it so richly deserves. I’m sorry you don’t make the money the top 100 golfers make. I’m sorry you don’t have a great retirement plan or your sponsorship money isn’t enough to live on or…on…and…on…
My question to you ABP members. What have you done for this sport? Okay, so you play good and won some tournaments. Let’s see, you depended on someone to take a chance with their money and put on an event with the hope that they make a little money or worst case break even. (Which you want to play in only if it's your rules, to hell with the promoter.) All you invested was your entry fee and travel for a chance to win 20, 30, 40 times that amount. To have a decent purse, you depended on non-full time players that just wanted the thrill of competing in a big event. They provide the majority of the prize money and most of you treat these players like shit if they even have the audacity to make you sweat a little. On top of that, the ABP wants it seeded because they shouldn’t have to work as hard as everyone else that enters the tournament. I mean, gosh dang, they certainly deserve that, don’t you think? NO!!!!! If I lose, I wasn’t good enough that day. Same goes for them. Most pro pool players I’ve known are simply “takers”. They take everything they can and what they can’t, they expect for free. That is just how the ABP is acting.
Johnny Archer, as president, you should be ashamed of yourself. When the ABP started, you had a legit grievance and a good vehicle. The BCA came to the rescue and now you are paying the BCA/WPA back by going directly against their rating system. The ABP could have been good for pool, instead, it’s “GIMME IT, IT’S MINE. WE’LL ONLY PLAY BY MY RULES OR WE DON’T PLAY.” Johnny Archer, you have more class in your little finger than the direction the ABP is going. Hope that contract with Dragon Promotions isn’t a long one.
Actually, it would be really cool if they tournament promoters of the BCA points events were to weigh in here and support each other in a common cause, BAN ABP MEMBER PLAYERS FROM YOUR COMPETITION. You will probably get more entrants because only the nice players will be there.
OK. OK. That is how I really feel. Sorry so long..got wound up.
Jay
Last edited:
