9-Ball
Topic: World Cup of Pool in London

Yes Cringer!!
And whether people like it or not, this is the sole reason why threads such as this one get started.
Because the pool world only offers a decent profit for the elite players, and when invite tournaments come around its a big deal to be involved in them.
It's a cut throat business is the pool world, and there are lots of desperate players out there, and some of those players may try to hide this FACT!
But that's the way it is at the moment, and without doubt match room tournaments are the biggest on the calendar, not only cos of the prize money they offer (and guarantee I might add!), but also cos of the way they promote the tournaments with the massive amount of TV coverage. By winning one of these tournaments you as a player are virtually guaranteeing a good sponsorship deal, and maybe more than one!!
So yes, it is a big deal and I can understand everyone's hope to get selected.
Like Darren mentioned, who ever gets picked for the 2 English teams will make them very strong and one of the favourites to win the tournament, especially with home advantage.
So lets all just chill, and wait to see who match room select


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Only 2 people that should be picked in my opinion, Robin Cripps and Dominic Clemens. Simple

On 2013-07-04 14:14 , rc Wrote:

I'll put my name in the hat as an alternative.. Mr C Whinging, PO Box 213, Mars

Companies run pool tournaments for one reason alone. Profit.

Not for the "good of the game" or anything else.

Profit.

There are only really three ways to make profit on a pool event:

• Bums on Beds
  
• Player Membership/Entry fees
  
• Sponsorship
  

The first is very popular in the UK and still remains the easiest to arrange and a good way for a tour/tournament to get quite large and successful quickly. Especially suited to team games and the EPA on the english pool side of things demonstrate this nicely. Other examples are the Jersey Festival of Pool and Catalonia Festival of Pool (hotels)

Player Membership/entry fees is obvious and works especially well when you have a large field with small entry fee and the event is highly prestigious and qualifiers start low.

Online poker has been particularly successful in creating events with very low level entries that lead on to the next stage and the next stage and the next stage and eventually to, say, the world series of poker.

I have myself run poker events like this and I have often wondered at the feasibility of a pool event like this. One of the keys for me has always been credibility with many of the current governing bodies in pool, it is sad to say, lack this..

Sponsorship is again obvious and this is Matchroom's business model. They attract sponsorship to their highly prestigious and widely broadcast events and as much as possible use the most attractive "staff" they can. As has been said, in the past this has included snooker players and pool players that just happen to live close to the venue.

It is difficult to imagine Matchroom using anyone that is not well known - almost regardless of how well they strike a ball.

I doubt Matchroom give two hoots as to who wins either..

Surely it should be the 4 players playing best over the past 12 months that get in? In an earlier post it was stated that Melling has not had a great season but has done well on the last 2 Mosconi Cups so he should get in and then it is stated that past results shouldn't count when mentioned that Mark Gray got to the semis of the World 9 ball and final of WCOP! Seems like a little contradiction. Surely travelling the world is not qualification material in itself - it has to be backed up by results! Anyone can play world tournaments is he has the cash, but when good is that if he don't go deep in the tournaments? With no criteria for selection, surely the Eurotour and GB9 rankings should be taken into account when there are many players who would do England proud at the WCOP.

Whatever happens, and whoever plays, it's going to be amazing to have it back in London - great news for the Europe's pool fans who will be able to see 64 of the world's top players in action.

Tickets are on sale now, the details are here...

http://www.pro9.co.uk/html/article.php?sid=2273

...Could this become even more popular than the Mosconi Cup?

whos going to watch this event then? I think its important we make the effect and get on down to support each match where we can. imagine if we get the World Championship back the players would be coming out of the woodwork.

There is no need to delve deep into ranking lists to determine who represents England. Headlines are enough.
Darren for sure and on up to date performances Daryl and Karl are uncontestable. So we are left with Chris or Mark and that is a Matchroom No Brainer solely because of their different styles of play.
Given Darren's earlier justification of Karl as his partner then Daryl/Cris would make a powerhouse B team.

you say about styles of play Doug but daryl and mark weren't a bad side after all only English to reach the final and just cus chris has a more flamboyant style doesn't mean that him and daryl wd be a success whereas mark an daryl have already had partial success and play well only my opinion but I think we all know who the teams will be

You can't just drop rankings and judge on playing style - that was how it was done in the old days when 9 ball players were few and far between, but now there is a mass of talent so hand picking is just not right! So you would allocate 3 spots according current form Doug and choose the last player on style of play??? That would have the sole purpose of finding a spot for Chris Melling! Chris is without doubt one of the worlds best pool players and good for TV, but his results the past 12 months have not been great. The same criteria should be used to pick all 4 players whatever those criteria may be, but consistency on the tours one plays on should be rewarded and I can't see past Appleton/Boyes and Peach/Gray, but thats just my opinion But until the day that rules are made for who is selected, discussions like this will always be rife - I think its just important to stay objective!

With no definitive rankings (GB9, Eurotour and WPA) they are only a snapshot of what is going on at any given moment in time, we have to go back to performance on a big stage.
Who knows? There may be bundles of talent out there capable of beating the best in practice games, But what counts is doing it in a cauldron.The three main contenders have all got a World title in their scrapbooks and are still performing at this high level.
This is proably the most prestigeous event in the game(OK the 2nd most) and we should expect to see the best players.
Tell me about the Good Old Days, I was the GOD.

the word WAS a very interesting word Doug it means used to be but not anymore so on this context shall we go and get Steve Knight out of retirement although never a world champ a mosconi regular.Chris himself will admit to not having the greatest 12 months although a lot of us mere mortals wd love to have his so called bad year, but your saying pick him because of what he is capable of so in that case the same can be said of mark or Imran even and Imran must be fuming id imagine as he hasn't even been mentioned in this at all

I don't dspute the not anymore label. The World of Pool Wagon has moved on but not even a full torn of a wheel. Part of that may relate to the way that people other than the hardcore supporters perceive pool. It has not aimed high enough and consequently it is still on it's uppers.

Let's celebrate and celebritise our most successful players. They have personalities, draw them out.
That is a silly analogy to use Steve's name but his Persona as the Knightrider stretched across the globe. People were constantly turning up at Victoria because they were 'friends of Steve Knight' and his respect at the club was something to behold.

Matchroom are suffiiciently well versed to know who will attract audience support and at the end of the day that is all that really counts

Agree with you interesting. Imran Majid is the official no1 for 2013 and shouldnt be overlooked. He has been the most consistent player in the country even with all the top players on the tour. I believe he's from London aswell. Imran no1 Mark Gray no2....should be the b team imo.The majority of the teams are using national rankings so we should atleast use it for our b team.

What about Shaw and Burford if they were from the same country would be an awesum team. Young fresh talent good to watch aswell.

On 2013-07-06 23:02 , Northernpotter Wrote:

Completely agree Northernpotter, my sentiments exactly!


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Andy Warden, GB9 - Authorised Pro9 forum advertiser/sponsor √

sorry if i have missed it guys, but if they are not gonna use the GB9 ranking for the world cup of pool, who is gonna partner jayson shaw then?

Should be our Jason and Michael Valentine then.

We are talking England teams not Scotland. Jason and Michael could certainly get together and enter the qualifier representing Scotland.