WPBA tour stops

[Otto Floto]

Recently I attended my first WPBA event at the Ute Sky casino in southern Colorado. To my great disappointment, the casino offered no place to play other than the tourney tables themselves, which of course were off-limits to spectators.

Not so much as a bar table anywhere else in the casino. Although I got to see some interesting matches, I couldn't satisfy my own pool jones, which was pretty disappointing. My only other tournament experience is four DCC's. There, of course, the action rooms are legendary.

Was the Colorado Open an exception, or is that standard for WPBA events?

 

[Nostroke]

Recently I attended my first WPBA event at the Ute Sky casino in southern Colorado. To my great disappointment, the casino offered no place to play other than the tourney tables themselves, which of course were off-limits to spectators.

Not so much as a bar table anywhere else in the casino. Although I got to see some interesting matches, I couldn't satisfy my own pool jones, which was pretty disappointing. My only other tournament experience is four DCC's. There, of course, the action rooms are legendary.

Was the Colorado Open an exception, or is that standard for WPBA events?

Colorado is standard-no place for fans to play.

 

[sjm]

At WPBA events, the fans have the opportunity to play pool on Wednesday nights, the night before the pro event begins. You can sign up for the pro-am, for which you'd pay an entry fee that goes to charity and you'd have a top WPBA pro on your team. If you prefer, you can wait until the pro-am is over and participate in the very popular "Shoot the Pro" portion of the event, in which, for a relatively small amount of money, which also goes to charity, you can play a race to two in nine ball against any WPBA pro that is present.

On some occasions, the WPBA will share a venue with an amateur event during the same week. When this is the case, there may be bartables on which you may have the opportunity to play. One such situation was at WPBA Oregon in October, at the Chinook Winds Hotel and Casino, where next door to the WPBA event, an APA bartable event took place.

But, as Nostroke correctly points out, once the WPBA event begins, all the tables in the venue are for the WPBA pros, not the fans.

 

[Otto Floto]

Is it an image thing?

At WPBA events, the fans have the opportunity to play pool on Wednesday nights, the night before the pro event begins. You can sign up for the pro-am, for which you'd pay an entry fee that goes to charity and you'd have a top WPBA pro on your team. If you prefer, you can wait until the pro-am is over and participate in the very popular "Shoot the Pro" portion of the event, in which, for a relatively small amount of money, which also goes to charity, you can play a race to two in nine ball against any WPBA pro that is present.

On some occasions, the WPBA will share a venue with an amateur event during the same week. When this is the case, there may be bartables on which you may have the opportunity to play. One such situation was at WPBA Oregon in October, at the Chinook Winds Hotel and Casino, where next door to the WPBA event, an APA bartable event took place.

But, as Nostroke correctly points out, once the WPBA event begins, all the tables in the venue are for the WPBA pros, not the fans.

That pretty much explains it. Makes me wonder, though, if the women's circuit is concerned about its image. I was there with three cues and a nice bankroll, expecting to find some action. Maybe they don't want the old road geezers sullying their reputation.

Still, my bad for not checking it out before traveling there. Next time I'll know better. And in eight weeks, DCC gets rolling.

 

[pocketspeed]

That pretty much explains it. Makes me wonder, though, if the women's circuit is concerned about its image. I was there with three cues and a nice bankroll, expecting to find some action. Maybe they don't want the old road geezers sullying their reputation.

Still, my bad for not checking it out before traveling there. Next time I'll know better. And in eight weeks, DCC gets rolling.

its not about image. and its just not WPBA events where there is no opportunity to shoot at the venue. if youre at a tourney in a poolroom you'll probably get your chance to play. if youre at a casino youre suppose to have your butt in a seat spectating, feeding the slots, or eating the casinos food. youre not there to play pool.

brian

 

[8ballEinstein]

Recently I attended my first WPBA event at the Ute Sky casino in southern Colorado. To my great disappointment, the casino offered no place to play other than the tourney tables themselves, which of course were off-limits to spectators.

Not so much as a bar table anywhere else in the casino. Although I got to see some interesting matches, I couldn't satisfy my own pool jones, which was pretty disappointing. My only other tournament experience is four DCC's. There, of course, the action rooms are legendary.

Was the Colorado Open an exception, or is that standard for WPBA events?

I was there at Sky Ute also. I spent a bit of time at the pool room in Durango (Colorado Pongo) waiting for other players to show up. Too bad I didn't see you there. :frown: It was rather lonely for me.

 

[DogsPlayingPool]

Like most things hosted by a casino (fights, pool tournaments, conventions etc) the incentive to back the event is almost entirely to get people into the casino. They are not really interested in providing diversions that will keep people away from the gaming tables.