Site News
Topic: *Industry News* 2015 - 2024

Matchroom.Live Sponsor Snooker's English Open

Next week’s English Open world ranking event will be title sponsored by global sports streaming platform Matchroom.Live

The Matchroom.Live English Open will run from October 12 to 18 at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes, with a tremendous field of the world’s top players.

In all there will be 128 players battling for the famous Steve Davis Trophy, including World Champion Ronnie O’Sullivan, world number one Judd Trump, Neil Robertson, John Higgins, Ding Junhui, Shaun Murphy and defending champion Mark Selby.

Matchroom.Live was launched in May, giving fans across the planet the opportunity to watch a wide range of top class sports content, live and on demand.

Fans can watch a multitude of live sport including snooker, darts, boxing, pool and much more, through a subscription package and pay-per-view options in territories without current broadcast.

In territories where there is alternative broadcast, fans can still register for FREE and watch a vast collection of content on demand, including classic clips and matches, highlights, features and interviews.

The Matchroom.Live English Open will have television broadcast on Eurosport, Quest, PCCW (Hong Kong), Truesport (Thailand), Sky (New Zealand), DAZN (Canada), Astrosport (Malaysia), Sportcast (Taiwan) as well as Liaoning TV and online broadcast in China.

In all other territories it will be available on Matchroom.Live

It is the first of the 2020/21 season’s Home Nations series. The action starts on Monday at 10am.

WST Chairman Barry Hearn said: “We are delighted to join forces with Matchroom.Live for the English Open. It is a phenomenal field packed with the world’s best and it’s going to be a fantastic week.

“Matchroom.Live is all about reaching out to fans in every corner of the globe who love watching live sport but haven’t had the opportunity to do so because of a lack of television coverage in their own territory. Now they have the choice to subscribe and watch the biggest events live. The range of content on Matchroom.Live is fabulous.

“We know we have many millions of snooker fans in the Indian sub-continent, Africa, the Americas and other areas where they have been starved of broadcast in the past. We are now giving them what they want and developing the popularity of our great sport worldwide.”

Matchroom.Live is a video-first platform, with the ability to cast to virtually any device whether that be a console, Smart TV, or connected device. The services will also allow fans to watch up to four live events at once with ‘QuadPlay’.

The service is built and powered by sports streaming and video technology specialists StreamAMG. They have been a longstanding partner of Matchroom Sport operating PDCTV since 2016 and streaming Anthony Joshua vs. Andy Ruiz II for the Indian Subcontinent in December 2019.

For more details go to Matchroom.Live

https://matchroom.live/home

2020 Atlantic Challenge Cup Cancelled

The European Pocket Billiard Federation (EPBF) and the Billiard
Congress of America (BCA) 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.

Bob Jewett Honored with Billiard Congress of America 2019 President's Award
    
Superior, Colo., - November 4, 2020. Each year the chairman of the Billiard Congress of America Board of Directors recognizes an outstanding individual who has made significant contributions to the billiard industry with the presentation of the BCA President’s Award. 2019/2020 BCA Chairman Brian Igielski has chosen to recognize Bob Jewett with the 2019 BCA President’s Award.

Jewett’s love for the sport is almost unparalleled as he has been involved with pool for most of his life as a player, writer and instructor. Among his myriad accomplishments are winning the ACUI National Pool championship in 1975; writing the first-ever English-language book on artistic billiards in 1987; participating in an artistic billiard instructional clinic in Miami with European champion Hans de Jager in 1995; organizing and writing the rules for his own 9-ball league in college that eventually became the PBT rules and then effectively the WPA World-Standardized Rules; and arranging the “Jacksonville Experiments,” in which slow motion video of ball-ball, cuestick-ball and ball-cushion impacts were studied for the first time.

“I was surprised but very happy I won the BCA President’s award,” Jewett shared when being informed he won the award. “I have done a lot of things over the years, but it’s just a little bit at a time, and I guess it built up over the years.”

Jewett started teaching informally in the 1980s while at grad school. In the early ’90s, he received instructor training from Jerry Briesath and became a BCA/PBIA Instructor in 1993. Soon after, he co-founded the San Francisco Billiard Academy, where he has instructed countless individuals on how to play and enjoy the game. Nearly 30 years later, Jewett continues to enjoy offering instruction to players of all abilities.

Jewett also has been writing for Billiards Digest since 1992, with an emphasis on some of the more technical aspects of cue sports. It’s his writing that has brought many to the game, and encouraged a love for the finer points of the sport.

“He has written basic and advanced instructional articles for several billiard magazines for a combined total of over 500 articles,” says Brian Igielski, BCA past chairman. “Bob has been the secretary and president of the US Billiards Association for three-cushion billiards, and is presently the treasurer of the US Snooker Association, as well an Advanced Instructor in the PBIA and is the current PBIA’s committee chairman. When looking at his vast contributions for the industry and the game he was an easy selection for this year’s BCA Present’s Award.”

“He has a collective lifetime of supporting billiards,” says noted billiard expert Michael Shamos, curator of the Billiard Archive. “For me, his most important trait is a scientific, no-nonsense approach to the game. When he wants to know something, he does an experiment or calculation. He discovered, for example, that when A and B play a match, the probability of a given player winning is the same whether winner breaks, loser breaks, they alternate breaks or flip a coin at each break.”

In addition to being totally dedicated to pool and billiards, Jewett also had a long career as a successful electrical engineer. This is where he got his perfectionism and desire to innovate and fix anything that is broken. Along his journey, Jewett got involved with Dr. Dave Alciatore, as they shared a love for the technical aspects of the game.

“I was an electrical engineer and he was a mechanical engineer, so we both approached the game from a more technical viewpoint than most people,” Jewett says. “We’ve done quite a few videos together, including a lot of stuff that’s on YouTube for free, and sets of DVDs about different aspects of billiards.”

Alciatore, who nominated Jewett for the award, notes he has had a significant impact on so many areas of the pool world. “He helped organize and fund many 3-cushion, carom, and straight pool tournaments,” Alciatore says. “He has personally contributed nearly $100,000 of his own money to the Derby City Straight Pool tournament over many years.”
Looking back over his career, Jewett notes he has always enjoyed playing and competing and developed so much love and appreciation for the game. It’s what has made him such a popular figure among billiard enthusiasts, players and others.

“Bob doesn’t just participate, he always takes an active contributing role in every involvement and activity,” Alciatore says. “I don’t think there ever was or ever will be somebody as dedicated to so many aspects of the pool world as Bob has been.”

About Billiard Congress of America
Founded in 1948, the Billiard Congress of America is a non-profit trade organization dedicated to growing a united, prosperous and highly regarded billiard industry through BCA leadership. The BCA seeks to enhance the success of its members and promote the game of billiards though educational, marketing and promotional efforts, annual industry trade shows, tournaments and other programs designed to encourage billiards as a lifestyle and make pool everybody’s game. For more information, visit bca-pool.com or call 303.243.5070./i]

Roy Pastor Honored with PBIA Jerry Briesath Instructor of the Year Award

Superior, Colo. – November 6, 2020. Every year, the Professional Billiard Instructors Association (formerly the BCA Instructor program) honors a PBIA instructor who has made exceptional contributions to the goals of the organization. This year, PBIA Master Instructor Roy Pastor has been selected as the winner of the prestigious Jerry Briesath Instructor of the Year Award.

“It is a tremendous honor to have been selected for the 2020 Jerry Briesath PBIA Instructor of the Year Award,” said recipient Roy Pastor. “The PBIA has set the gold standard for professional billiard instruction for a generation. There is one goal held by all successful instructors and coaches and that is to create a learning environment that provides maximum opportunity for each of our students to reach their full potential. This should not be measured in terms of trophies or accolades but rather the acquisition of discipline, work ethic, teamwork, confidence, and integrity. Accolades and success will follow each student accordingly.”

Pastor started instructing in early 2000 by teaching an after-school high school program in his home town, Harvard, Mass. After realizing the positive impact his coaching and instruction had on his students, he moved locations to an upscale pool hall in Ayer, Mass. There, Pastor expanded his services to include league competition and supervised play, all while continuing to offer free instruction to all junior players who walked through the door, regardless of ability or skill level.

“I think Roy definitely deserves this honor!,” said Michelle Jiang, one of Pastor’s former students and the 2017 and 2018 BEF National Champion. “I was not at all surprised that he would be recognized for the awesome work that I’ve personally seen him do teaching pool. Roy was my coach from the very beginning. Aside from teaching me the rules, and how to improve, he also taught me to show integrity and sportsmanship in every match. He taught me to respect my opponent, as well as to respect the sport.”

In 2005, Pastor partnered with fellow PBIA Master Instructor Walt Zincavage to run the American Academy of Billiard and Cue Sports in Ayer, Mass. Pastor continued to expand his footprint in the New England area and began working with the Weymouth Teen Center in Weymouth Mass, as well as the junior program in Somersworth, N.H. In 2018, Pastor help spearhead the PBIA’s Break and Run Premier Junior Instructional Program with the assistance of the then PBIA Committee Chair Gary Nelson.

This year, Pastor launched the American Online Pool School. This is the first pool school offering an online PBIA accreditation course, as well as other online course formats and classes. Since its inception, the school has trained and accredited PBIA instructors throughout the United States, Europe, Australia, and Africa. Additionally, many of the instructors accredited through this online school have volunteered their services for the Break and Run Premier Junior Instructional Program by providing free remote instruction to any junior player wanting to improve their game.

“Roy has been an outstanding instructor for many years, but his work this past year is especially noteworthy,” said PBIA Committee Chair Bob Jewett. “He developed online instruction before it was a part of the pandemic routine. His Break and Run youth program has helped young players start toward being the next generation of American champions. Congratulations Roy, this recognition is very well deserved!”

In addition to all the innovative instruction Pastor has provided over the past two decades, he annually takes about a dozen junior pool players to the BEF Junior Nationals, and three of his students have been selected to represent Team USA in the Atlantic Challenge Cup. Pastor has also sat on multiple billiard boards and committees over the past 20 years and he currently owns and operates the largest USAPL pool league in the United States, and was inducted in the New England Billiards Hall of Fame in 2017.

The PBIA Instructor of the Year Award is given annually to honor exceptional contributions by a PBIA Instructor. The PBIA will begin accepting nominations for the 2021 PBIA Jerry Briesath Instructor of the Year in the spring of next year. At such time, a nomination form will be made available on the PlayBetterBilliards.com website. The PBIA Honors Committee then reviews and evaluates all nominations to select the annual winner.

About Billiard Congress of America
Founded in 1948, the Billiard Congress of America is a non-profit trade organization dedicated to growing a united, prosperous and highly regarded billiard industry through BCA leadership. The BCA seeks to enhance the success of its members and promote the game of billiards though educational, marketing and promotional efforts, annual industry trade shows, tournaments and other programs designed to encourage billiards as a lifestyle and make pool everybody’s game. For more information, visit bca-pool.com or call 303.243.5070./i]

BERGMAN RULED OUT OF PARTYPOKER MOSCONI CUP AFTER POSITIVE COVID-19 TEST

Former US Open Champion Corey Deuel To Join Team USA

Justin Bergman has been ruled out of the partypoker Mosconi Cup after testing positive for Covid-19. He will be replaced on Team USA by former US Open Champion Corey Deuel, who has provided a negative test result and will represent America for an 11th time at the event.

All players are required to test negative for Covid-19 just before departing for the UK, however Bergman’s test returned a positive result leaving him unable to travel to England.

Captains were asked to submit alternative picks in September, after they had chosen their team of five players. Team USA Captain Jeremy Jones opted for Deuel as his first alternate, hoping that the Californian can draw on his vast partypoker Mosconi Cup experience.

Speaking about Bergman being ruled out of the event, Captain Jones said: “It is a big body blow to a small man who has a huge heart. Playing in the Mosconi Cup means more than anything to Justin. He really likes the atmosphere of the team and having the other guys on his side, like most of us do. It is very, very unfortunate and one thing I can say about Justin is he will be our biggest fan out there.

“It wasn’t an easy decision but the way things went down with Chris being selected fifth and being a rookie, we felt like maybe if we needed a player to come in as an alternate we wanted a little more experience. Not to say that Tyler doesn’t have two years’ experience, but Corey has got 10 Mosconi Cups, and I think Corey is playing really well. When we talk about somebody coming in and filling shoes, we felt that experience was the way to go.”

Players will compete in the partypoker Mosconi Cup under Elite Sports Person Exemptions. They will be met on arrival to the UK and driven directly to the Ricoh Arena, Coventry for a further Covid-19 test and will remain within the event bubble until the completion of the event.

Everybody at Matchroom Multi Sport would like to send their best wishes to Justin – stay healthy, and have a speedy recovery.

The partypoker Mosconi Cup will take place from Tuesday, December 1 until Friday, December 4, live on Sky Sports Mix in the UK, DAZN and Matchroom.Live. Full broadcast details can be found at mosconicup.com

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

WST To Welcome Fans To The 2021 Masters

Following recent UK Government announcements on the return of fans to live sport, WST has been working hard alongside local councils and venues to bring crowds back to our major snooker events. A decision has been made to continue with the Betway UK Championship, Scottish Open and World Grand Prix behind closed doors without any crowds. We will then look to safely welcome a crowd for snooker’s biggest invitation event, The Masters at Alexandra Palace in London in January.

Alexandra Palace in Haringey, North London, has hosted the Masters since 2011 and is widely recognised as one of snooker’s greatest arenas. Only the elite top 16 players will contest the tournament, which runs from January 10th to 17th, 2021.

It is hoped that up to 1,000 fans will be able to attend each session. WST is in regular contact with the UK Government on the detail of regional restrictions, and tickets holders will be kept informed by email.

Fans who have already purchased tickets will receive an email today. They have the opportunity to assess their own personal situation and will then be able to choose from three options. Fans who still want to attend this iconic event will be able to click a button and confirm that they are happy to attend, taking account of the social distancing aspects of the event. These fans will then be allocated seats over the coming weeks.

Fans who have assessed their personal situation and decided not to attend will have the option of completing a form in order to transfer their ticket to 2022 or claim a full refund.

All spectator options have a deadline of Thursday 3 December 2020 at midnight and therefore fans should act promptly upon receipt of the email.

An announcement will be made in due course on any tickets available for general sale.

WST Chairman Barry Hearn said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have the opportunity to welcome our fabulous fans back to live snooker events. We are reliant on Government advice but we will do everything in our powers to make this a reality.

“In 2020 we will stage a total of 20 events on the World Snooker Tour which is an incredible achievement in the circumstances. We have maintained prize money levels for the players, and given our millions of fans around the globe an abundance of live snooker to watch on television. In August at the World Championship we were extremely proud to be the first post-lockdown UK indoor sporting event to host fans.

“Since then our events have been behind closed doors and we have missed the amazing atmosphere which only our dedicated fans can generate. It is wonderful news for the players that they will soon be able to feel the buzz around them when they walk into an arena.

“The Masters in London is such a special event and I’m sure anyone who has the opportunity to be one of the lucky few in the crowd will grasp that chance. The event is renowned for the enthusiasm of the fans and even with a reduced audience I have no doubt it will be a sensational occasion.”


Stuart Bingham will be defending the title against the rest of the world’s top 16. Top stars including world number one Judd Trump, World Champion Ronnie O’Sullivan, John Higgins, Mark Selby, Neil Robertson, Ding Junhui, Kyren Wilson, Mark Allen, Shaun Murphy and many more are set for a place in the field. The current Betway UK Championship is the final qualifying event and WST plan to announce the draw and format on Sunday December 6th.

80th World 14.1 Championship: Social Distance Edition

ENTER the VIRTUAL TOURNAMENT WorldStraightPool.com

POOLROOM Locations interested in hosting the Main Event please reply to this e-mail or call 407-782-4978. Only 1 Table is Required with adequate viewing space for fans and filming
Orlando, Florida- Necessity is the mother of invention. So we have seen the dawn of virtual tournaments. Various stay at home events with people streaming their matches on Facebook. Even reigning World 14.1 Champion Shane Van Boening has gone as far to live-stream his own practice sessions at home.

For 14 years straight we have organized and produced this event , the longest streak of World 14.1s in history. And though we were chalking off 2020 as a no-go, it seems there was a way to perhaps salvage this 80th Annual event by utilizing a bit of ingenuity, lessons from the long ago past, and adaptation/application of modern time's innovations.

This year , we will bring back the Final Four from 2019 (Shane Van Boening, Corey Deuel, Thorsten Hohmann, John Schmidt) and seed them into the bracket. Joining them will be 4 qualifiers. Determining those 4 will be through the following:

Virtual Qualify from November 26 - December 22, 2020.
Main Event: December 29-31, 2020 Location: TBA
Format:
- Any player worldwide can pay their $75 entry
- Must go LIVE on Facebook (no pre-recordings or saved recordings) and tag World 14.1 Championship before starting or after you can tag us.
- Must be played on a 9ft table with maximum 5 inch pockets. Players with the top scores and prizes will be required to submit measurement proof or approved 3rd party verification
-Get your practice out of the way before going live otherwise we will count those balls and innings
- Set-up any breakshot you like. When you miss, add your score. Repeat setting up any opening breakshot. Take 3 innings to pocket as many balls as possible. If their score is not to their satisfactory, they can pay and get another 3 innings to try again.
- In the end, the best 4 scores will win their opportunity to play against the 4 top stars of straight pool in a single elimination format. The winner will be crowned the 80th World 14.1 Champion. Take that Corona!
Top finishers will be posted and we will reward with prizes. The Top 4 highest scores will advance to the World 14.1 to face against the Champions.
*You will not need additional entry fee, you will be in the Prize money and lodging will be provided for.
**If a qualified player cannot make the event finale Quarter-Finals, we will pass on the spot to the next highest scoring player.

ENTER NOW: Pay your entry fee by sending $75 via Zelle to worldsportsalumni@gmail.com or Cashapp to $KoreanDragon or PayPal $80 to DPevent@gmail.com or contact us with a credit card.

We do need sponsors to still so please contact us to be an Official World 14.1 Sponsor at worldstraightpoolchampionships@gmail.com 407-782-4978 or join the World 141 Club at www.theworldtournament.com/141-club

Always a Can’t miss event of the year.
Dec 29-31st WORLD 14.1
Visit WorldStraightPool.com for Tickets & Info.
Players can register Call 407-782-4978
worldstraightpoolchampionships@gmail.com
LOCATION TBA
Visit WorldStraightPool.com for Tickets & Info.

Join the WORLD 141 CLUB at WorldStraightPool.com as a premier 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.

Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino to Undergo Multi Hundred Million Dollar Renovation

12/9/2020

We have some exciting news about the future of the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino, host venue for the CueSports International Expo, which currently includes the BCA Pool League World Championships, USA Pool League National Championships, Diamond Las Vegas Open and Predator World 10-Ball Championship.

There have been many rumors about the future of the Rio over the last few years. Many of our members have contacted us to say they heard Caesars closed the Rio and our events were moving, or the Rio is being demolished and a Major League Baseball stadium will be built in its place, or the COVID-19 pandemic has closed the Rio for good, and many others.

The truth is that the Rio had been for sale for several years. In December of 2019, Dreamscape Companies purchased the Rio from Caesars. Under the terms of the sale, Caesars will continue to operate the property until 2022, at which time Dreamscape will take over all operations. According to Dreamscape's Director of Group Sales for the Rio, after its takeover, "the Rio will commence a top to bottom multi hundred million dollar renovation and will return to its founding philosophy of a fun and energetic vibe. The renovated hotel suites will be luxurious yet approachable."



"The Rio will commence a top to bottom multi hundred million dollar renovation and will return to its founding philosophy of a fun and energetic vibe. The renovated suites will be luxurious yet approachable."
​
- Dreamscape Companies



The property will continue to operate during the renovations with minimal disruption to our events. The CueSports International Expo is contracted with the Rio through 2025 and likely beyond. We are thrilled that its home will become one of the most updated properties in Las Vegas.

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.

WPA information - World Championship 14.1

Dear Members,

Hope this message does reach you all in good health.
May I ask your attention for the following:

The WPA did inform us, as the WPA member for Europe, that there is a non sanctioned World Championship 14.1 (straigh pool) scheduled in December in the United States of America. This event, which will be partly digitally organized, is being announced as the “80th edition of the World Championship 14.1.” The WPA has informed us that this event is not sanctioned and is nowhere near the conditions that an official WPA World Cup should have.

Furthermore, it has been communicated by the WPA that participation in non-sanctioned tournaments will result in the cancellation of the WPA players license of those athletes participating in such an event. See the following rule:

At the WPA Player Licence it states:

Obligations:
We therefore ask you as a member of the EPBF to inform your athletes about this and advise them not to participate in non-sanctioned tournaments. Besides the measures, when participating in non-sanctioned tournaments, which the WPA itself takes, it is of course also obvious that the EPBF, as a European member of the WPA, will be asked to take over these imposed penalties for its own events. It goes without saying that we as EPBF can, in any case. no longer send athletes to WPA events that do not have a WPA Player License.

There is no doubt that non-sanctioned events do not contribute to a strong structure within our sport. It is therefore important that everyone within the structure is loyal to the system. We assume that the athletes themselves realize that it is better to join forces against non-sanctioned events.

Thanks again for your co-operation.

With kind regards,
    
Gre Leenders
EPBF PRESIDENT

Tier 3 Closure Update

Due to yesterday's Government announcement we will be closing our Victoria, Harlow and South Benfleet clubs tonight at 11pm.

We are disappointed in being forced to take this action but we hope that by doing so, things can get back to normal as soon as possible.

If you have any upcoming bookings please contact us via the website and we will issue you a full refund.

We hope that we can bring some positive news this week regarding our clubs currently in Tier 3. We will keep you updated with the status of these clubs following on from the Government announcement later this week.

Stay safe and rest assured we will re-open as soon as we can.

See you all soon

Team Rileys

Masters Snooker To Be Staged Behind Closed Doors

The Masters, snooker’s biggest invitation event, will be staged without a crowd next month.

WST had planned to safely welcome fans in a socially-distanced seating plan at Alexandra Palace in London, for the tournament which runs from January 10th to 17th.

But with tighter Covid-19 restrictions now in place in London and the South East, and following discussions with the UK Government and public health bodies, WST has now accepted that the event must be played behind closed doors.

All ticket holders will have their tickets automatically transferred to the 2022 Masters at the same venue, unless they request a full refund. They will be contacted by email, giving these options, by the ticket provider.

One of snooker’s Triple Crown events, the Masters features an elite field of the world’s top 16 players. Stuart Bingham will be defending the title against the sport’s biggest names including Judd Trump, Ronnie O’Sullivan, Mark Selby, Neil Robertson, John Higgins and many more.

Fans across the globe will be able to watch live coverage on BBC, Eurosport, Matchroom.Live, CCTV and a range of other broadcasters.

WST Chairman Barry Hearn said: “This decision will come as a huge disappointment to the fans who had tickets and were looking forward to experiencing this extraordinary event. It’s also frustrating for the players, who have missed the thrill of playing in front of their supporters. But as always we must keep the health and safety of everyone connected with our events at the top of our priorities.

“We will continue to explore opportunities to safety welcome fans back to our events and I fully believe that 2021 will be a fantastic year for snooker.”

WST Pro Series - New Format
Snooker’s new WST Pro Series will get underway in January with an updated format and total prize money of £420,500.

The innovative world ranking event will take place for the first time in 2021, with 128 players competing for the inaugural title at Arena MK in Milton Keynes.

Players are split into 16 groups of eight for the initial round-robin phase. All matches are best of three frames, and the top two in each group will progress to the second group stage.

The second phase will feature 32 players split into four groups of eight. Once again the top two in each group will go forward.

The player who finishes top of the final group of eight players will be crowned the champion.

The dates for the event are:

January 18-25: Groups one to eight

March 9-16: Groups nine to 16

March 17-20: Second group stage

March 21: Final group

In the initial group phase, one player from each seeding pool (1-16, 17-32, 33-48, 49-64, 65-80, 81-96, 97-112, 113-128), based on the current official world rankings, will be drawn into each group.

Prize money will be as follows:

First group stage

Winner: £4,000
Runner-up: £3,000
3rd Place: £2,500
4th Place: £2,000
5th Place: £1,500
6th Place: £1,000
7th Place: £500
8th Place: £0

Second group stage

Winner: £10,000
Runner-up: £7,500
3rd place: £5,000
4th place: £4,000
5th place: £3,000
6th place: £2,000
7th place: £1,500
8th place: £1,000

Final group stage

Winner: £20,000
Runner-up: £10,000
3rd place: £7,500
4th place: £5,000
5th place: £4,000
6th place: £3,000
7th place: £2,000
8th place: £1,000

The draw and match schedule will be released after the entry deadline, which is January 6th. The event will be staged behind closed doors but details of broadcasters will be announced soon.

Cancelled: 2020 World 14.1 Championship Cancelled due to WPA/BCA

Orlando, Florida- The 2020 World 14.1 Championship CANCELED due to WPA & BCA: We regret to inform the fans, players, and sponsors of the World Straight Pool Championship ("World 14.1"), that due to threats to the players of membership termination and overall strong-arm interference from the World Pool Association (herein referred to as “WPA”),Billiard Congress of America (BCA) and the European Pocket Billiard Federation (EPBF) , we will be canceling the 2020 80th World 14.1 Championship previously scheduled December 29-31, 2020 at Trick Shots Waterford Lakes in Orlando, Florida. We sincerely apologize to the fans, sponsors, and especially the players whom we only try to help by providing them a world-class event to showcase their skills, increase their brand visibility, and earn income. Straight Pool is a game that died out 30 years ago before we decided to invest in resurrecting the game. That being said, we do not want to jeopardize the livelihoods of the professional players who signed up to participate and now are being threatened if they choose to play.

In 2006 the WPA approached Dragon Promotions proposing that the World 14.1 be sanctioned with them with the requirement of paying 5% of the prize purse to the WPA. Though originally we had no interest in sanctioning, we agreed to do it and the World 14.1 was a WPA sanctioned event from 2006 - 2010 during a 5-year agreement. The WPA then unsuccessfully attempted to bid out the World 14.1 though they had no rights to the event that we had resurrected and built the previous 5 years. From 2010 till the present day, Dragon Promotions has successfully produced the World 14.1 with no sanctioning from any association. We raised all sponsorships and provide all the work in organizing and marketing the World 14.1 for the past 14 years in a row, the longest streak the World 14.1 has ever known in its illustrious 108-year history. Dragon Promotions has been the sole entity that has loaned and invested significant funds and sweat equity to ensuring the World 14.1 continues each year. No other association has loaned any money, resources, or help of any kind to the event.

Presently, Ian Anderson, the WPA President, Rob Johnson, the Chief Executive Officer of BCA, and Shane Tyree, BCA Membership Manager & WPA Board Member, Gre Leenders of the EPBF have deemed it fit to give players threats on being banned from other events if they choose to participate in this event this particular year, despite the fact that 2020 has been a horrendous year for the sport with almost zero events. Thus to the further financial detriment of the players, especially the players invited with all expenses paid and guaranteed prize money this year, these association representatives and leaders have arbitrarily made these decisions and took action without consulting any of the players being affected. This has been a re-occurring protocol of the WPA & BCA for many years.

The WPA supports their ban on players that participate in the World 14.1 event by claiming they have ownership of anything that says "World" in the title. We can assure you, there is no legal backing for this claim. This is evident in the numerous examples of "World" events that do not have WPA sanctioning.

The World 14.1, during the 14-year tenure of Dragon Promotions, has never had financial difficulties in paying prize money or any cancellations of matches or postponements of dates. The WPA/BCA has a historically bad history of sanctioning events that have massive financial issues and have failed to give protection to players from promoters domestically and internationally. In addition, they require "some" players to sign agreements and pay dues. Yet there is no protection or guarantees, let alone a pro tour schedule of events.

The BCA is a trade association built of manufacturers and distributors., The BCA has never properly explained why they are recognized as the representative of pro players in North America as the vast majority of their office time has little to do with pro pool or competitions.

The WPA/BCA has a poor history of sanctioning events that have massive financial issues and have failed to give protection to players from promoters domestically and overseas. The World 14.1 event during the 14-year tenure of Dragon Promotions has never had financial difficulties in paying prize money or any cancellations or postponements of dates. In addition, they require some players to sign agreements and pay dues yet not all ranked professional players have signed. Furthermore, these agreements provide no protection or guarantees nor do they include a pro tour schedule of events.

The World 14.1 event is currently sanctioned by the World Sports Alumni (“WSA”), a professional athletes association of sports including football, baseball, basketball, MMA, boxing, and many more sports. WorldSportsAlumni.com

Our attorneys on the WSA Board have already sent a letter to the WPA, BCA, and EPBF and we will be pursuing damages to the event, our brands, and on behalf of the players financially impacted.

The World 14.1 is a sizable investment of which Dragon Promotions takes on the financial burden between $60,000- $75,000 every year with over 1 million fans worldwide following the news, social media, and live stream airings. We also put on the Straight Pool Hall of Fame each year to honor the special individuals in the sport such as past inductees of John Schmidt, Nick Varner, Oliver Ortmann, Ray Martin, Allen Hopkins, Bobby Hunter and numerous other distinguished professionals. This event must also be canceled this year due to the WPA/BCA. In all, we have easily paid out well-over half a million dollars over the years to the players and spent over $1 million during our tenure in organizing and promoting the events.

We will be providing full refunds on ticket sales, player entry fees, and refunding all sponsors. Again, we apologize to the fans and players for these unfortunate circumstances as we have tried our best to produce another world-class championship for the sport.

If any players have had issues, neglect, or interference from any of these pool associations please contact us.

Once more, apologies to the fans and players who are distraught over this debacle in which we promise we are working now towards resolving for the future of the event.

View the full statement in your browser here.

Masters To Be Staged In Milton Keynes

The Masters, snooker's biggest invitation event which starts on January 10th, has been moved from Alexandra Palace to Milton Keynes so that strict Covid-19 regulations can be followed.

WST had planned to host the event at Alexandra Palace in London, its home since 2011. But given the current Covid-19 restrictions, the decision has been taken to stage the Masters in a 'bubble' environment, behind closed doors, at Arena MK in Milton Keynes.

All players will be tested the day before their first match, and will remain within the bubble as long as they are participating in the tournament. All officials and staff will also be within the bubble, following strict regulations on isolation, hygiene and social distancing.

The Masters runs from January 10th to 17th, featuring the world's top 16 players. Stuart Bingham will defend the title against the likes of Judd Trump, Ronnie O'Sullivan, Neil Robertson, John Higgins and Mark Selby.

WST Chairman Barry Hearn OBE said: "It's disappointing for everyone connected with the event not to be heading to its spiritual home at Alexandra Palace. However our highest priority is always health and safety, and that is the basis of this decision. We must take all necessary steps to ensure that the event will go ahead and provide fantastic entertainment for many millions of fans throughout the world.

"Throughout this pandemic we have done all we can to keep our tour going. There have been setbacks along the way, including the decision to stage the Masters without the live fans we have missed so much. All assessments are based on data and our regular discussions with the UK Government and public health bodies.

"We staged several events in a strict bubble environment in Milton Keynes last summer and we were delighted that these were run successfully. I trust the 16 players to accept this decision, follow the rules carefully and enjoy one of our greatest tournaments. The standard of play and entertainment they have provided so far this season has been astonishing."

The event will receive global television coverage from broadcasters including BBC, Eurosport, CCTV and Matchroom.Live

The Masters is one of snooker's Triple Crown events with a rich history dating back to 1975.

WADA 2021 LIST OF PROHIBITED SUBSTANCES AND METHODS NOW IN FORCE

Montreal, 1 January 2021 – The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) reminds athletes and all other stakeholders that its 2021 List of Prohibited Substances and Methods (List) enters into force today (1 January). The 2021 List, which has been redesigned in order to improve navigation and usability for athletes and their support personnel, was approved by WADA’s Executive Committee (ExCo) during its meeting on 14-15 September 2020 and was first published on 30 September 2020.

The List, which is one of the eight 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 kindly ask athletes, their entourage and all other stakeholders to review the List carefully and to take particular note of this year’s modifications to avoid inadvertent use of substances and methods that are prohibited in sport for 2021.”

Read full 2021 report from WADA
https://www.wada-ama.org/en/media/news/2021-01/wada-2021-list-of-prohibited-substances-and-methods-now-in-force

Read WADA's full list of what is prohibited for athletes in 2021
https://www.wada-ama.org/en/content/what-is-prohibited

Masters 2022 Tickets On Sale Sunday

Snooker fans have the chance to snap up tickets for next year’s Masters when they go on sale from this Sunday (January 17th) at 10am.

While events are currently being staged behind closed doors, WST plans to safely welcome back supporters to tournaments once restrictions are lifted.

The 2022 Masters will run from January 9 to 16 next year at Alexandra Palace in North London.

As well as standard tickets, there are also some spectacular VIP packages available, not seen at any other events on the circuit! The VIP Booths include luxurious sofa seating, champagne reception and a two-course meal. And the Century Club is our ultimate package, with a limited number of seats available in the exclusive restaurant overlooking the arena.

For details and to book, visit www.wst.tv/tickets/2022-wst-masters

One of snooker’s Triple Crown events, the Masters has been running since 1975. Only the world’s top 16 players are handed a place in the elite field.

WST Chairman Barry Hearn OBE said: “In these dark times we all need a light at the end of the tunnel, and for fans who love sport, the chance to come to the big events is something we are keenly anticipating. At WST we are doing all we can to work towards this goal. The thrill of being there in the crowd for the major events is unique, and the players are also missing the sensation of walking out in front of a packed house.

“As an elite sport we have kept our tour going with televised events. But we can’t wait to welcome back our fabulous fans, while keeping their health and safety as our highest priority. Alexandra Palace remains the home of the Masters and our intention is to return to this fantastic London venue in 2022.

“Take this opportunity to get tickets booked early for next year and then look forward to what will be a wonderful experience.”

WST, Matchroom And ITV Agree New Two-Year Deal For Broadcast Of Four Events

ITV will televise four events on the World Snooker Tour for at least the next two years following a momentous new agreement.

The deal will see the Champion of Champions, World Grand Prix, Players Championship and Tour Championship broadcast by ITV until at least 2022.

Snooker fans throughout the UK will be able to watch the sport’s best players battling for huge titles on free-to-air television. ITV has televised snooker events regularly since 2013, and this new agreement strengthens the relationship and reflects the popularity of the sport on the channel.

The Champion of Champions has been running since 2013 and is promoted by Matchroom Multi Sport. The event brings together winners of tournaments over the previous 12 months to compete for one of the sport’s most prestigious invitation titles. Mark Allen lifted the trophy this season after beating Neil Robertson in the final.

The World Grand Prix features only the top 32 players on the one-year ranking list and was won by Judd Trump last month. Only the top 16 go through to the Players Championship in February and then only the elite top eight qualify for the Tour Championship in March.

WST Chairman Barry Hearn OBE said: “We are thrilled to extend our agreement with ITV for another two years. They have been fantastic supporters of snooker in recent times and they are a great team to work with. The quality of their coverage is superb and that is reflected in the outstanding viewing figures we consistently see for all four of the top-class events they broadcast each season.

“Our many millions of fans in the UK will be delighted by this news because they are guaranteed snooker of the highest quality featuring all of the top stars, with extensive live action on a free-to-air channel. Snooker and ITV are the perfect partners and we look forward to the next two years and beyond.”

Niall Sloane, ITV Director of Sport, said: "We're delighted to maintain our partnership with Matchroom with this deal, which means viewers will continue to enjoy live, comprehensive free to air coverage of some of the biggest events in snooker for the coming years."

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN

EPBF / WPA Press Release January 2021

The worldwide Pool-Billiard Community is supporting a pioneer for Billiards achieving Olympic recognition following the recent landslide in Norway on 30th December, 2020.

The European Pocket Billiard Federation (EPBF) together with the World PoolBilliard Association (WPA) took a decision to support Jorgen Sandman and his wife Anna after they were involved in the devastating Norwegian landslide that claimed up to 10 lives. Fortunately, Jorgen and Anna survived the ordeal after being airlifted by helicopter to safety and hospital, but they have lost their house, cars and all personal effects, indeed everything. Among the losses suffered were the volumes of Billiards memorabilia that Jorgen had collected over many years, such things are totally irreplaceable. Some good news is that their pet dog was found and rescued from the mud sometime later.


This is what used to be Jörgen’s and Anna’s house. The wall leaning to the left is the entrance, you can see the opening for the door. The rest of the rooms are Michelle’s bedroom, Jorgen and Annas bedrom and Jorgens office.

Jorgen’s involvement in Billiards goes way back, he is the former President of the WPA and is also a former President of the World Confederation of Billiards Sports.

Together with Andre Gagnaux, they were the driving force behind Billiards obtaining Olympic recognition which was granted in 1998.

Mindful of how much time Jorgen had devoted to Billiards, the EPBF immediately felt obligated to launch a crowd funding appeal together with the WPA. We will check to see what the immediate priority is for assistance, and both federations will help however in restoring their life back to normal.

The Norwegian government will provide subsidies to all victims of this landslide, to what extent is unknown at this stage.

The EPBF will take the lead in coordinating this action. All support from private entities, players, clubs, national federations, industry or whoever would like to contribute, the support will be highly appreciated. The account number for donations is

Account holder: European Pocket Billiard Federation
Reason for Payment: Crowdfunding Sandman
BIC Nr. / Swift Code: INGBNL2AXXX
IBAN: NL53INGB0664794386
Account Nr.: 0664794386
All donations received will be forwarded to the Sandman family. The EPBF will update the amount forwarded to the Sandmans on a regular basis.

POOL FANS WORLDWIDE, LET’S HELP – NOW !!!

EAG Online 2021 Postponed

Although EAG 2021 was to take place purely online, it was felt that the disruptions and uncertainties brought about by the latest lock down restrictions were too great to go ahead. Rather than continue, the decision was made to postpone EAG 2021 until the pandemic is under control and there is more clarity of when trading might resume.

German Masters Trophy Named After Brandon Parker

The trophy for the BildBet German Masters, which starts tomorrow, has been named after Brandon Parker, the World Snooker Tour director who sadly passed away in 2020.

The world ranking event runs until Sunday, when the champion will lift the Brandon Parker Trophy.

Brandon made a tremendous contribution to snooker for over 20 years, as a manager of players, promoter of events and as a WST director. His battle against cancer ended on July 18th last year.

In 2011, Brandon brought the German Masters to the famous Tempodrom venue in Berlin for the first time. It has become one of the biggest and most popular events on the calendar, with crowds of up to 2,500 packing the Tempodrom to create a unique atmosphere. This year the event is staged in Milton Keynes due to Covid-19 restrictions, but WST plans to return to Berlin in 2022.

In a joint statement, WST Chairman Barry Hearn OBE and WPBSA Chairman Jason Ferguson said: “To name the German Masters trophy after Brandon is a very fitting tribute because this event was such an important part of his life.

“He dedicated so much energy and enthusiasm towards building this into one of the greatest events on the circuit. As our European Operations Director, Brandon did so much to develop snooker across the continent. Driven by Eurosport’s coverage, the expansion of snooker into this region has been an incredible success story over the past decade and Brandon played an integral role.

“This year the players will remember him and miss his presence backstage, particularly when the Brandon Parker Trophy is lifted on Sunday night.”

The BildBet German Masters will be televised by Eurosport, Matchroom.Live and other global broadcasters. It is the third of six events in the BetVictor European Series.