Jen, note that this payment is due not to WPA directly but to the national federation (which is under regional WPA member, like EPBF, ACBS, BCA). And everyone was informed about the outcome, so no hard feelings for those pros perhaps.
I just saw an ad on FB for a Predator event that promoted itself as un sanctioned. It might have been a mixed doubles event, so not a WC styled event. If I see it again I’ll post a photo.
MR "owns" the "World" title/designation for "nineball", so their ranking should be the one and only. How someone effectively "owns" a sport is beyond me, but oh well.
WPA "owns" it. They "leased" it indefinitely to MR.
Watching Reyes Cup on Sky Sports, one of the commercials during the break is Christopher Ward watch brand. The ad ends with "Still never heard of us? - Do your research"
This might be the way MR saw it also, and that is a big mistake. First, running a World Championship does not entitle that party to rule any kind of rankings. Next, MR's ranking system (as they have been implying everywhere like snooker and darts) sucks, let's put it straight. Had it been a mix of FargoRate multiplied by the result achieved and by the event's "power quotient" (like 30+ 800-and up rated players involved vs 10 or less of such makes a difference) - that would have been another story.
Pretty plausible scenario. I on my own would be happy leaving "nineball" thing to MR and seeing 9-ball back. Played with 3-point rule or under a speedgun, as opposed to "I assume you are not doing it strong enough and please make a better try next time so that I am satisfied", etc.
That's not even a WPA rule. The WPA break rule is still officially the old BCA rule of either pocket 1 ball, or drive 4 numbered balls to the rail. They do offer clarity on what the 3 point rule means, but its not their official rule of how to break.
Correct, but 3pt rule has been the way 9-ball is broken for god knows how many years already, so kind of official to use. They don't enforce it in standardized rules because the rules are supposed to mention all the options (old "one on the spot" included), and the event producers decide on their own.
MR went through all this over 25 years ago when they put on competing World 9-Ball Championships with the WPA in the same year. The winner of the MR World Championship (Efren?) won $100,000 and the winner of the WPA World Championship (Nick Varner) won $15,000. That's when MR got the rights to use that name.
I see it vice versa. That's the players who don't care about their WPA official status, ranking points. global events, world championships. These are the players who don't want WPA. Instead thay want Barry's $$$.
They don't want Barry's money. They want Barry to make them stars, which will then get them portions of sponsor's and fan's money.
Colossal bunch of total douchebags, the WPA of course, NOT the players. WAAAAAAAY past time for the WPA to go find some other game to destroy.
Jay, they are pool players. Special breed, they never learn it seems. I remember your story from the book about one of those great opportunities.
How do you know this? Have you seen the contract? Is there a contract?
As long as pool players have struggled financially for a long time, they of course want the dough. And they would follow everyone who promises them so. Do you recall Kevin Trudeau? That IPT was a beautiful story, but with unhappy ending enfortunately.
