I just checked out the website for the 2018 European Championships currently taking place in Veldhoven, Netherlands, from July 19-31 - 13 days! The venue has 60 Rasson 9-foot tables set up. Events include separate 8-ball, 9-ball, 10-ball and 14.1 tournaments in 9 different classifications for entrants from pupils, youth, girls, juniors, men, women, ladies, seniors, wheelchair and team divisions - a total of 38 separate tournaments! The website by itself is quite impressive - keeping up-to-date brackets and results of all matches in all divisions. They've also posted countless awesome photos of the players in action.
I assume many players are able to play in a various number of events. Whether the $110 Euro entry fee (nearly $130 US) gets them in to multiple events or they have to pay that entry fee for each event they enter, I have no idea.
Also, it appears that all matches in all divisions have certified referees overseeing each and every match - that is a minimum of 60 referees just to cover the 60 matches going on at once, so likely 100+ total referees working this event. Whether as volunteers or they are paid, I have no clue but maybe someone here knows?
Many of the top ranked European professional players in the world are participating in this event, mingling with and encouraging all other competitors down to the pupils, which is awesome. It's quite obvious the US has nothing even remotely close to compare to this kind of all encompassing event for all age groups, in all the major pool disciplines, with the exception of one-pocket. Derby City and the Super Billiards Expo are the only two I can think of, but both still pale in comparison to the magnitude of this event. If there was an event comparable to this in the US every year, I would be there, albeit maybe not for 13 days.
This opens my eyes as to one reason why the Europeans have been dominating the Mosconi Cup over recent years. They clearly take their pool very seriously, and the EPBF (European Pocket Billiard Federation) appears to have their act together in ways that should be very envious to those of here in the US that love this sport, but feel it's been dying a slow death for quite a while now.
The only exception to that statement being pool leagues, which do seem to be very popular here in the US. Sadly, I personally don't feel that pool excellence and striving to become the very best player you can be is the goal or the result of most pool leagues - just my opinion.
I assume many players are able to play in a various number of events. Whether the $110 Euro entry fee (nearly $130 US) gets them in to multiple events or they have to pay that entry fee for each event they enter, I have no idea.
Also, it appears that all matches in all divisions have certified referees overseeing each and every match - that is a minimum of 60 referees just to cover the 60 matches going on at once, so likely 100+ total referees working this event. Whether as volunteers or they are paid, I have no clue but maybe someone here knows?
Many of the top ranked European professional players in the world are participating in this event, mingling with and encouraging all other competitors down to the pupils, which is awesome. It's quite obvious the US has nothing even remotely close to compare to this kind of all encompassing event for all age groups, in all the major pool disciplines, with the exception of one-pocket. Derby City and the Super Billiards Expo are the only two I can think of, but both still pale in comparison to the magnitude of this event. If there was an event comparable to this in the US every year, I would be there, albeit maybe not for 13 days.
This opens my eyes as to one reason why the Europeans have been dominating the Mosconi Cup over recent years. They clearly take their pool very seriously, and the EPBF (European Pocket Billiard Federation) appears to have their act together in ways that should be very envious to those of here in the US that love this sport, but feel it's been dying a slow death for quite a while now.
The only exception to that statement being pool leagues, which do seem to be very popular here in the US. Sadly, I personally don't feel that pool excellence and striving to become the very best player you can be is the goal or the result of most pool leagues - just my opinion.
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:thumbup: Well except for one thing - not every match has its own referee,there are so called "area referees" where one referee oversees 8 tables. And if there is any potential problem at the table (jump shot,kickshot in the cluster etc.) any player can call to stop the match to call that referee for that particular table to oversee that situation. As for the racking - tables are tapped with the template so no issue there 
