In a nutshell, yes. Matchroom is adding more pool events each year. Barry Hearn recently said this in a Billiards Digest interview with Mike Panozzo, the publisher. Basically, Matchroom, in my opinion, is saying if you compete in another pool event that is of the 9-ball discipline during the same time as a Matchroom 9-ball discipline, then you will not be able to compete in a Matchroom 9-ball discipline tournament in the future. I am thinking the person's name will be black-listed from Matchroom events if they do compete in another 9-ball discipline at the same time as a Matchroom one.
When Bonus Ball came in existence, pro players deserted Greg Sullivan, the Derby City Classic promoter, when he was having an event at the same time. Greg's event was already scheduled, but Bonus Ball created dates for competitions at the exact same time, not giving any credence to Greg Sullivan's Derby City Classic event in the South. I can't remember where it was held, but it was in the summer down South. Well-known pros, as we all know, praised Bonus Ball, just like some of us praised the IPT when it was in existence. Pool people are a fickle bunch, I tell you, and there's no loyalty in pool.
Without a governing body of international pool that is more hands-on (WPA) and a governing both of North American pool, what the BCA organization used to do, there is nothing stopping anyone from scheduling a pool event at the exact same time as Matchroom. If Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour has scheduled a Season Finale at Turning Stone and a Matchroom 9-ball style event is schedule at the exact same time, it will cause a divide with some players, just as an example. Matchroom's agreement is basically saying "choose us," and if not, you may not be allowed to compete in Matchroom events again. That's my interpretation today.
The wording of the "agreement" was poor, and Emily Frazer at the time was taking a hiatus from social media. So there was nobody to ask questions about the "agreement." She had deactivated her Facebook account, which made me wonder if she was still working for Matchroom. Emily made it known on public podcasts that she is a very huge proponent of social media for pro players, and for her to "disappear" from social media, I was curious if she was still involved with Matchroom. I like Emily and think she's great for pool, but I realize she may have needed a break from all the hoopla associated with Matchroom. It can be quite heavy, I imagine. She emerged again on Facebook after this thread and other threads on Matchroom Pool Forum on Facebook about this "agreement" started heating up. It could be coincidence that she emerged at the same time as these threads. I'm not sure, but she answered a thread on Facebook about it, which I posted in this thread. She did not reply to me directly, though. It was a reply in a thread about this topic.
After all, Emily is the face of pool for Matchroom, and we have all come to clamor to her every word. She works hard and puts in 1,000 percent. I am looking forward to seeing what Matchroom has to offer in the future. Barry Hearn is still involved in the background and has his eye on the pool needle globally. Time will tell.
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