End of the US Open?

[Island Drive]

Thx Bob did find it and filled out their form. But a pm ph number works.

bm

 

[The_JV]

For what?? Need to be a tad more specific. AFAIK MR is not having qualy's for the US Open in the States. You'd have to contact whatever group/tour you're interested in.

During that last interview did she not say that majors would have the second 128 slots be predominately filled by local qualifiers..? Pretty sure she used the UKOpen as an example where the already planned qualifiers are in the various parts of the UK. ....and some overseas.

Only stands to reason that USopen qualifiers would be predominately in the USA.

 

[dendweller]

Have you not seen what Matchroom has done for Boxing, Snooker, Darts and so on? This ain’t Trudeau or any other tour that’s been done before and if you can’t see it you’re blind old man

Unfortunately I'm an old man as well and didn't mean to click the like button. I didn't like your post, I think it sucked.

 

[briankenobi]

Just curious: how many pool events a year do you travel to just to spectate?

Lou Figueroa

3. Derby City and two WPBA events that are near me.

 

[trob]

Some people still think Matchroom operates on the dead money. They're wrong. Things have changed for tournament financing in a major way.

Exactly it’s a good thing that pro tournaments no longer need that dead money to survive.

To all of you complaining do you remember it wasn’t that long a go that the winner of the us open didn’t get paid at the event and it took a while before he did get paid. He wasn’t sure if he was even going to get paid. That’s no longer a worry. What has happened in the last few years for our game has been an incredible leap forward. If Barry Hearn can make million dollar dart players he can make million dollar pool players So they get my full support.

 

[Zerksies]

I find it obsurd that the US open was sold out within 2 hours last year. I had one simple question and i emailed them immediatley. I received my reponse back within two hours and the event was sold out. I feel matchroom has seats booked with the big name vendors. And only seats open up near the end is when these big vendors can't fill the seats.

FYI: i was on the list for both years. Last year i declined because of health issues.

 

[lfigueroa]

3. Derby City and two WPBA events that are near me.

You go to the DCC and don’t play?

And sure I can understand an event near you but most of us aren’t near any WPBA events or major event that they’ll go to just to watch. In my case I’ve been to less than half a dozen events just to watch: a few MCs; a CSI event Mark Griffin asked me to go out to Vegas and write about; and the American 14.1 a couple of years ago. That’s it.

Personally I feel the vast majority of pool players want to play not watch.

Lou Figueroa

 

[9BallKY]

You go to the DCC and don’t play?

And sure I can understand an event near you but most of us aren’t near any WPBA events or major event that they’ll go to just to watch. In my case I’ve been to less than half a dozen events just to watch: a few MCs; a CSI event Mark Griffin asked me to go out to Vegas and write about; and the American 14.1 a couple of years ago. That’s it.

Personally I feel the vast majority of pool players want to play not watch.

Lou Figueroa

Exactly I go to the derby just because it’s a 2hr drive for me. I’ve even went just to watch but when I did I only went for 1 day. Same reason I haven’t been to the US Open is because it to far away. Probably the same reason I would never attend a qualifier. If there was a qualifier close I might play just to play. If I got lucky enough to qualify I would never attend the main event simply because I can give money away at home. The reason I go to the derby and give money away is because it’s one of my vacations for the year so it’s money I’m going to spend anyway.

 

[briankenobi]

You go to the DCC and don’t play?

And sure I can understand an event near you but most of us aren’t near any WPBA events or major event that they’ll go to just to watch. In my case I’ve been to less than half a dozen events just to watch: a few MCs; a CSI event Mark Griffin asked me to go out to Vegas and write about; and the American 14.1 a couple of years ago. That’s it.

Personally I feel the vast majority of pool players want to play not watch.

Lou Figueroa

Correct. I have gone to DCC for the past 8 years or so and not played. I used to play all the time but since I started doing the Artistic Pool stuff, my regular pool game went lower so it just didn't make sense to me.

I agree that the majority of players want to play and not watch. I hear that all the time. Maybe that's part of the issue. Maybe viewer numbers would be higher in more people watched, which could lead to more money.

 

[jay helfert]

Exactly it’s a good thing that pro tournaments no longer need that dead money to survive.

To all of you complaining do you remember it wasn’t that long a go that the winner of the us open didn’t get paid at the event and it took a while before he did get paid. He wasn’t sure if he was even going to get paid. That’s no longer a worry. What has happened in the last few years for our game has been an incredible leap forward. If Barry Hearn can make million dollar dart players he can make million dollar pool players So they get my full support.

Funny isn't it. The promoter of those Opens stiffed players for years, wrote bad checks and dragged out the payouts for months after the event was over. He is now revered as a visionary for pro pool in America. Not necessarily the role model I would hang my hat on.

 

[The_JV]

I find it obsurd that the US open was sold out within 2 hours last year. I had one simple question and i emailed them immediatley. I received my reponse back within two hours and the event was sold out. I feel matchroom has seats booked with the big name vendors. And only seats open up near the end is when these big vendors can't fill the seats.

FYI: i was on the list for both years. Last year i declined because of health issues.

Sorry, I'm unsure if you're speaking about registering as a player or spectator trying to gets seats.

I know the slots for play were filled within the first few hours, but I completely believe that's because we had professional mouse clickers buying up small blocks knowing they could flip them. Again in the end, and speaking from direct experience. They eventually had slots available to the wait list and I was a couple of days late getting on it.

Spectator seats was another matter. I was sold a false bill of goods by a MR rep (Emily direct report) during day 1. They claimed that the finals day had been sold out and the second last day was near full. Based on that intel I scrambled and paid waaaaaay too much for individual tickets for those days, and feeling lucky that I managed to get them at all. Fast forward and the neither day was full and I learnt that I could have paid for an "event pass" for several hundred less (per person). That would have gained me spectator access for the entire week. As a player I had "backstage" access only while active in the event or for the first 3 days.

I was pretty annoyed at the whole unwarranted costs I endured with buying tickets. Live and learn I suppose.

 

[Kid Dynomite]

Funny isn't it. The promoter of those Opens stiffed players for years, wrote bad checks and dragged out the payouts for months after the event was over. He is now revered as a visionary for pro pool in America. Not necessarily the role model I would hang my hat on.

Finally

Speaking truth

Kd

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk

 

[lfigueroa]

There is something about pool that inspires players to play rather than sit in the stands.

You play tennis, you are not returning Federer’s serve. You play golf, you are not matching Tiger’s tee shot. But at pool, maybe you’ll win the lag and run a few against Shane.

You’re still a dead duck… but something about the game makes us all believe.

Lou Figueroa

 

[Zerksies]

Sorry, I'm unsure if you're speaking about registering as a player or spectator trying to gets seats.

I know the slots for play were filled within the first few hours, but I completely believe that's because we had professional mouse clickers buying up small blocks knowing they could flip them. Again in the end, and speaking from direct experience. They eventually had slots available to the wait list and I was a couple of days late getting on it.

Spectator seats was another matter. I was sold a false bill of goods by a MR rep (Emily direct report) during day 1. They claimed that the finals day had been sold out and the second last day was near full. Based on that intel I scrambled and paid waaaaaay too much for individual tickets for those days, and feeling lucky that I managed to get them at all. Fast forward and the neither day was full and I learnt that I could have paid for an "event pass" for several hundred less (per person). That would have gained me spectator access for the entire week. As a player I had "backstage" access only while active in the event or for the first 3 days.

I was pretty annoyed at the whole unwarranted costs I endured with buying tickets. Live and learn I suppose.

I'm talking about playing in the event. I suspect that MR already have slots filled for sponsored players

 

[skogstokig]

I find it obsurd that the US open was sold out within 2 hours last year. I had one simple question and i emailed them immediatley. I received my reponse back within two hours and the event was sold out. I feel matchroom has seats booked with the big name vendors. And only seats open up near the end is when these big vendors can't fill the seats.

FYI: i was on the list for both years. Last year i declined because of health issues.

if you mean for players, all the opens sell out within hours, not only the US open. demand is clearly rising and i don't think the qualifiers will have any trouble filling the 128 spots

 

[The_JV]

I'm talking about playing in the event. I suspect that MR already have slots filled for sponsored players

Most definitely for those who ended up being seeded. The secondary 128... Who knows. You're theory stands to reason.

 

[The_JV]

if you mean for players, all the opens sell out within hours, not only the US open. demand is clearly rising and i don't think the qualifiers will have any trouble filling the 128 spots

I still question this "demand" if we're using the time it takes to fill the last 128 as the guideline. More so knee jerk purchases with the pockets to do so.

 

[Dimeball]

Times are changing. Two big things that have changed are the number of players signing up for these events and the skill levels of those players.

20 years ago it was a mostly US event. Jeremy Jones, Gabe Owen, and John Schmidt won the event between 2003-2005. Out of the final 64 players, 40-50 had US flags next to their name. Today it is the opposite, with the events only being won by 800+ players and only 4-5 US flags in the final 64, and 0-1 in the final 32. So the skill level to be live to cash has dramatically changed.

As for demand, the increase in participation is staggering. The event is filling up within the hour they open registration, leaving many of the worlds best shut out from the opportunity to compete.

Due to these changes it makes sense that Matchroom would have to change with the times. The divide between good amateurs and world class pros is growing greater, and the talent is deeper. I can understand how events like the US Open may no longer be the place for good amateurs to take a shot, and instead it can be reserved for the elite.

In turn, other tournaments such as Turning Stone, DCC, Texas Open, etc, will take on the role of those hybrid events that allow players of all levels to compete.

The world of pro pool has changed dramatically and permanently in the last 10 years and we cannot blame Matchroom for evolving with it. They have been a large part of the growth of the sport both for professionals and for audiences around the world, and I support whatever direction they need to go to sustain their success.

Nice, good explanation, simple to understand. I like it!

 

[skogstokig]

I still question this "demand" if we're using the time it takes to fill the last 128 as the guideline. More so knee jerk purchases with the pockets to do so.

i guess we will find out pretty soon. UK open will be the first event with the new system (not counting 2019 US open).

 

[The_JV]

i guess we will find out pretty soon. UK open will be the first event with the new system (not counting 2019 US open).

I don't doubt that it will fill up. It will just take a hair more time based on when the qualifiers are played. The thing I'm interested in is what happens when "qualifiers" decide not to go, and more importantly when it's a short notice cancellation.

The other aspect to the qualifiers that would directly effect someone like myself. Will they lock in the amount of events and thereby take say the top 12 in each, (assuming 10 event)...? I don't like my chances in winning a qualifier that's sure to have multiple ~750 players, but I could finish top 12.