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ABP Guidelines & Format for Sanctioned Events



From the Association of Billiard Professionals


The ABP is pleased to announce the Official ABP Rules of the men's pro tour of pool. These rules were created by the top pro players in the world. These rules and guidleines will go into effect in 2012. The following is the established guidelines and rules of the Association of Billiard Professionals.


Sanctioning guidelines to be a national United States ABP Ranking Points event:

$25,000 minimum added
$300 minimum entry fee *unless the added money is above $25,000
Event must seed at minimum the top 16 ranked ABP players properly from #1-16 (not random seeding)
Seeding will go by ABP rankings
* ABP encourages all promoters to use the ABP Pro Rules
All new promoters must have the added prize money and entries sent in advance before the tournament dates. Contact ABP for details


Format: All of the following applies to 10-Ball & 9-Ball.


Winner breaks
9-Ball minimum race to 11
10-Ball minimum race to 9
Double elimination. *if a major network televised event, reasonable exceptions can be made in formats
One race finals


Rules:
Call shot & call safety
Missed shot or accidental pocketing even in safes will be Shoot Again option by the opponent
Break box
10-Ball/9ball does not count on break anywhere
Rack your own balls
(*more rules will be added later, these are the ABP Rule basics)


Benefits for promoters:
ABP will publicize and encourage all pro players to participate including the top 50 ranked

Promoters may use ABP pro players in advertisements to promote the event
ABP will provide pro players to attend pro-am events/charities if applicable to the event

Unification of rules and format helps the sport. Promoters will benefit from using the rules and format that the pro membership desires and avoid confusion of rules

To sanction your event or to join the ABP, please contact us at ABPpropool@gmail.com or visit http://www.abp-players.com/

The Association of Billiard Professionals was formed in March of 2010 with the goal of uniting the world’s greatest players. The ABP is harnessing the power of all professional players for a common goal: to improve the sport of billiards so that associations, promoters, sponsors and players alike may work in conjunction to advance the game.
For more info on ABP go visit www.abp-players.com or email abppropool@gmail.com
 
Are you going to be available to answer questions? Or is this just another press release hit and run?
 
Please Drop The Seeding

This is the United States of America. I think it is wrong for the ABP to require seeding of their players
The ABP is arrogant in saying they have all the best players in the World.
Isn’t this a free country where all men and women are created equal.
The ABP wants to make sure that there union members have a better chance of winning the tournaments, than the rest of us.

Here is hoping that the ABP, drops the seeding requirement. I do agree with their basic principals.
 
BarneyCalip said:
This is the United States of America. I think it is wrong for the ABP to require seeding of their players
The ABP is arrogant in saying they have all the best players in the World.
Isn’t this a free country where all men and women are created equal.
The ABP wants to make sure that there union members have a better chance of winning the tournaments, than the rest of us.

Here is hoping that the ABP, drops the seeding requirement. I do agree with their basic principals.
Click to expand...

In any serious tournament the players should be seeded, as long as there is a reliable ranking system to base the seeding on.

Just imagine a tennis tournament where Federer and Nadal meet each other in the first round.
 
ABP press release

I find it very interesting that the ABP did not contact any of the existing promoters to discuss 'their' proposal.

I know I was not contacted.

There are some pretty serious flaws in these demands. Some of which CANNOT be met.

Who was the author of these guidelines? (individual names please-not ABP)
Who posted it (since I think there were several people posting under this name).

I am thinking this does not bode well for professional pool in the US.

It will be interesting to see what some of the industry people have to say.

Mark griffin
 
Mark Griffin said:
I find it very interesting that the ABP did not contact any of the existing promoters to discuss 'their' proposal.

I know I was not contacted.

There are some pretty serious flaws in these demands. Some of which CANNOT be met.

Who was the author of these guidelines? (individual names please-not ABP)
Who posted it (since I think there were several people posting under this name).

I am thinking this does not bode well for professional pool in the US.

It will be interesting to see what some of the industry people have to say.

Mark griffin
Click to expand...

Mark, I would not hold my breath waiting for the poster to identify himself. The next time they login to AZB, it will only be to post another press release. What a frustrating group!
 
(puts on fire engine boxers and bunny rabbit slippers, start popping popcorn, gets 4 2 liters of pop soda, and pulls up a recliner to the cmp)....:p
 
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easy-e said:
Mark, I would not hold my breath waiting for the poster to identify himself. The next time they login to AZB, it will only be to post another press release. What a frustrating group!
Click to expand...

I agree. "They" haven't listened and heeded any of the advice that has been passed their way. At this point, the ABP is turning me off to professional pool and I really hate to say that.

This thread needs to be deleted. Mike Howerton has deleted threads on multiple occasions because the forum is meant for discussion and not press releases. They are not on here for a back and forth, but merely to get out their message.
 
brandoncook26 said:
I agree. "They" haven't listened and heeded any of the advice that has been passed their way. At this point, the ABP is turning me off to professional pool and I really hate to say that.

This thread needs to be deleted. Mike Howerton has deleted threads on multiple occasions because the forum is meant for discussion and not press releases. They are not on here for a back and forth, but merely to get out their message.
Click to expand...

UPA, Dragon Promotions, and now ABP. Hmm, there is a familiar ring to it! ;)
 
Mark Griffin said:
I find it very interesting that the ABP did not contact any of the existing promoters to discuss 'their' proposal.

I know I was not contacted.

There are some pretty serious flaws in these demands. Some of which CANNOT be met.

Who was the author of these guidelines? (individual names please-not ABP)
Who posted it (since I think there were several people posting under this name).

I am thinking this does not bode well for professional pool in the US.

It will be interesting to see what some of the industry people have to say.

Mark griffin
Click to expand...

The ABP should be commended for attempting to define guidelines for conducting their business in the future, but, once again, have shown themselves an organization intent on exertion of great pressure on promoters. They no longer see event promoters as their partners unless those partners cave in to unreasonable demands, and that is why they are not including existing promoters in their decision loop.

The requirement "all new promoters must have the added prize money and entries sent in advance before the tournament dates" seems a bit ridiculous. In the real business world, new clients/partners (or, in this case, new promoters) meet with inducements, not additional restrictions, when they first conduct business. This requirement is certain to dissuade promoters from doing business with the ABP.

Finally, does the ABP really consist of the top players in the world or just some of them? Will these events be for ABP members only? If not, seeding, which I fundamentally believe serves the fans well, cannot logically be based on ABP ranking alone. It might cause non-members that don't believe in the ABP's mission or method to feel pressure to join, and anyone that joins under such pressure will become a potential source of future unrest in the ABP. Is this an organization representing the very best or just a club having many top players carving out a niche for themsleves that may or may not offer the most elite type of competition?

I'm still struggling with the question of what exactly the ABP is and whether its mission extends beyond assurance of payments upon completion of tournaments. Supposedly,

"The Association of Billiard Professionals was formed in March of 2010 with the goal of uniting the world’s greatest players. The ABP is harnessing the power of all professional players for a common goal: to improve the sport of billiards so that associations, promoters, sponsors and players alike may work in conjunction to advance the game."

..... but failing to solicit the input of the associations, promoters, and sponsors in the establishment of guidelines for conducting future business is clearly at odds with this supposed mission.
 
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sjm said:
.... I'm still struggling with the question of what exactly the ABP is and whether its mission extends beyond assurance of payments upon completion of tournaments....
Click to expand...

Many of us here are thinking the same thing....
 
ABP press release

brandoncook26 said:
I agree. "They" haven't listened and heeded any of the advice that has been passed their way. At this point, the ABP is turning me off to professional pool and I really hate to say that.

This thread needs to be deleted. Mike Howerton has deleted threads on multiple occasions because the forum is meant for discussion and not press releases. They are not on here for a back and forth, but merely to get out their message.
Click to expand...

I hope Mike H. Leaves this thread here. This will help explain what the ABP is and what they think their goals are. I agree with sjm - they try to put promoters under pressure.

This could backfire - but who is here to present their position?

Me thinks they need to come forward and explain.

Mark griffin
 
Mark Griffin said:
I hope Mike H. Leaves this thread here. This will help explain what the ABP is and what they think their goals are. I agree with sjm - they try to put promoters under pressure.

This could backfire - but who is here to present their position?

Me thinks they need to come forward and explain.

Mark griffin
Click to expand...

I understand what you mean. The reason I take issue with the ABP, as far as the forum goes, is the come forward and explain part. They make a statement and refuse to explain. Even when they came on the first time, they wouldn't answer any real questions that pertained to the situation.

Based on how they represented themselves the first time, I would suggest it's better for them to stay in the shadows. Every time someone speaks representing the organization, they dig themselves a deeper hole.
 
Seems to just be guidelines to be "Sanctioned" by the ABP.... I did not see where they were going to require sanctioning fees and they are willing to provide players for charity. promo and pro-ams.....

The seeding is needed if you want the main draws in the later rounds... Tennis is the prime example and you earn your seed,,,

25,000 added, specific races, and formats judged to be adequate for legitimate contests to earn points....

I do think they need to be flexible however in the current market... The single thing that sticks out is that under the guideline the DCC will not be sanctioned... DCC to many is the 2nd most prestigious event behind the US Open.

I do think we need a real sanctioning body in the US. The WPA politics and the lack of action by the BCA renders both moot.....
 
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JAM said:
UPA, Dragon Promotions, and now ABP. Hmm, there is a familiar ring to it! ;)
Click to expand...

The Bell tolls for thee :bow-down:, and ''THEE'' has a familiar Ring that many have answered too in the past. One can hope thee is representing the Players and NOT ones self interests. Tho by lack of exposure of involved parties with this post, the RING tone is recognizable. :groucho:
 
billbOK said:
In any serious tournament the players should be seeded, as long as there is a reliable ranking system to base the seeding on.

Just imagine a tennis tournament where Federer and Nadal meet each other in the first round.
Click to expand...

Unfair, inaccurate, comparison.

In tennis, as in almost every other mature professional sport, the "Open" events are not open to amatuers, in fact, they are not even open to all professionals, therefore professional players do not compete against amatuer or non-professional players in tournaments, and the "seeding" only reflects the rankings of the other professionals, and only affects the other 'professionals".

One would think that the "professional" already has a distinct and vast advantage against an amatuer. Futher tilting of the playing field by the "professionals" in their favor should result in much smaller fields, and rightfully so, IMO.

The ABP is making itself very hard to root for.

J
 
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jimmyg said:
Unfair, inaccurate, comparison.

In tennis, as in almost every other mature professional sport, the "Open" events are not open to amatuers, in fact, they are not even open to all professionals, therefore professional players do not compete against amatuer or non-professional players in tournaments, and the "seeding" only reflects the rankings of the other professionals, and only affects the other 'professionals".

One would think that the "professional" already has a distinct and vast advantage against an amatuer. Futher tilting of the playing field should result in much smaller fields, and rightfully so, IMO.

J
Click to expand...

Excellent point:thumbup:.
 
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