Actually the winning team must win 55 games in the eleven winning matches to take the Cup! And Europe and USA played something close to 150 games before there was a winner this year. That's a lot of pool in my book!
I do agree that there is nothing more exciting than a hill-hill match, where it all comes down to one game! I don't care if it's 10-10, 8-8 or 4-4. You do know that in the Challenge of Champions they play one game matches to decide the winner, after each player has won one Race to Five. I'm not so sure I agree with this, but I'm not the one putting up the dough. :wink:
I don't see any problem with the rules either. Alternate breaks gives both players chances at the table and adds importance to the opening lag. Having to get three balls down or past the head string makes the cut break risky, although it isn't quite as bad as you might think giving up control of the table. Now if it was BIH that would be a severe penalty for a failed break. I also like the 30 second shot clock with one extension per rack. No one gets the luxury of examining a shot endlessly. They have to get up there and shoot!
Anyway, that's how I see it and it absolutely makes sense for television. This way they are able to show entire matches without editing LIVE! We never left the air while the matches were in progress, being live on SkySports 4-5 hours each night. Now that's coverage! And there were MILLIONS of viewers every night! Let's compare that with 500 people watching two guys play a marathon session online and you tell me who has the better formula. Just saying.......