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Topic: *Industry News* 2015 - 2024

BetVictor European Series Takes World Snooker Tour’s Overall Prize Money To Record Level

London/Gibraltar, 26 September 2019

BetVictor, a leading global gambling company, is sponsoring four world ranking events on snooker’s global tour this season, creating the brand-new BetVictor European Series. The new series sees the World Snooker Tour’s overall prize money increase to a record level of approximately £15 million.

The four tournaments are:

• 2020 BetVictor European Masters, January 20-26, Austria
• 2020 BetVictor German Masters, January 29 to February 2, Berlin, Germany
• 2020 BetVictor Shoot Out - February 20-23, Watford, England
• 2020 BetVictor Gibraltar Open - March 13-15, Gibraltar

A unique ranking list will run throughout these events, with the player earning the most money across the BetVictor European Series receiving a bonus of £150,000.

Top prizes have also been increased:

• BetVictor European Masters: £80,000 to the winner (up from last season’s £75,000)
• BetVictor Shoot Out: £50,000 to the winner and £20,000 to the runner-up (up from last season’s £32,000 and £16,000)
• BetVictor Gibraltar Open: £50,000 to the winner and £20,000 to the runner-up (up from last season’s £25,000 and £12,000)

These additions bring the total prize money for the 2019-20 season to £14,641,000.

World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn said: “We are delighted to announce the new BetVictor European Series, a fabulous addition to our tour. The race to win the series and earn a huge bonus of £150,000 adds an extra element of intrigue throughout the four events. Each event is superb in its own right, but the support BetVictor brings takes it all to a new level and ties them together into a distinctive series.

“I would love to see a few players in the mix with the chance to win the bonus going into the last tournament in Gibraltar, that would bring a thrilling conclusion to the series. For the players it’s an extra incentive to get their name down for these events and make sure they have the chance to boost their prize money in dramatic fashion.”

Director of Sportsbook at BetVictor, Matt Scarrott, added: "We have a strong relationship with World Snooker having partnered with them on a number of events and I’m confident that this brand-new series will add to World Snooker’s international success.

"The global growth in the sport’s popularity is a testament of the fantastic work World Snooker have been developing over recent years, and we’re delighted to be part of this successful journey. We’re particularly proud to see the last of the European Series tournament take place in Gibraltar - home to BetVictor."

WADA Publishes 2020 Prohibited List

On September 30, 2019 the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) publishes the 2012 List of Prohibited Substances and Methods; the 2020 Summary of Major Modifications and Explanatory Notes; and the 2020 Monitoring Program. The List, which was approved by WADA's Executive Committee (ExCo) on September 23, 2019, comes into force on January 1, 2020.

The List, which is one of six International Standards that are mandatory for all Signatories of the World Anti-Doping Code, designates what substances and methods are prohibited both in- and out-of-competition, and which substances are banned in particular sports.

WADA Director General Olivier Niggli said: "WADA is pleased to announce the publication of the 2019 Prohibited List. Updated annually, the List undergoes an extensive consultation period with a wide array of anti-doping stakeholders from around the globe. This is a very comprehensive process which aims to ensure that new substances and methods with doping potential - which are either currently on the market or in some cases still in clinical development - are included in the List. This helps us to protect not only the integrity of sport, but the health of athletes worldwide."

(read full report from WADA)

WADA publishes 2020 List of Prohibited Substances and Methods

Today, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) publishes the 2020 List of Prohibited Substances and Methods (List); the 2020 Summary of Major Modifications and Explanatory Notes; and the 2020 Monitoring Program. The List, which was approved by WADA’s Executive Committee (ExCo) on 23 September 2019, comes into force on 1 January 2020.

The List, which is one of six International Standards that are mandatory for all Signatories of the World Anti-Doping Code (Code), designates what substances and methods are prohibited both in- and out-of-competition, and which substances are banned in particular sports.

WADA Director General Olivier Niggli said: “WADA is pleased to announce the publication of the 2020 Prohibited List. Updated annually, the List undergoes an extensive consultation period with a wide array of anti-doping stakeholders from around the globe. This is a very comprehensive process which aims to ensure that new substances and methods with doping potential – which are either currently on the market or in some cases still in clinical development – are included in the List. This helps us to protect not only the integrity of sport, but the health of athletes worldwide.”

The List is released three months ahead of it taking effect so that athletes and their entourage can acquaint themselves with any modifications. Ultimately, athletes are responsible for prohibited substances found in their body and prohibited methods found to have been used. Athlete entourage are also liable for Anti-Doping Rule Violations if determined to be complicit. Consequently, if there is any doubt as to the status of a substance or method, it is important that they contact their respective Anti-Doping Organization (International Federation or National Anti-Doping Organization) for advice.

The List’s annual revision process is led by WADA, beginning with an initial meeting in January and concluding with the publication of the List by 1 October. This is an extensive consultation process that includes WADA’s List Expert Group – composed of some of the most highly qualified experts in the world – gathering information, including the latest scientific and medical research, trends, and intelligence gathered from law enforcement and pharmaceutical companies; circulating a draft List among stakeholders; taking their submissions into consideration; and revising the draft, followed by review by the Agency’s Health, Medical and Research (HMR) Committee. The HMR Committee then makes its recommendation to the WADA ExCo, which approves the List during its September meeting.

For a substance or method to be added to the List, it must be determined that it meets at least two of the following three criteria:

It has the potential to enhance or enhances sport performance
It represents an actual or potential health risk to the athletes
It violates the spirit of sport
It should be noted that for athletes who have a legitimate medical reason for using a prohibited substance or method that is on the List, they may be accommodated if they meet the criteria outlined in the International Standard for Therapeutic Use Exemptions (ISTUE). The TUE process has overwhelming acceptance from athletes, physicians and anti-doping stakeholders worldwide.

Languages and Formats

The 2020 Prohibited List; the 2020 Summary of Modifications and Explanatory Notes; and the 2020 Monitoring Program are available for download on WADA’s website in English and French with Spanish to follow shortly.

Stakeholders wishing to translate the List into other languages are kindly asked to signal their interest at info@wada-ama.org, by 31 October 2019. If interested, WADA would provide the necessary files and, once the translation is finalized, would make the List available on the Agency’s website.

The List’s mobile-friendly digital edition will go live on 1 January 2020.

World Snooker Teams Up With Hawes & Curtis For New Home Nations Dress Code

“You can have any colour you want, as long as it’s black,” said Henry Ford about his Model T cars in 1909.

Snooker players will have a similar choice throughout this season’s Home Nations series.

World Snooker has joined forces with renowned clothing firm Hawes & Curtis to create a new dress code for the four Home Nations events, starting with this month’s 19.com English Open.

All 128 players will wear black tailored long-sleeved shirts together with black or dark tailored trousers.

Snooker’s traditional attire of waistcoats and bow ties has been dropped for this series.

World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn said: “The new dress code for the Home Nations events will help the series become distinctive and develop a unique identity.

“We know that waistcoats and bow ties are closely associated with the traditions of our sport and we have no plans to change the dress code for the majority of our key events.

“But we have decided to make this change for the Home Nations and we hope the black shirts will be stylish and practical for the players.

“We’re thrilled to be working with Hawes & Curtis and we’re delighted with the product they have designed.”

Hawes & Curtis is a London-based firm established in 1913 with the intention of creating high quality, exclusive clothing. Hawes & Curtis has been acclaimed by royalty and aristocracy alike; most famously by the Duke of Windsor and Earl Mountbatten.

Hawes & Curtis CEO Touker Suleyman said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to support World Snooker and we are delighted to provide the new distinctive dress code for the Home Nations event. Since 1913, Hawes & Curtis has dressed the best, including royalty and Hollywood stars. Today we are very proud to dress all 128 top snooker players in our formal wear.”

The Home Nations events are

19.com English Open, Crawley, October 14th to 20th, 2019

19.com Northern Ireland Open, Belfast, November 11th to 17th, 2019

19.com Scottish Open, Glasgow, December 9th to 15th, 2019

ManBetX Welsh Open, Cardiff, February 10th to 16th, 2020

All four events will be televised on Eurosport and Quest and there is a £1 million bonus for any player who can win all four.

Tickets are on sale now – for details see www.worldsnooker.com/tickets

The Predator Group is proud to celebrate its 25th Anniversary in 2019.

Jacksonville, USA, October 10th, 2019

Thanks to an amazing team of passionate individuals, the company has revolutionized how the game of pocket billiards is played since the introduction of the original 314 low-deflection shaft in 1994. A quarter of a century after this ground-breaking technology was introduced, this United States-based company has grown to become the largest and most innovation-driven manufacturer in pool and billiards worldwide.

HOW IT ALL GOT STARTED

Out of all the billiards shafts, cues and components that Predator Group has been associated with over the last 25 years, none may be more important than the tip that was on Allan McCarty’s cue in the early 1990s.

A frequent player who had dabbled in developing inventions, McCarty was leading his opponent during a billiards match when his tip loosened and popped off of the ferrule. He switched out that shaft for his reserve and immediately struggled to make balls. McCarty lost the match, walking away from the experience lighter in the wallet and questioning how these two seemingly identical shafts could play so differently.

McCarty teamed up with Steve Titus, a self-made engineer he’d met at a tournament a couple of years before. Together, the two constructed a mechanical arm for testing billiard cues named Iron Willie. This helped them to develop a product which would deliver more consistency and accuracy. They toiled away in their Clawson, Michigan shop for about a year and a half, ultimately creating a six-piece spliced wooden shaft.

That desire to design and develop a superior performing product led to Predator’s initial product creation – a multi-splice shaft introduced as the original 314 shaft in 1994. Predator’s cutting-edge shaft technology reduced the error factor called “cue ball deflection”, where the mass of the shaft pushes the cue ball off the aiming line when using English or side spin. Put simply, this new technology made it easier to pocket balls using English and helped players progress faster.

What started as two guys fighting to educate the industry on their research findings now has evolved into the industry trendsetter in pool and billiards technology. The company has grown into the largest billiard cue manufacturer worldwide – thanks largely to the people who work for and with the company.

“There’s all the cue makers and then there’s us,” said McCarty. “They’re selling design, we’re selling performance with design.”

“When we received our first cue and shaft combination way back in 1998, we knew immediately that Predator was an innovative and technology-advanced cue manufacturer,” said Sid Kreis of Seybert’s Billiard Supply, one of Predator’s leading distributors.

THE QUEST FOR INNOVATION

It would have been easy to sit back and be satisfied with creating the billiard cue shaft which revolutionized the industry. “However, the goal is to always challenge the standards of the industry – then design a completely new standard.” said President Karim Belhaj, who rose from company intern in 1997 to owning the company today. “Every time we made it to the top, we thought ‘how do we better ourselves?’”

In a company that was created by pool players, it didn’t take long for the team to realize there was more to playing proficient pool than simply minimizing deflection. Predator released the first BK break cue in 2001, equipped with a balanced weight design as well as a tip and ferrule developed to transfer maximum energy. Four years later, a reengineered break cue called the BK2 would hit the market with an improved grip, phenolic and carbon fiber tip plate and improved shaft design.

A dozen years after the original 314 shafts became available to consumers, Predator introduced the second generation of low-deflection shaft technology – featuring a lighter and improved 10-piece spliced construction, which resulted in better wood grain consistency throughout. Four years ago, the company debuted the third generation of these revolutionary shafts, featuring a lower front-end mass, V-Tek front end construction as well as the eight-layer Victory tip. “We design every single shaft based on what the player needs to improve his or her game,” said Belhaj.

Since the turn of the century, Predator’s engineers have been working on methods to build a cue shaft from composite technology. As materials improved and processes perfected, the years of trial and errors resulted in the debut of Predator REVO shaft in 2016. Made from aerospace grade carbon fiber, this latest innovation offers reduced deflection at high and low speeds coupled with unmatched durability. When Predator’s Chief Engineer Paul Costain had his first prototypes of REVO ready for field testing a few years ago, it was essential for him to see the players’ feedback: “I remember very well the first time I saw people testing the Predator REVO – at first they were skeptical. So, to see their face when they hit the first few shots was quite enjoyable – I could see instantly they could feel the difference… and then of course they didn’t want to give the shaft back!”

Following this success, the carbon composite BK Rush break cue was released in 2017 – the most powerful and most accurate break cue ever designed.

As the technology and innovation improved, so too has the playing experience for beginning and amateur players. With cue ball deflection significantly decreased compared to the equipment of decades ago, the competitors of today can pocket balls more accurately while utilizing English and sidespin with much more ease. “Due to the Predator equipment, the pockets for amateurs seem bigger than normal because you can play more precisely,” said Billiard Congress of America Hall of Famer Ralf Souquet, who has won every major title in the sport using a 314 shaft.

Today, Predator’s extensive family of products connect with different players – from the road hustler to the World Champion, there is a Predator cue for everyone. We not only specialize in performance but also in design. From the entry-level Roadline “Sneaky Pete” to the 25th Anniversary limited edition cues, there is an artistic and fashionable style to match the various preferences of players. Whether a player is looking for a classic or intricate look, Predator has a design which can connect with the individual and provide a unique style, coupled with unmatched construction and technology.

“Predator helps players be the best version of themselves,” said Karim Belhaj.

OUR COMMITMENT TO GROW THE SPORT

Ever since Titus and McCarty started working on the original shafts, Predator has been striving to connect people to the game as well as give back to the billiards industry.

When the company was in its infancy, McCarty made sure the product was in the hands of not only nationally known professional players but those dominant at the regional level as well – recognizing word-of-mouth exposure would be essential to the product’s growth. As Predator slowly grew to become a worldwide company, the manufacturer’s commitment to providing professionals with the tools needed for success has not changed. Today, countless players all over the world rely on the company’s cues in tournament competition – including World Champions and BCA Hall of Famers. As a result, players using Predator cues have won more titles than all of the other cue brands combined.

As a company which constantly strives to improve its equipment and the players’ experience, this working relationship also allows Predator’s designers to receive valuable feedback on its products from some of the best professionals competing today.

“I remember one year every European Mosconi cup player played with Predator. That’s mental,” said Hall of Famer and longtime brand ambassador Darren Appleton. “They have helped me massively in my career and God knows what I would not have been able to achieve without them.”

“Predator brings the equipment and I bring the skills, so together we can achieve greatness,” said women’s professional, Jasmin Ouschan, who started using the company’s equipment as a junior.

Predator is also proud to support John Schmidt and his quest to beat the longest-standing record in the sport, Willie Mosconi’s 526-ball run. John achieved his dream by an astounding 100 balls, running 626 without a miss, which already placed the formerly nicknamed “Mr. 400” in a class of his own: “I was using a P3 Red with a REVO 12.4 shaft – fantastic cue. Everybody loves their cue, that sounds forced but it’s really the best cue I’ve ever played with”, said John “Mr. 626” Schmidt.

Predator’s support of the industry also extends to professional and amateur tournaments throughout the world, as well as in the United States. The company has been a longtime title sponsor of the Mosconi Cup, Matchroom events, the Euro Tour for both men and women, Tony Robles’ Predator Pro-am Tour in the northeastern United States, the World Pool and Billiards Association’s Players Championship, and many other events.

“Predator has been a big part of the industry so far and will be even more so in the future,” said Emily Frazer, Chief Operating Officer for Matchroom Multisport, producer of the Mosconi Cup. “Predator has been in business for 25 years and Matchroom has shared a relationship with them for the majority of that. We only hope to continue and strengthen that partnership as we push together our passion and goal of taking our sport to the next level.”

This past year, the company again expanded its position within the professional billiards industry with the debut of the Predator World 10-ball Championships which brought back a World WPA event in the United States for the first time in over 20 years.

The event had been dormant since 2015 as it struggled to find available sponsors and prize funds, but Predator saw the event as a unique opportunity to help grow the number of professional events worldwide while celebrating the company’s silver anniversary. Partnering with Cue Sports International, the inaugural tournament was played this past July in conjunction with the BCA Pool League’s national and world championships in Las Vegas. This event, which was won by Ping-Chung Ko, showcases the best professional players in the world and helps in the company’s mission of building a bridge between the recreational pool player and the game’s elite. As WPA President Ian Anderson said, “We are very proud to be associated with Predator and to have them as a partner in the promotion and development of pool and billiards.”

Predator continues to focus on the future by making the world a better place, one pool game at a time.­

Special thanks to Keith Paradise, Senior Editor at Billiards Digest, for his contribution in writing this article.

Simonis and Aramith team up with the Atlantic Challenge Cup 2019

Iwan Simonis, producer of the world-renowned billiard cloth, have again agreed to partner the Atlantic Challenge Cup in 2019. In an agreement reached recently, Simonis 860 tournament blue will be used at this year’s event which is held in Treviso Italy at the BHR Best Western Premier hotel. The Duramith technology will also be used again at the Atlantic Challenge Cup as Saluc, the makers of the famous Aramith brand have also agreed to partner this year’s event. The Duramith balls have been an integral part of the professional billiard scene for some years already and this is another indication of the material quality used at the ACC.

Mr Bernard Bollette, Commercial Director Simonis cloth and Aramith balls had this to say on the partnership. “EPBF/IBPF is a historical partner of many decades without interruption. They excel in the organization of pool events. As the best and oldest cloth and ball manufacturers, we as Iwan Simonis and Saluc are particularly proud and excited to support this youth event, the Atlantic Challenge Cup that EPBF organize with the Billiard Congress of America”.

Starting on the 28th November, the teams will play different formats in individuals, doubles and teams’ races to six in order to win points for their team. The first team to win 11 points will be crowned ACC champions, you can watch this all live on the EPBF social media channels with more information to follow.

IBPF President David Morris said, “It’s great to have Simonis cloth and Aramith balls used for the Atlantic Challenge Cup again” Their equipment is truly a class act and one that the players appreciate at all our events. It means a great deal to our organization when these two companies, with so much respect in the industry, join us in our efforts to promote the youth sport. It will be another great event and I am really looking forward to it already”

Launched by the European Pocket Billiard Federation and the Billiard Congress of America in 2015, the Atlantic Challenge Cup pits the best of youth from Europe and America in a Mosconi Cup style event in a race to 11 with a possible 21 total matches. Six players on each team, four boys and two girls, will battle it out to see who will have the bragging rights across the Atlantic.

Press release issued by the EPBF/BCA.

More information can be found at atlanticchallengecup.com, our FB page or contact our press office, press@epbf.com

Dornbirn In Austria To Stage BetVictor European Masters

Austria will stage a world ranking event for the first time in January when the BetVictor European Masters take place in Dornbirn.

The event will take place at the Messe Dornbirn venue from January 22nd to 26th and it’s the first event in the new BetVictor European Series.

Dornbirn is a city in the Austrian state of Vorarlberg, in the west of the country close to the borders with Germany and Switzerland.

Tickets for the tournament are ON SALE NOW, starting at just 20 Euros. There are also VIP options available. For details see www.worldsnooker.com/tickets or www.snookerstars.de

The qualifying rounds will take place in December, with 128 players each needing to win two matches to make it to Austria, and 32 going through to the final stages. All matches up to and including the quarter-finals will be best of nine frames with no intervals.

Total prize money will be £407,000 with a top prize of £80,000. The tournament will be televised by Eurosport.

The new BetVictor European Series also comprises the BetVictor German Masters, (January 29 to February 2), the BetVictor Shoot Out (February 20-23) and the BetVictor Gibraltar Open (March 13-15).

A unique ranking list will run throughout these events, with the player earning the most money across the BetVictor European Series receiving a bonus of £150,000.

World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn said: “We are delighted to be staging a world ranking event in Austria for the first time in our history. It’s another major step forward in our quest to make snooker a global sport. We have seen fantastic figures for television and digital audiences in Austria in recent years and now the fans there have the chance to see the world’s best players competing live for a prestigious trophy.

“The venue in Dornbirn is superb and it is a beautiful part of Austria so we will to see fans coming from far afield to experience the event.

“It’s the first tournament in the BetVictor European Series so the top players will aim to get off to a strong start, with their eyes on the £150,000 bonus. We look forward to a great event.”

Johnny Archer Returns for his 14th Consecutive World 14.1 Appearance!
December 2-7, 2019
FLORIDA BOUND! The 79th World 14.1

Jacksonville, Florida- JOHNNY ARCHER RETURNS FOR HIS 14th World 14.1 appearance! Voted PLAYER OF THE DECADE, 4x World Champion; 17x Mosconi Cup Pro; HALL OF FAMER, US Open Champion returns to the WORLD 14.1! Archer is a former semi-finalist and wants to put his name next to Mosconi !

Watch and meet Johnny December 2-7,2019. The 79th WORLD 14.1
JAX Florida at 9 Ball Heaven
Visit WorldStraightPool.com for Tickets & Info.
Players can enroll now for an invitation.
Call 407-782-4978 or worldstraightpoolchampionships@gmail.com

Join the WORLD 141 CLUB at WorldStraightPool.com as a premiere supporter and click 141 Club for $250 and get a $300 package value including all access Pay Per View livestream and ticket to the HOF dinner! All members listed on the site.
World 141 Club members get to vote! JOIN!

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Jacksonville, Florida- One era ends, and another begins! After over a century of being hosted in northern metropolitan cities such as New York and Chicago, the World 14.1 will be moving to Florida for the first time. In its first outing to be hosted by a southern stat, 9Ball Heaven in Jacksonville, Florida is the selected locaton of the 79th World Straight Pool Championship on December 2-7, 2019 immediately following the Mosconi Cup in Las Vegas. 9Ball Heaven will have the honor of hosting the longest-running and oldest tradition in billiards since 1912. This year marks the 14th consecutive year with Dragon Promotions continuing at the helm of pool's oldest tournament, the longest consecutive run of the championship in its 107-year history.

The 79th World 14.1 will host a star-studded round-robin field aiming to win the world's greatest straight pool championship. The World 14.1 is sanctioned by the WSA World Sports Alumni professional athletes association made up of athletes in the NFL, NBA, MLB, Pro Boxers, Tennis, UFC and many other sports.

The Longoni brand joins the Atlantic Challenge Cup

Today, the IBPF announced that the Longoni brand have agreed to partner the upcoming Atlantic Challenge cup. Longoni, started in 1945, has become the Ferrari of the cue world, first exporting cues to the USA in the sixties. Pierluigi Longoni has been the figurehead of the Longoni brand in recent years, taking over from where his parents left off, he was delighted to partner the ACC, especially proud as it will be on Italian soil.

Pierluigi said " It's a great pleasure for us to support the Atlantic Challenge Cup 2019 as we did for the 2018 edition in the USA. Giving visibility to young generation of players has to be a priority of the whole billiard industry, like it is for us."

IBPF President David Morris said, “I am pleased to welcome the Longoni brand as a partner in this event and I am sure their involvement will help promote the ACC in Italy this November. Longoni are a brand recognized throughout the world and to team up with them for this event is a delight”

Launched by the European Pocket Billiard Federation and the Billiard Congress of America in 2015, the Atlantic Challenge Cup pits the best of youth from Europe and America in a Mosconi Cup style event in a race to 11 with a possible 21 total matches. Six players on each team, four boys and two girls, will battle it out to see who will have the bragging rights across the Atlantic.

Press release issued by the EPBF/BCA.

USA #1 Shane Van Boening Aims for World 14.1 Crown: Returns for his 6th Consecutive World Straight Pool Appearance!

Jacksonville, Florida- Perhaps the defining player of his generation, Shane Van Boening makes his 6th consecutive appearance at the World 14.1. Van Boening has yet to win the historic title, although he came close in 2014 losing in the finals to Darren Appleton. SVB has won major titles in many disciplines including One Pocket, 8-Ball, 9-Ball and 10-Ball. Straight Pool would essentially complete the circle for him.

Shane will be traveling straight from Las Vegas to Jacksonville following the Mosconi Cup where he will once more be the USA's anchor. This time, as defending champions.

Watch and meet Van Boening December 2-7,2019. The 79th WORLD 14.1
JAX Florida at 9 Ball Heaven
Visit WorldStraightPool.com for Tickets & Info.
Players can enroll now for an invitation.
Call 407-782-4978 or worldstraightpoolchampionships@gmail.com

Join the WORLD 141 CLUB at WorldStraightPool.com as a premiere supporter and click 141 Club for $250 and get a $300 package value including all access Pay Per View livestream and ticket to the HOF dinner! All members listed on the site.
World 141 Club members get to vote! JOIN!

Some tournaments come and go.
The Champions of this one are never forgotten.

Reigning Champion and 5-Time winner of the World 14.1 is Thorsten Hohmann of Germany. He has the most wins in the past 40 years and tied for 3rd all-time most World 14.1 Championship victories only behind Willie Mosconi and Ralph Greenleaf.

*The Mosconi Cup in Las Vegas ends November 28, players & fans can come to Florida and enjoy a couple days of sunny beach weather right before the World 14.1 begins! Players traveling to FL and from overseas may email us here or call Dragon Promotions 407-782-4978

After over a century of being hosted in northern metropolitan cities such as New York and Chicago, the World 14.1 will be moving to Florida for the first time. In its first outing to be hosted by a southern stat, 9Ball Heaven in Jacksonville, Florida is the selected locaton of the 79th World Straight Pool Championship on December 2-7, 2019 immediately following the Mosconi Cup in Las Vegas. 9Ball Heaven will have the honor of hosting the longest-running and oldest tradition in billiards since 1912. This year marks the 14th consecutive year with Dragon Promotions continuing at the helm of pool's oldest tournament, the longest consecutive run of the championship in its 107-year history.

The 79th World 14.1 will host a star-studded round-robin field aiming to win the world's greatest straight pool championship. The World 14.1 is sanctioned by the WSA World Sports Alumni professional athletes association made up of athletes in the NFL, NBA, MLB, Pro Boxers, Tennis, UFC and many other sports.
WSA World Sports Alumni.

9Ball Heaven in JAX

Qualifier events will be held once again nationwide and interested poolrooms may contact 407-782-4978 or worldstraightpoolchampionships@gmail.com

Livestream will be available for all TV table matches. Pay-Per-View details will be announced and available shortly. Event patrons include Dr.Elliott Eisenberg and Mr.Tom Gleich. The World Tournament Official Table, Balls, and Cloth will be announced shortly.

Official Table: To be announced
Official Cloth: To be announced
Official Balls: To be announced
Official Cue: To be announced
Official Accessories (Chalk, Glove, Tip): To be announced
Official Radio Show : iHeartRadio: The Meriweather Dixon Show
Official Tennis Sponsor: The FTT Florida Tennis Tour
Official Magazine: Pool & Billiard Magazine
Official Marketing Firm: Orlando Synergy
Sanctioned by the World Sports Alumni

79th World 14.1 on December 2-7, 2019 hosted by 9Ball Heaven in Jacksonville, FL
32 invited players and 16 qualifier winners.

Register your entries now! WorldStraightPoolChampionships@gmail.com
Call 407-782-4978

In addition, the 9th Annual Straight Pool Hall of Fame Banquet will take place on Day 3 of the World 14.1 as customary this year on December 4th at 7:00 pm. Every year the popular dinner sells out with all the pool stars and legends attending. Purchase tickets for the dinner HERE.

The 14.1 Hall Of Fame Dinner is always the hottest ticket in town every year with laughter & tears

Great players have been honored & fans of billiards have been treated to some unforgettable moments during the past decade of the World 14.1 revival

Efren Reyes vs John Schmidt, one of the most electrifying World 14.1 Finals ever

Be a proud sponsor of the most prestigious and classiest event in the United States, the World Tournament of 14.1 which has been ongoing since 1912. For only $250, become part of the elite World141 Club and garner all the benefits that well exceed the money you will spend. Click here for full details. We invite you to join this year's 79th-anniversary event in New York City as a supporter or attendee. For those interested in a higher level of support as one of our advertisers or elite World 14.1 Patrons, please reply here or call 407-782-4978 .

Throughout a decade, Dragon Promotions has been able to revitalize straight pool back into the sport and to new audiences. In 2006, straight pool was near it’s complete death in the US. Since then we have poured our resources in media, finance, and know-how to grow the popularity of 14.1. Today, the consensus among the professionals on tour is that the World 14.1 is one of, if not the most, important titles to win in America. Something not expected decades ago.

Sponsors are welcomed to contact 407-782-4978 Also for tickets, Vendors, tournament entries and information: worldstraightpoolchampionships@gmail.com
Follow our daily social media updates at: Visit www.facebook.com/Worldstraightpool
www.twitter.com/Dragonpromoter & www.instagram.com/worldstraightpool

7 Time World 14.1 Champion Willie Mosconi

Since 2001, Dragon Promotions and Orlando Synergy Marketing have been organizing events, providing marketing services and building brands worldwide. As one of the leading producers and sports programming in the world today covering billiards, tennis, football, golf, MMA, charity events and more. In a span of 19 years, Dragon Promotions has produced over 500 international events and over a 1000 hours of original television programming airing on TV networks globally from the USA, China, Philippines, South Korea, Canada, the Middle East, all of Asia, and Europe. DP also produces the hit weekly iHeartRadio sports show The Meriweather Dixon Show with NFL stars. Event productions include the Kings Cup, the Miami HUrricanes Gators Legends Event; NFL Alumni Pro Bowl Party, The WSA Super Bowl Party, The Florida Tennis Tour, The World Tournament of 14.1, KIA Motors Football Korea vs Philippines, The Women's International Pool Championship , Dragon MMA Combat Night, The Ron Dixon NFL Legends Football Camp, The Queens Cup, The African American Tennis Tournament, The Orlando United Tennis Open, The International 10-Ball Championship, King & Queen of Carom, The Typhoon Haiyan Tennis Tournament, Pro Pool Schools, Women's Trickshot Challenge, World Junior 10-Ball Championships, The World Mixed Doubles, the Vietnamese Tennis Open and many more. Visit www.dragonpromotions.com
For interest in marketing and branding your company, business, or events please contactOrlando Synergy at 1-407-782-4978 or email support@dragonpromotions.com

Dragon Promotions & Orlando Synergy are event organizing and marketing companies respectively. Visit www.dragonpromotions.com
For interest in marketing and branding your company, business, or events please contact Orlando Synergy at 1-407-782-4978 or email support@dragonpromotions.com

In 2017 World 14.1 Champion Lee Van Corteza made history as the first Asian
to ever win.

The rest of the results can be found at TheWorldTournament.com

Sanctioned by the World Sports Alumni

To become a sponsor or patron supporter of

the World 14.1: WorldStraightPoolChampionships@gmail.com
Call 407-782-4978

Dragon Promotions & Orlando Synergy are event organizing and marketing companies respectively. Visit www.dragonpromotions.com
For interest in marketing and branding your company, business, or events please contact Orlando Synergy at 1-407-782-4978 or email support@dragonpromotions.com

2019 Team USA Announced For Upcoming Atlantic Challenge Cup

The Billiard Congress of America today announced its team for the 5th annual Atlantic Challenge Cup, to be held in Treviso, Italy November 28 - 30 at the BHR Best Western Premier.

The 2019 Atlantic Challenge Cup Team USA includes: 2018 and 2019 BEF Junior National 9-Ball Champion (U16 & U18) Kaiden Hunkins, 2018 BEF Junior National 9-Ball Champion (U16) Aryana Lynch, five-time BEF Junior National 9-Ball Champion April Larson, two-time BEF Junior National Champion and Atlantic Challenge Cup veteran Ricky Evans, 2018 WPA Junior World 9-Ball Champion (U17) Mahkeal Parris, and 2019 BEF Junior National 9-Ball Champion silver medalist (U18) Lukas Fracasso-Verner.

"I am really excited to be working with the members of Team USA as we face the challenging task of competing against Team Europe in just a little over a month," said ACC Team USA Captain Allison Fisher. "Team Europe has assembled a great team for us to compete against and we look forward to seeing Team USA give it their all in the tremendous location of Treviso, Italy. It is truly an honor for all of us involved to be a part of this prestigious event."

Members of 2019 Team U.S.A.
April Larson, Bloomington, MN
Aryana Lynch, Allen, TX
Kaiden Hunkins, Waukesha, WI
Lukas Fracasso-Verner, Wallingford, CT
Mahkeal Parris, St. Croix, VI
Ricky Evans, St Peters, MO
The event will be shown in its entirety live on the EPBF social media channels with more information to follow.
What Is The Atlantic Challenge Cup?

The Atlantic Challenge Cup pits the best youth from Europe and America in a Mosconi Cup style event in a race to 11 with a possible 21 total matches. On an annual basis, six players (19 years old and younger) on each team, four boys and two girls, battle it out to see who will have the bragging rights across the Atlantic. The event takes place in Europe during odd years and in the United States during even years.

More information on the event can be found at AtlanticChallengeCup.com or visit the official Atlantic Challenge Cup Facebook page.

Kamui team up with the Atlantic Challenge Cup

The Kamui brand have recently agreed a partnership for the upcoming Atlantic Challenge Cup to be held in Treviso Italy. Kamui, well known for its great billiard products, also enjoy their involvement in many youth projects worldwide.

Starting on the 28th November at the BHR Best Western Premier in Treviso Italy, the Atlantic challenge cup will be streamed live on the EPBF social media platforms in its entirety.

The EPBF president Gre Leenders said of Kamui partnering the ACC “It is now for the second consecutive time (2017 & 2019) that the company Kamui supports the Atlantic Challenge Cup when it is held on European Soil. As president of the EPBF I am very proud that the well-known Japanese company within our sport, supports this important youth event in Europe. It goes without saying that the quality of their products is well-known worldwide and with this support they recognize the importance of youth for our sport. I hope that with the support from Kamui Brand, the Atlantic Challenge Cup will gain some popularity also in Asia. I want to thank the Kamui Brand for their support and I really hope that they will continue to support our efforts and events in the future”

Launched by the European Pocket Billiard Federation and the Billiard Congress of America in 2015, the Atlantic Challenge Cup pits the best of youth from Europe and America in a Mosconi Cup style event in a race to 11 with a possible 21 total matches. Six players on each team, four boys and two girls, will battle it out to see who will have the bragging rights across the Atlantic.

Press release issued by the EPBF/BCA.

More information can be found at atlanticchallengecup.com, our FB page or contact our press office, press@epbf.com

OB Cues Official Re-Opening...... November 4th!

There are some changes at OB Cues. OB Closed down for the month of October to reorganize, restructure and refocus the company in regards to production, quality control and customer service. Moving forward, OB will be focusing on building shafts. Once current cue inventory is sold, there will be no standing inventory, all future cue orders will be built to order. All shafts will have white ferrules - the wooden ferrule will now be a $30 upgrade-able option on all shafts.We will maintain inventory on 8 playing shafts and 2 break shafts.

The website update will be completed soon, so be sure to check out www.obcues.com to see the latest news. The office hours are 9am-5pm (closed 12-1 for lunch). Call 972.578.9100 and talk to David Reyes, or email sales@obcues.com. Everything is still proudly made in the U.S.A.
President Jesse Garcia is happy to announce that Mark Griffin has come aboard as the new CEO. With over 50 years of involvement in the industry, Mark is quite well known. He has owned several pool rooms, was the founder of CSI (CueSports Industrial), owner of the BCAPL, a partner in Diamond Billiards, and a partner in TAR. He currently owns Griff's Bar & Billiards in Las Vegas. OB is glad to have Mark working with OB and the staff welcomes him.

"I have known the owners of OB for many years (including Royce) and I feel the company makes an innovative and excellent product line. I feel the company just needs a little fine tuning and I'm very excited to be involved in making OB Cues a better and more responsive company. Our quality control and customer service will become among the best in the industry. OB has a very good crew in place and I think I can elevate the entire operation. This will be a lot of fun... If anyone has any questions or comments, they can contact me directly at 702.835.2000 or email me at markg@obcues.com. I will do whatever I can to improve OB Cues and the future world of pool."

OB Cues wants to thank all of our past, present and future customers for your loyalty and patience during this restructuring process. We have the best customers in the world and value each and every one.

Dynamic Billard Antalya Open ready to be launched in beautiful holiday resort

The final Euro-Tour stop of 2019, the Dynamic Billard Antalya Open, is all set up and ready to go. The venue this time is the Limak Atlantis Resort in Antalya, Turkey.

While outside the sun is shining down on the lovely beachside resort, the first players have already conquered the practice tables in order to be in top shape when the tournament starts tomorrow at 09:00 local time with the first round matches. Over 180 players have enrolled for this event which is very attractive not only because of the prize money and the ranking points but also because of the lovely venue where it is taking place.

Temperatures of over 25 degrees celsius are pampering the contestants here and the time between the matches can easily be spent first class in the facilities of the hotel or directly on the beach of the Mediterranean Sea. Europe’s elite players have all registered for this event and will once more this year compete for the title.

#1 ranked player Joshua Filler (GER) is very likely to remain the #1 ranked player by the end of this season since he is leading the rankings with 2560pts, losing only 370pts from last year’s event in Klagenfurt. Runner-up in the rankings is Marc Bijsterbosch (NED), who seems to be on fire currently. He is on 2225pts but will lose a third place from Klagenfurt 2018 420pts. Denis Grabe (EST) is only 5 points behind Bijsterbosch and he will lose less points than his Dutch opponent, 330pts from his 9th place finish. This ranking situation indicates a tough and close battle for ranking spot #2 but #1 will pretty likely remain with the current leader Filler. Remarkable is also the fact that former World Games Gold Medallist Darren Appleton (GBR) is entering the Euro-Tour after a long absence now. It will be interesting to see how Appleton will fit in today’s pool elite scene with so many new and young faces in the top positions like Gorst, Filler, Kaci and Lechner, just to name a few.

On Saturday morning, the women will enter the stage and start their tournament, the Predator Antalya Open Women’s Euro-Tour at 09:00 local time. Their final match is scheduled for Sunday, November 10th at 16:00 local time.

Every day, up to two matches will be streamed LIVE over the EPBF Facebook page and on the EPBF YouTube channel. Check for updates and announcements.

The Dynamic Billard Antalya Open are played in the Limak Atlantis Resort in Belek, Turkey, on up to 20 tables which are all streamed LIVE throughout the whole event. In order to be able to follow all the action LIVE, premium membership can be obtained at www.kozoom.com. Once a premium membership is held, all events for the respective period of time can be viewed LIVE. Additionally, a huge video gallery is contained in the website.

The event is hosted by the European Governing Body for Pool, the European Pocket Billiard Federation (EPBF) and organized by International Billiard Promotion (IBP). For further information and reference please go to the federation website www.eurotouronline.com or visit us on Facebook for regular news clips or contact our press office press@epbf.com.

CSI IS THE OFFICIAL SPONSOR OF TEAM USA
Team USA to take on Team CSI in warm-up match at Griff’s Billiards

Matchroom Multi Sport are delighted to announce that CueSports International (CSI) will be the Official Sponsor of Team USA at the 2019 partypoker Mosconi Cup, this November 25-28 at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino Convention Center, Las Vegas.

CSI is an international pool league and event leader and is currently comprised of three divisions: CSI leagues, CSI events and CSI media. CSI leagues manages the BCA Pool League and USA Pool League, CSI events produces numerous amateur and professional events around the globe and CSI media creates live streaming and digital content. In addition to supporting Team USA at the partypoker Mosconi Cup, ‘Team CSI’ will take on Team USA in an official warm-up match to be staged at Griff’s Billiards, Las Vegas on Wednesday, November 20.

Team CSI will be made up of Karl Boyes, Vilmos Foldes, John Morra, Oscar Dominguez and Alex Pagulayan. The match will feature a mixture of race-to-five singles and doubles matches following the partypoker Mosconi Cup format with the winners to be the first team to win five matches.

Team USA vs Team CSI will be shown free on the Matchroom Pool YouTube page, www.youtube.com/MatchroomPool1 from 2pm PT on November 20.

Ozzy Reynolds, CEO of CSI, said: “We are honored to support Team USA and partner with our friends at Matchroom to stage the Team USA warm-up match. The Mosconi Cup is an important event in our industry. Each year, pool fans across the globe watch with anticipation, excitement and sometimes agony. It’s an event packed with pressure and intensity and we are very proud to be part of it.”

Emily Frazer, COO of Matchroom Multi Sport, said: “We are delighted that CSI will be supporting Team USA as they defend their partypoker Mosconi Cup title in Vegas and we are excited to work with CSI on staging USA’s warm-up match this year.

“USA were brilliant in London last year and helped give the fans one of the most memorable Mosconi Cups of all time. They look even stronger this year with each member of the team having had a great year and we know they will be ready to defend their title against Europe. Their warm-up match is an important part of preparations and we are grateful to CSI for their support of this event.”

The 2019 partypoker Mosconi Cup will take place at Mandalay Bay Resort, Las Vegas this November 25-28, live on Sky Sports and DAZN.

Limited tickets remain available now at www.mosconicup.com. Prices start at $48 per day with silver season tickets at $161. Additional gold seating has now been released with day tickets at $70 and a season ticket available for $239.

VIP Platinum packages are available priced $225 per day or $950 for all four days and include a breakfast buffet, unlimited drinks, VIP seating in the front three rows and much more.

The 2019 partypoker Mosconi Cup is partnered by Rasson Billiards who supplies the Official Table; the cloth is supplied by Iwan Simonis and Saluc is the Official Ball Provider. Predator is the Official Cue of the event, Kamui the Official Chalk and Tip and Ultimate Team Gear provide all partypoker Mosconi Cup apparel. CSI is the official sponsor of Team USA.

2019 WPA Players Championship Matches Released on YouTube

December 5, 2019

CueSports International (CSI) is pleased to announce that recorded matches from the 2019 WPA Players Championship have been released on the CSI YouTube Channel. Forty-three (43) matches featuring many of the world's best players such as Shane Van Boening, Jeffrey De Luna, James Aranas, Jayson Shaw, Alex Pagulayan, Skyler Woodward, Yu-Hsuan Cheng, Carlo Biado and more can be viewed in their entirety – absolutely free!

The $50,000 added event, which was held April 12-19 at Griff's Billiards in Las Vegas, was a collaborative effort between CSI and the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA). The format was 9-ball and limited to 64 players in a single elimination format with a 32-player consolation event for those eliminated in the first round. The main event was a race to seven (7) with the semi-final and final being a race to nine (9) win by two (2). The consolation event was a race to five (5) with the semi-final and final being a race to seven (7).

Forty-eight (48) of the sixty-four (64) players were chosen by the WPA rankings and WPA member federations. The remaining sixteen (16) spots were determined by four (4) stage 1 qualifiers. For more information about the event, visit www.playcsipool.com/2019-wpa-players-championship.

RECORDED MATCHES

STAGE 1 - QUALIFIERS
Match 1: Ruslan Chinakhov (Russia) vs Vilmos Foldes (Hungary)
Match 2: Omar Alshaheen (Kuwait) vs Jui-An Hsu (Taiwan)
Match 3: Manny Perez (USA) vs Donny Branson (USA)
Match 4: Del Smith (Great Britain) vs Chris Lawson (USA)
Match 5: Jeffrey Ignacio (Philippines) vs Yu-Lung Chang (Taiwan)
Match 6: Konrad Piekarski (Poland) vs Vang Bui Xuan (Vietnam)
Match 7: Raymund Faraon (Philippines) vs Che-Wei Fu (Taiwan)
Match 8: Jeffrey De Luna (Philippines) vs Yu-Lung Chang (Taiwan)
Match 9: Jalal Yousef (Venezuela) vs Omar Alshaheen (Kuwait)
Match 10: Vilmos Foldes (Hungary) vs Kings Santy (USA)
Match 11: Gabe Owen (USA) vs Ian Costello (USA)
Match 12: Gary Lutman (USA) vs Vang Bui Xuan (Vietnam)
Match 13: Ruslan Chinakhov (Russia) vs Tyler Styer (USA)
Match 14: Jeffrey Ignacio (Philippines) vs Szu-Ting Kuo (Taiwan)
Match 15: Nick Malaj (Greece) vs Che-Wei Fu (Taiwan)
Match 16: Jeffrey De Luna (Philippines) vs Mitch Ellerman (USA)
Match 17: Luu Minh Phuc (Vietnam) vs Chris Alexander (Great Britain)
Match 18: Tyler Styer (USA) vs Vilmos Foldes (Hungary)
Match 19: Kostas Koukiadakis (Greece) vs Daniel Baker (Great Britain)
Match 20: Gabe Owen (USA) vs Dean Goddard (Great Britain)
Match 21: Jeffrey De Luna (Philippines) vs Chris McDaniel (USA)
Match 22: Jeremy Jones (USA) vs Ian Costello (USA)
Match 23: Raymund Faraon (Philippines) vs Blake Baker (USA)
Match 24: Ruslan Chinakhov (Russia) vs Jeffrey De Luna (Philippines)

STAGE 2 - MAIN EVENT
Match 25: Alex Kazakis (Greece) vs Toru Kuribayashi (Japan)
Match 26: Jeffrey Ignacio (Philippines) vs Mika Immonen (Finland)
Match 27: Darren Appleton (Great Britain) vs Thorsten Hohmann (Germany)
Match 28: Alex Pagulayan (Canada) vs Yu-Lung Chang (Taiwan)
Match 29: Niels Feijen (Holland) vs Waleed Majid (Qatar)
Match 30: Billy Thorpe (USA) vs Gerson Martinez (Peru)
Match 31: Jung-Lin Chang (Taiwan) vs Alex Kazakis (Greece)
Match 32: Thorsten Hohmann (Germany) vs Niels Feijen (Holland)
Match 33: Johann Chua (Philippines) vs Mika Immonen (Finland)
Match 34: Jeffrey De Luna (Philippines) vs Jayson Shaw (Scotland)
Match 35: Skyler Woodward (USA) vs Carlo Biado (Philippines)
Match 36: James Aranas (Philippines) vs Naoyuki Oi (Taiwan)
Match 37: Yu-Hsuan Cheng (Taiwan) vs Shaun Wilkie (USA)
Match 38: Shane Van Boening (USA) vs Eklent Kaci (Albania)
Match 39: Jayson Shaw (Scotland) vs Yu-Hsuan Cheng (Taiwan)
Match 40: Shane Van Boening (USA) vs Carlo Biado (Philippines)
Match 41 SEMI-FINAL: Yu-Hsuan Cheng (Taiwan) vs Johann Chua (Philippines)
Match 42 SEMI-FINAL: Carlo Biado (Philippines) vs Yu-Lung Chang (Taiwan)
Match 43 FINAL: Yu-Hsuan Cheng (Taiwan) vs Carlo Biado (Philippines)

Please SUBSCRIBE to the CSI YouTube Channel to be notified whenever we upload new content.

https://www.youtube.com/user/csipool

CueSports International (CSI) is an international pool league and event leader and is currently comprised of three divisions: CSI leagues, CSI events and CSI media. CSI leagues manages the BCA Pool League and USA Pool League, CSI events produces numerous amateur and professional events around the globe and CSI media creates live streaming and digital content. Through its vision and strategic alliances, CSI is “shaping the future of pool.” For more information about CSI or any of its divisions, visit www.playcsipool.com or find CueSports International on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram

RECORD OPENING DAY TICKET SALES FOR PARTYPOKER MOSCONI CUP 2020

The 2020 partypoker Mosconi Cup has witnessed record opening-day ticket sales with over 33% of tickets for the 3,000 capacity arena sold in the first 24 hours of sales.

Seats on both the European and USA sides of the oval arena are in high demand, with the American team expected to be supported by its largest ever travelling fanbase when they aim to make it three-in-a-row at Alexandra Palace, London next December 1-4.

Matchroom Pool Club members snapped up the first available tickets on Wednesday before a huge demand for general sale tickets on Thursday, with Platinum VIP tickets now limited on all four days and the Gold ticket option also proving popular.

Tickets remain available at www.mosconicup.com from £25 per day and fans hoping to secure seats to witness the annual transatlantic 9-ball battle are advised to book soon to avoid disappointment.

Matchroom Multi Sport Chief Operating Officer, Emily Frazer, said: “Not only have we just witnessed the greatest and most atmospheric Mosconi Cup to take place in the United States to date, but we have now hit record day-one ticket sales for any Matchroom Pool event.

“Alexandra Palace will be rocking come December 1st next year as we accommodate 3,000 fans for the 2020 partypoker Mosconi Cup. VIP is proving very popular and is close to selling out. We have already sold over a third of the arena capacity after just 24 hours of being on sale.

“Team USA have made this tournament incredibly competitive again, but it is the ‘show’ that is also in demand for worldwide sports fans. Matchroom Pool is ever expanding, and we make it our aim to completely sell out 3,000 seats per day this time next year, and we do not fail. Expect more because more is what you will get!”

Tickets for the 2020 partypoker Mosconi Cup are on sale now at www.mosconicup.com. Tickets are priced at £25, £40 and £60 per day with Platinum VIP packages from £170 per day. Season tickets for all four days start at £90 with the Platinum VIP season ticket priced £600. Platinum VIP includes seating in the front three rows, a two-course buffet dinner, mid-session hot-food bowl, unlimited beer, wine and soft drinks from 6:30pm-10:30pm and much more.

The 2020 partypoker Mosconi Cup is partnered by Rasson Billiards who supplies the Official Table; the cloth is supplied by Iwan Simonis and Saluc is the Official Ball Provider. Predator is the Official Cue of the event, Kamui the Official Chalk and Tip and Ultimate Team Gear provide all partypoker Mosconi Cup apparel.

Follow the partypoker Mosconi Cup on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram. For all the latest event news please visit www.mosconicup.com.

Saudi Arabia To Host World Snooker Tour Event

Kingdom Adds Snooker to Grass Roots Sports Portfolio

Saudi Arabia has announced it will host a World Snooker Tour event for the first time in 2020. The event, part of the 2020/21 World Snooker Tour calendar, will run from the 4th-10th October 2020 in Riyadh.

The Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters will be a world ranking event with all 128 tour players in the field.

A structured draw will see players seeded 65th to 128th compete in the first round. The 32 winners will face those seeded 33-64, after which the top 32 seeds will enter the draw in the third round.

The tournament also showcases four local players competing against four Tour players seeded 65th to 128th competing in the first round, drawn at random. All players will be required to win at least one match for prize money to count towards their world ranking. Total prize money will be £2.5 million.

The newly formed partnership with World Snooker kick starts a ten-year deal, throughout which the Kingdom aims to raise the profile of snooker at grass roots level.

World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn said: “This is a giant leap forward for our sport. We have enjoyed tremendous global expansion over the past decade, particularly in Asia and Europe and we are thrilled to stage a new and momentous tournament in the Middle East. We have a packed calendar throughout the year which creates a competitive marketplace for new events. Snooker has grown to such an extent that we are now creating exceptional tournaments at this level.”

Hearn added: “For the fans in Saudi Arabia it is a wonderful opportunity to see the best players in the world competing for a huge title. We look forward to working with our partners on delivering a huge event.”

WPBSA Chairman Jason Ferguson added: “One of our biggest ambitions is to bring snooker to every corner of the planet so this is a step of huge significance. It gives us a firm footprint in the Middle East and we believe this will be the beginning of a boom for our sport in the region.”

Prince Abdulaziz Bin Turki AlFaisal Al Saud, Chairman of the GSA, said: “This partnership adds further to our hosting of a diverse range of international sports in Saudi Arabia. Having held motorsport and boxing events in recent months, and with tennis and equestrian events to follow, we are thrilled to add the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters, which will see world class snooker played in Saudi Arabia for the first time in 2020.

“Our aim is to provide opportunities to those in our country and region to see the world’s best, in a bid to inspire and encourage participation and spectatorship. Part of this ten year agreement sees a commitment from Matchroom to host clinics within universities and schools prior to each tournament to educate and encourage our youth to try snooker.”

Carlo Boutagy, CEO of CBX, the official promoter of the event in Saudi Arabia said: “CBX is delighted to introduce snooker at world level to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The union with World Snooker and GSA provides the perfect template to bolster the popularity and awareness of snooker at a grass roots level in Saudi Arabia. We look forward to working with schools and clubs throughout the Kingdom in building snooker as the exceptional sport it is. This competition provides the perfect motivational platform for aspiring snooker players throughout the Kingdom.”

He added: “We are extremely proud to begin a new association with Matchroom and World Snooker. Our organisations have a dynamic wealth of expertise in delivering world class sporting events and I’m confident this will be a truly exceptional partnership. The history of the sport, combined with the vision CBX shares as a promoter, means the fans, aspiring future snooker players and current Tour players can look forward to what will be an exceptional tournament.”

WST – Brand Relaunch For Snooker As Part Of Global Vision

Snooker’s commercial arm has relaunched as the World Snooker Tour (WST) to reflect its global growth over the past decade.

Watch our video content:
Cue The Action: https://youtu.be/cI8PJeHIBsE

No Time Like The Future: https://youtu.be/xNzAhtgaezw

Previously known as World Snooker, WST runs the professional circuit around the planet, with a tour of 25 events and total prize money of £14.6 million.

A new logo and branding for the tour have been created, which will be used going forward at all events and on all digital platforms, including the official website WST.TV

WST has grown rapidly over the past decade; during the 2009/10 season there were just six world ranking events and total prize money of £3.6 million.

In 2010, World Snooker was taken over by Matchroom Sport, chaired by Barry Hearn. Today, snooker has vastly improved opportunities for the players to compete in lucrative events across the world, and for the fans, with 500 million people watching the sport’s linear and digital broadcast.

Hearn said: “Our decision to relaunch as WST with fantastic new branding is part of our vision for snooker as we reflect on a decade of change and look forward to a bright future.

“Over the past ten years we have exploited the massive popularity of our sport across the planet. We have created new events with lasting legacies and worked with broadcasters to bring snooker to an ever growing audience. We have modernised our sport, particularly through social media, to appeal to a young generation of fans, and our new branding reflects that.

“We have tripled prize money over the past decade, and looking ahead to the next ten years I believe we can double it again, towards £30 million. Rather than resting on our success, we have plans in place to continue our development with relentless ambition.

“Recently we announced a new event in Saudi Arabia which will set a new record for prize money for one event, and it is a ten year deal with the intention to grow snooker at grass roots level in the region.

“As well as expansion into the Middle East we are pushing hard into India where we think there is enormous potential. North America, South America and Africa are also potential markets with a bright future. Soon we will announce plans for an exciting new online platform which will bring snooker to even more fans in every corner of the globe.

“Perhaps our greatest asset is our inclusivity. Anyone can play snooker regardless of age, gender or nationality, the only criteria is ability. There are great incentives for any young player across the world to rise through the ranks, while they are inspired by their heroes who have reached the top level.

“This is an exhilarating time to be a WST player or a fan of the sport, and as we look ahead we are limited by nothing other than our own imagination.”

WST: The Statistics

Global TV audience

500 million people

120 countries

1.6 billion households

22 broadcasters

64,400 linear broadcast hours

13 digital platforms

168 million live video views

• There are players from 21 different countries among the 128 on the World Snooker Tour.

• There are 104 national snooker federations worldwide. An estimated 120 million people across the globe play snooker.

World Snooker Tour total prize money, season by season

2009/10 £3.6 million

2010/11 £5.3 million

2011/12 £6.2 million

2012/13 £7.0 million

2013/14 £8.3 million

2014/15 £8.1 million

2015/16 £8.0 million

2016/17 £10.3 million

2017/18 £13.6 million

2018/19 £13.2 million

2019/20 £14.6 million

Number of ranking events, season by season 2009-2019

2009/10 6
2010/11 8
2011/12 9
2012/13 11
2013/14 12
2014/15 11
2015/16 10
2016/17 19
2017/18 20
2018/19 20
2019/20 19

Championship LLC and HCSB enter partnership

Championship LLC, Bensenville, USA,
HCSB, Ranst, Belgium.

With Immediate effect, Championship LLC has become the exclusive distributor of Dynaspheres Phenolic Resin Balls for the United States and Canada. Dynaspheres balls have been developed by Belgian company HCSB and will set new standards in product-quality, customer-service and ball-design. Many top-players like Shane Van Boening, Semih Sayginer and more already confirmed their support as they believe this is a superior product.

Mike Serra, Championship LLC’s Vice-president, comments as following: Dynaspheres-balls will be the perfect addition to our line of billiard-products as it will enable us to become a full-line supplier. Our distribution channels will allow us to ship ball-sets along with our fabrics on a daily basis to more than 700 retailers in the US and Canada.

Thierry Gabriels, COO of HCSB stated; We are extremely proud Championship LLC has chosen Dynaspheres – balls as an addition to their line of high-quality products. We feel very confident our product is second to none and we are committed to support the sport wherever we can.

Dynaspheres – balls will be available in the United States and Canada in the second half of February 2020.

For more information please contact:

info@US.Dynaspheres.com or Mike@US.Dynaspheres.com or visit www.US.Dynaspheres.com

WPA announcement

Dear All

It is with regret that I inform you, but today I have written to the Qatar Billiards & Snooker Federation advising them of the decision taken by the WPA Board to terminate the contract for the men’s 9-Ball World Championship between WPA and QBSF for failing to maintain the terms and conditions of the Agreement.

In several meetings and discussions with QBSF over the past few months, they stated that they would be likely to host the 2020 event for the final time and then look at the possibility of starting another international event to take its place. Despite almost daily assurances from them recently that they would send the letter “today or tomorrow” to confirm, it has never arrived, therefore leaving us we with no alternative but to action our decision.

We do have another Organiser who will take over our prestigious Championship as of this year and will do the event very proud. I believe there will be an official announcement regarding this in the coming days.

Regards

Ian Anderson