Pool Players - Pay Attention To New Players Union Developments

[Scaramouche]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/snooker/7665102.stm


Hendry backs new players' union

Hendry said a group should have been set up long ago

Seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry believes the formation of a snooker players' union is long overdue.

He was referring to the Association of Snooker Professionals (ASP) set up by two-time world champion John Higgins and his manager Pat Mooney.

"I don't know why we didn't have something like this sooner," Hendry.

"There have been issues down the years with players not trusting each other. Hopefully this will help us voice our concerns about how the sport is run."

Six-time world champion Steve Davis and promoter Barry Hearn have also given their backing to the ASP.

"I had a meal with Steve in Shanghai and it all sounds pretty much common sense, to be honest," said Hendry.

"There are a lot of issues which need to be dealt with. It's about time the players had more control, because there are always issues which never seem to get resolved."

 

[sjm]

This post pertains to men's pool, as it can easily be argued that the women pros already have what amounts to proper representation of their interests through the superbly run board and committees of the WPBA.

As for the men, I'm not sure the formation of a snooker union offers any guidance to pool.

The theoretical argument in favor of having a pool players union is obvious. On the surface, it is as simple as the seemingly incontrovertible concept that there is strength in numbers. The truth, however, is that a union must have a clear mission into which most of its members have bought, a common vision among its members, to thrive. Without this, a union will not know what to seek, what to accept, what to repel, what principles to stand for, and what the milestones are on its road to achieving its goals. In the absence of unity of purpose, the principle of strength in numbers can, so easily, give way to the equally accepted notion that too many cooks spoil the broth.?

I believe that the formation of a pool players union would have to be preceded by the establishment of a meaningful mission and purpose of the players, a vision and plan to grow and advance the sport. Today, the players are, far too often, compromising the objectives of each other. Pool today has far too many competing factions. Right now, I still see too few in the pro pool community with any meaningful vision for the sport.

It is time for pro pool players to get on the same page, but the simple formation of a union would not, in any way, evidence a unity of purpose among pro pool players.