2023 World Pool Championship

iusedtoberich said:
From what I recall, the last few major events held on US soil had way more Europeans than Americans. The Americans aren't even making the effort to show up.
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The last Mosconi Cup, the Germans watched it for free, as to many other countries on Matchroom-dot-live.

Americans have to pay $20 a month for Da-Zone (DAZN) to see Matchroom pool events. If Matchroom was interested in promoting pool in USA, it would be helpful if they could find a vehicle to attract mainstream Americans to the sport. As it is now, I am 100 percent positive my Uncle Chester and Aunt Dorothy and 99 percent of every American in USA has never heard of DAZN. Pool as a sport will continue to have one tire in the mud in USA as long as Matchroom uses DAZN as their broadcast vehicle in USA.

So Matchroom pool events continue to rise to the top in Europe and other countries, but in USA? Therein lies a big problem as far as I'm concerned.

I am a subscribed member of Matchroom-dot-live, and I would be willing to pay more each month if they'd just put the pool events on Matchroom-dot-live as they do with most snooker events.
 
JAM said:
The last Mosconi Cup, the Germans watched it for free, as to many other countries on Matchroom-dot-live.

Americans have to pay $20 a month for Da-Zone (DAZN) to see Matchroom pool events. If Matchroom was interested in promoting pool in USA, it would be helpful if they could find a vehicle to attract mainstream Americans to the sport. As it is now, I am 100 percent positive my Uncle Chester and Aunt Dorothy and 99 percent of every American in USA has never heard of DAZN. Pool as a sport will continue to have one tire in the mud in USA as long as Matchroom uses DAZN as their broadcast vehicle in USA.

So Matchroom pool events continue to rise to the top in Europe and other countries, but in USA? Therein lies a big problem as far as I'm concerned.

I am a subscribed member of Matchroom-dot-live, and I would be willing to pay more each month if they'd just put the pool events on Matchroom-dot-live as they do with most snooker events.
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from MR website:

UK and Ireland – Sky Sports Arena

DAZN – Canada, USA, Brazil, Italy, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Austria

Viaplay – Denmark, Finland, Norway, Iceland, Sweden, Lithuania, Estonia, Poland, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg

viaplay costs $40 a month for me.
 
skogstokig said:
my biggest gripe with this announcement is that they should have upped the prize money. let's hope predator will offer 70k for first in the W10bC and force their hand.
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We pool fans enjoy the high quality of all Matchroom pool events. It is why many pool players of all caliber want to be a part of it, even if they go 2 and out.

Yes, the quality of the pool tournaments are professional and are run with perfection to the extent possible. Sh*t happens in tournaments that are not seen beforehand, but it's those who can adapt and fix on the fly that make them great. And Matchroom has shown they can adapt on the fly, no problem, when things go wrong. And no offense to American referees, but I love, love, love the snooker referees so much. They just add an air of elegance to the pool events in my opinion, especially Marcel Eckardt from Germany, my favorite.

I don't know what referees, table mechanics, camera people Matchroom staff are paid, and it's none of my business. I have no idea how much money it takes to rent space, ship tables and assemble them, and create a beautiful stage with multiple hues of light. Again, it's none of my business. But I am sure the cost of these Matchroom pool events are enormous, which is why the payouts will not elevate at this time.

I don't know what the answer is as far as payouts, but Barry Hearn must have some very, very deep pockets when it comes to pool.
 
skogstokig said:
from MR website:

UK and Ireland – Sky Sports Arena

DAZN – Canada, USA, Brazil, Italy, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Austria

Viaplay – Denmark, Finland, Norway, Iceland, Sweden, Lithuania, Estonia, Poland, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg

viaplay costs $40 a month for me.
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I read online from a German pro player that they could watch Matchroom for free with no DAZN hookup. I will see if I can find the post on Facebook and share it with you. It was from a very well-known German pro player.

Every other country in the world not on your list gets to watch pool for free on Matchroom-dot-live.

To have pool being broadcast by multiple entities is a nightmare to have to deal with as a pool fan. I am a strong pool fan, and it's a nightmare that gets worse and worse, if you know what I mean. Pool cannot advance in popularity in USA being shown on DAZN. It's a stupid broadcast station that never advertises pool ahead of time. It sucks.
 
skogstokig said:
from MR website:

UK and Ireland – Sky Sports Arena

DAZN – Canada, USA, Brazil, Italy, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Austria

Viaplay – Denmark, Finland, Norway, Iceland, Sweden, Lithuania, Estonia, Poland, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg

viaplay costs $40 a month for me.
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I found it.

Capture.JPG


I'm not sure what "AUF" means, though.

317548978_5634264079995764_367337129362560655_n.jpg
 
JAM said:
There is no way I'd travel to Europe while all the geopolitical happenings are in progress. Things could change in a split second in that region of the world. War is hell.
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If Russia attacks Poland then Nato, EU, USA and UK will as one go in hard and bomb the hell out of Moscow. Neither of these things will happen. The World Pool Championship will go smoothly.
 
skogstokig said:
my biggest gripe with this announcement is that they should have upped the prize money. let's hope predator will offer 70k for first in the W10bC and force their hand.
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Agree, Matchroom sticking 10k on top to make first prize 70k would be a statement if nothing else. Don't understand why they haven't sent a signal that they are heading to 100k and more, but having said that I'm all over it. Roll on the WPC!
 
skogstokig said:
let's hope predator will offer 70k for first in the W10bC and force their hand.
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Of course, we'd all like more prize money, especially the pros, but prize money growth will track the growth of revenue/profits if the business models of the top event producers are to be sustainable long-term.

The World 10ball, while a fine event, is the poster boy for how prize money SHOULD NOT be distributed. In the 2022 event, the total prize money was $226,000. The top four walked away with $140,000 of it, so all but the top 4 walked away with a combined $86,000. The first prize of $60,000 was window dressing. Top-heavy prize payouts are terrible for pool and the size of the winner's check is not the measure of an event. In this tournament, the size of the winner's check is the reason that there's little money left after the top four have been paid, and that's not what's good for our sport. Only the top 32 can cover expenses or better in this event, and that's not enough.

The World Pool Championship, on the other hand, had a purse of $325,000 and the top four walked away with $125,00 leaving the remainder of the field to share $200,000. The top 64 in the event can cover expenses or better.

I want prize money handled the Matchroom way, not the Predator way. The Matchroom payouts set pool on a path where more and more pro players will be able to meet financial ends meet over time.
 
sjm said:
Of course, we'd all like more prize money, especially the pros, but prize money growth will track the growth of revenue/profits if the business models of the top event producers are to be sustainable long-term.

The World 10ball, while a fine event, is the poster boy for how prize money SHOULD NOT be distributed. In the 2022 event, the total prize money was $226,000. The top four walked away with $140,000 of it, so all but the top 4 walked away with a combined $86,000. The first prize of $60,000 was window dressing. Top-heavy prize payouts are terrible for pool and the size of the winner's check is not the measure of an event. In this tournament, the size of the winner's check is the reason that there's little money left after the top four have been paid, and that's not what's good for our sport. Only the top 32 can cover expenses or better in this event, and that's not enough.

The World Pool Championship, on the other hand, had a purse of $325,000 and the top four walked away with $125,00 leaving the remainder of the field to share $200,000. The top 64 in the event can cover expenses or better.

I want prize money handled the Matchroom way, not the Predator way. The Matchroom payouts set pool on a path where more and more pro players will be able to meet financial ends meet over time.
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sure, but let's not forget that in 2007 the winner (daryl peach) got $100k.

of course they need to get the business model sustainable, so one shouldn't maybe compare, but the WC winner in darts wins £500k.. i hope that's where pool is heading. a little bigger prize money for the 2023 WC would signal that that is the direction
 
alphadog said:
No Jay you complained about a press release announcing where. Then you complained about streaming . Then you complained about the location.

You seem butt hurt to me.
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There is a big difference between complaining and criticizing. Nobody did anything to me, so I have no reason to complain. Some things about this particular event I feel could have been handled better and certainly more promptly. DAZN has shown itself to be an inferior broadcaster and why we are still saddled with them in the USA I don't know. What I do know is that we may have more pool fans here than all of Europe combined. Why not try to tap into that market and increase your market share? It won't happen on DAZN. They'll never get the numbers like a legitimate network such as ESPN, Fox Sports or even Travel Channel or Discovery. It's a simple equation. The higher the number of viewers equates to more and bigger Ad revenue. And thus better prize money for the players. That's what my posts are about. It's not personal and has no effect on me personally one way or the other what Matchroom does or does not do.
 
JAM said:
The last Mosconi Cup, the Germans watched it for free, as to many other countries on Matchroom-dot-live.

Americans have to pay $20 a month for Da-Zone (DAZN) to see Matchroom pool events. If Matchroom was interested in promoting pool in USA, it would be helpful if they could find a vehicle to attract mainstream Americans to the sport. As it is now, I am 100 percent positive my Uncle Chester and Aunt Dorothy and 99 percent of every American in USA has never heard of DAZN. Pool as a sport will continue to have one tire in the mud in USA as long as Matchroom uses DAZN as their broadcast vehicle in USA.

So Matchroom pool events continue to rise to the top in Europe and other countries, but in USA? Therein lies a big problem as far as I'm concerned.

I am a subscribed member of Matchroom-dot-live, and I would be willing to pay more each month if they'd just put the pool events on Matchroom-dot-live as they do with most snooker events.
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I meant player entries. The US Open, the Int Open, and I think two WPA WC, one by MR and one by Predator were just on US soil this year. All those fields had more international players than US players, from what I recall.

Jay was saying moving the event to Poland would mean fewer American entries (true). I was saying even when it’s on US soil, the American players don’t even come out in full force, so why not move it somewhere where the players will come out in full force.
 
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Whenever I read the MR and/or DAZN bashing on this forum I have to wonder how much MR really cares about the NA market. I mean how much is to be gained by catering to us..? SVB winning the worlds this year was a defib pulse on the twitching dead horse, but other than the Mosconi, WGAF about the USA game. The USA to the world stage is akin to Canada to the USA market. You guys don't care about the scene North of your border (don't blame you) and why should MR honestly care about the USA...? Other than hype marketing for the Mosconi, which is just an event where in the Euros get to beat on the "high and mighty" USA, why bother...?

Is there money to be made in the NA for MR...?.., there must be. Is it low hanging enough to warrant pulling events away from where there's certain money to be made locally...?.., I doubt it.
 
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jay helfert said:
Looks like we got our answer. No surprise here. It's being held in Kielce, Poland, convenient for all the European players, not so much for players from Asia and the America's. $325,000 purse, with 60K to the winner. Shown here on DAZN if you care or dare to take a chance on their shaky stream.
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It's always unfair to somebody, and since most great players are from Europe...

We have 1 person in the US who could win it, seems to me like the only event that should be in the US is the MC every other year. Imagine how much better the US Open would be without all the dead money Americans in it. The # of Euros that crush "the field" in the Open is staggering.
iusedtoberich said:
I meant player entries. The US Open, the Int Open, and I think two WPA WC, one by MR and one by Predator were just on US soil this year. All those fields had more international players than US players, from what I recall.

Jay was saying moving the event to Poland would mean fewer American entries (true). I was saying even when it’s on US soil, the American players don’t even come out in full force, so why not move it somewhere where the players will come out in full force.
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America is the definition of DEAD MONEY aside from Shane
 
The world 9 ball tournament hasn’t been held in the US since 1997. It’s not like this is some kind of unprecedented or discriminatory action.

Poland is cheaper and more convenient for US players than pretty much anywhere not in the western hemisphere.
 
Round trip flights right now to Warsaw, Jan 29-Feb 6:

SF $480
Phoenix $700
Dallas $640
Chicago $433
Miami $460
NYC $414

Plus this rewards one of the major countries producing a raft of young top players.
 
skogstokig said:
sure, but let's not forget that in 2007 the winner (daryl peach) got $100k.

of course they need to get the business model sustainable, so one shouldn't maybe compare, but the WC winner in darts wins £500k.. i hope that's where pool is heading. a little bigger prize money for the 2023 WC would signal that that is the direction
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No doubt, you and I have the same dreams about what our sport can be down the road. Here on the forum, we tend to see eye to eye.
 
I think TV is dead. I watch all of my entertainment on YouTube, Netflix, or Amazon Prime Video for the past 5 years.

If pool will go to a “free” to the consumer viewing experience, I’d much rather have it shown live on YouTube than any other broadcast service.

Internet based entertainment has taken over.
 
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