After reading the recent news on the Chinese cancelling their contract with the WPA for an upcoming event in March, I do wonder why or what is their reasoning.
Read the article --> Chinese Contract with WPA Cancelled
There is one school of thought, which I totally understand, that the pool world needs an organization like the WPA to represent them so that pool has hope for a future in the Olympic games. It gives pool a modicum of professionalism, unlike professional pool in USA that has no professional organization representing it.
We all know that today the BCA organization seems to concentrate more on industry members' sales than they do professional pool in North America, yet they are supposed to be our governing body of professional pool in North America.
There is another school of thought that the WPA charges sanctioning fees to pool promoters so that the pool promoter can claim that their event is a "world championship" or an international tournament with ranking by the WPA.
The WPA website could be more informative and up to date with the latest pool news, in my opinion. The coverage of pool happenings around the world doesn't seem to cut the mustard. The WPA members travel to various events around the world, which I know is expensive as far as airlines, hotels, food, et cetera. There doesn't seem to be much transparency in the WPA as to where the sanctioning fees or monies go.
Me personally, I'd like to see Barry Hearn and Matchroom Sport become the world governing body of pool. He is the World Snooker chairman, and snooker is doing pretty good as far as payouts when compared to pool.
This is the blind poll question: Does pool (pocket billiards) need the WPA as it exists today?
Though I have been informed by several pool industry members that, indeed, the WPA is imperative for the future of pool, I just wonder if another platform would be better to represent pool.
I don't think the WPA is doing enough and hasn't been doing enough for many years; thus, the reason for this poll. I respect everyone's opinion, though.
Read the article --> Chinese Contract with WPA Cancelled
There is one school of thought, which I totally understand, that the pool world needs an organization like the WPA to represent them so that pool has hope for a future in the Olympic games. It gives pool a modicum of professionalism, unlike professional pool in USA that has no professional organization representing it.
We all know that today the BCA organization seems to concentrate more on industry members' sales than they do professional pool in North America, yet they are supposed to be our governing body of professional pool in North America.
There is another school of thought that the WPA charges sanctioning fees to pool promoters so that the pool promoter can claim that their event is a "world championship" or an international tournament with ranking by the WPA.
The WPA website could be more informative and up to date with the latest pool news, in my opinion. The coverage of pool happenings around the world doesn't seem to cut the mustard. The WPA members travel to various events around the world, which I know is expensive as far as airlines, hotels, food, et cetera. There doesn't seem to be much transparency in the WPA as to where the sanctioning fees or monies go.
Me personally, I'd like to see Barry Hearn and Matchroom Sport become the world governing body of pool. He is the World Snooker chairman, and snooker is doing pretty good as far as payouts when compared to pool.
This is the blind poll question: Does pool (pocket billiards) need the WPA as it exists today?
Though I have been informed by several pool industry members that, indeed, the WPA is imperative for the future of pool, I just wonder if another platform would be better to represent pool.
I don't think the WPA is doing enough and hasn't been doing enough for many years; thus, the reason for this poll. I respect everyone's opinion, though.