Pangit
Banned
Les Davis via HTH
I hope it happens, I can drive to Angeles in about 90 mins on most days. Both players and fans would no doubt enjoy the nightlife in AC as well.
The sport of pool and billiards is massively popular throughout the Philippines, with millions playing each and every day. Go to the most far-flung provinces or into the deepest inner cities and you are sure to catch some guys playing pool. Pool is surely part of the cultural landscape of this country.
What happened, however, to the professional side of pool? Ten years ago the Philippines was the world’s epicenter of professional pool, with the biggest and richest in the world coming to these islands. In 2006 and 2007 the biggest pool tournament of them all, the World Pool Championship, was held in Manila. 128 of the greatest players in the world from nearly 40 countries competed for $1 million in prize money over those two years. The event was seen live around Asia to an audience of over 100 million people.
Now however, it’s nigh impossible to find a proper professional pool tournament in the Philippines. That’s because this part of the sport has completely collapsed. The causes could be debated forever, but the main reason the professional scene died here is because of the very success the game enjoyed a decade ago. That success led to in fighting and jealousies among promoters, which led to player and manager boycotts of rival promoter’s tournaments. It was the crab mentality on full display and the results were predictable; the sport headed straight for the sewer.
What a shame indeed because the Philippines is home to some of the greatest pool players ever to pick up a cue stick. In fact, our beloved town of Angeles City is home to the man many around the world consider the greatest pool player of all-time, Efren “Bata” Reyes. His long-time friend and fellow Hall of Famer, Francisco “Django” Bustamante, is from the neighboring province of Tarlac.
Which is why it was more than a bit exciting to hear about the possibility of a new event that may just be headed our way in late 2017, or early 2018.
English promoter Barry Hearn, the man behind the two World Pool Championships held in Manila ten years ago, also promotes another famous pool tournament called the Mosconi Cup. The Mosconi Cup features two, 5-man teams, one from the USA and the other comprised of top European players, clashing in an annual tournament over 4 days in early December. The Mosconi has evolved into the biggest and most watched pool tournament in the world. And now the ever-astute Hearn wants to capitalize on that success.
Hearn’s plan is to take the highly successful Team Europe, which has won 10 out of the last 11 Mosconi Cup’s, and pit them against Team Asia. The events name? The Reyes Cup, named after our very own local legend, Efren Reyes. The location of the first Reyes Cup? Well, Hearn is still negotiating the various aspects of the event, but he has told us that he wants to bring it to the Philippines, and even mentioned that his first choice would be none other than Reyes’ hometown, Angeles City.
This would be massive if it comes to pass. The Reyes Cup would be no ordinary pool tournament. Hearn’s Match- room Sport produces the highest quality events in the world, and he has deals with television broadcasters around the globe. The Reyes Cup would be seen live for four days not just around the Philippines, but China, Australia, the UK, Europe, and more.
It would be the biggest sporting event to ever come to Angeles City, and it could help revive the nearly defunct pro pool scene in the country.
The Reyes Cup makes perfect sense for a growing Angeles City. What better way to promote this area than to do so through its greatest sporting hero, Efren Reyes.
We hope that local officials will enthusiastically back what will be an amazing sporting event that not only will celebrate the life and career of the legendary Reyes, but will also shine the spotlight on this area in a way no ordinary advertising campaign can do.
The Reyes Cup in Angeles City. We like the sound of that.
I hope it happens, I can drive to Angeles in about 90 mins on most days. Both players and fans would no doubt enjoy the nightlife in AC as well.
The sport of pool and billiards is massively popular throughout the Philippines, with millions playing each and every day. Go to the most far-flung provinces or into the deepest inner cities and you are sure to catch some guys playing pool. Pool is surely part of the cultural landscape of this country.
What happened, however, to the professional side of pool? Ten years ago the Philippines was the world’s epicenter of professional pool, with the biggest and richest in the world coming to these islands. In 2006 and 2007 the biggest pool tournament of them all, the World Pool Championship, was held in Manila. 128 of the greatest players in the world from nearly 40 countries competed for $1 million in prize money over those two years. The event was seen live around Asia to an audience of over 100 million people.
Now however, it’s nigh impossible to find a proper professional pool tournament in the Philippines. That’s because this part of the sport has completely collapsed. The causes could be debated forever, but the main reason the professional scene died here is because of the very success the game enjoyed a decade ago. That success led to in fighting and jealousies among promoters, which led to player and manager boycotts of rival promoter’s tournaments. It was the crab mentality on full display and the results were predictable; the sport headed straight for the sewer.
What a shame indeed because the Philippines is home to some of the greatest pool players ever to pick up a cue stick. In fact, our beloved town of Angeles City is home to the man many around the world consider the greatest pool player of all-time, Efren “Bata” Reyes. His long-time friend and fellow Hall of Famer, Francisco “Django” Bustamante, is from the neighboring province of Tarlac.
Which is why it was more than a bit exciting to hear about the possibility of a new event that may just be headed our way in late 2017, or early 2018.
English promoter Barry Hearn, the man behind the two World Pool Championships held in Manila ten years ago, also promotes another famous pool tournament called the Mosconi Cup. The Mosconi Cup features two, 5-man teams, one from the USA and the other comprised of top European players, clashing in an annual tournament over 4 days in early December. The Mosconi has evolved into the biggest and most watched pool tournament in the world. And now the ever-astute Hearn wants to capitalize on that success.
Hearn’s plan is to take the highly successful Team Europe, which has won 10 out of the last 11 Mosconi Cup’s, and pit them against Team Asia. The events name? The Reyes Cup, named after our very own local legend, Efren Reyes. The location of the first Reyes Cup? Well, Hearn is still negotiating the various aspects of the event, but he has told us that he wants to bring it to the Philippines, and even mentioned that his first choice would be none other than Reyes’ hometown, Angeles City.
This would be massive if it comes to pass. The Reyes Cup would be no ordinary pool tournament. Hearn’s Match- room Sport produces the highest quality events in the world, and he has deals with television broadcasters around the globe. The Reyes Cup would be seen live for four days not just around the Philippines, but China, Australia, the UK, Europe, and more.
It would be the biggest sporting event to ever come to Angeles City, and it could help revive the nearly defunct pro pool scene in the country.
The Reyes Cup makes perfect sense for a growing Angeles City. What better way to promote this area than to do so through its greatest sporting hero, Efren Reyes.
We hope that local officials will enthusiastically back what will be an amazing sporting event that not only will celebrate the life and career of the legendary Reyes, but will also shine the spotlight on this area in a way no ordinary advertising campaign can do.
The Reyes Cup in Angeles City. We like the sound of that.
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