Not sure I understand the question, but, in recent years, when WPA has filled its fields its more significant overseas events such as a) the WPA World 9-ball championship, b) the All-Japan Championships, and c) the China Open, the US has, with few exceptions, sent fewer players than its allotted invitations.
We send fewer and on average, less competitive players (at times) because we are like a 2A school trying to compete with a 5A school.
Ontop of that, our "average" teenager has never touched a table, much less know anything about the games and heaven forbid, know any history on the sport.
Whereas, in some places, pool/billiards are given as options as a "study".
Just imagine how many more top-flight players the USA would produce if we had at least some way of getting kids involved in the sport during the school year....
I know it'll probably NEVER HAPPEN....and it will not as long as pool is looked at as:
A second class hobby for the underprivileged........ it's just not true though. But, that's the way most look at pool "in general".
Can Matchroom CHANGE that?
That's what I'm hoping can take place.
I would love to see pool offered in high school and colleges as a norm.
After that, well, I see no reason why we wouldn't have multiple Shane's at one time.
Imagine that, a team of Shane's playing at their best?