Bonus Ball starts May 30th

JD_Hogg

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
from their website:

http://www.wpbltv.com/news14.php

The World Professional Billiard League will launch the inaugural 2013 season Thursday May 30th at 7pm PT. The entire season will be played at the new 13,000 sq. ft. WPBL arena in Las Vegas, where 48 of the world’s top players will compete over the course of 26 weeks to become the first ever WPBL Champions.

After numerous unforeseen construction delays, the entire season had to be rescheduled. With new management in place, all players were consulted to successfully schedule around major conflicting overseas events. The match on June 20th was also eliminated to accommodate the Ultimate 10 Ball Championship in Mississippi. The entire 2013 schedule can be viewed at www.WPBLtv.com.

Darren Appleton, captain of the Philadelphia Aces, made the following comment “After all the setbacks and bad luck the WPBL has experienced, it’s great to finally see light at the end of the tunnel. It's also great for everyone involved, the players and billiard industry, that the WPBL is working around international events to allow us, the players, to play in these tournaments. The WPBL is a professional organization with top class people involved and they give us hope for the future. The players and teams are behind them 100%, and still believe in Bonus Ball, as this is the best opportunity for pool to gain worldwide respect and recognition.”

All twelve of the WPBL teams will participate in the opening week, giving the league the opportunity to showcase its diverse roster of international players. The opening match of the season will pit the New York Pride against the Atlanta Scorpions, where Hall of Fame players Johnny Archer and Earl Strickland with settle their recent rivalry on the table.

Each of the 156 matches will be broadcast live at www.WPBLtv.com in HD. The first match of each week, broadcast every Thursday at 7PM PT, will be aired FREE. All other matches will be broadcast live in Pay-Per-View, where package deals offer matches as low as $1.25 each.

With the start of the league’s season only a few short weeks away, the WPBL will continue to make frequent announcements. Please continue to follow the WPBL for additional updates:




I wonder if the players will be mic'd

Succeed of fail I'm looking forward to watching -- GL guys!
 

JAM

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
from their website:

http://www.wpbltv.com/news14.php

The World Professional Billiard League will launch the inaugural 2013 season Thursday May 30th at 7pm PT. The entire season will be played at the new 13,000 sq. ft. WPBL arena in Las Vegas, where 48 of the world’s top players will compete over the course of 26 weeks to become the first ever WPBL Champions.

After numerous unforeseen construction delays, the entire season had to be rescheduled. With new management in place, all players were consulted to successfully schedule around major conflicting overseas events. The match on June 20th was also eliminated to accommodate the Ultimate 10 Ball Championship in Mississippi. The entire 2013 schedule can be viewed at www.WPBLtv.com.

Darren Appleton, captain of the Philadelphia Aces, made the following comment “After all the setbacks and bad luck the WPBL has experienced, it’s great to finally see light at the end of the tunnel. It's also great for everyone involved, the players and billiard industry, that the WPBL is working around international events to allow us, the players, to play in these tournaments. The WPBL is a professional organization with top class people involved and they give us hope for the future. The players and teams are behind them 100%, and still believe in Bonus Ball, as this is the best opportunity for pool to gain worldwide respect and recognition.”

All twelve of the WPBL teams will participate in the opening week, giving the league the opportunity to showcase its diverse roster of international players. The opening match of the season will pit the New York Pride against the Atlanta Scorpions, where Hall of Fame players Johnny Archer and Earl Strickland with settle their recent rivalry on the table.

Each of the 156 matches will be broadcast live at www.WPBLtv.com in HD. The first match of each week, broadcast every Thursday at 7PM PT, will be aired FREE. All other matches will be broadcast live in Pay-Per-View, where package deals offer matches as low as $1.25 each.

With the start of the league’s season only a few short weeks away, the WPBL will continue to make frequent announcements. Please continue to follow the WPBL for additional updates:




I wonder if the players will be mic'd

Succeed of fail I'm looking forward to watching -- GL guys!

What are your thoughts on the game itself, being that it's a non-traditional pocket billiard game, one which is not familiar to mainstream pool aficionados? Just curious! :)
 

JD_Hogg

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
What are your thoughts on the game itself, being that it's a non-traditional pocket billiard game, one which is not familiar to mainstream pool aficionados? Just curious! :)



Not sure yet if it will be exciting to watch or not. I like to try and learn new shots and shape techniques so maybe this will bring some new elements that will be fun to watch.

I like good snooker, 9 ball, 10 ball. I find 8 ball kinda boring to watch but thats me. Straight pool and 1 pocket really put me to sleep, I don't have the patience for it.

I'm hoping it will be good so I have some weekly pool to watch --- we'll have to wait and see :)
 

KoolKat9Lives

Taught 'em all I know
Silver Member
Yay!

We get to watch some of the best players in the world play every week for 26 weeks plus post season. We will know who and when. It's a team event which will bring an exciting element. It's a different game, yes. Only time will tell how many people are open to it. I remember being introduced to one pocket - it felt like a trip to the dentist. But now I love it. For those saying Bonus Ball is too complicated, perhaps think @ your getting to know to one hole. BB is a walk in the park compared to 1 pocket.

I, for one, am excited. :happydance:
 

vagabond

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
What are your thoughts on the game itself, being that it's a non-traditional pocket billiard game, one which is not familiar to mainstream pool aficionados? Just curious! :)


That is a very thorny question. Pool Industry never demonstrated any effective communication skills that are needed to make even a lay person understand the rules,how the game is played, strategies involved in the game of pool etc.

One of the things needed/required for marketing a new Game is to hire a person who can communicate better than a 8 grader.:cool:
 

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
Good news indeed. Good luck to all involved with bonus ball. I hope it will prove worth the wait.
 

Mark Griffin

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
Bonus ball starting soon

I am reading some of the comments on various bonus ball threads.

I am real curious about something.

Ha anyone actually looked at their 26 week schedule?
Did you happen to then check the dates of existing events?

Do you see a conflict? (comments encouraged)!

I will probably have some thoughts in a week or so on this situation.

In the meantime I am sitting at the TAR studio watching the best one pocket matchup in the world - SVB vs EFREN.

Mark Griffin
 

JumpinJoe

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I am reading some of the comments on various bonus ball threads.

I am real curious about something.

Ha anyone actually looked at their 26 week schedule?
Did you happen to then check the dates of existing events?

Do you see a conflict? (comments encouraged)!

I will probably have some thoughts in a week or so on this situation.

In the meantime I am sitting at the TAR studio watching the best one pocket matchup in the world - SVB vs EFREN.

Mark Griffin

Yes great match. Watching it myself
 

DallasHopps

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I watched the US vs Canada match on the BB website. It was pretty fast paced, and there were only a few rules that weren't readily apparent.
It was entertaining... I'll watch it if I remember.
 

nathandumoulin

WPBL / RUNOUT MEDIA
Silver Member
I watched the US vs Canada match on the BB website. It was pretty fast paced, and there were only a few rules that weren't readily apparent.
It was entertaining... I'll watch it if I remember.

Thanks. That was a test shoot to see how the game worked in a real situation. We've since changed a fair bit. The rules have been simplified, a new format (more team based), the commentary style changed, new jerseys (cleaner and tucked), better equipment, new graphics, live stats, etc. we also ditched the sports desk segment, as it was just too cheesy.
 

alanvo

Banned
It should be a great game, combining knowledge from straight pool, one pocket as well as bank pool into one game :)
 

Pjaze

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Thanks. That was a test shoot to see how the game worked in a real situation. We've since changed a fair bit. The rules have been simplified, a new format (more team based), the commentary style changed, new jerseys (cleaner and tucked), better equipment, new graphics, live stats, etc. we also ditched the sports desk segment, as it was just too cheesy.

Best news yet! Sounds like you really took on board the constructive critism offered. Bravo, can't wait for the season to start. *tips hat*
 

D_Lewis

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Ha anyone actually looked at their 26 week schedule?
Did you happen to then check the dates of existing events?

Do you see a conflict? (comments encouraged)!

Mark Griffin

If I want time off of work, I have to book vacation time. This is their job.
 

jpparmentier

AZB Artist
Silver Member
Team AzB
If I want time off of work, I have to book vacation time. This is their job.

What do you mean by that ? Both are work, it seems.

It's more like getting a job opportunity somewhere, and leaving your current job.

Will your former employer take you back if things go wrong ? That's a risk :smile:

Nothing to do with Vacation here. There are plenty of problems with the economy and it's hard enough to put events together nowadays, not to have somebody take your players for half the year without compensation.

The only people who can sort this out are the players themselves. They will have to make choices, and in the end some will get screwed.


Just like the PBT days (when WPA championships were played without the "best in the world"), just like the IPT which collided with tournaments in Asia and Europe.


It's not about wishing Bonus Ball to fail or succeed, it's about asking for common sense. Why not make a schedule that goes around the 10-12 weeks between june and december where events are held, and have the season run from may to december ?


Hopefully this all works out for the better and players and promoters can live happily ever after :rolleyes:
 

nathandumoulin

WPBL / RUNOUT MEDIA
Silver Member
It's not about wishing Bonus Ball to fail or succeed, it's about asking for common sense.

Some people expect Bonus Ball to schedule around other events, yet they fail to consider something as simple as the rental costs for the facility.

The facility is much larger and more advanced than anyone yet realizes, and as such, comes a very hefty rental fee. Taking weeks off to accommodate other events is just not realistic, and if it did, who would compensate Bonus Ball for the lost funds?

The other event promoters? Doubtful. Asking Bonus Ball to shell out tens of thousands of dollars in lost rent is not "common sense".

Unfortunately it's not a perfect world, and some sacrifices have to be made. The good news however is that if Bonus Ball is successful and has a second year, the season will be schedule during the "off season" to avoid conflicting events. In the meantime, all the players have been granted weeks off for whatever events they requested to attend. It's not a perfect solution, but it's a start.

Here's a quote from Darren about the situation:

"After all the setbacks and bad luck the WPBL has experienced, it’s great to finally see light at the end of the tunnel. It's also great for everyone involved, the players and billiard industry, that the WPBL is working around international events to allow us, the players, to play in these tournaments. The WPBL is a professional organization with top class people involved and they give us hope for the future. The players and teams are behind them 100%, and still believe in Bonus Ball, as this is the best opportunity for pool to gain worldwide respect and recognition."
 
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SterlingArcher

Dangerrrrr Zone
Silver Member
What do you mean by that ? Both are work, it seems.

It's more like getting a job opportunity somewhere, and leaving your current job.

Will your former employer take you back if things go wrong ? That's a risk :smile:

Nothing to do with Vacation here. There are plenty of problems with the economy and it's hard enough to put events together nowadays, not to have somebody take your players for half the year without compensation.

The only people who can sort this out are the players themselves. They will have to make choices, and in the end some will get screwed.


Just like the PBT days (when WPA championships were played without the "best in the world"), just like the IPT which collided with tournaments in Asia and Europe.


It's not about wishing Bonus Ball to fail or succeed, it's about asking for common sense. Why not make a schedule that goes around the 10-12 weeks between june and december where events are held, and have the season run from may to december ?


Hopefully this all works out for the better and players and promoters can live happily ever after :rolleyes:

No other sport/game promotions work around other promotions schedules. If bonus ball is paying a player enough to make a living, they shouldn't have a care in the world about working around other promotions schedules. If they are smart they either have or will have contracts in place so players don't decide to skip a bonus ball match to go to another even.

Hopefully bonus ball works out. They have an uphill battle like anyone else trying to promote pool, and they haven't made the best decisions thus far. However, they have a start date now they will hopefully keep.

Now its up to the players, spectators, and bonus ball management to make this work. Even if it fails, bonus ball is paying enough to expect their players to forgo other tournaments that take place at the same time.

Obviously, the worst thing that could happen is bonus ball trample the competition for a year or two, causing other promotions/tournaments to go out of business due to the lack of players, only to end up going out of business themselves.

So, bonus ball is well within their right to schedule however they like.....but, they will either make or break pool if they trample other promotions. That's how capitalism works.
 

richiebalto

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
2014 0r 2015?

All kidding aside, i cant see this kinda pool lasting 1 whole season.

Its going to come down to the fans, i been around pool for 30 years and it just doesnt interest me, but then again iam the type that cant watch a pool match or football game without betting on it. (except for those TAR matches, last nite) i can watch that without betting my money!

But who really knows, we dont know unless we try!
 
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cabilliardclub

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
tourn conflicts

Some people expect Bonus Ball to schedule around other events, yet they fail to consider something as simple as the rental costs for the facility.

The facility is much larger and more advanced than anyone yet realizes, and as such, comes a very hefty rental fee. Taking weeks off to accommodate other events is just not realistic, and if it did, who would compensate Bonus Ball for the lost funds?

The other event promoters? Doubtful. Asking Bonus Ball to shell out tens of thousands of dollars in lost rent is not "common sense".

Unfortunately it's not a perfect world, and some sacrifices have to be made. The good news however is that if Bonus Ball is successful and has a second year, the season will be schedule during the "off season" to avoid conflicting events. In the meantime, all the players have been granted weeks off for whatever events they requested to attend. It's not a perfect solution, but it's a start.

Here's a quote from Darren about the situation:

"After all the setbacks and bad luck the WPBL has experienced, it’s great to finally see light at the end of the tunnel. It's also great for everyone involved, the players and billiard industry, that the WPBL is working around international events to allow us, the players, to play in these tournaments. The WPBL is a professional organization with top class people involved and they give us hope for the future. The players and teams are behind them 100%, and still believe in Bonus Ball, as this is the best opportunity for pool to gain worldwide respect and recognition."

One of the problems in the pool world is scheduling conflicts.

The last couple of years the west coast pool rooms and casino's (Mark Griffin) have been working together to create tournaments that have no conflict. The West Coast Swing is a perfect example. The swing was created for the players. We put together three weekends of great pool and high added money and set for players to start at one tournament (mountain View, Ca) then hit the second tournament (Hard Times, LA) and final US Open One pocket and 10 Ball in Vegas. This has worked great and has lead to other swings like The Swanny (Hard Times, LA) then Reno Bar Box (Reno) and Back to The Chet Itow ( Mountain View, Ca).

We had planned the West Coast Swing again this year starting July 3 in Mountain View then to LA and of coarse to Las Vegas for the US Open.

Then Bonus Ball comes out with their schedule and lands their schedule on top of all three events. All we are asking for in the pool community is to stop with the scheduling conflicts.

You say that Bonus Ball has to PAY for building usage. Well bud, We all have to pay for our businesses. Is my money less important than theirs?

We all want pool and the pro's that make it work and to do well, but when an orginization shits on a schedule that has been in place and gaining popularity among the players and pool world, we have a right to be upset.

There is this new invention called THE PHONE use it and call us. We are always willing to work with new ideas and Tournaments. You can reach me in person at 510-378-6301.

Chris Swart

California Billiard Club
Mountain View, Ca
 
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