What are pool's "Majors"?

gromulan

gromulan

Reality police
Silver Member
In golf they have four "major" tournaments that make up their Grand Slam (Masters, US Open, British Open, PGA Champ.). Tennis has the same thing (Aus Open, French Open, Wimbledon, US Open). Each of these events are major sports attractions that garner the attention of worldwide media, television coverage, and the attendance of all of the best players. Interestingly, neither of these sports has something called a "World Championships" - well they do, but their respective world championships pale in comparision to the prestige associated with their "majors". Meanwhile, both are major international sports that earn a ton of money for their players and have hours and hours of worldwide TV coverage. Are their majors part of the reason for that? I think so.

Could pool ever be the same? What do you think would be the major championships of pool? Should they all be 9-ball, or should one pocket or straight pool be represented (or eight ball, 3 cushion, or snooker)?

Personally, I think the following:

1) US Open
2) European Open (renamed from World Pool Masters)
3) Asian Open (renamed from current world championships)
4) ??? (maybe BCA championships?)

Problem is, they're all 9-ball tournaments. What do you think?
 
Just off the top of my head and my criteria being the amount of attention they gather within the sport I'd have to go with WPC, BCA, US Open, and Derby City. Of course that's probably an America-centric view of things but to tell you the truth I don't know much about the European Championship or the Asian Championship.
 
YES! Although I think pool is sort of doomed due to the fact that it just isn't as "exciting" as tennis is to any given random person (more physical, obviously)...and it sometimes doesn't seem as "impossible" as golf (given that the sport of golf is played on a huge field with a tiny ball and a plethora of big metal stick...lol...it just somehow seems more "whoa" to the layman).

But I definitely think that the idea of "Majors" for pool is a very good one. We need some big-time events like that, but they also have to carry that "majors" title, or something similar, in order to draw a crowd of interested people....

And could you imagine there being 4 Derby City's in one year?!?!?!
WOOOOOOO!!!
 
I think the All Japan Championship with players from the Phillipines, China, Taiwan and Japan is a consideration. Harder to win than the BCA IMHO.
 
Nostroke said:
I think the All Japan Championship with players from the Phillipines, China, Taiwan and Japan is a consideration. Harder to win than the BCA IMHO.
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Excellent point. I think the BCA may have a more internationally balanced field, though.
 
World Pool Championships, US Open, BCA Open and the 4th is still an open slot. UPA Tour Finals used to fill that, but that seems to be over.

The Derby is no major.
 
CrownCityCorey said:
World Pool Championships, US Open, BCA Open and the 4th is still an open slot. UPA Tour Finals used to fill that, but that seems to be over.

The Derby is no major.
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Really???:confused:

With all the big names that will be there? I think the Derby qualifies.
 
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jdelcue@emory.e said:
)...and it sometimes doesn't seem as "impossible" as golf (given that the sport of golf is played on a huge field with a tiny ball and a plethora of big metal stick...lol...it just somehow seems more "whoa" to the layman).
Click to expand...

I disagree. On average the pros make golf look very easy, due to fluid strokes and the relative simplistic objectives (get the ball from over here, to over there). Anyone who has ever picked up a pool cue (which a lot of people) watching Alex running 7 racks, will think that is absolutely impossible, regardless of how easy he makes it look.
 
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