Mosconi Cup announcement coming on Monday

bb9ball

Registered
I noticed a post on Matchroom Pool's Facebook page this week states: "HUGE MOSCONI CUP NEWS DROPPING ON MONDAY"

I assume it is good news, since I doubt they would hold off an announcement if it was going to be cancelled.
 

Scott Lee

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I'm betting on a cancellation...or postponement. :mad:

Scott Lee
2019 PBIA Instructor of the Year
Director, SPF National Pool School Tour

I noticed a post on Matchroom Pool's Facebook page this week states: "HUGE MOSCONI CUP NEWS DROPPING ON MONDAY"

I assume it is good news, since I doubt they would hold off an announcement if it was going to be cancelled.
 

benny-the-blade

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I have no inside information, but I’m betting the event gets moved to Gibraltar. It’s a British Territory, so it can still be considered a UK home event. More importantly, coronavirus cases are extremely low there.
 
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Nostroke

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I will guess it will be pushed back a month with plans to play in front of half an audience with possible adjustments to the audience bad or good based on conditions at the time.
 

bb9ball

Registered
I'm betting on a cancellation...or postponement. :mad:

Scott Lee
2019 PBIA Instructor of the Year
Director, SPF National Pool School Tour

Postponement, maybe. I can't think of a reason to hold off on a cancellation announcement unless it includes some other event announcement. They are holding the World Snooker Championship right now. So, they are working to hard to have events.
 

Bob Jewett

AZB Osmium Member
Staff member
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... They are holding the World Snooker Championship right now. So, they are working to hard to have events.
Yes, they are holding the Snooker WC right now. They had an audience on the first day and then the UK government decided to reverse some of the economic/social opening after an increase in the number of reported cases. It looks like the rest of the tournament will happen without an audience.

I think the Mosconi Cup will not work well without an audience.

I hope it can go ahead, but I'm not as hopeful as I was.
 

justnum

Billiards Improvement Research Projects Associate
Silver Member
Yes, they are holding the Snooker WC right now. They had an audience on the first day and then the UK government decided to reverse some of the economic/social opening after an increase in the number of reported cases. It looks like the rest of the tournament will happen without an audience.

I think the Mosconi Cup will not work well without an audience.

I hope it can go ahead, but I'm not as hopeful as I was.


If audience is restricted, can I pay or donate for a flag to be placed in the crowd section for camera views?

I'd pay for a few different flags. Not the overwhelmingly large one, but a medium sized on that can fill in the background.

It doesn't have to be a flag it could be a pool room sign.
Which pool room couldn't use the exposure on film?

Privatization of a Pool Major
 

westcoast

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
They could still have the event with no fans. I know that takes a lot away from the event, but it is the only realistic option.
 

S.Vaskovskyi

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I'm quite optimistic to hear some good news from Matchroom after a couple of days ago EPBF announced the postponed european championships 2020 will happen in Turkey from 13th to 25th of November.
So there is some hope for a great event to happen. Of course there are quite a lot of questions when it comes to organization but Matchroom is realy good at finding the ways to solve the problems. We'll see soon:).
 
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sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
Despite the fact that I purchased tickets for this year's event long ago, I can't see any value to having the Mosconi at all this year. There has been almost no tournament play this year and, at present, there is neither a Team USA nor a Team Europe nor a reasonable basis for selection of teams.

Having the event with no fans would be ridiculous. What makes the Mosconi Cup different from all the other events is the raucous atmosphere provided by the thousands of fans in attendance at the Alexandra Palace, this year's scheduled venue. To my knowledge, it's the only event of the pool year in which a single table event is watched live by thousands at a time.

I guess Matchroom may feel they can salvage something by staging the event, possibly with last year's teams consisting of players out of form, making it a stream only event with no fans present. They might also overhaul it for 2020 and replace it with some kind of exhibition match/matches of their own choosing, but then it would no longer be the Mosconi Cup. To me, though, cancellation seems the best course of action, as postponement would be a risky path that might well result in cancellation later on.

Matchroom, our sport's shining example and top event producer deserves better than what they got in 2020. Like most businesses, they have suffered during the pandemic. Like other businesses, they're surely looking for ways to stop the bleeding and reestablish their presence in their marketplace.

From my vantage point, Matchroom has little choice but cancellation, but we've seen them work miracles at Matchroom before, so perhaps there's room for a little optimism here.

Finally, as if it need be said, international travel between America and Europe remains a risky proposition, and asking it of anybody is possibly unfair.
 

Quesports

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I am thinking it will be cancelled. America is a leader in Covid cases so they would do what quarantine the team for two weeks possibly?
I went to a local pool hall the other day. 60 plus people maybe 3 wearing masks. No social distancing whatsoever. I lasted maybe 60 seconds with a mask and just about ran out the door. I did not get to be 68 by being stupid.

I don't see postponement either. Until a vaccine is available nothing can or will be like it was before Covid.
 

S.Vaskovskyi

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The latest announcement from Matchroom just saw on FB...well it claims Fedor Gorst will represent team Europe and Justin Bergman team USA at the Mosconi cup in December. Both qualify as the top player on each team's current rankings...
So more likely it won't be cancelled.
Of course still a lot of questions but let's be patient and who knows;).
 

Scrunge19

Registered
Gotta feel bad for the European players. Europe has a glut of talent that it can form a roster from so not having a normal schedule for the top five to distinguish themselves is unfortunate. The US player pool is significantly smaller so it was always going to be the same five guys in 2020.
 

ChrisinNC

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Pretty much a no brainer that the US team will consist of Bergman (already confirmed), VanBoening and Woodward, with Thorpe and Styer as likely favorites to join them. Exact same as last year‘s winning US team.
 
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jasonlaus

Rep for Smorg
Silver Member
I think it would be a welcome change
To have the event with no audience.

And you wonder why pool is dead

Comments like this^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I would hope no company ever would put you in charge of marketing.

Its only the most successful event by FAR every year.

:bash:
 

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
That's the big announcement?

Yeah, seriously, not much here.

Nothing about the logistics. Fans or no fans? How will international travel be handled and will mandatory quarantines be in play for those entering the UK?

The article states "Matchroom Pool are still hopeful and determined the partypoker Mosconi Cup will take place this year and are in constant detailed discussions with the relevant organisations and personnel to stay up to date." That's another way of saying "let's see if there's a Mosconi Cup this year."

Also, I'm not sure why Bergman would come before Thorpe if the selections are based on 2020 play alone. The only major event of the year for the Americans in 2020 was at Derby City, where Billy had a brilliant performance, barely losing out to Orcullo for Master of the Table. Billy also had a rock solid campaign at the 2019 Mosconi, where his singles win over Jayson Shaw to open Session 4 set the table for Team USA's victory. All that said, Bergman MUST also be on any Team USA squad.

This announcement is, at best, a "so what" in my eyes.
 

ChrisinNC

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Not quite sure why Bergman would be confirmed as the 1st US team player before Shane or Skyler anyway?
 
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