New Board Members for the WPBA?

[Mowem down]

Just asking ......

I just verified some information with the WPBA and this is what I found out.

Not everyone was called to address the membership...only the ones who asked to do so...like myself. Mimi, Paul, me, and Tamre had all asked to speak to the membership so Anne called us during the meeting to set that up. John R, Mark, and Ashley did not.

I only asked because when I ran last year I didn't address the membership but had heard that people were given the opportunity so I wanted to make sure I was able to this year.

Sorry about the misinformation. I did confirm with John that he did not address the membership either.

Because I was reading this thread and saw your post....

If its ok to address the membership then why would they not inform everybody that they had that opportunity ??? I would think that came to mind last year. If I was running for somthing, didnt get chosen then found out my opponent had a chance to talk to the people voting I think I would be a bit irritated.

Having to ask is just sillly. Who would even think that, " hey, me, X,Y, and Z are all running, I wonder if I ask, they'll let me talk to the pannel of voters " But not tell X,Y, and Z they have the same chance, SWEET....

Im sorry, Im not making fun of you, but I am laughing that is crazy...

One other ? you might be able too answer, If mark had known he was able to give a little speech, then he could have been present when they read the letter from the APA and would have been able to address that curve ball head on. Or did they read the letter at a diff. time...

 

[Johnnyt]

Stick a Fork in it

Stick a fork in it the WPBA it's done IMO. It will either be sold or just fade away for lack of tournaments and players. There have been 20 years of the same thinking. Every business model has to change in one-way or another over time or remain stagnant, and if the players really do have input and say-so they will get what they deserve. Either they'll be playing in $2000 and under regional opens or it becomes a hobby for them. It's sad to see this once great tour going the way of the car companies. Johnnyt

 

[JAM]

Stick a fork in it the WPBA it's done. It will either be sold or just fade away for lack of tournaments and players. There have been 20 years of the same thinking. Every business model has to change in one-way or another over time or remain stagnant, and if the players really do have input and say-so they will get what they deserve. Either they'll be playing in $2000 and under regional opens or it becomes a hobby for them. It's sad to see this once great tour going the way of the car companies. Johnnyt

See what you started, Johnnyt? It's all your fault. [Just joking, of course]

The WPBA's survivability, if I can call it that, may just be a sign of the times. Anybody who knows anything about pool in the United States is well aware that things are different today in the year 2009 than they were in 1979.

With tournament payouts being the EXACT SAME today, 30 years later, and the cost of living having quadrupled in some areas, it makes it extremely difficult to shoot pool on a professional level.

If it comes to having a roof over your head or sacrificing a comfortable lifestyle, some folks do have to make a difficult choice. If their passion for pool is strong, they may be able to balance having a job and playing professionally, but this is a toughie. Most jobs, especially the 9-to-5 types, won't allow someone to take off from work so frequently to attend monthly events.

There are only a handful of American so-called "professional players" who are sponsored with money (not product), allowing them to travel to, say, Qatar. With more and more tournaments being held overseas, the American representation isn't as strong as other countries. Look at our governing body, the Billiards Congress of America, sinking into an abyss and only today a figurehead. What do they do to help professional pool today?

The existing lot of professional players in America is diminishing. There are not as many yearly pool events today as there were 30 years ago. The pool promoters have gone belly-up and can't afford to take a loss each year, not to mention the constant whining and griping by tournament-goers who don't like paying the gate fees to support the event. Pool is not a charity operation, unfortunately, and these pool promoters have to keep a roof over their collective heads too.

With more and more pool events being outsourced, less interest in the events that are on American soil, pool as a professional sport is losing ground rapidly, more so now than ever, IMHO.

While the industry members, traveling tournament directors, and owner/operators of various leagues can afford pool today, maybe even making a profit -- imagine that! -- the actual players themselves seem to be struggling. Even when you come in first place at a pool tournament, you're stuck big time for all the other events you attended. Nobody can win each and every time -- NOBODY, not even Efren. This is why there are not very many new faces on the professional pool circuit in the States.

The best bang for the buck in pool is the leagues and regional tours. Ten years ago, I would have fought tooth and nail to have professional pool recognized as a sport. Today, I'm rolling over on my back and admitting defeat; submission, if you will. Pool is a recreational game, much like badminton and croquet, and I will today enjoy it for what it is.

That's my story and I'm sticking with it. God bless all the professional pool players in the world today. I admire their passion and determination to keep pool alive in their hearts. :smile:

 

[sunnyday]

I just verified some information with the WPBA and this is what I found out.

Not everyone was called to address the membership...only the ones who asked to do so...like myself. Mimi, Paul, me, and Tamre had all asked to speak to the membership so Anne called us during the meeting to set that up. John R, Mark, and Ashley did not.

I only asked because when I ran last year I didn't address the membership but had heard that people were given the opportunity so I wanted to make sure I was able to this year.

Sorry about the misinformation. I did confirm with John that he did not address the membership either.

Isn't it funny, no matter how much homework you do there is ALWAYS some information they withhold from the truth? Not your fault Christina, I know your intent was good.

Yes, John did not address the membership because:

John "declined to speak" when WPBA CALLED AND ASK HIM IF HE WANTED TO ADDRESS THE VOTERS FOR FEW MINUTES BEFORE THE VOTING TOOK PLACE". WPBA called John if he wanted to speak - John did not request it himself.

Why he declined to address? He was on a conference call, so he certainly was not aware himself that he could exercise this .... "we let you speak, only if we want you to" privilege.

S.

 

[akaTrigger]

Isn't it funny, no matter how much homework you do there is ALWAYS some information they withhold from the truth? Not your fault Christina, I know your intent was good.

Yes, John did not address the membership because:

John "declined to speak" when WPBA CALLED AND ASK HIM IF HE WANTED TO ADDRESS THE VOTERS FOR FEW MINUTES BEFORE THE VOTING TOOK PLACE". WPBA called John if he wanted to speak - John did not request it himself.

Why he declined to address? He was on a conference call, so he certainly was not aware himself that he could exercise this .... "we let you speak, only if we want you to" privilege.

S.

and it just gets more interesting and disappointing as the thread continues.

 

[Celtic]

Christina- I did NOT get any call or any notice that I could address the voting members! Sorry- you were wrong. And that begs the question-why wasn't I called???? Mark griffin

Of course you were not called. had you been called and told the APA was going to pull their sponsorship if you were elected to the board you could have in turn then offered to have the BCAPL take up that loss of sponsorship if the APA was to truly pull out and thus the APA would be double screwed. The BCAPL would now be both on the WPBA board AND be a major sponsor of womens professional pool. This could lead to a merging of professional and amature pool that could be used to in turn strengthen the support of your league.

The WPBA might have ended up running a major WPBA qualifier tournament in vegs during the BCA tournament in Vegas in May when the amature players are there anyhow, perhaps the winner of the top amature womens tournament in the BCAPL in Vegas would qualify for a spot on the WPBA, this type of thing would legitimize the BCAPL and increase the interest in playing in it significantly for all amature women players who aspire to go pro. And since things are always relative advances such as these for the BCA would make the APA look a little less attractive in comparison.

The APA are lucky the WPBA did not call you and have you take their sponsorship spot and start a synergetic relationship that would have been mutually beneficial to both the WPBA and BCAPL.

 

[Mark Griffin]

WPBA elections

Bump!

I think this thread got sidetracked by the US Open.

I would really like opinions on this whole topic.

I will try to respond to any questions.

mark Griffin
markg@playcsipool.com
702-719-7665 work

 

[ososlow]

BCAPL = Shane

Cuetec = Shane and Allison

BCAPL should sponsor Allison.

Would the WPBA make her take off her sponsor patch so the APA wont drop them?

I see plently of wpba players with predator patches on. I dont here of cuetec getting pissy about it.

I could feel the APA was an evil empire. Its all becoming clear to me now