Tourneys
Topic: British Pool Federation

You lot want people to pay you up to £150 so that they can play pool.

You publicly lay down laws and warn about issuing fines and banning people if they don't comply.

What do you lot do for the players in return?

Do you look out for their interest to ensure they are not being ripped off?

Do you have laws and regulations that tournament organizers must adhere to?

Why must we pay you to play pool?

As one of your Platinum Members, will you be fighting on my behalf to be compensated for flights and hotel I booked for the World 10 Ball that has been cancelled?

As one of your members, will you check that the GB9 tour is not fleecing me?

Can I fine you if you don't?

What's your real name "watchdog"


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Matt Lester
www.matthew-lester.com

I sent off for a free membership for this and haven't heard anything back as of yet??
Maybe that was a waste of the price of a stamp!!

Although since i sent this off i have given up the sport as i don't agree with the changes to the tour so why spend all that time practising for the odd 1 day event to win couple of hundred quid!!

Therefore keep it!!

This is how they get you if most players are not aware already.

The British Pool Federation is a tax man and enforcement officer for the WPA. They say you have pay them in order to play in certain events for example the US Open...The call it "membership". You have no choice but pay them if you want to play.

This is the worst part, they then use your "membership" as leverage against tournament organizers saying that unless they (WPA) sanction the event, none of their members will be allowed to enter and guess what, they need to get paid to sanction an event.

It's in black and white on their website.

They demand 5% of the prize fund to sanction an event.

So they get money off the players by threats and then use the players to get more out the prize funds. Talk about a good con. You couldn't make it up.

Al Capone would have been very proud of them.

I dare anyone from The British Federation to dispute those facts.

These people are taking the pool loving community for a ride and we allow them.

It's only a matter of time before I get banned from posting on this site because the powers that be has a lot to lose if we start asking questions. Big Dave seems fair but I wonder what pressure he must be under to stop these posts.

Keep asking questions. It's our sport.

If we don't do something, we might end up having to pay these people to walk into our local club to play a game of pool or get fined for playing with a cue they don't endorse.

I am sorry my friend but you are completely WRONG with your information.
The British Pool Federation is a tax man and enforcement officer for the WPA. They say you have pay them in order to play in certain events for example the US Open...The call it "membership". You have no choice but pay them if you want to play.
This is the worst part, they then use your "membership" as leverage against tournament organizers saying that unless they (WPA) sanction the event, none of their members will be allowed to enter and guess what, they need to get paid to sanction an event.
It's in black and white on their website
They demand 5% of the prize fund to sanction an event.

THEY CANNOT BE TAX COLLECTORS FOR THE WPA BECAUSE THERE IS NO SANCTION FEE PAYABLE TO THE WPA. THAT WENT OUT THREE YEARS AGO AND INSTEAD ENTRY TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP ARE COLLECTED BY THE WPA THEMSELVES DURING EACH TOURNAMENT.
ANYBODY can enter the main WPA disciplines - 8 Ball, 9 Ball and 10 Ball plus a few other events. Some are limited entries for specific reasons (team events, promoters invitation limited events etc). But you do not have to belong to any association to join the above three at Qualifying level. I know because I run the qualifier tournaments.
TO PLAY IN THE US OPEN JUST SEND BARRY BEHRMAN A CHEQUE AND YOU ARE in.
YOU TALK AN ABSOLUTE LOAD OF COBBLERS.
So they get money off the players by threats and then use the players to get more out the prize funds. Talk about a good con. You couldn't make it up.
YOU OBVIOUSLY DO. WHAT EVIDENCE DO YOU HAVE TO MAKE SUCH A STATEMENT.
I dare anyone from The British Federation to dispute those facts.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE BPF BUT I CERTAINLY DO
It's only a matter of time before I get banned from posting on this site because the powers that be has a lot to lose if we start asking questions. Big Dave seems fair but I wonder what pressure he must be under to stop these posts.
BIG DAVE WELL UNDERSTANDS THE SITUATION AND WOULD NOT GET ANY PRESSURE FROM ANY ONE.

Doug, the BPF says they will fine any player playing in US Open (a WPA sanctioned event) without having BPF membership. That's on facebook

Is that in writing. I would like to see this because it is unenforceable.

I am still mystified about the need for another tier of administration. The GB 9 Ball Tour should have been given the rights to represent England (only) at European level.
This is all a load of politics conjured up by people in Europe to protect their commercial activities.
There is a lot of jockeying for positions now that Eastern European players and officials are making an impact.

Ricardo Indyana Jones
I have heard that a few players are thinking of playing in the us open and i would like to make it clear to players that as this event is sanctioned you will have to be a member of the british pool federation in order to participate, our rules are quite clear on this matter

'Any players found to be playing events without the necessary membership will face a fine and a formal warning, another infringement of the rules will see the player banned from all WPA and EPBF events for 3 years.'

we in turn have our own duties to follow as we the 'british pool federation' is governed by the European Pocket Billiard Federation

if anyone has any questions then please do not hesitate to get in touch via this page.

below is a list of the remaining events that are sanctioned in 2012:

china open 10-16 september

world 10ball champs 8-14 october

eurotour cyprus open 17-21 october

us open champs 21-28 october

kremlin cup 30-4 october

all japan championships 11-18 november

world summit of pool 19-25 november

sarajevo open in december

The total cost of sanctioning is negotiated between the WPA and organsier, but will not be less than 5% of total added money in all categories. There are no fees applied to any entry fee money that is added to the prize fund. The sanction fee is limited to a prize fund up to USD 500,000. Sanction fees are not deducted from the advertised added prize money.


The above was taken from the WPA website Doug.

I advised Richard about the situation some time ago. They have no legal right to issue these threats. I shall be taking it up again with him after the GB9 events are over this weekend.

I shall also speak to Barry Behrman who would be horrified to learn of these threats to his event.
The majority of the entrants to it are Americans and many of them do not belong to any organisation.

The British Pool Federal Agents of the WPA are very clear on the matter of Membership Doug "My Friend".

Am I still talking Cobblers?

Apology accepted.

Keep asking questions.

On 2012-09-30 13:46 , watchdog Wrote:

Sorry but it out of date. I will be speaking to Ian Anderson later to day and get it amended.

Incidently, entry fees produce far more revenue for the WPA.
At the World 8 Ball 96 times $200 is better than a 5% sanctioning fee.

On 2012-09-30 13:51 , watchdog Wrote:


The BPA are not WPA Agents. There is a chain of command and the BPA are affiliated through Europe (EPBF).

The EPBF, in turn, are then affiliated to the WPA.
The BPA cannot themselves be members of the WPA.
No apology but I realise that you are relying on flawed information.

This is not personal so I am still a 'friend'

I wonder if you realise we are arguing when really what we want is the same thing.

Accept no responsibility. Defend at all cost. Distance yourself from anyone that attracts bad publicity.

I got u sir.

Thank you for having a word with Ian about getting the literature amended. I wonder if you could do us a favour and slip another question into the conversation for me.

Will he be getting me, a WPA member,compensation for my flights and hotel for canceled World 10 Ball?

Will he also have a word with his foot soldiers down the ranks at the BPF and please ask them to stop issuing threats to us. We're struggling enough already trying to pay GB9 entry fees and inflated hotel rates.

Oh one last thing old chap. I know I'm starting to ask too much but will he see to it that those that have had to join the BPF to play in the US Open, get their money back? Now that you say that should never have happened.


Thanks again my friend Doug.

We are not arguing Doug. We are working to find solutions. I and am sure many players reading this is much better informed because of your response.

I sincerely thank you.

Keep asking questions.

gone to lunch. more later