What is the format of the finals?

sjm said:
This debate seems to come up from time to time here on AZB, though in many different forms.

Some are shocked by the fact that ESPN televised finals are always races to seven, even in some tournaments where the standard match race is nine or eleven. Others bemoan the fact that "true double elimination" is not used in televised events.

I've always felt that having a final suitable in length for the intended television audience is more important than tending to the interests of the players.

Perhaps when pool becomes more popular with its television viewing audience, a longer final may be appropriate for its most special events. Right now, the IPT probably feels that a one set final will be more suitable for its television audience. I don't have as much marketing savvy as they do, but I'm inclined to agree.

One race to eight is, in my view, just right.
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Good post!!! I'm feeling the same. Make it interesting for the tv, not for the two players!
 
Roy Steffensen said:
Good post!!! I'm feeling the same. Make it interesting for the tv, not for the two players!
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I disagree.

The IPT chose the round robin format to better guarantee that the better player wins the tournament. They did NOT choose round robin because it saves them time and money, it's easier to implement, nor it's good for TV. The round robin format is actually NOT good for TV. But you have to make some sacrifices to better ensure that the better players win the tournament.

Having the finals be a single race to 8 TOTALLY goes against the IPT's philosophy behind choosing round robin. Why go through six 12-hour days of continues pool, 28 total matches, over 300 total games to determine prize money between $5k to $150k...then decide the remaining $350k on only one single race to 8 match? Totally inconsistent, and ludicrous to me.

I vote for best 2 of 3 sets. If TV was absolutely no issue, I'd actually go for best 3 of 5 sets...at least for determining a $350k difference in prize money.
 
Both players made it to the finals in the one race to 8 format for the whole tournament. This is what the players are used to, let them stay with 1 race.

Neither player is getting screwed. The GW% were very colse and they both played this for the entire tournament and both made it this far.
 
jsp said:
The IPT chose the round robin format to better guarantee that the better player wins the tournament. They did NOT choose round robin because it saves them time and money, it's easier to implement, nor it's good for TV. The round robin format is actually NOT good for TV. But you have to make some sacrifices to better ensure that the better players win the tournament.

Having the finals be a single race to 8 TOTALLY goes against the IPT's philosophy behind choosing round robin. Why go through six 12-hour days of continues pool, 28 total matches, over 300 total games to determine prize money between $5k to $150k...then decide the remaining $350k on only one single race to 8 match? Totally inconsistent, and ludicrous to me.

I vote for best 2 of 3 sets. If TV was absolutely no issue, I'd actually go for best 3 of 5 sets...at least for determining a $350k difference in prize money.
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I agree, there's a balance between whats good for TV and what makes for a good pool tourney. A single race to 8 for a difference of $350k after a grueling week of non-stop pool is a bit silly.

Also, you bring up a good point that round robin is not so good for TV. Remember last night how they had to try and build up that Efren-Oliver match by pretending not to know that Efren was through no matter the outcome? But it's a great tourney format from the point of view of the sport and determining who is the best.

I'd kinda like to see them break into single elimination for the last 4 or 8 spots, and have all the single elimination matches be best 2 out of 3 and the final be 3 out of 5.

And, really, does the OLN/Versus network have anything better to do with its broadcast schedule than show a four hour 8-ball extravaganza for the IPT final? ;) ... I'm only half kidding... I mean they show four hours of live Tour de France coverage a day when the tour is going on. And then they rerun the whole four hours each afternoon.
 
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