Current State of the WPBA Tour?

[Bob Jewett]

... My guess, based on the eye test, is that Jean's 9ball Fargo was around 720, but had she needed to, she could have played to 760.

It would be interesting to look at her rating from matches in the open (men's) events but I think we don't really have ratings for many people back then.

 

[Justaneng]

It appears there are currently 10 events on the WPBA’s 2024 tournament schedule. This is very encouraging as this represents the most yearly WPBA scheduled tournaments I can recall in over 20 years.

Yes, the quality depth of the fields is admittedly not deep, but it never has been in the 40 years I’ve been following the women’s pro tour, going back to the Jean Balukus days. The $ prize purses are not that impressive either, but at least they are playing.

It would be nice if the WPBA could attract more of the Fargo top 10-15 mostly Asian women players to play regularly, if these players can get their visa’s, if the $ prize purse makes it feasible for them to come here and if the quality of the fields is strong enough. Hopefully that may happen if this tour continues to grow.

I’m curious to hear opinions here on the current state of the women’s tour, particularly from Stu, who has supported the women’s tour forever.

If you asked the 100 million or so sports fans in the USA to name 10 pool players, Jeanette Lee and Allison Fisher still probably have more brand and name recognition than SVB. At its consumer peak pool and tennis were similar, except the actual skill levels in pool are far closer than tennis. Serena Williams is considered a goat and got smoked by a drunk guy ranked in the 200’s. I’m taking an aging Allison any day over some mid range APA SL-7 from Omaha.

So the status of the WPBA tour is entirely in the hands of marketing. Marketing has to brush off the fact that the Fargo 800 gang can destroy their talent, much like how it’s handled in tennis. Marketing has to provide some sex appeal without engaging in pure exploitation.

 

[mikepage]

[...]

To be fair, the young would-be champions usually show it early. Jean won the US Open 14.1 at the age of 13. Loree Jon was a world champion at age 15. Siming Chen won the China Open at 16. Ewa Mataya was European 14.1 champion at 17. Ga Young Kim was a world champion by the age of 21. Han Yu was world champion at 21. Jeanette gained the world #1 ranking at the age of 23. Gerda Hofstatter was world champion by 24.

Yes, Savannah is young, but do you feel that Savannah is on a track to equal or surpass the greats of yesteryear? I haven't yet seen anything from her that would lead me to believe so, but I'd like to be wrong on this one.

Savannah was referred to as "only 15" in a previous post. I believe she's 13 and turns 14 next month

 

[ChrisinNC]

Savannah was referred to as "only 15" in a previous post. I believe she's 13 and turns 14 next month

That may have been me, sorry. She’s raised her Fargo from 450 to 600 in the last 2 years. Let’s see where it’s at in another 2-3 years. If she gets it up to 680, she’d be the #2 Fargo ranked American female, behind only Allison.

 

[sjm]

That may have been me, sorry. She’s raised her Fargo from 450 to 600 in the last 2 years. Let’s see where it’s at in another 2-3 years. If she gets it up to 680, she’d be the #2 Fargo ranked American female, behind only Allison.

Yes, and I think 680 by the time she's seventeen is a good goal for her. Wishing her the best of success in its attainment.