I just returned from six glorious days in Orlando where I watched the inaugural Matchroom Florida Open. The pool was fantastic, and Aloysius Yapp played a brilliant final to capture the title, but I would rather use this post to reflect on the event itself.
The Magnitude of the Moment
I believe that Matchroom’s choice to produce a new WNT major in Florida was a very big deal. The good folks at Matchroom are very committed to continuing to add events in the United States and that should make every pool fan in America happy.
The Arena
I was impressed with the way the 28-table arena was set up. In most cases, good seats could be had for all the matches over the first four days of the event. A tiny negative was that there were two tables for which there were no seats along the perimeter. Also, I just feel like the room was a bit too dark, although it was less of a problem on the stream tables.
As always, the setup for the final rounds was superb, and Sunday brought one of the more electrifying days of pool I can remember, with two fantastic semifinals and a hard-fought final.
The Tournament Vibe
Florida really came out and supported this event and the crowds were solid every day. The fans got rowdy from time to time and it added to the occasion.
Unforgettably, Emily Frazer regularly interacted with the crowd, taking selfies galore and chatting with countless attendees to their great delight. She was a most welcoming hostess, and it was obvious that attendees were excited to meet and converse with her.
The Officiating
The referees were consistently outstanding, with almost no major gaffes in either officiating or handling of the shot clock on my radar.
Value for One’s Entertainment Dollar
Event tickets were relatively inexpensive and offered a great value.
The Hotel
The Caribe Royale hotel is beautiful and the rooms are both luxurious and reasonably priced.
Food options were a bit limited, but you could get a great breakfast there every day. The hotel is just a couple of miles from Disney World, too, so several made a full vacation of it to include a trip to Disney. Among those doing so was Jayson Shaw, who brought his whole family with him.
Socially
For starters, I met a few AZB members for the first time (Doug, Tom, Nick, it was a pleasure) and had lots of time to chat with Bill Peacock, who played in the event.
I caught up with more fans, friends, and tournament personnel than I could name, but those with whom I had considerable time included Emily Frazer and Karl Boyes. Although we had met before, I had my first-ever chat with Phil Yates, master relater of anecdotes and colorful metaphors in the commentary box, and he is a truly delightful man with an engaging personality.
I caught up with countless players, too, but the ones I spent the most time chatting with were Kaci, Lechner, Ouschan, He, Shaw, Neuhausen and Candela. I also caught up at length with Mike Sigel, who was unexpectedly present.
So, How Did Matchroom Do?
Matchroom strikes again with yet another phenomenal event! This event was great and for anyone who missed it, try to find a way to get to the next one. Thank you, Emily, and all at Matchroom for a great week in Florida.
The Magnitude of the Moment
I believe that Matchroom’s choice to produce a new WNT major in Florida was a very big deal. The good folks at Matchroom are very committed to continuing to add events in the United States and that should make every pool fan in America happy.
The Arena
I was impressed with the way the 28-table arena was set up. In most cases, good seats could be had for all the matches over the first four days of the event. A tiny negative was that there were two tables for which there were no seats along the perimeter. Also, I just feel like the room was a bit too dark, although it was less of a problem on the stream tables.
As always, the setup for the final rounds was superb, and Sunday brought one of the more electrifying days of pool I can remember, with two fantastic semifinals and a hard-fought final.
The Tournament Vibe
Florida really came out and supported this event and the crowds were solid every day. The fans got rowdy from time to time and it added to the occasion.
Unforgettably, Emily Frazer regularly interacted with the crowd, taking selfies galore and chatting with countless attendees to their great delight. She was a most welcoming hostess, and it was obvious that attendees were excited to meet and converse with her.
The Officiating
The referees were consistently outstanding, with almost no major gaffes in either officiating or handling of the shot clock on my radar.
Value for One’s Entertainment Dollar
Event tickets were relatively inexpensive and offered a great value.
The Hotel
The Caribe Royale hotel is beautiful and the rooms are both luxurious and reasonably priced.
Food options were a bit limited, but you could get a great breakfast there every day. The hotel is just a couple of miles from Disney World, too, so several made a full vacation of it to include a trip to Disney. Among those doing so was Jayson Shaw, who brought his whole family with him.
Socially
For starters, I met a few AZB members for the first time (Doug, Tom, Nick, it was a pleasure) and had lots of time to chat with Bill Peacock, who played in the event.
I caught up with more fans, friends, and tournament personnel than I could name, but those with whom I had considerable time included Emily Frazer and Karl Boyes. Although we had met before, I had my first-ever chat with Phil Yates, master relater of anecdotes and colorful metaphors in the commentary box, and he is a truly delightful man with an engaging personality.
I caught up with countless players, too, but the ones I spent the most time chatting with were Kaci, Lechner, Ouschan, He, Shaw, Neuhausen and Candela. I also caught up at length with Mike Sigel, who was unexpectedly present.
So, How Did Matchroom Do?
Matchroom strikes again with yet another phenomenal event! This event was great and for anyone who missed it, try to find a way to get to the next one. Thank you, Emily, and all at Matchroom for a great week in Florida.
Last edited:
