Does pool (pocket billiards) need the WPA as it exists today?

Does pool (pocket billiards) need the WPA as it exists today?

  • Yes, keep the WPA as it exists today.

    Votes: 4 11.8%
  • No, the WPA is not doing enough.

    Votes: 30 88.2%

  • Total voters
    34

JAM

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
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.
 

JAM

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Well, it's a slow day on AzBilliards or nobody cares one way or the other. :p

It is true that the majority of the pool-playing public in USA are recreational or social shooters that play on leagues. They don't even know what the WPA is, I guess. :p

I'll be dead before pool ever makes it to the Olympics, if at all. :embarrassed2:
 

Dan_B

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
...oooh cheer up :smile:
look at the bright side JAM, since admission to the WTO with all of the given
advantages, which POTUS says will expire on his watch, that has propelled China too
world dominance in all things that matter, seeing billiards as something worthy of
control in all country gatherings of the game is a good thing.

Matchroom has the advantage of legalized gambling being a main component too its existence.

There has to be the feeder stock without force of persuasion for anything of reverence to be recognized.
 

336Robin

Multiverse Operative
Silver Member
Seems to me you're right the new pros are your local team pool players. It's about impossible to find anyone that plays One Pocket in the local rooms. All that being said I've wondered if a new player organization could be created to build a foundation whose interest earned could be used to sponsor events and I think the answer to that is probably about the same as the answer you're getting about the WPA.

There is a lot of activity in the home pool table market and then you have the bars that have pool tables. Sticks get sold, cloth gets sold and installed, chalk gets sold.

I think the days of amateur's that want to become pro are slipping fast. I'd just like to find a local one pocket tournament to get into that wasn't a thousand a man, something affordable. Seems a great and every widening divide between the pros that are left and the Amateur. When Pool can't come close to paying the rent on a space then Pool is going to have a hard time making it.

A friend of mine who helps run a local league of league players told me we don't have any young people. The league is going to be hurting if we can't recruit some young folks. How you do that I'm unsure but it seems there is continual devolvement as time goes by. China and Russia are pretty strong on Pool. I'm unsure what the answer is for here.


Well, it's a slow day on AzBilliards or nobody cares one way or the other. :p

It is true that the majority of the pool-playing public in USA are recreational or social shooters that play on leagues. They don't even know what the WPA is, I guess. :p

I'll be dead before pool ever makes it to the Olympics, if at all. :embarrassed2:
 

Nick B

This is gonna hurt
Silver Member
I think we can all agree that the WPA doesn't do enough. Seems to be a one way cash cow (and probably not that lucrative). Big Tourneys and Promotorers (Match Room) don't need WPA and they quite frankly don't bring much to the party. Not even a decent website or hub for events/updates (how many here would trade AZ for WPA site).

In the end promoters and players will vote with their feet. I would be curious to see what Darren Appleton with his WPS thought about about WPA sanctioning and whether it mattered or contributed in anyway.
 

JAM

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Link to their constitution: https://wpapool.com/wpa-constitution-revised/ A bunch of lawyer-speak basically. It was formed to basically oversee world championship events. You might just email them and ask point-blank, " Just what is it you do for pool ?".

I just wonder where the sanctioning fees go when the WPA collects them. Does it help pay for the website? Does it help pay for travel expenses? Does it help pay for letter writing to the Olympic commitee(s)?

If I knew more about what they are doing behind the curtain, maybe I'd be able to understand better. But I don't understand. I'm sure they are all nice people, but what do they do for pool? Let promoters call their tournament "world" if promoters pay them a fee? Sheesh!
 
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