PRESS RELEASE
Great Britain's Official 9 Ball Tour
www.gb9balltour.com
Tuesday 20 October 2009
GB 9 Ball Tour Season 3 (2010) Plans
2010 will be Season 3 for the GB 9 Ball Tour. The first 2 seasons have demonstrated an unprecedented demand for a professionally run 9 ball pool tour in Great Britain. GB9 brings together amateur enthusiasts and professional standard players alike, under the umbrella of a single not-for-profit players’ organisation, run by players for players. The GB 9 Ball Tour Committee of volunteers have worked hard to bring this to fruition and all GB9 members can reflect on the part they have played in making this a reality and giving GB9 the firm footing it requires, and deserves.
"Read More..." for the details.
Whilst it would be easy to sit back and reflect on success to date, the GB9 Committee are aware that the tour, and all its members, must strive to build upon the foundations that we have established together. The Committee are also aware that whilst GB9 events have been the most professionally run events in the history of American Pool within these shores, that further improvements can and have to be made to the tour to ensure GB9’s long term sustainability and growth.
With this in mind, members of the GB9 Committee have been working tirelessly behind the scenes in an attempt to secure exciting developments for the tour, and more importantly, for its members. Whilst there is still work to be done we hope to be able to make an announcement in the very near future regarding what 2010 has in store for GB9 members.
We believe that if we can realise these developments it will take the GB 9 Ball Tour to the next step, providing the potential for the growth of American Pool in Britain that we all so much desire. As ever, GB 9 Ball Tour, as the players’ tour, will need the commitment of all its members to make this happen.
2010 Tour Season – Provisional Dates
We would like to announce the following provisional dates, for the 2010 season (venues to be confirmed);
Tour Stop 1 March 12th - 14th 2010 (Barceló Buxton Palace Hotel)
Tour Stop 2 May 7th - 9th 2010 (venue TBC) – see note above
Tour Stop 3 June 11th - 13th 2010 (venue TBC)
Tour Stop 4 August 20th - 22th 2010 (venue TBC)
Tour Stop 5 September 24th - 26th 2010 (venue TBC)
Tour Stop 6 Date and venue TBC
GB9 Ball Tour 2010 Qualification Events
As the GB9 Ball Tour starts making its way towards 2010, it is time for those who wish to participate in Season 3 to prepare for the up and coming qualification events. Current full tour players who finish in the top 104 will automatically qualify for the 2010 season, with the bottom 24 spots up for grabs (24 is the minimum number of spots that will be available at the 2010 qualification events, and this may be subject to increase). Those players who wish to join the tour for the first time or who wish to rejoin following relegation in 2009 should enter one or more of the events detailed below. This is also a great chance for those players that have supported the tour as reserves to grab a full tour spot.
Midlands GB9 Qualifier – 22nd November 2009 (Rileys Solihull)
Northern GB9 Qualifier – 29th November 2009 (Rileys Barnsley)
Southern GB9 Qualifier – 6th December 2009 (Rileys Shepherds Bush)
The entry fee for these events is £25 per event, paid in advance (£35 if paid on the day).
Players may enter and participate in one or more qualifying events. For players who qualify for tour spots this £25 will be deducted from that player’s 2010 tour fees.
For entry forms and details of how to apply for the qualifying events visit http://www.gb9balltour.com/qualifiers.htm.
Deposits for 2010 Season We will be taking deposits from current tour players wishing to secure their tour spot for 2010, at the GB9 Northern Masters in Barnsley which starts on the 30th October. Players may pay a deposit of £50, which will be refundable in the event of players being relegated at the end of 2009 and failing to secure a tour spot via the qualification events.
We encourage players to secure their spots as soon as possible as we anticipate that there will be high demand for GB9 membership in 2010 and beyond. Any tour players not rejoining the tour by 15 November 2009 with have their place withdrawn and will need to rejoin via the qualifiers.
New GB9 Tournament Director
We would also like to announce that Lee Rigby will be taking on the role of Tournament Director for the upcoming GB9 Northern Masters in Barnsley and for the full 2010 Tour season. Lee takes over this role from Shirley Ang who has been Tournament Director for the first 2 GB9 seasons. We would like to thank Shirley for the invaluable efforts she has put in on behalf of the GB 9 Ball Tour and for running tournaments to a standard never seen before in this country. We also want to sincerely wish Shirley all the best for her future endeavours inside and outside the world of pool. Though a long term injury has prevented tour founder and Chairperson Lee Rigby from playing on GB9 Lee has fully committed to the GB9 team for next season and will be actively involved in the running of the tour, in addition to his role as Tournament Director.
