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9-ball in the UK |
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Cueboy88
Home away from home
Joined: 13-Nov-2007
Posts: 588
From: Doncaster.
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Posted: 2014-09-29 09:02
Huge congratulations again to Daz and Karl. For the last couple of years pro 9-ball in England is the best it's ever been, but what do we do to sort out the game from grass roots to amateur level? Not many clubs have quality 9-ball tables anymore. Everyone knows what Rileys are like, but along with Matchroom and Sky 9-ball wouldn't be anything in this country without them.
It just seems that the amateur game is going backwards, what do we do?
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Matt Lester
www.matthew-lester.com
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SDAVISON
Quite a regular
Joined: 01-Oct-2012
Posts: 70
From: EPPING
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Posted: 2014-09-29 09:58
Apart from the guys that play in GB9 and T9B - I don't know anyone who knows how to play the game or understands the rules . Kids are more likely to learn about English pool or snooker from there parents - So there is a lot of work to be done to educate people the game. Either by showcasing the games at clubs around the UK where people can come and learn about the game - If this were combined with a TV programme showing the range of games available - Possibly Celebrities learning from Pro players in Knock-out tournament - In the end we want parents to buy into it - So any way of introducing people to the game would be a positive move.
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vjmehra
Quite a regular
Joined: 19-Apr-2008
Posts: 64
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Posted: 2014-09-29 22:20
To be honest, without events like the world championships on TV, it's an impossible struggle.
GB9 and T9B do a good job, but we really need Matchroom to get involved and televise a GB9 event or get the world championships over here again.
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9ball
Home away from home
Joined: 08-Apr-2006
Posts: 189
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Posted: 2014-09-29 23:37
World championships back in the UK/Europe is never going to happen as long as the qataris have the tournament sewn up in terms of money & multi-year hosting deal with the WPA.
Also have you ever thought matchroom considered the event too expensive to host with very little revenue hence why they dropped it after the 2007 tournament.
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Cueboy88
Home away from home
Joined: 13-Nov-2007
Posts: 588
From: Doncaster.
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Posted: 2014-09-30 00:25
I think if clubs had more 9ft American tables, then more people would play. I practise at Escape in Barnsley, but apart from that and Cue Gardens in Bradford I can't think of another club in the north of England tha has an American table
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Matt Lester
www.matthew-lester.com
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billiardbloke
Home away from home
Joined: 28-Sep-2010
Posts: 316
From: The Black Country
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Posted: 2014-10-01 12:37
In the Wolverhampton area there are only a handfull of clubs with American tables and the people that play on them play English 8 ball rules while spilling their beer on the cloth. The clubs that offer the best rates don't maintain the tables and Rileys have withdrew the annual & monthly pass offers since going into administration. Nowadays American pool is as expensive as golf.
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MACBA76
Just popping in
Joined: 28-Sep-2012
Posts: 12
From: Bradford via Doncaster
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Posted: 2014-10-01 14:06
There are over 15 American tables at Northern Snooker Centre, and get used alot by casual players playing 8 ball.
However when they have tried to organise 9-Ball comps, for only a fiver entry, there is very little interest.
9-Ball is virtually dead up North :0(
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Cueboy88
Home away from home
Joined: 13-Nov-2007
Posts: 588
From: Doncaster.
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Posted: 2014-10-01 17:58
I practise at Escape in Barnsley, few years ago it was packed with 9-ball players, they've all gone back to snooker or English pool. T9B is a great tour but all of their events are at St Albans. I can only think of 2 other clubs in Yorkshire with 9-ball tables, but no1 seems interested in putting 9-ball tables in their club.
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Matt Lester
www.matthew-lester.com
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tonyb
Home away from home
Joined: 18-Apr-2007
Posts: 310
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Posted: 2014-10-01 18:43
Since 2007 English players have won 2 world 9ball titles, world 10 ball, world 8ball,world pool masters, 2 us opens, 1 china open, multiple euro tours, multiple mosconi cups and mvps, challenge if champions, world 14/1, Benelux open, Interpol open and list goes on, so for me if 9ball still doesn't get the backing (which it deserves) in the uk after all that it'll never get the backing in my oppinion, sadly for us all it's our choice of cuesport
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tonyb
Home away from home
Joined: 18-Apr-2007
Posts: 310
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Posted: 2014-10-01 18:44
And newly crowned wcop champions
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Cueboy88
Home away from home
Joined: 13-Nov-2007
Posts: 588
From: Doncaster.
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Posted: 2014-10-01 19:18
That's my point Tony, pro 9-ball has never been in a better position, but amateur 9-ball has been the worst it's been since I started playing in 2007
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Matt Lester
www.matthew-lester.com
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tonyb
Home away from home
Joined: 18-Apr-2007
Posts: 310
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Posted: 2014-10-01 19:45
To be honest I think that's because there isn't value on gb9 for lesser players example tier 2 winner £250 for this season and you spend £200-£300 pound per event challenge 1 is only £350 as for main it's a hard task for lesser players to make last 16 which is money stages
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MACBA76
Just popping in
Joined: 28-Sep-2012
Posts: 12
From: Bradford via Doncaster
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Posted: 2014-10-01 20:45
Part of the problem is that there isn't the structure in place for 9-Ball that exists in English 8 ball. Pub leagues, interleague, county and beyond are in place. Even as a decent quality pub player, I can play in various leagues Monday to Thursday and there is plenty of singles comps at the weekend.
For 9-ball there is only G9B and T9B, and these are really for top level players. If I want to play 9-Ball the nearest regular comp is 3 hours train ride away in Liverpool. With no structure in place for 9-ball similar to the EPA (love them or hate them) which allows players of all levels to compete, the game has no real future in England.
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Benjamin
Home away from home
Joined: 29-Mar-2006
Posts: 364
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Posted: 2014-10-01 20:49
This might not be the most popular post but at the rate that American clubs/tables are disappearing across the UK there seems to be a very strong argument that the amateur heyday has been and gone. With regards to getting existing 9ft players playing 9 Ball, I'd like to see the Mosconi Cup go back the exhibition event that it started off as and get that 'angle' back that caught the attention of the general cuesport fan - and yes, I am suggesting putting a couple of Snooker players in. Whether Matchroom want/need to do that is a different matter entirely. ----------------- It must be a slow night-shift [ This message was edited by: Benjamin on 2014-10-01 20:49 ]
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MACBA76
Just popping in
Joined: 28-Sep-2012
Posts: 12
From: Bradford via Doncaster
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Posted: 2014-10-01 21:14
Although I think the Mosconi Cup is much better with dedicated pool players, without having the big name snooker players it has affected the amateur 9-ball scene in England.
Pool (English or American) needs to get back on TV on a regular basis anyway it can. Why EPA, GB9 etc doesn't offer free rights ti it's events to TV channels is a mystery.
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Cueboy88
Home away from home
Joined: 13-Nov-2007
Posts: 588
From: Doncaster.
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Posted: 2014-10-02 10:47
I agree about a league system, but there have been 2 attempts at setting up a national 9-ball league system. Tony Weafer was the most recent person to try when he set up "GB9 Leagues" the idea being that clubs registered and then at the end of the season there was a national finals, but it didn't get off the ground.
I guess you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink. It's a shame because 9-ball has been my game for 7 years now, and as a wheelchair player the tour is the strongest it's ever been, similar to GB9 but players are not able to practise due to clubs being closed down or not having wheelchair access.
If we could get a successful league system going it would be great, but I guess people are happy with snooker and pub pool
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Matt Lester
www.matthew-lester.com
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billiardbloke
Home away from home
Joined: 28-Sep-2010
Posts: 316
From: The Black Country
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Posted: 2014-10-02 11:32
They once held a tournament in the Lakeside Shopping Centre, Thurrock. I must be talking 2001ish. Bustemante, Strickland, Souquet and Steve Davis amongst others and it was shown on Sky Sports. Michaela Tabb reffing too I believe. Wouldn't it be nice if Matchroom just took over one of the Sky Sports channels and showed Pool, Darts and Snooker for 12 hours a day.
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TonyDavid
Home away from home
Joined: 17-Apr-2006
Posts: 565
From: Cambridgeshire
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Posted: 2014-10-02 13:53
Pool, darts and snooker, sounds awesome! Someone phone Barry and get it sorted!
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Ollie
Just can't stay away
Joined: 25-Jan-2014
Posts: 126
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Posted: 2014-10-02 21:43
Barry who??? Barry chuckle because he's more chance of getting the ameture game back than Barry hern as Barry herb is a money man and there's never been any money in the ameture game in the uk. Never will be either as just not enough good players and nowhere near enough good equipment. I bet u van count on one hand how many top class tables there in in the uk never mind a room full of them.
People slate George harewood but same as twomy says he has 200 players of all standard from the cream of the crop to complete bangers.
Something's not right somewhere along the lines (don't all shoot me down because there can't be only me thinking this)
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TheWizard
Home away from home
Joined: 18-Mar-2006
Posts: 823
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Posted: 2014-10-07 23:01
The problem with American Cuesports in the UK is there are no tours in the UK at all.
Having 5/6 events in 1 location is not a tour and having a series of events within a few clubs in London is not a tour either.
A "Tour" requires the organisers of plan, organise, schedule, promote and carry out events in ALL regions of the UK and not just 1 or 2 specific arres.
Why?...
1. It's a tour organiser's responsibility to Promote American Cuesports in all regions to all ability levels.
2. Players will only keep paying out big money in travel/accomodation costs before they lose interest and stop.
Have a tour that WILL travel and hold events in ALL regions of the UK for all ability levels and you will help make the sport grow again.
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