BCA no longer a major

[sjm]

Am I the only one that sees something wrong with this statement? Every other sport the payouts increase each year. Nevermind increases in popularity how about inflation? Really, by offering the same prize each year they're really offering less and less...

This is not the same event it used to be, but a new one. Actually, not bad payouts for a thirty two player event.

 

[sunnyday]

What about the other 32 ??

This is not the same event it used to be, but a new one. Actually, not bad payouts for a thirty two player event.

Correct me if I'm wrong...But wasn't there a "Preliminary Rounds" of 64 PRO Players prior to coming down to 32? I thought there was a Preliminary Round tournament that took place at a local pool hall and the final 32 took the stage at the BCA Trade Show. If that is correct, it still is field of 64 to me

S.

 

[sjm]

Correct me if I'm wrong...But wasn't there a "Preliminary Rounds" of 64 PRO Players prior to coming down to 32? I thought there was a Preliminary Round tournament that took place at a local pool hall and the final 32 took the stage at the BCA Trade Show. If that is correct, it still is field of 64 to me

S.

I'll stand corrected. I did not know about the preliminary rounds.

 

[Roadkill]

The Men's event started with 32 players.

 

[sunnyday]

Too confusing...

The Men's event started with 32 players.

Ayee, yaee, yaah! It is way too confusing for my pea brain... but I guess after months of taking entry fees from the WPBA Qualifier Events, it was impossible to cut down to 32 for womens...

S.

 

[phoebe choy]

A weak Florida event?

Multiple US Open Champions, Multiple World Champions, Just about every player there who played on the Men's side is either a tournament champions or a top money player.

On the Women's side it was all the top WPBA players.

They paid out 15,000 to the winner and 9,000 to the 2cnd place finisher. The same as they have paid out for as long as I can remember the event happening.

Yes it was only 32 players in the men's and 32 in the women's but all of them are champions and champions in the making. I don't know, when was the last time a regional tour stop got six hours of ESPN coverage?

The winner of the tournament on the men's side was Jeremy Jones, US Open Winner and Mosconi Cup Champion among other titles. The winner of the women's event was Xiao Ting Pan, World Champion among many other titles.

Well, major or not, it was fun and exciting to be there. As a fan it was a great tournament, as a sponsor we look forward to seeing a great match on ESPN for years to come. The only downside is that the finals were cut to race to 7 which is what ESPN does unfortunately. Other than that it was a great event with dozens and dozens of industry and outside industry heavy hitters in the audience.

Since these are the people who sponsor or can potentially sponsor pool it was a great thing for the BCA to tie the tournament to the trade show. It was very clear to me as I was part of the entourage from Sterling that the industry folks were greatly impressed by the show.

A lot of folks complain about the state of pool and lament the lack of support for the top players. Well this is one thing the BCA got right in my opinion. By doing it this at least it brought live professional pool directly to the people who can do the sponsoring and whose interest is in seeing pool get bigger. I won't name names but we brought people from the Charlotte area who represent hundreds of millions of marketing dollars to watch this event. Maybe something will come of their attendance, maybe it won't. One thing is clear though, without the exposure it's a pretty safe bet that spending on pool wouldn't be on their budget or their minds without this tournament done in this way.

So, yes this tournament remains a major win and a major victory not only for the proven champions who emerged victorious but also for the diehard fans in attendance and all the new fans who otherwise would only experience professional pool by watching television.

John Barton - Sterling Gaming

Sorry gotta think about that one.......naw I don't agree - they are NOT all champions or even champions in the making. Come on lets be real - some of the girls are stalemeated and just take up space....the top girls are cream...but there are a lotta girls that are no where near to EVER winning an event. It's the truth...and it hurts...but for the girls who are not doing what it takes to get better...it's their fault.

 

[sunnyday]

Sorry gotta think about that one.......naw I don't agree - they are NOT all champions or even champions in the making. Come on lets be real - some of the girls are stalemeated and just take up space....the top girls are cream...but there are a lotta girls that are no where near to EVER winning an event. It's the truth...and it hurts...but for the girls who are not doing what it takes to get better...it's their fault.

Wow..., you call it like you see it, don't ya? I have to agree 100% with you on this one, as sad as it is

S.

 

[phoebe choy]

Hey Sunny....you're back? You know me...I'm a disgruntled EX-player that can't stand seeing the opportunity just being thrown away....can't stand to see the lower half of the girls not improving at all....just bothersome - especially for me who feels it a priviledge to be able to just play pool...i dunno, maybe I'm outta line....but I can't be the only one?

 

[Scott Lee]

Sam...It's pretty simple really. The BCA is not connected with the BCAPL. This particular pro tournament is the property of the BCA. Therefore, they opted to "keep it in the family"! Good decision, or poor...it is still pretty obvious why it was moved.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

Even though it turned out, they had Pro events in Vegas this year, it was surprising to me that they moved the event too. Some things just never make sense.

 

[Johnnyt]

I've been saying for at least 3 years that after the top 12 on the WPBA Tour there is a very big gap in the talent department. And no none of the last 50 have a chance of winning a tournament. Look at who use to have a shot at winning a tour stop. Lee, Webb, Nelson, Elerby, Villareal, Chen, Hopkins, Laurance. IMO none of then can seriouly challenge the top players now. Do they shoot as well as they once did? Some do, some don't, and some shoot a little better that a few years ago.

But it's all the champions that have come over from other countries that are winning all the tournaments. Monica and Anna are the closest thing to a shot at it for the USA right now IMO. Johnnyt

 

[sunnyday]

I didn't know I left...

Hey Sunny....you're back? You know me...I'm a disgruntled EX-player that can't stand seeing the opportunity just being thrown away....can't stand to see the lower half of the girls not improving at all....just bothersome - especially for me who feels it a priviledge to be able to just play pool...i dunno, maybe I'm outta line....but I can't be the only one?

Hi, Phoebe... what do you mean I'm back? I wasn't able to get online for a while...(on a Top Secrete assignment? Not!) Been really sick...and doped up

I understand your frustration. I know your potential and I'm waiting for your come back in a year or two...Please, please? I probably get a lot of flack about this but, oh, well... I could never keep my mouth shut any ways... I too wonder about some players who claims to "just play pool". I guess I'm a hater...

One day, Pheobe... one day

 

[Williebetmore]

Correct me if I'm wrong...But wasn't there a "Preliminary Rounds" of 64 PRO Players prior to coming down to 32? I thought there was a Preliminary Round tournament that took place at a local pool hall and the final 32 took the stage at the BCA Trade Show. If that is correct, it still is field of 64 to me

S.

SD,
My understanding was that the BCA (in their not-so-infinite wisdom) decided to put on an event with fields of only 32 for both the men and the women (many suspect that they were too frugal to provide more space for the event - but of course no one outside of the inner circle will know for sure).

Because the men are NOT organized, there was no problem limiting the field - it was decided in some back room somewhere. The women, however were a different problem; as the WPBA is geared for fields of 64 - how would they ever narrow it down to 32 without great anguish among the players? It was decided to keep the women's field at the usual 64; play down to 32 at a local pool hall (???too cheap to provide space at the venue???).

All in all, this was NOTHING like the event that I attended last year at the Riviera. A shadow of it's former self; and a fair indictment of a poorly functional BCA.

 

[chris_williams]

All in all, this was NOTHING like the event that I attended last year at the Riviera. A shadow of it's former self; and a fair indictment of a poorly functional BCA.

Like I said they got they wanted. Seperation from the BCAPL. Reminds me of an old saying "Be careful what you ask for, You just may get it"

 

[sunnyday]

Go to your Basement, Williebetmore...

SD,
My understanding was that the BCA (in their not-so-infinite wisdom) decided to put on an event with fields of only 32 for both the men and the women (many suspect that they were too frugal to provide more space for the event - but of course no one outside of the inner circle will know for sure).

Because the men are NOT organized, there was no problem limiting the field - it was decided in some back room somewhere. The women, however were a different problem; as the WPBA is geared for fields of 64 - how would they ever narrow it down to 32 without great anguish among the players? It was decided to keep the women's field at the usual 64; play down to 32 at a local pool hall (???too cheap to provide space at the venue???).

All in all, this was NOTHING like the event that I attended last year at the Riviera. A shadow of it's former self; and a fair indictment of a poorly functional BCA.

Soon, all will be enlightened... only in your basement, you will find the answer

S.

 

[SUPERSTAR]

I remember, back in the day when i was there.
By invitation only/rankings.
Penthouse.
Creme de la creme field.

4 qualifiers for both men and womens tournament held across the country so that new aspiring talent might get the opportunity to take a shot at the big time.
Side by side men and women.
It WAS a big time exclusive tournament.

It just doesn't seem to be that way anymore.

Junk now.

 

[JB Cases]

Correct me if I'm wrong...But wasn't there a "Preliminary Rounds" of 64 PRO Players prior to coming down to 32? I thought there was a Preliminary Round tournament that took place at a local pool hall and the final 32 took the stage at the BCA Trade Show. If that is correct, it still is field of 64 to me

S.

The WPBA elected to do that for the sake of their own rankings. That did not affect the payout which would have been the same for either a 32 or 64 player event.

This tournament was in fact a 32 player event in which the WPBA and the BCA agreed to field some players based on the WPBA's own preliminaries.

For the men it was a 32 player field.

 

[satman]

That part is simple.

Sam...It's pretty simple really. The BCA is not connected with the BCAPL. This particular pro tournament is the property of the BCA. Therefore, they opted to "keep it in the family"! Good decision, or poor...it is still pretty obvious why it was moved.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

I have never been to the Expo, so I don't have a clue what all is there, or how many people. But I do know how many aspiring and pool loving fans there are at the BCA tourney in Vegas. It just makes little sense to me to move the tourney, when it seemed to enjoy a success where it was.

To me, it's just more pettiness in pool, if they moved it to get it away from the BCAPL tourney. Just what pool needs.

 

[sunnyday]

I have never been to the Expo, so I don't have a clue what all is there, or how many people. But I do know how many aspiring and pool loving fans there are at the BCA tourney in Vegas. It just makes little sense to me to move the tourney, when it seemed to enjoy a success where it was.

To me, it's just more pettiness in pool, if they moved it to get it away from the BCAPL tourney. Just what pool needs.

Not Pettiness, but Business IMO.

S.

 

[JB Cases]

SD,
My understanding was that the BCA (in their not-so-infinite wisdom) decided to put on an event with fields of only 32 for both the men and the women (many suspect that they were too frugal to provide more space for the event - but of course no one outside of the inner circle will know for sure).

Because the men are NOT organized, there was no problem limiting the field - it was decided in some back room somewhere. The women, however were a different problem; as the WPBA is geared for fields of 64 - how would they ever narrow it down to 32 without great anguish among the players? It was decided to keep the women's field at the usual 64; play down to 32 at a local pool hall (???too cheap to provide space at the venue???).

All in all, this was NOTHING like the event that I attended last year at the Riviera. A shadow of it's former self; and a fair indictment of a poorly functional BCA.

That makes no sense. There was plenty of space to add more tables. The BCA chose this format because that is what they felt could be comfortably handled in conjunction with the trade show.

I am constantly down on the BCA and their choices. Looking at the poor amount of local promotion the BCA did and the beginning rounds I didn't feel too confident about the event.

However they pulled it off during the last two days and it ended up being a great event anyway.

As I stated before, this particular event put live pool in front of many influential folks inside and outside this industry. These are people who have never been to a live professional event.

I also stated that there were spectators at the event who have hundreds of millions of dollars to spend on marketing. Charlotte is known as the Wall Street of the South for a reason. There is a LOT of money here.

Now, the BCA could have left the tournament at the Riviera and it would have been a great event as always. For the league players and the diehard fans it would have been another great event with lots of pool stars in attendance.

But in fact it would have done nothing to elevate pool in the slightest degree.

For the things going on between the BCA board and Mark I can only comment that the BCA board is pretty dysfunctional in my view and they have certainly made a lot of wrong choices.

And this choice to bring the tournament to the Expo seems like a bad one but in my view it's the best thing the BCA could do with the event in light of all the bad choices that they have made in the past.

The fact of the matter is that pool is stagnant in the USA. We all know that. If pool as a sport is to grow and attract more people who want to play on a regular basis and invest in equipment to do that then it needs to become more visible to more people. And in order to do that pool needs to have outside money invested into it.

So instead of complaining about the fact that one tournament was changed and what that means for our pleasure as die hard pool fans how about we try and think of this tournament as shot at doing something to try and give pool a boost.

After all this is what we say we all want, isn't it?

 

[JB Cases]

And another thing - if you really want to look at this in a positive manner, by moving the BCA tournament, it provided Mark Griffin with an opportunity to bring two major events to the league players. The World Masters and the Predator 10 Ball event. So the fans got two events to replace one and the pros got to have two majors back to back. The only real downside is that the women weren't in Vegas in force but there is nothing that prevents the BCAPL from adding a women's event at some point.