SJM – My Thoughts on WPA’s Actions

It's like a sick chess game, except the pool players are the sacrificial pawns. I can't wait to see Matchrooms next move.
 
I hope Joshua Filler is contacting a sports agent about getting a contract with his federation based on his performance.

Some pros command more authority, Joshua Filler is in that class.

Fedor might need one, in case some foreign government agents, start claiming otherwise. I keep hearing "He is not American" in my mind.
 
justnum said:
I hope Joshua Filler is contacting a sports agent about getting a contract with his federation based on his performance.

Some pros command more authority, Joshua Filler is in that class.

Fedor might need one, in case some foreign government agents, start claiming otherwise. I keep hearing "He is not American" in my mind.
Click to expand...
As you suggest, the premier players will have some newfound leverage as they try to seek to maximize their income. How they use that leverage is their business, though, and not mine.
 
sjm said:
Not accurate. From 2000-2020, WPA majors outside of the USA were, more or less restricted to the China Open, the All Japan, and the World 9-ball. The greater investments to which you refer didn't come until recently.


Short-term, you may be right, but what's going on now is only the first of many chapters in this scuffle.
Click to expand...
You shouldn't encourage him. Literally every single post he makes is trolling. You can't take anything he says seriously. Best just to ignore him.
 
JusticeNJ said:
I can understand this point and agree with it in principle, but WPA apparently has no other way to enforce their authority over the management/oversight of the game except to use player eligibility to participate in events and receive other benefits as leverage.

How WPA put's teeth in its bite is entirely their problem to solve, and using the players as leverage is probably the worst thing possible they could have gone with IMO. It does very little to stem Matchroom's market and screws over the players while actually weakening WPA's standing. Few people see this as a legitimate, serious decision made in furtherance of the integrity of pool, and more of a desperate grab that screws over the players and overall bad for the game.

It's just a bad decision and I hope it results in a sea change and turnover at WPA. The better course, to me, would have been to simply accept the WNT rankings or cut some other deal with MR. Instead, we get this result which is totally unsustainable in the long run, and I have some doubts that anyone at WPA expects this to result in a long term state of affairs with WPA players and "the rest."
Click to expand...

Agreed, They would have been a lot better off reducing their take and bringing corporate sponsorship to the table but
the viewerships aren't where they need to be for that.

In the ends its going to be about who is making money at this game. The rest go away.
 
336Robin said:
Agreed, They would have been a lot better off reducing their take and bringing corporate sponsorship to the table but
the viewerships aren't where they need to be for that.

In the ends its going to be about who is making money at this game. The rest go away.
Click to expand...
I could be wrong about this, but I don't feel the 5% was the sticking point in Matchroom's break from WPA. I think they just wanted more latitude and full control of the nine ball side of the equation, especially the rankings. Had they gotten it, I highly doubt they would have cut ties and would have continued paying the 5%.

... and to be fair, WPA has been successful in arranging much greater sponsorship of pro pool from Predator than ever before.
 
sjm said:
I could be wrong about this, but I don't feel the 5% was the sticking point in Matchroom's break from WPA. I think they just wanted more latitude and full control of the nine ball side of the equation, especially the rankings. Had they gotten it, I highly doubt they would have cut ties and would have continued paying the 5%.

... and to be fair, WPA has been successful in arranging much greater sponsorship of pro pool from Predator than ever before.
Click to expand...
Question: do you think the Predator Pro Series fields are going to weaken much due to this? A lot of MR-linked players have played in them. I'm thinking you're gonna see more 700+ FR players in these events which is probably what CSI/FR had in mind in the first place.
 
atlas333 said:
Why?
Seems to me like you are really saying that the game of 9 ball is a joke with that comment. That's one reason I would love to see full rack rotation played for the major championships.
Click to expand...
Great game for us purists but not if you're pitching it to JoePublic.
 
sjm said:
I could be wrong about this, but I don't feel the 5% was the sticking point in Matchroom's break from WPA. I think they just wanted more latitude and full control of the nine ball side of the equation, especially the rankings. Had they gotten it, I highly doubt they would have cut ties and would have continued paying the 5%.

... and to be fair, WPA has been successful in arranging much greater sponsorship of pro pool from Predator than ever before.
Click to expand...

Exactly and it's my opinion that after Matchroom had developed 9-ball into a brand with no one else having that number of
9-ball events that not sharing power by the WPA was a mistake.

The WPA owns nothing except a few filing cabinets and secretaries that keep up with rules, points and titles. Now they stand to lose it all and I don't believe it's for the greater good, but this was clearly their choice.

The refused a new role.
 
sjm said:
I could be wrong about this, but I don't feel the 5% was the sticking point in Matchroom's break from WPA. I think they just wanted more latitude and full control of the nine ball side of the equation, especially the rankings. Had they gotten it, I highly doubt they would have cut ties and would have continued paying the 5%.

... and to be fair, WPA has been successful in arranging much greater sponsorship of pro pool from Predator than ever before.
Click to expand...
This is just my opinion, I don't know any fact...

I feel Predator on their own doing decided to become a promoter. Since their beginnings in the mid 90's when their only product was an aftermarket 314 shaft, they have been sponsors on countless events. Their CEO is super ambitions. He went from intern to leading the company. Their product line now includes nearly all pool equipment, not just shafts. I would bet Predator wanted to start a tour and approached the WPA, not the other way around.
 
garczar said:
Question: do you think the Predator Pro Series fields are going to weaken much due to this? A lot of MR-linked players have played in them. I'm thinking you're gonna see more 700+ FR players in these events which is probably what CSI/FR had in mind in the first place.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure how CSI/Predator could get away with allowing a player that was playing Matchroom events when the WPA said they
were banned from their events.

Isn't that the center of the issue? Banning players or are paying promoters immune from the WPA rules?
 
336Robin said:
Exactly and it's my opinion that after Matchroom had developed 9-ball into a brand with no one else having that number of
9-ball events that not sharing power by the WPA was a mistake.

The WPA owns nothing except a few filing cabinets and secretaries that keep up with rules, points and titles. Now they stand to lose it all and I don't believe it's for the greater good, but this was clearly their choice.

The refused a new role.
Click to expand...
Wow. Can't believe i'm actually agreeing with something you said. Miracles never cease.
 
garczar said:
Question: do you think the Predator Pro Series fields are going to weaken much due to this? A lot of MR-linked players have played in them. I'm thinking you're gonna see more 700+ FR players in these events which is probably what CSI/FR had in mind in the first place.
Click to expand...

might become like an A-tour and a B-tour.

i think predator is stretched out pretty thin and i heard they might be pulling two events next year. maybe mike fargorate knows better?
 
skogstokig said:
might become like an A-tour and a B-tour.

i think predator is stretched out pretty thin and i heard they might be pulling two events next year. maybe mike fargorate knows better?
Click to expand...
If Predator had done a simple (normal) 9 ball or 10 ball tour they would have probably filled the fields. (before all this WPA drama).

I also wonder if Predator would have/would still join the MR tour and make their events MR events (assuming they switched to normal 9 ball and normal race formats). I would see that as a win-win for everyone. Their events would fill for sure. MR would have another great promoter/sponsor/manufacturer to partner with.

I do feel Predator got a raw deal in this whole fiasco, second only to the players. They did no wrong, they went full force into promoting and putting up the money for events, and now their field will be diluted through no fault of their own. Hell, if I was Predator today, I may drop WPA sanctioning and join MR.
 
iusedtoberich said:
9C392CF1-576D-4E87-B7C2-51EFEB83EE85.jpeg
If Predator had done a simple (normal) 9 ball or 10 ball tour they would have probably filled the fields. (before all this WPA drama).

I also wonder if Predator would have/would still join the MR tour and make their events MR events (assuming they switched to normal 9 ball and normal race formats). I would see that as a win-win for everyone. Their events would fill for sure. MR would have another great promoter/sponsor/manufacturer to partner with.

I do feel Predator got a raw deal in this whole fiasco, second only to the players. They did no wrong, they went full force into promoting and putting up the money for events, and now their field will be diluted through no fault of their own. Hell, if I was Predator today, I may drop WPA sanctioning and join MR.
Click to expand...
I’m gonna guess Predator is also probably reviewing it’s relationship with the WPA given how much of their purse contributes to the WPA budget compared to what they get in return, and now with a possible diluted field as you pointed out.

WPA can’t ban *everyone*.
 
JusticeNJ said:
I’m gonna guess Predator is also probably reviewing it’s relationship with the WPA given how much of their purse contributes to the WPA budget compared to what they get in return, and now with a possible diluted field as you pointed out.

WPA can’t ban *everyone*.
Click to expand...
Predator can have a big impact here and force WPA to reconsider. If Predator chooses not to sanction, what is the WPA going to do? Mandate everyone play Chinese 8 Ball?

I have to imagine that as much as Predator wants their tours and tournaments to be successful, they likely also want to their players playing on the matchroom platform as well.
 
iusedtoberich said:
If Predator had done a simple (normal) 9 ball or 10 ball tour they would have probably filled the fields. (before all this WPA drama).

I also wonder if Predator would have/would still join the MR tour and make their events MR events (assuming they switched to normal 9 ball and normal race formats). I would see that as a win-win for everyone. Their events would fill for sure. MR would have another great promoter/sponsor/manufacturer to partner with.

I do feel Predator got a raw deal in this whole fiasco, second only to the players. They did no wrong, they went full force into promoting and putting up the money for events, and now their field will be diluted through no fault of their own. Hell, if I was Predator today, I may drop WPA sanctioning and join MR.
Click to expand...


That's exactly what I see happening.

Basically, they are going to be hurt by all this, so they may have to take a side.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top