Wpba

[pooltchr]

You missed the point, change the rules for the sport, the game, for a better gate, for increased interest in the WPBA and for the industry NOT just for Jasmine.

I get your point. I just don't see how it improves anything. The WPBA has been the most successful professional pool tour we have ever seen. Their system of qualifying insures that they get the very best players who are willing to work to win their way into the tour. If JO, or any other player is good enough, and wants to play on the tour, there is an established way for them to do so. It seems to have worked very well so far.

Increasing interest in the WPBA, and increasing attendance? Let's face the facts. Those who attend these events are the hard core players and fans. For those who do not attend, one or two different players in the field probably wouldn't make them buy admission...and the vast majority probably wouldn't be able to even give you the names of more than 4 or 5 players on the tour anyway. (Uhhhh, well, uhhh, Oh Yeah, there's that chinese lady they call the spider....and, uhhh that girl from England, uhhh Allison Somebody) I'm not trying to be a smart a$$, but if you go to your local pool room on league night and ask...that is the answer you are going to get. Pool in this country at any level is not a great spectator sport, regardless of who the players are. How many people were in the stands for the IPT in Vegas? How many at the US Open? It doesn't matter who the players are, the only fans for the most part are the same people you see posting on forums just like this one. Sad, but true!
Steve

 

[Island Drive]

I get your point. I just don't see how it improves anything. The WPBA has been the most successful professional pool tour we have ever seen. Their system of qualifying insures that they get the very best players who are willing to work to win their way into the tour. If JO, or any other player is good enough, and wants to play on the tour, there is an established way for them to do so. It seems to have worked very well so far.

Increasing interest in the WPBA, and increasing attendance? Let's face the facts. Those who attend these events are the hard core players and fans. For those who do not attend, one or two different players in the field probably wouldn't make them buy admission...and the vast majority probably wouldn't be able to even give you the names of more than 4 or 5 players on the tour anyway. (Uhhhh, well, uhhh, Oh Yeah, there's that chinese lady they call the spider....and, uhhh that girl from England, uhhh Allison Somebody) I'm not trying to be a smart a$$, but if you go to your local pool room on league night and ask...that is the answer you are going to get. Pool in this country at any level is not a great spectator sport, regardless of who the players are. How many people were in the stands for the IPT in Vegas? How many at the US Open? It doesn't matter who the players are, the only fans for the most part are the same people you see posting on forums just like this one. Sad, but true!
Steve

STEVE HERE IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF WHY NO ONE 'SEES' POOL

I just read on the BD forum, and it was about the Allison Fisher chat I think a couple days ago, she was asked about the Sigel IPT showdown.
She said the WPBA board went behind her back and put LJJ in her place. Now one would of thought since the Great Battle of the Sexs, between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs heads up in tennis would of given the WPBA board a "CLUE" as to the right move.
If Alllie beat Sigel that alone could of 'done' what the Hustler did for pool. Someone really 'screwed' up on that decision, sounds like business, bad business too me, taking care of your own.

 

[Johnnyt]

You missed the point, change the rules for the sport, the game, for a better gate, for increased interest in the WPBA and for the industry NOT just for Jasmine.

Yes that was the point I was trying to make. I just used X Pan and Jasmine as an example.Johnnyt

 

[Johnnyt]

STEVE HERE IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF WHY NO ONE 'SEES' POOL THE THE US SPORTS
A GOLDEN BREAK WITH A MISCUE:

I just read on the BD forum, and it was about the Allison Fisher chat I think a couple days ago, she was asked about the Sigel IPT showdown.
She said the WPBA board went behind her back and put LJJ in her place. Now one would of thought since the Great Battle of the Sexs, between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs heads up in tennis would of given the WPBA board a "CLUE" as to the right move.
If Alllie beat Sigel that alone could of 'done' what the Hustler did for pool. Someone really 'screwed' up on that decision, sounds like business, bad business too me, taking care of your own.

I was in the chatroom that night. I believe what Allision said was while she had contract in her hand and was going over some points with th IPT that the IPT signed Jones. She did say that Mike didn't want any part of playing her. Johnnyt

 

[sjm]

I was in the chatroom that night. I believe what Allision said was while she had contract in her hand and was going over some points with th IPT that the IPT signed Jones. She did say that Mike didn't want any part of playing her. Johnnyt

I was in the chatroom on Friday, too, and that's not my recollection of what she said, but perhaps the transcript of the chat will be published.

If my memory serves, she said she was in negotiation with the IPT and that there were still numerous format/rules details that had to be ironed out. In addiiton, she confirmed that she had not secured the WPBA waiver she needed to participate, and that before she was able to obtain it, they signed Loree Jon Jones.

All that Allison said about Sigel was that he claimed long after the fact that he hadn't wanted to play her, but I don't think it's reasonable to assume that this is why the IPT negotiated with Loree Jon. I'm sure that if Mike hadn't wanted to play Allison, the IPT would have never entered negoatiations with Allison.

I have believed and continue to believe that if Allison had gotten the waiver she needed prompltly, she would have entered a contract to play Sigel. Loree Jon didn't need the waiver, as she retired from WPBA play at the end of the 2004 season, so she was free to enter a contract with the IPT.

Why Allison's waiver wasn't granted immediately is a resonable question, but I don't feel that the answer to this question has been made public.

 

[Island Drive]

I was in the chatroom that night. I believe what Allision said was while she had contract in her hand and was going over some points with th IPT that the IPT signed Jones. She did say that Mike didn't want any part of playing her. Johnnyt

That's another (third) side of the coin, hummmmmmmm, sounds like NO ONE on either side of the plate, even KT (which is REALLY surprising) saw the comparison to the Battle of the Sexes. That tennis match still has a lasting effect today.
They just named a tennis stadium Billie Jean King this past year. It's a huge miscue by, WPBA or KT but Sigel wanted the cash, thats obvious, he put this all together, so be it, but for KT allowing him NOT to play Allie, possibly hurt his bottom line more than "Anyone" elses. For a fact, it definitely hurt the industry.
The pool world has such a bad habit of looking out for its OWN self interests, but so quickly to attack KT for looking out for his self interests, that aspect is quite ironic don't ya think, and 'flamers' I am not endorsing KT's actions.

 

[sjm]

That's another (third) side of the coin, hummmmmmmm, sounds like NO ONE on either side of the plate, even KT (which is REALLY surprising) saw the comparison to the Battle of the Sexes. That tennis match still has a lasting effect today.
They just named a tennis stadium Billie Jean King this past year. It's a huge miscue by, WPBA or KT but Sigel wanted the cash, thats obvious, he put this all together, so be it, but for KT allowing him NOT to play Allie, possibly hurt his bottom line more than "Anyone" elses. For a fact, it definitely hurt the industry.
The pool world has such a bad habit of looking out for its OWN self interests, but so quickly to attack KT for looking out for his self interests, that aspect is quite ironic don't ya think, and 'flamers' I am not endorsing KT's actions.

Solid post, I.D., and in view of the content, the title "Battle of the Sexes" was probably inappropriate for the occasion. Although, as you note, a " Riggs vs King" approach might (or might not) have energized the sport, KT's agenda was to re-publicize the credentials and credibility of a legendary player that a) had fallen of the professional pool map, and b) was meant to be the cornerstone player of his tour. I think KT greatly miscalculated how much gas Sigel had left in the tank, and I'm sure KT is shocked that, at present, Sigel is the 84th ranked on the IPT. Kicking this tour off with Sigel vs Jones was, quite simply, bad business.

 

[Johnnyt]

If it was me I would have put Earl Strickland Vs Jeanette Lee (yes I know Lee was recovering from back surgery) as a first choice. My second choice would have been Allen Hopkins Vs Allision Fisher or Lee. I could see the point in using Mike, but there were at least a dozen better choices than Lori that play better and have more of a name in pool at this time. Johnnyt

 

[Johnnyt]

As far as the WPBA doing so well…I still say there are only a few players out of 64+ that make any kind of a living on it. As far as the women being on TV more than the men…IMO that’s because of the novelty of good women pool players to the average TV watcher, the 30 second shot clock, and a small percentage of men that like to watch women bend over a pool table. That being said…I watch the women’s matches because of the shot clock. Johnnyt

 

[Island Drive]

If it was me I would have put Earl Strickland Vs Jeanette Lee (yes I know Lee was recovering from back surgery) as a first choice. My second choice would have been Allen Hopkins Vs Allision Fisher or Lee. I could see the point in using Mike, but there were at least a dozen better choices than Lori that play better and have more of a name in pool at this time. Johnnyt

You brought up some points that I'd forgotton about, but to NOT have Allison beat Sigel or at least give her an opportunity is an opportunity missed, and not many MOMENTS of this magnitude come along in A life time. Allison could of and should of won that event. Think of the BUZZ if she DID??
In our small world the East coast made a big deal when Karen Corr beat out of stroke Rempe. Women player in the public forum beating a macho man at his own game, "PERFECT".

 

[Williebetmore]

If it was me I would have put Earl Strickland Vs Jeanette Lee (yes I know Lee was recovering from back surgery) as a first choice.Johnnyt

JT,
Yours was probably a VERY sound idea from a marketing standpoint. I believe JL has by far the highest name recognition for any pool player (male or female - something like 50% of people recognized her, less than 3% recognized the name of any other pool player - heard it second hand from Steve Tipton); she also has a dynamic and interesting playing style. Earl is guaranteed to promote fireworks. It could definitely have been a marketable match.

As a side note, I've heard that the "Black Widow Weekend" on ESPN earlier this year was their highest rated pool productions ever. I believe they are doing another one soon; this time with Jeanette doing some intro's and promo-spots.

 

[Johnnyt]

JT,
Yours was probably a VERY sound idea from a marketing standpoint. I believe JL has by far the highest name recognition for any pool player (male or female - something like 50% of people recognized her, less than 3% recognized the name of any other pool player - heard it second hand from Steve Tipton); she also has a dynamic and interesting playing style. Earl is guaranteed to promote fireworks. It could definitely have been a marketable match.

As a side note, I've heard that the "Black Widow Weekend" on ESPN earlier this year was their highest rated pool productions ever. I believe they are doing another one soon; this time with Jeanette doing some intro's and promo-spots.

Thank you and thank you for the heads up on JL doing another show. Johnnyt