Asian 9-Ball Tour loses San Miguel

[Colin Colenso]

I just noticed that the former San Miguel Asian 9-Ball Tour, has lost the title sponsor San Miguel. This happened several weeks ago as far as I can tell so is not a result of the latest news regarding a clash with an IPT event.

For those that don't know much about this tour, I believe each of the 5 events have around US$50,000 in prizemoney.

 

[JAM]

That's horrible. Falcon withdrew their "title" sponsorship of a local regional tour in the D.C. area several years ago after only one year. However, the tour was so strong that it not only survived, but grew into one of the largest-attended tours on the East Coast, now known as the Tiger/Planet Pool Tour. I never understood why Falcon did that, with all the positive press they were getting from this particular tour.

Will the "Asian Tour" sans San Miguel survive? Could it be that Wu, et al., will be possible candidates for the INTERNATIONAL Pool Tour?

JAM

 

[sjm]

I remembering fearing something like this when I read this post by Dr Dissent in October:

Dear WPA Board Members,

For your information, after the WPA meeting, APBU has the following new policy in place effective October 12th, 2005.


Best regards,
Spencer Shiau
APBU General Secretary
APBU - Asian Pocket Billiard Union


Impose/put a ban on a player for a specific period of time:

1. The followings apply to all players in Asia.

2. Player who participates in the tournament/event that is not sanctioned by both APBU and WPA, the player will be banned by the APBU for one year.

3. In the above situation, the ban will be effective from the first day of that tournament and will be for 365 days.

4. During the ban period, the player can not play in the APBU or WPA sanctioned tournament/event.

5. During the ban period, any nomination for this banned player by the national association is not valid. If the banned player is nominated, this nation will be treated as forefeit this quota spot.

6. The banned player's name and country will be made public in the annoucements, including APBU internet info site and notices.

7. Ban by APBU will be also notified to WPA World Pool-billiard Association. WPA and its other continental federations will support and follow through the same ban notice sent from APBU.

Now the smoke has cleared, and Efren Reyes, Franciso Bustamante, Jose Parica, and Marlon Manalo, four huge names in Asian pool have played in non-APBU sanctioned event called the IPT King of the Hill, and Alex Pagulayan will do the same shortly.

Now that those five players are ineligible for APBU events, it kind of takes the edge off the Asian nine ball scene, doesn't it. The APBU needs to wake up and in a hurry.

 

[rubbee0825]

I remembering fearing something like this when I read this post by Dr Dissent in October:

Now the smoke has cleared, and Efren Reyes, Franciso Bustamante, Jose Parica, and Marlon Manalo, four huge names in Asian pool have played in non-APBU sanctioned event called the IPT King of the Hill, and Alex Pagulayan will do the same shortly.

Now that those five players are ineligible for APBU events, it kind of takes the edge off the Asian nine ball scene, doesn't it. The APBU needs to wake up and in a hurry.

APBU didn't ban IPT tours. In fact, Uchigaki from JPBA has tried to qualify last month, and as I know Wu Chia-Ching and several pinoys will be the next. Besides, Jose Parica is not the member of APBU (Alex Pagulayan was also not several months ago), and Marlon Manalo has never joined any Asia tours in the past years. On the other hand, if ESPN and APBU can get more and more sponsors I don't think it's a bad thing.

 

[jsp]

APBU didn't ban IPT tours. In fact, Uchigaki from JPBA has tried to qualify last month, and as I know Wu Chia-Ching and several pinoys will be the next...

Are you saying that Wu will try to make it to some of the next 3 qualifiers for the IPT? Who are the "several pinoys" you're talking about. Where did you hear this info. Thanks.

EDIT: From the Who's gonna win thread, the posts imply that Chia Ching Wu, Dennis Orcullo, and Ronnie Alcano will be attending at least the Hardtimes qualifier.