One last thing, I was there at the Reyes Cup for the first two days and I saw nothing at all that looked like "toxicity." And I'm a very good observer of human behavior. I saw a group of people all working together to make the best show they could. There was a lot of laughter and camaraderie going on behind the scenes, and the entire crew seemed to be enjoying themselves. There was never any hint of animosity or anger, and I had access (as media) all over the arena. If there was any concern it was due to the lopsided score of the match and how they would handle it, both for the fans and the television broadcast.
Clearly, the mismatch, caused by a comical selection process that caused Team ROW to go with a squad that has won no WNT majors in 2025 and four players that had bad years relative to expectations (Neuhausen the clear exception), was the only problem.
The only two ROW players that won a WNT major were Filler (European Open) and Labutis (Hanoi Open), and neither was selected. SVB, in good form, narrowly losing the final to Yapp at the recent Florida Open, a WNT major, was also omitted from the team. With Team ROW leaving these elite performers at the WNT majors at home, this team did not represent the best of the ROW. I'm sure the last thing Matchroom wants is for people to think that "the best players at Matchroom" and "the best players in the world" are two very different matters, but that was the impression created at the Reyes Cup.
Contrastingly, Asia showed up with the World 9ball champion, the US Open 9ball champion, and its roster carried four WNT major championships in 2025. They could have also had Ko Ping Chung, the reigning world 10ball champion, who is firmly in the conversation for best Asian player, but did not. I was rooting for Team ROW, but I was neither surprised nor disappointed in the least by this massacre.
What you say is 100% true. There can be no question that, for attendees, Matchroom productions are the best in our sport. Their arenas are superb, their presenters and commentators are superb, and they do whatever it takes to maximize the quality of the fan experience. As you noted in a different post, Emily is a lot more than an effective administrator during WNT produced events. She takes the job of hostess very seriously and her people skills and charisma make her one of the crowd, a role in which she seems to delight.
I will spend my money on attending Matchroom events for as long as I remain on this earth, for I know of what kind of experience I'm assured. I will also continue, by sharing my experiences with this forum and with countless other pool fans and afficianados in my circle, to recommend that others patronize Matchroom events as I do.
The mismatch that was the 2025 Reyes Cup in no way tarnishes the Matchroom reputation, but they got burned by a selection process that was not, in any way, based on 2025 performance. Hopefully, they will learn from this mistake.
