BCA Elections -- Pro Pool Remains Orphaned

J

JAM

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Well, the BCA just had its new election. There's a new chairman with the other familiar names taking on different positions on the BCA board of directors (BOD). One day, you're chairman of the BCA BOD; next day, you're treasurer of BCA BOD.

Congratulations to Mike Serra of Championship LLC, the new BCA chairman. I've never even heard of Championship LLC. Of course, maybe if I was allowed to attend the BCA Expo, I'd be more familiar with the members of the BCA, which are mainly industry folk.

Also new to the BCA this year is that they are going to allow media members to vote on bylaws and revisions, but there was not one mention of professonal pool. Why is the BCA the representative entity for North America for professional pool? I still don't get it. I never read anything about professional pool coming from the BCA. :frown:

The WPA recently issued a few press releases on AzBilliards, as well as updated their website. Could it be that the noise generated from the pool public, to include this "message board" -- LOL -- finally hit on deaf ears, allowing them to effect a change for the better? I must give credit where credit is due. I like the update to the new WPA website. It is a step in the right direction, and I sent them an e-mail stating so. And guess what? I actually got a reply back. :smile:

Here's the new and improved WPA website: http://www.wpa-pool.com

If the BCA is going to continue to represent the United States in professional pool, they need to show their support. Rather than admitting media members to vote, why now allow the living BCA Hall of Famers to vote on bylaws and revisions? It would be nice to read a press release from the BCA about topics other than a BCA president is named Man of the Decade by his own peers.

I'd love to read something on this thread positive about the BCA and what it's doing to help professional pool in the United States. Please share. :smile:

Source: "BCA Names Mike Serra of Championship LLC 2011-2012 Board Chairman" [Retrieved 27 July 2011]
 
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J

JAM

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
"I believe with the new Board of Directors we will be able to get right to work and continue the momentum established from the previous Board," said Chairman Mike Serra.

"Continue the momentum"? Please, Mike Serra, change course and rescue the professional pool players that the BCA is supposed to be representing. Sheesh!

"The ability for the new BCA Board of Directors to stay focused on the BCA mission and maintain the energy put forth by the out-going Board will ensure that the BCA will continue to move in the right direction."

Mumbo jumbo!
 
gunzby

gunzby

My light saber is LD
Silver Member
It reads like something I nod off to like when I have to go to a quarterly meeting.
 
J

JAM

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
gunzby said:
It reads like something I nod off to like when I have to go to a quarterly meeting.
Click to expand...

The only time you read anything about the BCA in the fourth estate is about their administrative staff getting awards or new BCA elections.

Wouldn't it be nice to read about their concern of professional pool in North America? I mean, after all, they are supposedly the representative that is looking out for the interests of professional pool players.
 
macguy

macguy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
They should probably change their name, it seems to be more of a trade organazion. They are more interested in people who sell bar stools then pool players.
 
G

Georgia Boy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
JAM said:
Well, the BCA just had its new election. There's a new chairman with the other familiar names taking on different positions on the BCA board of directors (BOD). One day, you're chairman of the BCA BOD; next day, you're treasurer of BCA BOD.

Congratulations to Mike Serra of Championship LLC, the new BCA chairman. I've never even heard of Championship LLC. Of course, maybe if I was allowed to attend the BCA Expo, I'd be more familiar with the members of the BCA, which are mainly industry folk.

Also new to the BCA this year is that they are going to allow media members to vote on bylaws and revisions, but there was not one mention of professonal pool. Why is the BCA the representative entity for North America for professional pool? I still don't get it. I never read anything about professional pool coming from the BCA. :frown:

The WPA recently issued a few press releases on AzBilliards, as well as updated their website. Could it be that the noise generated from the pool public, to include this "message board" -- LOL -- finally hit on deaf ears, allowing them to effect a change for the better? I must give credit where credit is due. I like the update to the new WPA website. It is a step in the right direction, and I sent them an e-mail stating so. And guess what? I actually got a reply back. :smile:

Here's the new and improved WPA website: http://www.wpa-pool.com

If the BCA is going to continue to represent the United States in professional pool, they need to show their support. Rather than admitting media members to vote, why now allow the living BCA Hall of Famers to vote on bylaws and revisions? It would be nice to read a press release from the BCA about topics other than a BCA president is named Man of the Decade by his own peers.

I'd love to read something on this thread positive about the BCA and what it's doing to help professional pool in the United States. Please share. :smile:

Source: "BCA Names Mike Serra of Championship LLC 2011-2012 Board Chairman" [Retrieved 27 July 2011]
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Jam
Why so cynical? At least they have now unveiled their new name, logo and tag line for for next years event. It's awesome just think how much it cost and how long it took to dream up this!

Summit 2012: Redefining the billiard business…together.

Great job BCA, Pool continues to go down the crapper but you have a new name for your Expo :rolleyes:
 
J

JAM

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Georgia Boy said:
Jam
Why so cynical? At least they have now unveiled their new name, logo and tag line for for next years event. It's awesome just think how much it cost and how long it took to dream up this!

Summit 2012: Redefining the billiard business…together.

Great job BCA, Pool continues to go down the crapper but you have a new name for your Expo :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

LOL! I'm thinking about writing a letter to the editor of all major pool print media sources. I may make it an open letter to the WPA and address the BCA's involvement with professional pool. Another option would be to create a petition and see how many electronic signatures can be mustered to protest the BCA's lack of involvement in professional pool.

I am a strong letter writer, BTW.

As Macguy states, the BCA, at least in public, seems to only be interested in bar stools and bowling balls. Pool has become an orphan.

I mean, after all, it is supposed to be the BILLIARD Congress of America.
 
G

Georgia Boy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
JAM said:
LOL! I'm thinking about writing a letter to the editor of all major pool print media sources. I may make it an open letter to the WPA and address the BCA's involvement with professional pool. Another option would be to create a petition and see how many electronic signatures can be mustered to protest the BCA's lack of involvement in professional pool.

I am a strong letter writer, BTW.

As Macguy states, the BCA, at least in public, seems to only be interested in bar stools and bowling balls. Pool has become an orphan.

I mean, after all, it is supposed to be the BILLIARD Congress of America.
Click to expand...

Jam
I think thats a great idea, if they run Pool or pretend to run it, maybe they should actually care whats going on in the World of Pool. Obviously everyone here can't read between the lines properly, I thought 'Billiard' also meant Pool. As Macguy clearly points out it doesn't really, oh well it's back to school for me, I hate evening classes.
 
Island Drive

Island Drive

Otto/Dads College Roommate/Cleveland Browns
Silver Member
macguy said:
They should probably change their name, it seems to be more of a trade organazion. They are more interested in people who sell bar stools then pool players.
Click to expand...

B ware C orporate A genda.............is how I"ve read it for yrs.
 
Island Drive

Island Drive

Otto/Dads College Roommate/Cleveland Browns
Silver Member
It would be nice, if quarterly they would tell us what they have done to enhance the game, don't think that would be too difficult, as everything is on budget and known of 12 mths in advance. Is that asking too much.
 
M

mikefeiman

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
JAM, so you're aware, Championship LLC is a manufacturer of pool table cloth. The brands they make include Mercury Ultra, Valley Teflon and Titan. Mike Serra was the president of a billiards supply distribution company (MBS Group) that was acquired by Championship either late last year or early this year (I can't recall the exact date). He now serves as a VP for Championship.

The BCA is for the most part a trade organization, so it should not come as a surprise that the representation is focused on manufacturers (category 1) and retailers (category 2).
 
chefjeff

chefjeff

If not now...
Silver Member
The USGA (golf) has a tagline on their literature:

FOR THE GOOD OF THE GAME

Then there is the PGA that is for the good for the pros.

What's the BCA's slogan (i.e., mission)?______________

Jeff Livingston
 
Masirib5

Masirib5

Klaatu barada nikto
Silver Member
What exactly does the BCA do? I'm sure I could search past posts but that's too much work for there old eyes.

Man they were everything and now it looks like they are a footnote in Billiard history.

What happened?

Any people from the BCA want to chime in?

--Jeff
 
Island Drive

Island Drive

Otto/Dads College Roommate/Cleveland Browns
Silver Member
Masirib5 said:
What exactly does the BCA do? I'm sure I could search past posts but that's too much work for there old eyes.

Man they were everything and now it looks like they are a footnote in Billiard history.

What happened?

Any people from the BCA want to chime in?

--Jeff
Click to expand...

Basically, they are mfg and distributors, that have quarterly meetings and in the past 30 years many board members (ones who could afford to be a board member) joined to focus their imput on how to improve sales of their products. The early vision that the BCA had during the days of Paul Huebler and such are long gone. Now, like Washington, the gridlock is between the mfg of products for the sport and the sport itself. The BCA is a trade organization, and have become more focused to maintaining that entity, than promotion of the game as a whole. Sad, because they have the ability/smarts/people/funding/name recognition etc. to make change happen and double their production, but they stay away from the play side most of the time. At least the BCA still has a table cloth mfg as the board president, where actual play, especially pro level, definitely affects their bottom line more than lets say, Bob Radford, from N. IL, who owns a pool school and is soley focused on His business, Not the game as a whole.
 
J

JAM

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Masirib5 said:
...Any people from the BCA want to chime in?
Click to expand...

I doubt they will defend their stance on professional pool. I think they believe they're doing something right for professional pool. Actions, though, speak a heck of a lot louder than words. The proof is in the pudding, as they say.
 
D

duckie

GregH
Silver Member
I don't understand how pro pool has been orphaned? It is known that they are a industry organization, so to me it appears that some are trying to make the BCA something it isn't and doesn't want to be.

There are several areas of the pool world, way beyond the pro part. There is the industry, the pro, amatuer/recerational/leagues, media/instruction, room owner and a few more I imagine.

But there is no one organization trying to tie all these together in order to grow, promote pool.

Until this is addressed, pool will always be framented.
 
J

JAM

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
duckie said:
I don't understand how pro pool has been orphaned? It is known that they are a industry organization, so to me it appears that some are trying to make the BCA something it isn't and doesn't want to be.

There are several areas of the pool world, way beyond the pro part. There is the industry, the pro, amatuer/recerational/leagues, media/instruction, room owner and a few more I imagine.

But there is no one organization trying to tie all these together in order to grow, promote pool.

Until this is addressed, pool will always be framented.
Click to expand...

Bingo! We've got a winner! You're right, absolutely right, but the BCA is interested in helping its industry members, more so than coming to the aid of a fragmented pool culture in North America. Professoinal pool is not on their agenda at all, it seems, as exhibited by their actions. :frown:
 
S

saddlebow

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
here's how it works in Europe

On the same page of AzB announcing the new BCA Board is an announcement from the EBPF [the euro zone rep to the WPA] about its new youth director. !! EVERY other regional group in the WPA actually supervises, regulates and supports amateur and pro pool at all levels from kids on up to pro events. BEF is out trying to beg enough money just to send our kids to the WPA Junior championships. If anyone wonders why there's no pool organization in the US that's the equal of what the players in the rest of the world have, wonder no further than the complete absence of BCA support for anything except sales and marketing http://www.azbilliards.com/2000storya.php?storynum=8979
 
J

JAM

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
saddlebow said:
On the same page of AzB announcing the new BCA Board is an announcement from the EBPF [the euro zone rep to the WPA] about its new youth director. !! EVERY other regional group in the WPA actually supervises, regulates and supports amateur and pro pool at all levels from kids on up to pro events. BEF is out trying to beg enough money just to send our kids to the WPA Junior championships. If anyone wonders why there's no pool organization in the US that's the equal of what the players in the rest of the world have, wonder no further than the complete absence of BCA support for anything except sales and marketing http://www.azbilliards.com/2000storya.php?storynum=8979
Click to expand...

Hear, hear! Tap, tap, tap! Well said! :cool:
 
C.Milian

C.Milian

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Guess who made me realize all this? Pocketpoint. This thread brings back memories. I'm glad to see this thread because I was starting to forget his whole manifesto.
 
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