Of course, it's disappointing for Josh, who is a major threat to snap off any title regardless of the field strength, but this situation is a sign of the times.
On the bright side, there have never been more great events with substantial prize money in which to compete. Given that some high-profile events are close to each other in the schedule, those hoping to compete on multiple continents will have to make some tough choices. As we saw a few weeks ago, defending Derby City 9-ball champ Francisco Sanchez-Ruiz chose to skip that event to make sure he'd be fresh for the World Pool Championship, which he'd ultimately win.
I think it would be short-sighted to expect an easing of the scheduling stress that is now a major component of the pool calendar in the short-term, although the day could possibly come when rival producers accommodate each other for the benefit of the players.
The job of event producers in managing pool events and schedules has never been more difficult.