US Open 2026: Frisco, Texas

[Badpenguin]

I have a travel policy of not going places that will kill me if there is a power outage. And there will be power outages in Texas during the summer.

Much better than Atlantic City, but I'd rather see somewhere more central like St Louis.

 

[garczar]

I have a travel policy of not going places that will kill me if there is a power outage. And there will be power outages in Texas during the summer.

Much better than Atlantic City, but I'd rather see somewhere more central like St Louis.

Dallas outages are rare and usually in spring(tornados/storms). Not something i'd cancel an Open trip on.

 

[sudocrushms]

Which facility was that game at? Indoor at the Star or a bigger stadium? Didn’t feel like MSP to me as a guest in both. But I do like both. Haven’t done MN in Jan or DFW in August tho.

It was the constantly renamed MLS stadium. It's FC Dallas Stadium now. They moved the Natty to Nashville this year and next while they renovate FC Dallas (again).
BUT, that doesn't matter anymore because we're joining the Mountain West this year.

MN in January isn't too bad. There's enough to do inside to stay busy. Just REALLY want to have remote start lol.

 

[Frosty]

the texas pool nuts alone will pack the place. it will be a success. imo kansas city would be a great option: centrally located, good weather(hot but not like big d) restaurants,etc. kinda surprised they're leaving florida myself. btw, she's FAR from clueless.

I agree regarding Texas pool fans, I just never understood why MR had to move it out of its original home of Virginia where it started and remained until MR “bought it” and took it away. I’ll admit to it being personal, as it was close all those years for me and an easy drive to attend, not to mention the close proximity of Q Masters when it was held there, that was like my “action Xmas” for that one week in the fall of every year.

Regarding her, she’s good at marketing, and that’s good for MR, as they’re in it to make money, not to do the best things for pool, and decisions she’s made in many things, while profitable for MR haven’t been the greatest for pool or that event IMO. Chinese tables for most events, I think the best players should play on the best equipment. Not fond of grey cloth, the “Emily ball set”, music piped in during play. Change of format of the Open in certain aspects, early matches to 10 vs 11 as it always was, taking the last 64 to single elimination vs the old format, English commentators and JJ and Frost “going along”, talking in snooker terminology instead of pool terminology. Lastly, the elimination of Accustats who have always had the best camera work in the industry.

I get that MR has a right to run their tour how they see fit and do whatever they like. I just wish MR would never got their hands on the rights to the Open. Yeahhhh, Barry always ran it a little shady on the finances, but once he passed and Pat Fleming ran it for the Berman clan for the next few years, everything became as it should be, and after those few years, the Berman clan sold it out from under him. Perhaps it’s wishful thinking, but it was always the premier event of the pool world every year, and I’d prefer to have seen the US Open remain under the control of someone from America.

 

[JasonATX]

The DFW area has a large pool fan base. I believe it will be packed even if only locals attend. I doubt if they will have an issue with humidity inside.

Austin and Houston do as well. It's less than a 4 hour drive from either to Frisco, so you can expect some other Texan attendance. I plan on going up for at least a couple days.

With regards to outages, that more of a cold weather thing than a hot one so that shouldn't be an issue.

 

[Island Drive]

Negative. There is nothing cheap in Frisco, anywhere.

It is the home of the Dallas Cowboys headquarters and one of the fastest growing towns in America.

True.... But it won't have that E. Coast society feeling. TX people kick it.

 

[jbart65]

Atlantic City is much easier for me to visit, but it's a dying area. It's been trying to come back for years, but the area business leaders and state and local officials simply haven't done enough and waited too long. Gambling being almost everywhere now probably precludes a true recovery.

The South also appears to offer more support for pro pool. The Mosconi in Orlando and the Florida Open have been big successes.

As for Barry Behrman, he sold the rights. Times change. Chesapeake would be an ideal location for me as a fan, but I have zero problem with MR experimenting and trying to grow the WNT.

Never heard so much talk about the weather! Sports are played in all kinds of weather all over the world! I think the US Open in Frisco will be fine.

 

[Island Drive]

This was my concern. I could fly from Memphis but it looks like Uber’ing everywhere. The City of Fresno looks like they purposefully didn’t want a single bit of public transit so it’s either driving there or renting a car.

I’m gonna wait until some better ideas of things to do are posted before pulling the trigger. I guess after being at the Mosconi Cup go from Las Vegas to Orlando….it was kind of a let down. I was able to convince my family to come out and go to the shows on the strip or a nice meal when there wasn’t pool action.

My brother and I tried to find places to play pool in Orlando and it was just leagues in the pool halls. For Florida, renting a car was a mess with dealing with the toll roads coming from out of town. We ended up getting some charges messed up with the rental car agencies still charging us for the expensive daily pass when we signed up separately. Texas seems to have the same approach with toll roads.

There looks to be no baseball games next door while there.

Feels like when I went to Derby….get snowed in for a week with expensive hotel food. Seems to be the opposite with flaming hot outside.

I know this comes across as a soap box, but with the International Open going to St Augustine, Mosconi Cup going to a random independent hotel on the outskirts of Orlando, and now the US Open going to a bedroom community in a suburb of Dallas…..by the time I finally have the time to go to the other major events they move off to really tough sells.


View attachment 883919

US Open.... once in a permanent place, will help other major event productions create their timelines and maybe the USA will get Organized, in all states.

 

[Island Drive]

In 1985, I spent a week on business in the Dallas area in August. It was over 105 degrees every day and humid. It was the worst (not hottest) weather I have ever experienced. When my company's headquarters chose to relocate there in 1988, I very quickly chose NOT to go with them. I'm definitely planning on going to the US Open 9ball, but it sure sounds like six days indoors. Thankfully, the indoor proceedings should be fantastic.

I'll keep an open mind here, but Dallas (actually, Frisco is 27 miles from Dallas) in August seems a very strange choice. Other than the Jeddah WPC event that is always played before countless empty seats, the last time a Matchroom major was staged in a really hot, humid city in the hot weather season was when they staged the Spanish Open in June 2023 in Lugo, Spain. I cannot remember an event after which the players complained so much about the humid playing conditions, and to nobody's surprise, Matchroom never returned there, If Frisco is going to be Lugo all over again, heaven help all of us who plan to attend.

I'll trust Matchroom to make this work, but they have got their work cut out. Let's hope they will manage the playing conditions more skillfully than they did in Lugo.

Stu, since Lugo is 10 degrees latitude more north than Dallas, then they are Not prepared for HEAT.... like TX, which is 10 degrees latitude further south, ac in the south always works better.

 

[jalapus logan]

Does not look like tickets are on sale yet for this event. I signed up for an alert when they go on sale. I'll probably take my niece and nephew for a day session then chill poolside in the evening. Should be fun.

 

[rexus31]

I would suggest against buying any property from someone who says, "it can get hot, but it's a dry heat"... lol It don't matter how dry it is when it's 126.

Hot is hot but humid hot is a different animal. Even at 126, I'll take the dry heat vs humidity any day.

 

[qolbrand]

i might be going to this one! would be my first event

 

[jbart65]

I agree regarding Texas pool fans, I just never understood why MR had to move it out of its original home of Virginia where it started and remained until MR “bought it” and took it away. I’ll admit to it being personal, as it was close all those years for me and an easy drive to attend, not to mention the close proximity of Q Masters when it was held there, that was like my “action Xmas” for that one week in the fall of every year.

Regarding her, she’s good at marketing, and that’s good for MR, as they’re in it to make money, not to do the best things for pool, and decisions she’s made in many things, while profitable for MR haven’t been the greatest for pool or that event IMO. Chinese tables for most events, I think the best players should play on the best equipment. Not fond of grey cloth, the “Emily ball set”, music piped in during play. Change of format of the Open in certain aspects, early matches to 10 vs 11 as it always was, taking the last 64 to single elimination vs the old format, English commentators and JJ and Frost “going along”, talking in snooker terminology instead of pool terminology. Lastly, the elimination of Accustats who have always had the best camera work in the industry.

I get that MR has a right to run their tour how they see fit and do whatever they like. I just wish MR would never got their hands on the rights to the Open. Yeahhhh, Barry always ran it a little shady on the finances, but once he passed and Pat Fleming ran it for the Berman clan for the next few years, everything became as it should be, and after those few years, the Berman clan sold it out from under him. Perhaps it’s wishful thinking, but it was always the premier event of the pool world every year, and I’d prefer to have seen the US Open remain under the control of someone from America.

Disagree with almost all of this. I get the nostalgia, and I can see how you feel as you do.

The question at the heart of your complaints are, what is best for pro pool? Well, it's languished for years, and things weren't getting any better, especially in the U.S. All the growth has been outside America.

MR and Predator are trying to do something about it. But as with all sports, the organizers have to make money so the players can make money. And money is needed to grow the game. Had MR and the WNT not come along, I think pro pool would have fallen further.

Sure, some of Emily's decisions haven't been the best, but many have worked out fine. She and MR are trying. Who else, aside from Predator, is?

 

[skip100]

Frisco seems like a total nothing of a place but it serves the purpose by being more affordable for MR than other major city options and close to the DFW airport.

 

[garczar]

Frisco seems like a total nothing of a place but it serves the purpose by being more affordable for MR than other major city options and close to the DFW airport.

Beats AC that for sure. Only been there once, wow, a shithole with a wooden sidewalk and a nasty ass beach.

 

[Island Drive]

Here's good info.
TX has great food along the way and Everywhere, their style eatin' and buffets are really good.
The state highways are the BEST (avg speeds 75-80 and Very few Semis .... I did stay off the Interstates coming into Dallas, traffic and Roadwork always slowin it up.
Hotel stays along the way, you have great choices with many one level/pools and open/courtyards and they have been on those hwy four lane roads at least 60-70 yrs and they are neat.
Amtrak runs directly from Chicago, with stops/St. Louis/Little Rock and into Dallas.
Amtrak also runs directly into Dallas from Phoenix, San Antonio and OK City.

 

[garczar]

Here's good info.
TX has great food along the way and Everywhere, their style eatin' and buffets are really good.
The state highways are the BEST (avg speeds 75-80 and Very few Semis .... I did stay off the Interstates coming into Dallas, traffic and Roadwork always slowin it up.
Hotel stays along the way, you have great choices with many one level/pools and open/courtyards and they have been on those hwy four lane roads at least 60-70 yrs and they are neat.
Amtrak runs directly from Chicago, with stops/St. Louis/Little Rock and into Dallas.
Amtrak also runs directly into Dallas from Phoenix, San Antonio and OK City.

AMTRAK???????????? You think ONE poolplayer OR fan is gonna take a train? You still have to rent wheels or uber to get around. Flights from everywhere to Dallas are pretty cheap. I'm lucky i'm 4hrs away. May finally go to an Open.

 

[sjm]

I agree regarding Texas pool fans, I just never understood why MR had to move it out of its original home of Virginia where it started and remained until MR “bought it” and took it away. I’ll admit to it being personal, as it was close all those years for me and an easy drive to attend, not to mention the close proximity of Q Masters when it was held there, that was like my “action Xmas” for that one week in the fall of every year.

Regarding her, she’s good at marketing, and that’s good for MR, as they’re in it to make money, not to do the best things for pool, and decisions she’s made in many things, while profitable for MR haven’t been the greatest for pool or that event IMO. Chinese tables for most events, I think the best players should play on the best equipment. Not fond of grey cloth, the “Emily ball set”, music piped in during play. Change of format of the Open in certain aspects, early matches to 10 vs 11 as it always was, taking the last 64 to single elimination vs the old format, English commentators and JJ and Frost “going along”, talking in snooker terminology instead of pool terminology. Lastly, the elimination of Accustats who have always had the best camera work in the industry.

I get that MR has a right to run their tour how they see fit and do whatever they like. I just wish MR would never got their hands on the rights to the Open. Yeahhhh, Barry always ran it a little shady on the finances, but once he passed and Pat Fleming ran it for the Berman clan for the next few years, everything became as it should be, and after those few years, the Berman clan sold it out from under him. Perhaps it’s wishful thinking, but it was always the premier event of the pool world every year, and I’d prefer to have seen the US Open remain under the control of someone from America.

Sorry, but I see this differently.

First of all, as somebody who has gone to the US Open 9ball since the early 1980's, I'd say it's a much better event today than it ever was. The venues are nicer, the arenas are more elegant, the fields are more international, and the prize money has gone through the roof since Matchroom took over the event. In 2013, SVB got $30,000 for winning. In 2019, Filler got $50,000 for his win. Last year, Yapp got $100,000 for his win.

Pool is also in a much better place than it was since Matchroom became the game's premier event producer. Growth in the sport has the pro players making real money for the first time. The Top 20 all made $100,000 or more in prize money and the Top 50 all made at least $50,000 in prize money. The cue deals and other sponsorships being landed by the top players are blowing away anything previously possible.

The switch to a two-stage format of play was to respect the current WPA methodology for all its championships. This format has been in use for decades, including at every Euro-tour event. I think single elimination in Stage 2 has made pro events more exciting.

Emily Frazer and Matchroom have done a fantastic job of growing pro pool and making it more exciting. They have partnered with dozens of events all over the world to make WNT ranking points available in every corner of the globe, making pro pool more accessible to aspiring pros around the world than ever before.

Nobody is suggesting that Matchroom has gotten everything right but any suggestion that Matchroom has sacrificed the good of the game for profits does not stand up to scrutiny. Yes, Matchroom, like every other business, is in it for the money, but they have grown our sport impressively and the players and fans are enjoying the best of times because of it.

 

[skogstokig]

Stu, since Lugo is 10 degrees latitude more north than Dallas, then they are Not prepared for HEAT.... like TX, which is 10 degrees latitude further south, ac in the south always works better.

nah, they know about heat. they just don't have their sh*t together. less well organized country, and poorer. getting better though

 

[Badpenguin]

Dallas outages are rare and usually in spring(tornados/storms). Not something i'd cancel an Open trip on.