★★Qatar gets right to host World 9-Ball Championship For Four Years★★

[ENGLISH!]

Because it is one of the most stable states in the Middle East and generally does not have the security issues that other areas in the Middle East inherently have, while at the same time offering close proximity to other areas of the Middle East where quick response from military stationed in Qatar may be needed.

Exactly.

That's the point.

While it is probably the best location for our base in the region... the region is wacko.

What will it be tomorrow morning? Will it have incoming rockets by breakfast?

Can you or anyone guarantee anything?

What about a suicide bomber or 2 or 3 at an event with dozens of Americans & Europeans?

I would not risk my life in a mid eastern country to make anyone money.

Like I said, SVB should challenge the winner in NYC or Las Vegas.

All of the above are just my opinions.

Regards & Best Wishes,
Rick

PS If my 28 year old daughter were to tell me that she was going to Vegas to watch the 9 ball Championship, I'd be a bit excited, but if she told me she was going to Doha for the same reason, I would not be excited...I'd be scared. In golf (& pool) one has to learn how to manage the risk vs the reward.

 

[abbassi]

They absolutely should not host any tournaments except local tourneys. Why should they put up money for a bunch of ingrate pool fans and players. Bury the money in the sand.

 

[ENGLISH!]

They absolutely should not host any tournaments except local tourneys. Why should they put up money for a bunch of ingrate pool fans and players. Bury the money in the sand.

You make it sound like they are doing a favor out of the kindness of their hearts & expect no monetary compensation.

I'm sure everything from round trip transportation, lodging, food, drink, local transportation, etc, will all be provided free for every contestant & spectator.

That's what a 'host' would provide.

 

[arps]

Celtic,

I don't know about safety for any American there. Personally, I would not go there & I have zero notoriety.

Almost all of what you say is true. If I were SVB, I'd boycot & then throw out a challenge to the winner to play in NYC for hopefully a televised event.

That's just me & as I said, I have zero notoriety.

Regards & Best Wishes,
Rick

if you're talking about safety, Manila ranks 21 or 22 when it comes to crime index (based on city). Doha is 227. Safety index is inversely proportional to crime rate. Despite these figures, Manila stays one of the top tourist spots here in Asia. So far, the international tournaments held here in the past were all successful. and FUN too!

 

[ENGLISH!]

if you're talking about safety, Manila ranks 21 or 22 when it comes to crime index (based on city). Doha is 227. Safety index is inversely proportional to crime rate. Despite these figures, Manila stays one of the top tourist spots here in Asia. So far, the international tournaments held here in the past were all successful. and FUN too!

I hear you, I'm close to New Orleans. I know a bit about crime.

The difference is that most of that crime is person to person theft for monetary gain & not crimes waged on innocent people by radical religious individuals or governments.

If you want to rob me, I can give you my money & you will probably let me live.

If you want to kill me in god's name so you can be rewarded by him, I doubt that I can keep you from killing me. Especially if you want to do it by suicide bombing.

There are places that I will not go to in New Orleans at night. The risk far outweighs any reward.

What is being brought up to counter my concerns are not apples to apples.

If I want to go swimming I will find a pool to swim in & not go swimming in a bayou with 2 dozen 8 ft. alligators.

Best Wishes,
Rick

PS New Orleans is most probably the best place for a Super Bowl. We 'host' many events & Mardi Gras. There is crime committed during every one of them. They are all very much fun for everyone except for the victims of the crime. The prospect of losing one's life can dampen one's fun fairly quickly.

 

[ENGLISH!]

Hey,

If anyone wants to go to Doha that is certainly up to them.

Between now & then, if there are any reports of any bombings or Americans being kidnapped, or what ever, perhaps people's minds might change.

I for one am not flying through a 'war zone' to play or watch pocket billiards.

To each his own.

Best Wishes to ALL,
Rick

 

[JB Cases]

What does everyone think about this?​

View attachment 294070
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I think it's four more years that the rest of the world won't get see the World Championships.

And it's a travesty that in one of the world's richest nations the prize money is paltry compared to when Matchroom was running it. After four years the champions combined will not have made as much as the last first and second place finisher combined in the last Matchroom WC.

Kudos WPA.

 

[arps]

I hear you, I'm close to New Orleans. I know a bit about crime.

The difference is that most of that crime is person to person theft for monetary gain & not crimes waged on innocent people by radical religious individuals or governments.

If you want to rob me, I can give you my money & you will probably let me live.

If you want to kill me in god's name so you can be rewarded by him, I doubt that I can keep you from killing me. Especially if you want to do it by suicide bombing.

it's very timely that you mentioned that, because right now, a Muslim separatist group is creating chaos in the southern part of the Philippines. about 60,000 people have left their homes to avoid crossfire. here, http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/487315/military-pounds-moro-rebs-toll-hits-23

anyway, like you said, it depends on the location. as long as pool tourneys like WPC are held in Metro Manila, then it's gonna be awesome and "conflict-free."

P.S. I've been to the US a lot of times and i havent watched a football or even a baseball game. shame on me.

 

[dom_poppa]

Like someone mentioned earlier, Qatar doesn't give a crap about pool. All it wants is the prestige to say they can hold a world championship tournament there. They don't care about televising it because if you want to see it, then you will go to their country.

You have to remember this is a country that is full of money. They build crazy buildings, man-made islands and the world's tallest standing structure just to say they can. It's bragging rights. It's like that rich guy that buys that Ferrari and trashes it because he can. The guy that buys that Balabushka and treats it like a house cue.

They don't care what fans think because when it comes down to it, it's held at their place. Unfortunately the picked a sport that is not very popular and have no reason to improve it.

 

[naji]

Hey,

If anyone wants to go to Doha that is certainly up to them.

Between now & then, if there are any reports of any bombings or Americans being kidnapped, or what ever, perhaps people's minds might change.

I for one am not flying through a 'war zone' to play or watch pocket billiards.

To each his own.

Best Wishes to ALL,
Rick

Hi Rick,
There is no doubt that the Middle East is boiling with troubles all over; One thing to mention is Qatar, Dubai, Saudi Arabia do not have open borders to everyone, no Arab can get into these cities without a visa and proof that he is genuinely going there to work, and has the education to go with it; all low Arab class citizens usually are not granted visas; therefore, these cities will remain in piece- maybe until the oil is dried out. Check this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtaWkeOjvyA

 

[dorabelle]

Rick,
Qatar, Dubai, UAE are much safer than any other country on earth, Everyone in these countries have one mission, make money, go vacation for two months and back at it. Mainly because you cannot own guns in these cities, and so many none native live and work their. Almost all big US companies have branches their, and one of the biggest US military bases are in Qatar.

I don't know how you can say this. A Norwegian woman went to Dubai on a business trip and was raped. She went to the police and they threw her in prison for 16 months because she had sex with someone that wasnt her husband. These countries are not safe.

 

[Scaramouche]

Like someone mentioned earlier, Qatar doesn't give a crap about pool. All it wants is the prestige to say they can hold a world championship tournament there. They don't care about televising it because if you want to see it, then you will go to their country.

You have to remember this is a country that is full of money. They build crazy buildings, man-made islands and the world's tallest standing structure just to say they can. It's bragging rights. It's like that rich guy that buys that Ferrari and trashes it because he can. The guy that buys that Balabushka and treats it like a house cue.

They don't care what fans think because when it comes down to it, it's held at their place. Unfortunately the picked a sport that is not very popular and have no reason to improve it.

Qatar is not Dubai.

 

[Joe_Jaguar]

Qatar is not Dubai.

True, Qatar is the one that will be hosting the World Cup and building in mass for it. Same Sh!t, different sand dune.

 

[FranCrimi]

I don't know how you can say this. A Norwegian woman went to Dubai on a business trip and was raped. She went to the police and they threw her in prison for 16 months because she had sex with someone that wasnt her husband. These countries are not safe.

No need to be concerned about that. Places like Qatar and the Emirates haven't been the least bit interested in hosting women's world billiard events, so we can expect that our women billiard players will not have a need to travel there anytime soon. Women are 2nd class citizens in those countries.

Despite the fact that Qatar and the Emirates have been very supportive of men's billiards, Jews are not allowed to participate in events held in their countries. I don't know how they do it with other sporting events they hold. Maybe there are special arrangements made, but none that I know of are in place for billiards. Players also had better make sure their passport does not have a stamp from having visited Israel, as it could cost them access into the country.

 

[naji]

I don't know how you can say this. A Norwegian woman went to Dubai on a business trip and was raped. She went to the police and they threw her in prison for 16 months because she had sex with someone that wasnt her husband. These countries are not safe.

It is unfortunate that isolated crimes do happen everywhere on this planet; Qatar is hosting the World Soccer Cup in two or three years; this is really big event, and it means a lot for this little nation to be approved by all nations as the host for such event.

 

[dorabelle]

It is unfortunate that isolated crimes do happen everywhere on this planet; Qatar is hosting the World Soccer Cup in two or three years; this is really big event, and it means a lot for this little nation to be approved by all nations as the host for such event.

This is not an isolated crime. She is the criminal because she was raped. Its not the first story of its kind. Im sure there are tons more women getting raped and they cant go to the police because if they do they go to jail.

 

[cmbwsu]

everyone was disappointed that the live streaming match coverage of the finals was a failure.
to make it up to those thousands of disappointed pool fans all over the world, i suggest that they put all recorded videos of the 2013 WPC matches on youtube.

Both Semi (posted earlier at #5) and Final matches are up on YouTube.
​

 

[ENGLISH!]

Hi Rick,
There is no doubt that the Middle East is boiling with troubles all over; One thing to mention is Qatar, Dubai, Saudi Arabia do not have open borders to everyone, no Arab can get into these cities without a visa and proof that he is genuinely going there to work, and has the education to go with it; all low Arab class citizens usually are not granted visas; therefore, these cities will remain in piece- maybe until the oil is dried out. Check this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtaWkeOjvyA

Mr. Naji,

Again, I hear you, but...

Criminals do not obey the laws and...certain 'groups' can & will hold families hostage & force family members to do things that they would not normally do.

Like Dora said, they treat women worse than they would treat their camel.

Sorry, I'm not going there & would certainly not want my 28 year old daughter going there.

I hope nothing happens to anyone, but the risk does not out weigh the reward.

I'm not shooting that shot.

Regards & Best Wishes,
Rick

 

[pro9dg]

World 9 Ball Championship 2013 to 2017

Qatar has publicly declared that it wishes to be recognised as The Sports Capital of The World. It is not only billiards that benefits from a strong Olympic influenced infrastructure. Dozens of other sports do.

The Qatar billiards Federation have their own purpose built HQ packed with their own snooker and pool tables. There are offices suites and it makes sense that the WPA should move it’s base from Ian Anderson’s Presidential kitchen table to a more professional location. The Qataris will finance this and no ‘palm greasing’ is necessary. This is a despicable accusation.

You must have heard the expression “He who pays the Piper Calls The Tune”
It costs the QBSF half a million dollars to put on the World 9 Ball. For that they got a World Class field. The only players capable of winning it who were not there were Johnny Archer and Ronnie Alcano.

They also got First Class TV Production by their own terrestrial Station Al Kass. This included plenty of news updates a magazines style TV slots before and during the event. This was seen by healthy audiences not only just in Qatar but Al Kass can be seen in all the neighbouring Gulf countries.
The coped efficiently with over 130 players at the Qualifying tournaments. Then they ran smoothly through the Group Stages and then through the knockout phase effortlessly.
You will hear no complaints from the players.

There is a mistaken belief that everything in the pool world revolves around the USA. But with a couple of exceptions the World does not give a shit if US players play or do not play. This is not my personal opinion as I have closer ties than most other people with the American scene – it is just how I see how these other people perceive it.

So if there is a compelling reason why people outside of the Gulf States should see it then the option is for some broadcaster could step in and acquire subsiduary rights to show it.

I attempted to do this several years ago but did not proceed because (a) I am not a fan of streaming (b) acquiring terrestrial rights made no commercial sense giving the propensity of pool fans to expect ‘something for nothing’.

Finally, the paranoia about the UAE and Qatar is misplaced. I would happily walk around the late night streets of Dubai or Doha. Not something I would say about Detroit or Dallas. Sure they have strict religious based laws and customs. Make sure that you don’t break them and you will be OK

 

[david(tx)]

Bob...Sounds to me like there were some seriously "greased palms" involved in this...including moving the 'world HQ' for the WPA to Qatar. Next thing you know the Mosconi Cup will be moved there too. :frown:

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com

Pool organizations are really pretty flimsy , i'm guessing a minivan could move the WPA to Qatar as far as the volume of material they have . How many employees , 10 ?Somebody could start the International Pool Assoc. and run the WPA out of town if they have bigger payouts and more events . The WPA funds nothing , they are just a self appointed sanctioning body.

Kevin Trudeau put more money into pool than than Qatar and the WPA combined , maybe with just one event . You could have the Global 9 Ball Championships , International , Intergalactic , the 9 Ball Championships of the Universe , pick a name.
You just need an investor or sponsor.