bandido said:
Politics?! Noooo! Just normal process in business that wasn't addressed properly. When did it ever occur that a Production Company was approved of a loan from a Financing Company to start shooting a movie without signed contracts with the Starring Role Actors?
In our case, because of production company arrogance, no contract signing ever took place before the set was constructed.
A lot of things here in the Philippines are patterned after the American Systems, remember "colonial mentality"? Having stated that I ask you this. Is it normal practice for an American Movie outfit to start shooting a movie without signed contracts from the actors? Specially since these World Championships are considered the "biggest" shows in the "Pool World".
The "politics" that you and most here refer to is what is called "contract negotiation" in Corporate America or "Corporate Anywhere" for that matter.
I rest my case.
I can't recall a world championship where the players had to sign contracts with the promoter. The IPT is the only one in recent memory where the players, individually, signed contracts with the promoter and the promoter provided no proof of security whatsoever.
I am certainly for pool and for players. I am also for business as I understand the business side of it as well.
First, it IS politics. Call a spade a spade. You resent Makabenta's power, such as it is, or the way he wields it. Fine. Discontent breeds rebellion and successful rebellion leads to change. For the better or worse is not evident until after the change of power is complete.
It's obvious that the pool world needs to up the ante for promoters. However what the promoters need to do to provide guarantees to the players is not clear. It's understandable what you want to do, just the implications of it are not entirely foreseeable at this point. I can't really see a world where promoters are providing escrow account information to a plethora of player organizations and managers around the world.
The Philippines is also quite unique in the pool world. No where else are there "stables" (I HATE that word when used for human beings) of players being managed. Why can't we say teams? Nowhere else are there professional teams being managed professionally. Pool has always been seen as an individual sport.
So the whole team concept - when applied literally is a new force in pool. The idea that there is a team owner who naturally wants to see his team members participating in tournaments so as to maximize his income from the team and protect his investment, is counter to the idea of one player against the field. It is an obvious assumption that team members would seek to play in such a way as to insure that the strongest members advance. Look at cycling for an example of this.
So, for those of us on the outside looking in, we are naturally dismayed at the strife, we are dismayed at the prospect of not seeing our favorite stars due to possible "appearance fee" conflicts, BMAPA boycotts, and whatever other issues that the BMAPA has with promoters. Not to say that you are not within your right to demand what you want. But we always thought of the Phillipines as pool paradise.
In fact, we have already seen this on a small scale and that may very be individual decision but the fans in Asia have been deprived of Efren Reyes since he is not playing on the Guiness tour. I don't know what the situation is of why the tour switched from San Miguel to Guiness but the facts are that the switch cost the fans Efren Reyes. And unless San Miguel is making up the income Reyes is losing money by not participating.
Personally, I think that insulting the WPA is not going to result in them working with you. What will work is if you do your tour and your tournaments and pay what you advertise. If you build it they will come. The players that is. Then when you are more than just some letters and promises the WPA will want to and have to work you because their constituents, the players will demand to be allowed to play in your events.
This slugfest, while entertaining, is somewhat non-productive at this point. You and Roy appear to have at least been able to get Raya and the WPA to state that the event will happen with full payouts. I guess that's better than nothing. However, now it's probably best to wait and see what happens.
