Site News
Topic: *Industry News* 2015 - 2024

WORLD POOL CHAMPIONSHIP MOVES TO JANUARY

The next World Pool Championship will now take place from Wednesday, January 6 until Sunday, January 10, having originally been slated for October.

Matchroom Pool acquired the rights in perpetuity to host the World Pool Championship from 2020 in an agreement with the WPA earlier this year. However, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic the decision has been taken to postpone the event until the new year.

This decision has been taken to ensure that the World Pool Championship can be staged to the very highest standards, enabling players from around the globe to qualify and travel to compete in the tournament.

Emily Frazer, Matchroom Pool COO, said: “The World Pool Championship is a prestigious event and should be the most important event on the calendar for professional pool players. Following our acquisition, we are extremely eager and excited to stage the event, however it is our first time and we are focused on making it right. The event will boast 128 of the top male and female players across the globe, it is important that all 128 deserving players are able to participate and are not restricted by the current climate.

“With the second half of 2020 filling up with postponed live sport and especially Matchroom Multi Sport events, moving the World Pool Championship to the new year also gives us space to make room for other tournaments.

“The World Pool Championship will now sit at the beginning of the calendar, making January the right fit for the re-schedule and starting 2021 on a great high – a small silver lining.”

A further announcement regarding the venue, prize money and entry criteria for the World Pool Championship will be made later this year.

The thoughts of everybody at Matchroom Pool remain with those around the world who are affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

New Dates For Betfred World Snooker Championship

The Betfred World Snooker Championship has been rescheduled, subject to government policy, to run from July 31st to August 16th at the Crucible Theatre.

Snooker’s biggest tournament was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic but following discussions with key stakeholders including Sheffield City Council, the BBC, Eurosport and Sheffield Theatres, new dates for the World Snooker Championship have been agreed.

The dates for the qualifying rounds have yet to be confirmed.

WST’s preference is to stage the event with a full crowd inside the iconic Crucible Theatre, which seats an audience of just under 1,000 spectators. If that is not possible, based on government advice at the time, WST will consider the following options:

Playing the event with a reduced crowd.

Playing the event behind closed doors.

Postponing the event to a later date again.

WST Chairman Barry Hearn said: “We are delighted to confirm new dates for this huge global sporting event which has an international television audience of 500 million people. The world is going through a very challenging period but live sport can be a massive inspiration for the public and can boost morale. This gives fans of top class sport something on their calendar to look ahead to and enjoy for 17 days.

“It is crucial for our 128 tour players to know that we are doing everything we can to get our circuit going again as soon as it is considered safe to do so by the government. The players are self-employed and they need opportunities to earn, while we keep the health and safety of everyone involved in an event of this scale as a priority.

“In recent weeks we have had intricate negotiations with our key broadcasters including the BBC and Eurosport as well as the Crucible itself and Sheffield City Council. I would like to express my gratitude to all of them as we have progressed to a solution.

“Our sincere hope is that we are able to play the tournament with a full crowd as usual. This event means so much to the fans who have a golden ticket for the Crucible experience, and to the people of Sheffield. The players will desperately want to compete in the atmosphere that only a packed Crucible can generate.

“However if that is not possible then we will give careful consideration to each scenario.”

Councillor Mary Lea, Cabinet Member for Culture Parks and Leisure at Sheffield City Council, added: "The World Snooker Championship is one of Sheffield's annual highlights, something the city looks forward to and is immensely proud of. Although it is disappointing that so many of our events have been cancelled or postponed it is also essential while we meet the current challenges.

"I'm pleased that the Championship has been rescheduled and I really hope that it can be celebrated at the Crucible Theatre in true Sheffield style, when it is safe to do so. We will continue to work with WST and support all decisions taken, to help them deliver the competition whilst keeping everyone safe."

The top 16 seeds earn an automatic place at the Crucible, and they will be joined by the 16 players who come through the qualifying rounds.

Tickets for the final stages will be automatically transferred to the new dates. The policy for refunds will be announced separately. All ticket holders will be contacted directly by the Box Office in due course.

The Rokit World Seniors Snooker Championship, originally planned for the August 12th to 15th, will now be played between the 19th and 22nd August. All tickets will be transferred to that same corresponding session already booked for.


The Crucible has staged the World Championship every year since 1977

Snooker's Championship League Returns On June 1st On ITV


Announcement from Matchroom Multi Sport

Snooker’s Championship League will return with an exciting new format from June 1st to 11th live on ITV, bringing world-class sport back to living rooms nationwide.

Featuring 64-players in round-robin groups, the new-look Championship League will take place behind closed doors at Marshall Arena, Milton Keynes with strict rules on social distancing, COVID testing and hygiene in place, in line with government guidelines. Marshall Arena has been selected as the venue as it has an on-site accommodation meaning no players, officials or staff will need to leave the venue once they have entered.

All 128 World Snooker Tour card holders will be invited to participate, with the top 64 who enter receiving a place in the tournament. Top players including Judd Trump, Neil Robertson, Mark Allen and Kyren Wilson have already confirmed they will enter the event.

Championship League will be split into three phases, with all matches during all stages played as the best-of-four frames. Play will begin at 3pm each day, running continuously until both groups are complete, with the exception of Friday, June 5th when play will begin at 4pm.

• GROUP MATCHES from June 1st to 8th will feature 16 groups of four players, with two groups played each day across two tables. The player who tops each group table will progress to Phase Two. Players will be awarded three points for a win and one point for a drawn match.

• GROUP WINNERS from June 9th to 10th sees the 16 group winners split into four further groups of four, with two groups per day also played over two tables.

• TOURNAMENT FINALS from June 11th will see the four Phase Two winners battle it out over one final group, played on one table, to determine the Championship League winner.

The total prize fund will stand at over £200,000. Players will earn a guaranteed £1,000 with the winner taking home £30,000 and a place in November’s Champion of Champions. Championship League will not be a ranking event and will be promoted by Matchroom Multi Sport.

All players, staff and contractors will be virus-tested prior to entering the venue and will be in isolation until their results are known. Players will require a negative test result in order to enter the venue. They will play all group matches on one day, remaining on site throughout, and will then leave the venue.

Other safety measures in place will include:

• Social distancing measures in place throughout the venue.

• Players seated at least two metres apart during matches.

• Players using anti-bacterial hand sanitiser before matches and avoiding handshakes.

• Referees endeavouring to keep two metres away from players where possible.

• There will be no access for players’ guests.

• First aid personnel on site at all times

Matchroom Sport Chairman Barry Hearn said: “During the challenging times of the past few weeks we have examined the opportunities which still exist and worked relentlessly towards the goal of getting our tour going again. While most other sports remain sidelined, we are ready to return from June 1st. This sends out a message to the sporting world that snooker is at the forefront of innovation.

“Our first priority has to be safety and we have had detailed discussions with government in creating a set of approved guidelines for the event which will be rigorously followed. We are making this very clear to the players and everyone working on the event.

“We will be the first major sport to get back to live televised action. That’s not by chance, it’s because of the hard work and preparation we have done during the lockdown to make sure we are ready to get going again as soon as it is legal.

“Liaising with government advisors, we have prepared highly detailed health and safety documents which will be followed to the letter during the tournament. These measures surpass any others made in any other professional sport right now.

“In particular, procedures are being put in place for testing players, staff and contractors, which ensure that we are doing everything possible to keep the event safe. Players who have any doubts about their own welfare can rest assured that all precautions are being taken.

“I am confident that there is no other major sport which can meet health and safety criteria on isolation and social distancing as stringently as snooker can, so we are able to return more quickly than others.

“One of the reasons we have selected the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes is that the accommodation is on site, which means that once players arrive for testing the night before they play, they don’t need to leave until their matches have finished, and they can remain isolated within the venue. It is a superb venue with ideal facilities.

“Following testing, the players will remain in an isolated environment until they are eliminated from the event. It is a group format so the group winners will leave the venue, then come back for their next group when the process begins again. Keeping players isolated at all possible times is an integral part of the procedures we are putting in place.

“These are challenging times but as always we are looking at the opportunities rather than the limitations.

“Championship League will provide 11 days of televised sport with extensive live coverage, from 3pm until 10pm each day. For the fans out there who are starved of live sport it will be a fantastic boost and a very welcome diversion from these tough times we are all going through.

“We are thrilled to be working with ITV on Championship League for the first time, with an exciting new format. The field of players and more details will be announced in the coming days.”

Controller of ITV Sport Production, Mark Demuth, said: “We know fans have been missing live action since the lockdown has been in place, so we’re delighted to bring snooker back, marking the return of live sport to free-to-air TV. Behind the scenes, our team has been working with the event organisers to ensure strict adherence to guidelines to safeguard the well-being of all involved, which is our priority.”

Further information on format and players entered will be announced in due course.

Snooker Continues To Lead Sport’s Return With Tour Structure Plans

Snooker has strengthened its position as the pacesetter for the return of global sport by announcing plans for its qualifying school and the structure of the WST circuit for next season.

This month has seen snooker become the first sport other than horse racing to return to live action, by staging the Matchroom.Live Championship League. World-leading standards on Covid-19 testing, sanitisation and social distancing have ensured that the event has run successfully.

So far at the event in Milton Keynes, all 86 players, staff and officials have tested negatively for Covid-19, and the strict health and safety regulations have been followed meticulously. This has set the precedent for further events, with the Coral Tour Championship to follow from June 20th to 26th.

Detailed plans for further events are being put into place, and WST has now announced the structure of the tour for the 2020/21 season, to include 12 players from the qualifying school.

Q School will run during the Betfred World Championship, which will take place from July 31 to August 16. The precise dates, venue and further details for Q School will be announced soon and it will be run according to the government guidelines at the time. Staging Q School during this period will allow the 12 winners to join the tour in time for the start of the 2020/21 season.

The 2020/21 WST players will be:

The top 64 from the official two-year rankings at the end of the 2019/20 season

The top four players on the one-year rankings (outside the official top 64)

35 players in the second year of a two-year tour card

Two players from the Challenge Tour: Lukas Kleckers and the winner of the Play-Off event.

World Snooker Federation Open Champion: Ashley Hugill

World Snooker Federation Open runner-up: Iulian Boiko

World Snooker Federation Junior Open Champion: Gao Yang

World Snooker Federation Junior Open runner-up: Sean Maddocks

EBSA European Champion: Andrew Pagett

EBSA European Under-21 Champion: Aaron Hill

Two players from the CBSA China Tour: Pang Jun Xu and Zhao Jianbo

12 players from Q School

Total: 125 players

In addition, if any player comes through the qualifying rounds to reach the final stages of the Betfred World Championship at the Crucible but finishes the season outside the official top 64, he or she will earn a two-year tour card.

WST Chairman Barry Hearn said: “This is a fantastic announcement for all of those amateur players around the world who were unsure whether Q School would go ahead in the current circumstances.

“Snooker is open for business! We already have a very successful event in progress at the Matchroom.Live Championship League, setting an example in terms of testing, sanitisation and social distancing which other sports will have to try to follow. Our remaining WST events this season will be played over the coming weeks, keeping our players busy on the table and plenty of live snooker on television and online.

“Q School was originally planned to start on May 18th but will now be played at the same venue as the World Championship qualifiers, with the venue to be announced shortly.

“As usual there will be three tournaments, with the four semi-finalists from each of them earning a tour card. This is the chance for players around the globe to chase their dream and earn a coveted place on the World Snooker Tour for the next two years.

“We realise there will be challenges for players overseas to travel to the UK for Q School but it is vital that we make this opportunity available for all players. We cannot sit back and allow circumstances to set our sport back when we have made so much progress in recent years. We are liaising with the UK government with the intention to help players coming from overseas.

“As we move forward we will examine every route towards staging events, providing prize money for our players and coverage for our fans, while working with government to keep the safety of all concerned as the highest priority.”

Eurosport’s Ground-Breaking Snooker Coverage Continues With First Full Broadcast Of Betfred World Championship Qualifying Rounds

For the first time, Eurosport and Eurosport Player will live screen the qualifying rounds of snooker’s biggest tournament across both its TV and digital channels, having only previously been available to Eurosport Player subscribers.

All eight days of the Betfred World Championship qualifying event, from July 21 to 28, will receive extensive live coverage for fans across 50 territories in Europe.

One table will be covered by Eurosport TV, with commentary, and two tables will be covered by Eurosport Player.

The qualifying rounds take place at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield. All players seeded outside the top 16 will be aiming to battle their way through to earn a coveted spot at the Crucible Theatre for the final stages which run from July 31 to August 16.

Tour players seeded 17 to 128 plus 16 players invited by the WPBSA will compete, bringing the total field to 128.

The final qualifying round – known as Judgement Day – takes place on July 27 and 28. The 16 winners then go through to the Crucible to be drawn at random against one of the top 16 seeds.

All matches will be best of 11 frames, up until the final round which will be best of 19. Session times each day will be 1.30pm and 7pm, until the final round which is 1pm and 7pm.

WST Chairman Barry Hearn said: “We are delighted to come to an agreement with Eurosport to televise the qualifying rounds for the first time. The Betfred World Championship is a massive event on a global scale and the qualifying rounds are very much a part of it.

“For anyone who has not watched the qualifying rounds before, there is a wonderful sense of drama and anticipation as players battle for a place at the Crucible. The matches can make or break a season or even a career, as places on the tour are often at stake.

“From legends like Jimmy White and Ken Doherty to young guns hoping for a Crucible debut, as well as the top female players, there is a fantastic field. And the quality of play is extraordinary. This all deserves to go to a much wider audience. Television viewers on Eurosport’s network are in for a treat.

“In these difficult times we continue to provide extensive broadcast coverage of a range of events to many millions of fans. Our long term partnership with Eurosport goes from strength to strength.”

Jamie Steward, Senior Director of Production and Broadcast, Eurosport UK said: “We are delighted to offer passionate viewers across the continent extended live coverage for snooker’s biggest event. Eurosport broadcasts 19 tournaments live across the season and this further demonstrates our commitment to super-serving our devoted fans. By screening coverage on both linear and direct-to-consumer we are broadening the audience and ensuring as many people as possible can enjoy the coverage.

“Sport fans have been deprived of live content recently, so we are thrilled to further deliver what they crave.”

The Betfred World Championship is snooker’s biggest tournament, dating back to 1927. Judd Trump will be defending the title having won it for the first time last year, beating John Higgins in the final. The final stages will also receive extensive coverage from Eurosport.

WST Remain Hopeful Of Crucible Crowd

The Betfred World Snooker Championship starts on July 31st and fans with tickets are being given the option to register interest in attending the Crucible if government regulations allow an audience.

Snooker’s biggest tournament will run from July 31st to August 16th at the famous Crucible Theatre in Sheffield. WST remains in discussion with the UK government around the possibility of safely welcoming spectators. Otherwise, the event will be played behind closed doors.

All fans with tickets have been contacted today giving them the chance to state whether they want to be considered for a seat in the reduced capacity audience. This is an unparalleled opportunity to be among the few fans present in the arena for one of the great events in sport.

Under these circumstances, any fans attending will be strictly required to follow regulations on social distancing and sanitisation, which will be detailed by WST prior to arrival.

Ticket holders also have the option of a full refund, or a transfer of their order to the 2021 Betfred World Championship at the Crucible.

WST Chairman Barry Hearn said: “Detailed discussions with the relevant organisations are ongoing and we are determined to explore every avenue. We realise that to attend the Betfred World Championship is a once in a lifetime experience for many fans, and for everyone in the arena it is a magical occasion.

“The highest priority of course is the health and safety of fans and everyone connected with the event, so spectators will only be allowed if we are confident that this priority can be met. But we are working hard towards making this happen if it is possible.

“If there are fans in the arena they will be witnessing a unique sporting occasion. This would be a golden ticket, for the very lucky few. We urge fans to let us know their preferred option as soon as possible.

“We have already staged two successful snooker events in recent weeks and led the way in terms of the return of live sport.”

Ticket holders are urged to check their inboxes from 1:30pm today and respond with their desired option by Monday 13 July, 12:00pm.


The Crucible has hosted the World Championship since 1977

WORLD POOL MASTERS 2020 CANCELLED, 2021 DATES CONFIRMED

The 2020 World Pool Masters, originally scheduled to take place in Gibraltar from March 26-29, has now been cancelled. The World Pool Masters will return from March 25-28, 2021.

The event was postponed earlier this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic however, with the health and safety of players and staff as the foremost concern, and given the current travel and government restrictions in place around the world, the decision has now been taken to cancel this year’s event, rather than postpone.

The World Pool Masters will return to Gibraltar in 2021 with a new qualification and invitation process. The 2021 World Pool Masters will take place at Europa Point Sports Complex from Thursday, March 25 until Sunday, March 28, 2021.

Emily Frazer, Managing Director of Matchroom Multi Sport, said: “Despite a recent surge in live sport; we still face a lot of uncertainty within the events industry. Pool is a worldwide mass-participation sport that does not get the credit it fully deserves. Our ongoing aim and passion at Matchroom Pool is to drive and propel the sport to the next level of professional exposure it has never reached.

“Due to the recent difficulties of COVID-19 and the challenges it has presented, it is important we look at the bigger picture and establish what is best for the event and the players. Broadcaster schedules are packed with live sport, limited numbers on-site and scale of production, international travel is a roadblock and live spectatorship is an ongoing unknown factor.

“It is a first for us to cancel an event and not a decision made easily, however for the future of the World Pool Masters and to maintain the changes implemented in recent years to evolve the event; we must ensure we put on a great show that is competitive, available and enjoyable to our viewers at home as well as our live spectators.

“Despite this set back in 2020, together with HM Government of Gibraltar, we are committed to returning on March 25, 2021 with the most successful World Pool Masters to date.”

All ticket holders for the 2020 World Pool Masters will have their tickets automatically refunded this week and will see this return to their original payment card with 14 days. Ticket details for the 2021 World Pool Masters will be published at a later date. For any queries regarding this, please contact pool@matchroom.com.

Nine Events Before Christmas As World Snooker Tour Announces Provisional Calendar

The World Snooker Tour continues to lead the way to the return of regular live sport with the announcement of a packed calendar for the first half of the 2020/21 season, with nine tournaments between September and December.

Snooker has set the pace in recent months with a pioneering approach towards the return of live events. The Betfred World Championship was selected as the first indoor sporting event in the UK with a crowd, then following a revision of Government guidelines it reverted to being behind closed doors at this stage.

And despite the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, the tour continues to thrive, with a packed pre-Christmas calendar.

As China has announced that international sporting events will not take place in the country until 2021, WST’s intention has been to reschedule certain UK tournaments into the slots usually taken by events in China.

The 2020/21 season will begin with the Matchroom Multi Sport promoted Championship League. Previously an invitation event, this has now been expanded into a full ranking event for all players on the tour.

This follows the ground-breaking success of this tournament when it was staged at the beginning of June, becoming the UK’s first major post-lockdown sporting event.

The Championship League will take place over three legs: the first from September 13-20, the second from September 28 to October 5 and the third from October 23-27.

The second ranking event of the season will be the European Masters to be played from September 21-27.

As usual, three of the Home Nations series tournaments will take place before Christmas: the English Open (October 12-18), Northern Ireland Open (November 16 to 22) and Scottish Open (December 7 to 13).

The quick-fire Shoot Out takes place from October 29 to November 1, followed by the Champion of Champions from November 2 to 8.

The first Triple Crown event of the campaign, the UK Championship at the York Barbican, runs from November 24 to December 6. And the first event of the Coral Series, the World Grand Prix, has been brought forward to December 14 to 20.

All venues for these events will be confirmed in due course, with decisions pending as to whether tournaments will be played with a live crowd or behind closed doors, depending on Government guidelines.

WST Chairman Barry Hearn said: “We are delighted to announce a full calendar. In recent months there has been uncertainty for all sports in terms of future events but we have worked alongside all of our partners to find solutions. Our players and fans will be thrilled to see that we have a packed schedule for the first half of 2020/21.

“For the players there are plenty of opportunities to compete and I am delighted to confirm that there will be no reductions in prize money for the above events, despite the current Covid-19 crisis.

“We are excited to be working with our broadcasters including BBC, Eurosport, ITV, Discovery, DAZN, Matchroom Live and many other television companies, bringing top class sporting action to many millions of fans across the globe.

“Developing the Championship League into a full ranking event underlines the success of that tournament in terms of its viewing figures and its popularity among the players.

“We are working towards confirming plans for the second half of the 2020/21 season, with full details to be announced later this year.”

World Snooker Tour dates for remainder of 2020

September 13-20
Championship League

September 21-27
European Masters

September 28 to October 5
Championship League

October 12-18
English Open

October 23-27
Championship League

October 29 to November 1
Shoot Out

November 2-8
Champion of Champions

November 10-14
German Masters qualifiers

November 16-22
Northern Ireland Open

November 24 to December 6
UK Championship

December 7-13
Scottish Open

December 14-20
World Grand Prix

US OPEN POOL CHAMPIONSHIP 2020 CANCELLED

The 2020 US Open Pool Championship, originally scheduled for April 13-18, 2020 and postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, has now been cancelled.

Matchroom Pool, together with MGM Resorts, has taken this decision after considering the current global government and travel advice around the Covid-19 pandemic.

The US Open Pool Championship will return in 2021. Matchroom Pool and MGM Resorts will continue to monitor the global situation and will make an announcement regarding dates for the 2021 US Open Pool Championship in due course.

TICKET REFUNDS

Orders purchased with a credit card will be refunded automatically to the credit card used for purchase. Please allow up to 30 days for this refund to reflect with your financial institution.

For guests who utilized a Third Party to secure tickets, please reach out to your original point of purchase for information regarding a credit.

Those who purchased tickets with cash may present tickets at the original point of sale for a refund. Visit https://www.mgmresorts.com/en/entertainment/cancellation-and-postponement.html

Matchroom Pool, Mandalay Bay, MGM Resorts and AXS are not responsible for hotel, travel or other expenses related to the cancellation of these events and apologize to ticket holders for any inconvenience this may cause.

FUTURE EVENTS

Ticket holders of the cancelled event will receive a pre-sale opportunity for first access to purchase tickets for newly scheduled event dates when they are announced.

Tickets to future performances may be purchased at http://www.mandalaybay.com/ or http://www.axs.com/.

PLAYER ENTRIES

All players who entered the 2020 US Open Pool Championship will receive a full refund of their entry fee.

For any queries relating to the cancelation of the 2020 US Open Pool Championship, please contact pool@matchroom.com.

Trump Named Player Of The Year

Judd Trump has been named snooker’s Player of the Year after a record breaking performance across the 2019/20 season.

Trump became the first player to win six ranking titles in a single season, lifting the trophy at the World Open, International Championship, Northern Ireland Open, German Masters, Players Championship and Gibraltar Open.

The 31-year-old also built a huge lead at the top of the world rankings and became the second player to make 100 century breaks in a season.

He receives the main Player of the Year award, voted by a panel of experts, for a second consecutive year.

Trump was also voted Snooker Journalists’ Player of the Year by media around the world who cover snooker. And he won the Fans’ Player of the Year, voted by fans on the WST App and on social media platforms in China.

Ronnie O’Sullivan took the Performance of the Year award for winning the World Championship for the sixth time. The Rocket beat Kyren Wilson 18-8 in last weekend’s final at the Crucible.

Magic Moment of the Year went to John Higgins for his 147 during the second round of the World Championship, becoming the first player to make a maximum at the Crucible since 2012.

Leicester’s Louis Heathcote won Rookie of the Year following an excellent debut season which was highlighted by a run to the final qualifying round of the World Championship and a jump to 82nd in the rankings.



WST Awards: 2019/20 winners

Player of the Year – Judd Trump

Fans’ Player of the Year – Judd Trump

Snooker Journalists’ Player of the Year – Judd Trump

Performance of the Year – Ronnie O’Sullivan

Rookie of the Year – Louis Heathcote

Magic Moment of the Year – John Higgins



Player of the Year – former winners

2011: John Higgins

2012: Ronnie O’Sullivan

2013: Mark Selby

2014: Ronnie O’Sullivan

2015: Stuart Bingham

2016: John Higgins

2017: Mark Selby

2018: Ronnie O’Sullivan

2019: Judd Trump

2020: Judd Trump


Judd Trump became the first player to win six ranking titles in a single season

Predator Arcos II Balls by Aramith Become the Official Balls of CueSports
International, the BCA Pool League, and USA Pool League.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (August 25, 2020) - Predator Group is proud to announce a new partnership that makes Predator Arcos II by Aramith the official balls of CueSports International (CSI), the BCA Pool League and the USA Pool League.

PREDATOR ARCOS II BALLS WILL BE USED IN CSI’S MAJOR EVENTS

Predator’s new revolutionary ball set will now be used in all the CSI, BCA Pool League and USA Pool League events. In addition to being the official balls of the Predator World 10-Ball Championship, Diamond Las Vegas Open, and Predator World Billiard Series events, the CSI events will be using the Arcos II balls sets during the CueSports International Expo, which showcases the BCA Pool League World Championships, USA Pool League National Championships, as well as the regional CSI organized tournaments taking place all around the United States.

Ozzy Reynolds, CueSports International CEO, says that "CSI is thrilled about this new partnership. We have always put an emphasis on quality and using balls designed and manufactured by industry titans like Predator and Aramith is definitely in line with our 'quality first' philosophy. We are confident that our league members and event participants will agree."

THE QUEST FOR INNOVATION

Predator, the world's most innovative and trusted cue manufacturer, has teamed up with legendary ball maker Aramith to unleash the all-new, highly accurate and durable Predator Arcos II billiard balls. By applying the signature Predator style to Aramith’s flawless technology and production, they’ve created balls like no other.

The higher phenolic resin composition and meticulous curing and inspection
processes make Predator Arcos II more accurate, more responsive, more consistent and more durable.

Yves Bilquin, COO of Saluc S.A., who is also supporting the initiative said "We share Predator's vision and commitment of increasing billiards equipment quality and performance, to bring higher value to the players. This is exactly what we have done with the new Predator Arcos II ball set".

When Predator teamed up with Aramith, it combined two industry leaders to use state-of-the-art technology to eliminate the rogue variables that could be the difference between victory and defeat. The consistency and highest phenolic composition of the Arcos II balls delivers a more efficient energy transfer between the cue and the balls, and reduces the static electricity between ball and table. That means more control, less out-of-control kicks and smoother, and faster play.

PREDATOR’S COMMITMENT TO GROW THE SPORT

Predator Group sees this as the natural evolution of their partnership with CueSports International to bring amateur and professional pool together and grow the sport.

"Improving the game's performance and inspiring new fans to play has always been our passion" said Karim Belhaj, CEO of Predator Group. "Being the Official ball of the CSI leagues is another way to improve the playing experience of pool fans, and we hope it will also help us re-invest in professional pool, so we can inspire more fans to join and take our sport to the next level". Predator continues to focus on the future by making the world a better place, one pool game at a time.

For more information about the Predator Arcos II balls, click here or watch the Arcos II video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwM8XIUjIGE
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 and Twitter.

Predator Group’s mission is to inspire billiard fans by providing innovative
experiences and products that deliver high-performance, with unsurpassed class and style. Predator, Poison and Uni-Loc are Predator Group brands that focus on performance pool cues, billiard accessories and precision components. For more information regarding Predator Group’s products, visit www.predatorcues.com, www.poisoncues.com and www.uni-loc.com.

DIAMOND, Simonis and Aramith… the trilateral billiard arrangement.

September 1, 2020

DIAMOND BILLIARD PRODUCTS INC. and ARAMITH have made a long-term agreement to bring ARAMITH billiard balls back as the exclusive ball for all of the Diamond Billiards affiliated events.

DIAMOND and Simonis Cloth have been collaborating on events and joint promotion of the sport for over three decades and now Aramith balls are back to complete the superior billiard playing experience!

“Simonis and Aramith are the types of precision billiard products that DIAMOND wants to offer to our players and buyers as they complement our craftmanship and detail of the DIAMOND tables.” Stated Chad Scharlow, president of Diamond Billiards, “We share the same long-term values and visions that will help to keep the sport strong and growing into the future.”

“I have worked with DIAMOND for many years and I have seen their commitment to the sport first-hand.”, said Ivan Lee, President of Iwan Simonis Inc. “Our shared passion for delivering unparalleled value and unbeatable performance to the players defines why we work so well together. I am pleased to have the ARAMITH balls back with DIAMOND so that the players can enjoy the premium performance of the complete product.”

ARAMITH Tournament Balls will be used at DIAMOND events including the revered Derby City Classic. These balls will be available to purchase with DIAMOND tables with other Aramith options available.

DIAMOND Billiard Products, located in Jeffersonville, Indiana is the manufacturer of Diamond Billiard Tables.

Iwan Simonis, Inc., located in Libertyville, Illinois is the North American subsidiary of Iwan Simonis S.A. of Belgium, maker of Simonis cloth and owner of Saluc S.A., manufacturer of ARAMITH billiard balls.

THORPE IS FOURTH FOR TEAM USA

Billy Thorpe will make his fourth consecutive appearance on Team USA having been selected as the penultimate player to join Jeremy Jones’ team at this year’s partypoker Mosconi Cup.

The Ohio man, famed for this excellent banking ability, made his Mosconi bow in 2017 and has been a key member of the team as USA first regained and then retained the Cup over the last two years.

He joins Justin Bergman, Skyler Woodward and Shane van Boening on the team to travel to London in December, with Captain Jones and Vice Captain Joey Gray to name their fifth and final team member next week.

“It sucks the way everything went down this year, but at least we have the biggest tournament, the one we all drive for all year,” said Thorpe. “I am super stoked and excited to be able to come back out there and compete again; I can’t wait.

“With us four on the team so far, we all click together pretty well, I know we will prepare well and we are going to three-peat for sure. It doesn’t matter if you have World champions on your team or not, it matters how you guys feed off each other and help each other to get out there and bring the best out of each other.

“The more World champions they have, the better for us - it’s just going to make us play even better. I feel like we are going to come out there strong.”

Captain Jones added: “Billy, I was hoping would have a good performance with the training along with the 2020 he started the year with, which was some big victories and looking like it was probably going to be his best year, just like every year has been better than the one before.

“He brings a lot of personality and is probably the one guy who is always ready. Even if he comes off a tough loss, he is ready to get back out there. He has a huge heart and is one hell of a player.”

The 2020 partypoker Mosconi Cup is set to take place at Alexandra Palace, London from December 1-4, live on Sky Sports and DAZN.

Matchroom Pool are still hopeful and determined that the partypoker Mosconi Cup will take place this year and are in constant detailed discussions with the relevant organisations and personnel to stay up to date. Our highest priority is the safety of everyone connected with the event however we are working hard to explore every avenue to making this work and will continue to do so, if it is possible.

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

BetVictor To Sponsor European Masters

WST is delighted to announce that BetVictor will sponsor next week’s European Masters world ranking event, and the tournament will become part of the 2020/21 BetVictor European Series.

The BetVictor European Masters will run from September 21 to 27 at the MK Arena in Milton Keynes, with Neil Robertson defending the title against the likes of Ronnie O’Sullivan, Judd Trump, Mark Selby, John Higgins, Ding Junhui and many more. In all there will be 128 players in the field for the Eurosport-televised event.

The BetVictor European Series was introduced last season, with an massive bonus of £150,000 on offer. World number one Judd Trump landed the bonus by winning the final event, the BetVictor Gibraltar Open.

The BetVictor Championship League, which got underway this week, has also now been added to the series. So the counting events are as follows:

2020 BetVictor Championship League, September 13-20, September 28 to October 5 and October 26-30

2020 BetVictor European Masters, September 21-27

2021 BetVictor German Masters (Dates TBC)

2021 BetVictor Gibraltar Open (Dates TBC)

2021 BetVictor Shoot Out (Dates TBC)

2021 BetVictor Welsh Open (Dates TBC)

The player earning the most prize money across those six events will bank the bonus.

WST Chairman Barry Hearn said: “We are thrilled to once again join forces with BetVictor for the European Masters. It’s an incredibly strong field with the top 49 players in the world rankings among the 128 in the line-up. There are also four exciting young amateur talents from continental Europe in the draw. Television viewers around the world will enjoy snooker returning to their screens with the 2020/21 season already underway.

“We have seen sensational figures for our global linear and digital audience in recent months. The world is going through tough times, but snooker is leading the way in the return of live sport and providing fans with coverage. That’s why BetVictor want to work with us on a wide range of events, because our audience is growing and we are meeting challenges with innovation.

“The BetVictor European Series is a superb addition to our tour because all 128 players are in with a chance and they will be counting their prize money and watching their place on the Order of Merit throughout the six events. Hopefully it will go right down to the last match, as it did last year when Judd Trump had to win the final tournament and did just that.

“We look forward to working with the BetVictor team on another fantastic season.”

2020 Atlantic Challenge Cup Cancelled

The Billiard Congress of America (BCA) and European Pocket Billiard Federation (EPBF) today announced the Atlantic Challenge Cup (ACC) will not be held in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"While we are disappointed to announce the cancellation of the 2020 ACC, it is impossible for it to be held during this worldwide health crisis," said Billiard Congress of America CEO Rob Johnson. "The event has been a tremendous opportunity to showcase top junior players from both the United States and Europe. Additionally, we have enjoyed working with the EPBF to make this a first-class event for all of our junior participants and fans. We look forward to having discussions about the future of the ACC as well as other partnership opportunities with the EPBF as positive gains are made to eradicate COVID-19. I also want to thank all the wonderful sponsors who recognized the value of supporting junior play."

"Although Europe has been on the winning side each year, you can sense the competition within the athletes to qualify to the team which shows how important of an event it has grown to be in quite of a short period of time," said EPBF Board Member Tommi Lamminaho. "The spirit of competition from both sides has been wonderful and the atmosphere supportive and there definitely is a demand for such events in the sports calendars. The EPBF is looking at opportunities for cooperation with the BCA in the future and hope to keep the ACC in the sports calendar."

Launched in 2015 by the European Pocket Billiard Federation and the Billiard Congress of America, the governing bodies of pool in their respective regions and two of the founding members of the World Pool-Billiard Federation, the ACC was held five times, with the Europeans winning all five events. Three events took place in Europe, while two events took place in the United States.

ROOKIE ROBINSON COMPLETES TEAM USA FOR PARTYPOKER MOSCONI CUP

Chris Robinson will make his Team USA debut at this year’s partypoker Mosconi Cup after being selected by Jeremy Jones as his fifth and final player to travel to London to defend the title against Team Europe this December 1-4, live on Sky Sports and DAZN.

The 22-year-old from California enjoyed a fifth-place finish at the Diamond Las Vegas Open before the Covid-19 pandemic put a halt to professional tournaments in March. Robinson has since impressed Captain Jones and Vice-Captain Joey Gray in training camps ahead of this year’s partypoker Mosconi Cup.

Robinson will join Shane van Boening, Skyler Woodward, Justin Bergman and Billy Thorpe on the team, with America looking to make it a partypoker Mosconi Cup three-peat having first regained the title after an eight-year drought in London in 2018 before successfully defending it in Las Vegas last Thanksgiving.

“I am so happy,” said Robinson. “I will be working my tail off from now until December. I felt like I left my best game on the table when I was training with JJ and that is the best you can do. I think I have evolved as a player and probably improved more over the last few months than I have in quite a while.

“When I got the call I was driving from a pool hall to where I was staying. I was kind of expecting it to be one of those calls the same as the two calls I’ve had in the past two years, where I still have stuff to work on and next year would be the year I’m shooting at. When Jeremy said I’d made it, I didn’t really know how to react. I don’t think it has 100 percent hit me yet.

“My career goal was to win a Mosconi Cup. This is setting into reality but just because I made it, we haven’t won yet, so I need to do my part, keep getting better, and it’s all part of the process.”

Captain Jones added: “There are many positives with Chris. He is a guy I have seen heading in the right direction, he is a grinder, plays hard, practises hard, trains hard and has a great frame of mind for this type of setting. He is also a player who I think is going to reap the rewards of being around the rest of the team.

“I think he will relish in the Mosconi Cup and really perform well in December. It felt that he was going to make a Mosconi Cup team at one time or another; I wasn’t so sure it was going to be this year but got to spend a little more time with him and love his attitude, love his goals and I think he is a player who will reap the rewards of being around those other four champions.”

The final player to join Team Europe will be announced on Thursday.

The 2020 partypoker Mosconi Cup is set to take place at Alexandra Palace, London from December 1-4, live on Sky Sports and DAZN.

Matchroom Pool are still hopeful and determined that the partypoker Mosconi Cup will take place this year and are in constant detailed discussions with the relevant organisations and personnel to stay up to date. Our highest priority is the safety of everyone connected with the event however we are working hard to explore every avenue to making this work and will continue to do so, if it is possible.

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

Crucible 2021 Snooker Tickets On Sale Monday

A limited number of tickets for the 2021 Betfred World Championship at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield will be on sale from Monday (September 28) at midday.

These seats will only be available to purchase online at cruciblesnooker.com or seetickets.com.

Many fans who had tickets for the 2020 event have transferred them to next year. So only the tickets which remain will be on sale for this outstanding sporting event in 2021.

For an experience which fans will remember for a lifetime, there are a limited number of Premium and VIP packages available for certain sessions. These include seats close to the action, three-course meals with drinks plus an appearance from a snooker legend. These are rated among the best Premium and VIP packages in any sport and fans must book fast for a chance to secure this exclusive opportunity.

The 2021 Championship will run from April 17 to May 3. The world’s top 16 players will be seeded through to the Crucible, joined by 16 qualifiers. Ronnie O’Sullivan won the title for a sixth time this year, beating Kyren Wilson 18-8 in the final.

The Betfred World Championship is one of the biggest sporting events on the planet, watched by a global television audience of 500 million.

WST Chairman Barry Hearn said: “This is an incredible opportunity for fans to get in early and secure tickets for our blue riband tournament, because there is no venue on Earth which can match the Crucible for atmosphere and the magic of the experience.

“We live in uncertain times and of course we can’t guarantee at this stage that we will be able to welcome fans at the Crucible next Spring, but everyone who follows snooker can rest assured that we will try our best to make this happen and explore every opportunity.

“We have worked closely with the UK Government in recent months and we were extremely proud that the World Championship was selected as the first indoor sporting event to safely welcome fans, albeit only on certain days. We remain dedicated to the same path as we look to the future, and in Sheffield Council and Sheffield Theatres we have fantastic partners to work with on a common goal.

“Fans can be sure that if the 2021 event is played behind closed doors or with a reduced crowd, they will have the options of transferring their tickets or a full refund.”

The Betfred World Championship has been staged at the Crucible since 1977 and will remain there until at least 2027. The event is supported by Sheffield City Council.

EPBF LAUNCHES SMARTPOOL

The project “Smart-Pool” was introduced by the Dutch Federation to the General Assembly of the EPBF in 2019 in Treviso / Italy. Already in 2018, first events were held during the „all-in-one“ European Championships of the EPBF in Veldhoven, The Netherlands.

After a first evaluation meeting after the European All-in-One Championship, it became clear that this project was getting a lot of interest from schools in the Netherlands. So much interest that it was even decided to expand the project within the Netherlands It was then also decided to try to roll out the "Smart-Pool" project Europe-wide. The Koninklijke Nederlandse Biljart Bond (Royal Dutch Billiards Association) and the EPBF then "joined forces" and started making plans on what such a European approach could look like.

The project, which combines pool billiards and mathematics at a new level, was advertised to all EPBF members, and at the end 5 national member federations and the EPBF decided and declared that they will invest in this project. The 5 members are: Bulgaria, Finland, Germany, Cyprus, The Netherlands and the EPBF.

SmartPool Europe is a project of the European Pocket Billiard Federation, in cooperation with five, National billiard federations and mathematics organisations, all across Europe. The expertise and networks of the billiard federations, the mathematics organisations, combined with the research expertise of Mulier Institute guarantees good execution and dissemination.

Smart-Pool's goal is to make beta courses more attractive through the combination with pool billiards. For schools, a curriculum has been developed in which the elements of pool have been translated into mathematical issues, for example by visualizing pool billiard situations.
The reason for this was the realization that children often don't think math is 'cool', but also doesn't want to play billiards or know what billiards is. By turning
both things with Smart-Pool into something positive, we strengthen the math/ numeracy skills of youth and introduce them to pool billiards.

After the 5 above-mentioned members had declared their willingness to invest in this project, it was decided to apply for a European subsidy via the EPBF, as the European Governing body for pool and situated in the Netherlands, for this project through the European project institute "Erasmus +".

After submitting all the necessary paperwork, we have now received the joyful news that the project "Smart-Pool" is eligible for a European subsidy. Erasmus+ has now officially announced that the EPBF will receive an amount of € 422,950.00 in the next 3 years to roll out and supervise the project in these 5 countries.

The EPBF will be responsible for administration, facilitation and evaluation of the project and the national member federation will be responsible for the implementation and specifications in their country. Together we will contribute to the development of curricula, course material, website, learning platform and other resources needed. The EPBF board did nominate the EPBF treasurer, Mrs. Ine Helvik, as project leader for this prestigious project.

“Smart-Pool is a perfect fusion of pool and mathematics. Bringing our sport to the kids and not depending on the kids coming to us is the future.
We are delighted that the "Smart-Pool" project is now also being introduced in 5 other countries. The subsidy we receive for this will certainly lead to the project becoming just as successful as in the Netherlands”, according to the EPBF President - Gre Leenders.”

European Championships cancelled!

The European governing body for pool sports in Europe, the EPBF, today announced that the upcoming events to be staged in Turkey will be cancelled.

The Dynamic Billard European championships for men, women, wheelchair & U23’s along with the Dynamic Billard Seniors and ladies championships that were planned in November will no longer take place.

“It is a sad day for our sport", said the EPBF president Gre Leenders, "we tried everything to make these events happen and for that effort, I have to say a big thank you to the Turkish billiard federation who did their upmost to provide the safest environment possible”

With the recent spike in cases around the world and the uncertainty surrounding travel and health insurance, Gre Leenders explained “we felt it best to put this terrible year to bed and focus on 2021. The safety of our staff and athletes was paramount in our decision and although good safety measures were in place, the EPBF board felt it was sUll too soon for such a gathering of international athletes”

The cancellation of the European championships has also had a knock-on effect too as the Dynamic Billard Eurotour Antalya Open and the Predator women’s Antalya Open which were due to follow the championships are also cancelled. In its 28 year history, the Eurotour has never had so few events in a single year, only one event took place in 2020 and that was in February at the heart of the outbreak in Venice Italy.

Ironically, it will be Venice again in February to start the new year with the first of six planned Eurotour events. The 2021 sports calendar can be found on the EPBF website www.epbf.com

With most international pool events cancelled or postponed, there’s still plenty of archived action to be found on our media partners web platform, visit www.kozoom.com and see hundreds of great matches from the European Championships and the Eurotours. The EPBF and Kozoom have also teamed up with Billiard Network who have a dedicated YouTube channel with some great matches from past and present.

WST 2021 Calendar Announced

The provisional calendar for the second half of the World Snooker Tour 2020/21 season is now available, with potentially 11 events scheduled next year*.

The Masters at Alexandra Palace in London, snooker's biggest invitation tournament, will be the first event of 2021.

A minimum of six ranking events will follow between January and March: the BetVictor German Masters in Berlin, BetVictor Gibraltar Open, BetVictor Shoot Out, BetVictor Welsh Open in Cardiff, the Players Championship and the Tour Championship.

Currently, no international sporting events are being held within the People’s Republic of China. However, WST has left room in the calendar at the beginning of March which could see up to three events held back-to-back. Further opportunities are also being investigated should current policy extend beyond February 2021.

The season concludes with the Betfred World Championship in Sheffield, bringing the total number of tournaments in the 2020/21 season to potentially 19 events.

WST Chairman Barry Hearn said: "We are delighted to release a packed calendar for the second half of this season. In these difficult times we are working relentlessly to keep our tour going. We realise the importance of providing competitive opportunities for the players and live snooker for our many millions of viewers globally.

"We will continue to explore all avenues in terms of staging events and providing access for live fans, while keeping health and safety as our top priority."

In order to align with UK Government social distancing guidelines, the Betway UK Championship first round will now be played at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes from November 23 to 26. The second round onwards will be held at the York Barbican from November 28 to December 6. The decision as to whether an audience will be allowed at the Barbican has not yet been made. WST will inform ticket holders as soon as plans have been finalised.

The seeding cut-off point for this event has been brought forward and now occurs at the end of the BetVictor Championship League on October 30.

A limited number of tickets for the 2021 Betfred World Championship are available but selling fast - for details see www.wst.tv/tickets

*All dates and venues are provisional and subject to change, and will comply with Government Covid-19 regulations in each of the host territories.