End of the US Open?

[Justaneng]

For the growth of pool, as much money as possible needs to funnel either upward (from dead money) or from outside (sponsorship/viewership). For as much as pool seems to be getting "healthier" overall, we're still seeing sponsorships coming from only the pool community. When the US Open is sponsored by BMW and not Cuetec, we can start making the comparison to golf and tennis opens. Until then it's still a slow funnel upward from people mostly passing the same $20 bill back and forth.

But for now, and really until being the 150th best pool player (or so) in the US becomes a "good way" to make a living, pool needs find the best way to extract every dollar it can from those who have day jobs.

You could merge the 2 ideas and have the qualifiers on location the during the day or two before the US open. Do random draw 4 or 8 person boards for each of the "open" spots there will be in the final field.

1. With the random draw board (vs. the local qualifier), people don't know if they're truly dead money before the draw. But since there still is a qualifying round, a Fargo 424 with a quick trigger is still eliminated prior to playing a seeded player (unless they get a really favorable draw and catch fire).

2. Matchroom gets the leverage from the increased hotel booking

3. It's still just one vacation for whoever is taking time off of work to participate

 

[sjm]

they got that part wrong imo, limiting entry to two majors for players outside the seeded 128. it should be if you qualify for any major you earned it

I agree, there should be no limit because a limit may impede the path of newly emerging stars of the game in a way that doesn't serve the sport's best interests.

 

[dendweller]

Real shame that Joe "deadmoney" Blow won't ever get that chance again.

DCC and Turningstone come to mind. Joe still has options.

 

[sjm]

For the growth of pool, as much money as possible needs to funnel either upward (from dead money) or from outside (sponsorship/viewership). For as much as pool seems to be getting "healthier" overall, we're still seeing sponsorships coming from only the pool community.

The title sponsor of the 2023 Mosconi Cup was the Duelbits sports book.

 

[Bob Jewett]

The title sponsor of the 2023 Mosconi Cup was the Duelbits sports book.

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

 

[The_JV]

DCC and Turningstone come to mind. Joe still has options.

I haven't been to either of the above, but from I know from those who have. MR events are at a different level in production. My comment wasn't about rubbing elbows with elite. More so being apart of such an event.

 

[briankenobi]

This is true but how many of the ones who qualify will decide they don’t want to fork out the money and time to travel 5 states away to play? It could happen.

However I think it’s a good thing that Matchroom has done with the game. Unfortunately we can’t have it both ways if we want pool to be mainstream like other sports amateurs are going to be able to compete on the same stage as the pros.

One thing is how many spectators will attend just to watch? Watch the final of any tournament on YouTube and tell me how many pro players are watching? Yes there are some. I go to the derby and believe me when the tv arena is packed, 90-95% of those people are people who participated in the tournament. If the average guy can’t play he isn’t going to travel a long way just to watch. Matchroom is probably more worried about streaming revenue than they are who pay to watch at the venue

If they don't want to fork out the money and time to travel, don't play in the qualifier.

Fans of sports teams travel all the time to see their teams. If someone really says they love pool, they will travel to an event that is close to them to watch. I have always said, if pool fans treat pool like they do football or other sports, pool would have more money in it then it currently does. You don't need to have a huge packed arena. Have a number of people in the arena that looks good on camera and focus on the streaming aspect. That is where the money is.

 

[maha]

if any tournament fills up too fast it solely means the entry fee is way too small.

 

[maha]

some day ill post how they can easily grow pool events to make them huge and profitable with tv paying rights.
the organizers who are really not good business people in that particular aspect wouldnt listen or change anyway.

 

[skogstokig]

some day ill post how they can easily grow pool events to make them huge and profitable with tv paying rights.
the organizers who are really not good business people in that particular aspect wouldnt listen or change anyway.

glue?

 

[HelpMeScrubs0013]

All this bullshit is just a money thing is it. Force someone to spend more money to try an quailfy for a event instead of just paying one entry fee for us open. Shit is all a joke. Let's the scrubs in. Let them waste there money. It's free money for the pros. Let them all donate who care. Fuck matchroom again.

 

[dendweller]

I haven't been to either of the above, but from I know from those who have. MR events are at a different level in production. My comment wasn't about rubbing elbows with elite. More so being apart of such an event.

Joe needs to work on his game, maybe he'll get there.

 

[iusedtoberich]

I have no idea what Q School means. I know it’s used in snooker, maybe golf too?. Would someone sum it up in 2-3 sentences please? Is it a single huge tournament where the top finishers make the tour for the year? Is it a series of tournaments with the same outcome? Is it actual games played, or some sort of pool drill and score?

Do the bottom 25% or so of the tour card holders get sent back to Q School to requaulify?

Thanks!

 

[Bob Jewett]

I have no idea what Q School means. I know it’s used in snooker, maybe golf too?. Would someone sum it up in 2-3 sentences please? Is it a single huge tournament where the top finishers make the tour for the year? Is it a series of tournaments with the same outcome? Is it actual games played, or some sort of pool drill and score?

Do the bottom 25% or so of the tour card holders get sent back to Q School to requaulify?

Thanks!

The way it works at snooker is that multiple tournaments are held in one location in a couple of rounds over a couple of weeks and the top finishers get a tour card and are on the tour for two years. In addition, the players who have strong finishes but didn't win may be asked to play if an event isn't filled with tour players. I believe the snooker Q-school has around 200 attendees, including a number of pro players who have fallen out of the rankings. I believe some amount of turn-over is built into the rankings so the bottom dozen or two each year are dropped from the tour.

I have not heard of any other activities at the snooker Q-school. I believe for golf there are classes about rules and/or behavior. Maybe the pool school will have a class on proper attire.

 

[skogstokig]

I have no idea what Q School means. I know it’s used in snooker, maybe golf too?. Would someone sum it up in 2-3 sentences please? Is it a single huge tournament where the top finishers make the tour for the year? Is it a series of tournaments with the same outcome? Is it actual games played, or some sort of pool drill and score?

Do the bottom 25% or so of the tour card holders get sent back to Q School to requaulify?

Thanks!

Q = qualification. but yes it's not a school, not in darts or snooker at least, it's two weeks of grueling competition. the 64-128 group of the 128 tour pros have to qualify with the amateurs to retain or lose their tour card. i have no idea if pool is going to use this system.

 

[nicksaint26]

All this bullshit is just a money thing is it. Force someone to spend more money to try an quailfy for a event instead of just paying one entry fee for us open. Shit is all a joke. Let's the scrubs in. Let them waste there money. It's free money for the pros. Let them all donate who care. Fuck matchroom again.

Terrible take! You want to watch scrubs play instead of the elite because they can pay their way? Matchroom is making a sport out of pool and you are knocking them for it. You don’t see amateurs on the golf tour or any other professional tour without qualifying do you?

 

[dendweller]

I have no idea what Q School means. I know it’s used in snooker, maybe golf too?. Would someone sum it up in 2-3 sentences please? Is it a single huge tournament where the top finishers make the tour for the year? Is it a series of tournaments with the same outcome? Is it actual games played, or some sort of pool drill and score?

Do the bottom 25% or so of the tour card holders get sent back to Q School to requaulify?

Thanks

It's tournaments with golf. Top 5 finishers get a pga card. Top 40 get some type of status on the Korn Ferry tour.

Each year the top 25 on the korn Ferry tour get PGA cards. Those that don't make enough money to stay on the pga tour go back to korn ferry or q school.

I read a book on q school, it sounds pretty tough.

 

[Bob Jewett]

It's tournaments with golf. ...

Are there any sorts of instruction/classes involved, or is it just play?

 

[garczar]

Are there any sorts of instruction/classes involved, or is it just play?

just golf. its been called 'q-school' forever.

 

[dendweller]

Are there any sorts of instruction/classes involved, or is it just play?

far as I know, you're supposed to know what your doing when you get there.