Site News
Topic: *Industry News* 2015 - 2024

MOSCONI CUP RETURNS TO ALEXANDRA PALACE WITH FANS THIS DEC 7-10
Van Boening to Vice-Captain USA as Jones returns as Captain

The 2021 Mosconi Cup will take place at Alexandra Palace, London in front of spectators this December 7-10, and Shane van Boening will Vice Captain Team USA.

Jeremy Jones will return as America’s captain, while Europe’s winning partnership of Captain Alex Lely and Vice Karl Boyes will be hoping to lead their team to a title defence in front of the fans who missed out on a landslide European 11-3 victory in 2020.

Tickets will go on sale later this summer with full details to be announced shortly. Fans can sign up to the free Matchroom Pool Club to receive regular updates and priority ticket access at matchroompool.com.

After a bruising defeat, Jones has re-enforced his side by promoting Van Boening to playing-Vice Captain. Both rosters will be made up of their team’s top two players on the Matchroom Pool World Ranking, alongside three captain’s pick wildcards.

“I am looking forward to it,” said Van Boening. “I am all about team working and trying to help players get better. I can hear London calling my name, so I will be ready for that. I am really excited for it. It is one of the best tournaments in the world, the Mosconi Cup is one and only.”

Emily Frazer, Matchroom Multi Sport Managing Director, said: “The crowds missed out last year so it is time to get back to Alexandra Palace. We are looking at our seating capacity and tickets will be on sale shortly. The arena will be slightly different and we are excited to share those plans.

“We have Jeremy Jones as USA Captain, Shane as his vice, and Alex Lely as Europe’s Captain with Karl as his Vice. We are in the team we are in and normally more players would come through the rankings but this year both teams will have two players qualify off the Matchroom World Rankings, with three wildcards for each team.”

Full ticketing details will be announced shortly. For all the latest news and announcements follow Matchroom Pool on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.

US OPEN HEADS TO HARRAH’S RESORT ATLANTIC CITY, SEPTEMBER 13-18

The US Open Pool Championship will take place at Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City from September 13-18 2021, in partnership with Caesars Entertainment and the Atlantic City Sports Commission, Matchroom Multi Sport is pleased to announced.

Joshua Filler will be looking to defend his title as 256 players descend on Atlantic City for one of the biggest events in pool. Spectators will be welcome and ticket information will be announced in the coming weeks, along with details of how players can enter.

The tournament will be broadcast live throughout on DAZN in countries including America, Sky Sports in the UK and on Matchroom.Live.

Emily Frazer, Managing Director of Matchroom Multi Sport, said: “We are delighted to have partnered with Caesar’s Entertainment and the Atlantic City Sports Commission, who really want to make Atlantic City the home of pool, which is fantastic news.

“The US Open is 33 tables, 256 players, we will broadcast all six days of the event this year and we are super excited to have spectators there. It has been great to have fans at the World Pool Championship and we are now really excited for the US Open in September.”

The US Open Pool Championship is the sport’s longest-running major. Filler defeated China’s Wu Jiaqing in the 2019 final to lift his first title, and he’ll be hoping to come through a superstar field to keep his hands on the famous trophy.

Fans can sign up to the free Matchroom Pool Club for the latest updates and ticket alerts as well as access to an exclusive pre-sale opportunity to book tickets.

For all the latest news and announcements follow Matchroom Pool on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.

CAZOO AND MATCHROOM EXPAND PARTNERSHIP DEAL
…adding 3 new Darts 3 and more Snooker event sponsorships

Cazoo, the UK’s leading online car retailer, which makes ordering a car as simple and seamless as buying any other product online today, announces that it has expanded its partnership with Matchroom to become the principal sponsor of the Grand Slam of Darts, World Cup of Darts and European Championship alongside snooker’s Masters, UK Championship and Champion of Champions.

Under a new multi-year deal with the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC), the trio of high-profile darts events will see prominent Cazoo branding on the stage, players' shirts, in the playing arena and on interview backdrops with extensive live TV coverage through Sky Sports and global broadcasters.

The Cazoo World Cup of Darts will take place from September 9-12 in Jena, Germany, where 32 nations will compete in two-player teams. The Cazoo European Championship, live on ITV4, and Sky Sports-televised Cazoo Grand Slam of Darts will follow as two of the highlights of the Autumn’s darting calendar.

Cazoo has also extended its deal with the World Snooker Tour (WST) and added the Masters, the UK Championship and the Champion of Champions to its current portfolio of snooker properties where it is currently the main sponsor of the Players Championship, Tour Championship and World Grand Prix.

The Champion of Champions promoted by Matchroom Multi Sport, brings together 16 tournament Champions from the past year. The UK Championship is snooker’s longest running ranking event other than the World Championship, and is part of the sport’s Triple Crown series, as is the Masters in London which boasts an elite field of the world’s top 16 players.

Each of these prestigious snooker tournaments, broadcast to a global television audience of up to 500 million fans, will see Cazoo branding on the main set, players’ waistcoats and interview and media conference backdrops. Cazoo will also become the headline sponsor at this year’s FishOMania event, to be staged on Saturday July 24.

These latest tournaments add to Cazoo’s growing portfolio of sports sponsorships which now includes football (Everton, Aston Villa & the EFL), cricket (The Hundred), rugby (Welsh Rugby Union & 2021 Rugby League World Cup), golf (European Tour) and horseracing (Epsom Derby & St Leger).

Cazoo is pioneering the shift to online car buying and, since launching in 2019, has sold over 25,000 cars to consumers across the UK who have embraced the selection, transparency and convenience of buying quality used cars entirely online. Cazoo is planning to launch in France & Germany by the end of 2021.

Alex Chesterman OBE, Founder & CEO of Cazoo said, “We are excited to be expanding our partnership with Matchroom to launch the Cazoo World Cup of Darts, Cazoo Grand Slam of Darts and Cazoo European Championship with the Professional Darts Corporation later this year and to be extending our deal with the World Snooker Tour to launch three additional Cazoo snooker tournaments. This wider partnership with Matchroom will help to further grow our audience as we build Cazoo into a household brand and continue to deliver the best car buying experience to darts and snooker fans across the UK and Europe.”

Barry Hearn OBE, President of Matchroom said: “It’s fantastic to have a brand like Cazoo involved with us in both snooker and darts and we have thoroughly enjoyed working with Alex and his team, who have proven to be creative and innovative partners. We are now partnering with Cazoo on nine of the most prestigious tournaments and eagerly-awaited events on the snooker and darts calendars as well as for FishOMania. We look forward to introducing the Cazoo brand to our loyal fanbase and to a long and productive relationship.”

Dynamic Billard St. Johann i.P. Open 2021, Austria

Excitement in St. Johann

With around 192 male and 40 female athletes coming to St. Johann, the excitement is high in the city and at the venue. After a break of over 16 months, the athletes are fired up for the competition to start again in Europe.

This is the longest break from competition in the history of the sport. It will be interesting to see who has used this "time out" to hone their skills when they start their matches tomorrow morning at 09:00 local time.!The event will have a few special features.

Due to official regulations, certain safety standards must be met. A cordoned-off area has been set up where athletes must be before their matches begin.

Regular testing must be carried out according to local laws for athletes who are not yet fully vaccinated. The timetable has also been increased to 2 hours per match to allow for the appropriate security measures to be carried out between matches.

The hygiene concept has been thoroughly thought through and adapted to ensure that the event can be held as safe as possible for all participants.

As in previous times, more than 30 nations are once again represented at the competition. The battle for prize money and ranking points will be fought at the highest level. 20 tables are set up and can all be viewed via live stream at kozoom.com!

For further information, please contact our press office @ press@epbf.com

Predator Sankt Johann im Pongau Women Open 2021

18.06.2021

Predator Women’s Euro-Tour about to start

The girls are back in town! After more than a year of absence, the coloured balls will be rolling again tomorrow in the women's field of participants. The Predator St. Johann i.P. Open 2021 will be presented by "Snow Space Salzburg" this year. The tournament will start at 09:00 local time. The field of participants consists of 40 women from 16 nations. Unfortunately, some of the top female athletes have not managed to find their way to St. Johann due to the current travel restrictions. Nevertheless, it is a really strong field of participants, which promises thrilling and exciting encounters.

In the women's competition, it will be interesting to see who has used the time off to sharpen their game and who has not. No.1 seed Oliwia Zalewska from Poland will certainly try to build on her most recent performances and make up more ground in the women's rankings. Her first match will be at 11:00 local time against the winner of Denise Steinmetz (GER) and Seycheline Knapp (AUT). The picture shows Zalewska after winning the Predator Antalya Open 2019 in Turkey in November 2019.

Both events, the men’s and the women’s tournament will finish on Sunday afternoon. All matches can be viewed at www.kozoom.com

Press release from the Swedish Billiard Federation

Stockholm, June 23, 2021

Pool player Henrik Larsson voted into the Swedish Parasport Hall of Fame

At the General Assembly of the Swedish Parasport Federation on May 21, 2021, pool player Henrik Larsson was elected to the Swedish Parasport Hall of Fame, thanks to his great achievements within the billiard sport and community. Henrik is the 26th member of the Swedish Parasport Hall of Fame (PHoF).

49-year-old Henrik ”Henke” Larsson is a well-known profile within the billiards community, both in Sweden and abroad. Throughout his career he has won many big titles and is considered one of the greatest wheelchair players of all time. His talent, spirit and positive attitude has inspired a whole generation of new players to pick up a cue. Henrik is also known for his work as an ambassador for the sport, and for his contributions within the para community as an instructor and role model for the disabled.

The Swedish Parasport Hall of Fame aspire to honor persons who, through their achievements in sports and/or as leaders, have played a crucial role in developing the Swedish or international parasport. They also aim to create, preserve, and make accessible historic documentation about these people and their achievements for the rest of the world.

Members of the PHoF are elected every two years. To be qualified the nominee has to have considerable international merits in their sport, as well as being a pioneer within Swedish or international parasport. It is also mandatory that the nominee has displayed fair play and integrity, and serves as a role model for others. In our opinion, Henrik fills all of these criteria with ease.

Here is the motivation from the Swedish Parasport Federation:
“Henrik Larsson, billiards, is member number 26 in the Parasport Hall of Fame.

Henrik Larsson belongs to the world elite in billiards and has an impressive record of merits. His breakthrough came in 1993, when he won the first official European Championship for wheelchair billiards, and after that the successes have been piling up. In total he has won six world championships, twelve European championships and 20 national championships.

He was also nominated to the award ‘Disabled athlete of the year’ in 2018, at the biggest Swedish annual sports gala Idrottsgalan.

Henrik Larsson is a true role model, a great parasport athlete and a worthy member of the parasport Hall of Fame.”

Here you can find a link to the motivation (in Swedish):

https://www.parasport.se/omforbundet/Omoss/HallofFame/MedlemmariHallofFame/HenrikLarsso n/

The appointment was announced at the Parasport Federation’s general assembly on May 21, 2021, which was held digitally. Henrik will therefore receive his award at a later occasion when conditions allow.

The Swedish Billiard Federation and its board are immensely proud of “Henke”, one of our greatest representatives of all time, and we wish him the best of luck in his continued career.

Contact information

Eva Viding Bussell

President
The Swedish Billiard federation eva.viding@biljardforbundet.se +46 70 751 1287

The Swedish Billiard Federation (SBF) was formed in 1940 and are members of the National Body of Sports (RF) since 1974. We are a non-profit sports organisation who administrates the disciplines of pool, snooker, carambole and pyramid. We represent the sport and its members within RF. SBF also represents Sweden internationally through membership in the European billiard organisations CEB, EPBF and EBSA. www.biljardforbundet.se

Tickets On Sale For Snooker’s British Open In Leicester

Snooker fans will have the chance to see the world’s top stars in action at the British Open in Leicester in August.

Tickets are ON SALE NOW starting at just £5 for the world ranking event which runs from August 16 to 22 at the Morningside Arena in Leicester. BOOK NOW – for all details visit www.wst.tv/tickets

It will be the first snooker event of the 2021/22 season to welcome a crowd. Snooker has led the sporting world in the post-lockdown return of live audiences, and WST will continue to work closely with the UK Government and all of our venues and partners on Covid-19 regulation.

The British Open, to be televised live by ITV as well as a range of broadcasters outside the UK, will feature 128 of the world’s best players battling for the trophy. It returns to the calendar for the first time in 17 years. Previously, The British Open was ever present on the calendar from 1985 to 2004 and has been won by great names including Steve Davis, Jimmy White, Stephen Hendry, Ronnie O’Sullivan, Mark Williams, Paul Hunter and John Higgins.

A strong field is expected for the tournament in August, which will see snooker fans welcomed to the Morningside Arena in Leicester for the first time.

WST Chairman Steve Dawson said: “We are delighted to give snooker supporters the opportunity to watch the best players on the planet in what will be a fabulous week of top class sport.

“Following our discussions with our partners and public health bodies we are thrilled to be able to open our doors at the start of the 2021/22 season, carrying on the momentum we achieved at the World Championship in the Spring. For the players, to have a crowd and an atmosphere makes such a difference.

“We know there is a huge amount of interest in snooker in Leicester and the surrounding area, with Mark Selby and several other tour players from the city proving to be great role models. The Morningside is an excellent venue and I hope to see it packed out for the seven days.”

Fans can be assured that all necessary precautions will be taken at events to minimise the risk of Covid-19 transmission, keeping safety as our highest priority. If at the time of the event Government restrictions force this event to change its terms of attendance, customers will be offered a variety of options and where necessary refunds will be made available.

Details on the line-up of players will be announced closer to the event.

Dr. Dave Honored with PBIA Jerry Briesath Instructor of the Year Award
    
Superior, Colo. – July 6, 2021. 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 Advanced Instructor Dr. Dave Alciatore has been selected as the winner of the prestigious Jerry Briesath Instructor of the Year Award.

"I am humbly honored and very flattered to be selected for this award,” said this year’s award recipient Dr. Dave Alciatore. “It feels good to know people appreciate and value the work I do. I respect Jerry Briesath and all the past award recipients, and I am very happy to be included on a list with them. Thank you!"

Dr. Dave is a retired mechanical engineering professor (1991-2020) from Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado. He was a passionate teacher and an experienced textbook author, and he has received many awards for his contributions. His teaching and writing experience helped him develop skills for presenting and illustrating difficult concepts in a concise and understandable way.

After retiring from teaching at the university Dr. Dave decided to go into billiard instruction full-time. Now, Dr. Dave is a PBIA Advanced Instructor and an instructional author. He wrote the book “The Illustrated Principles of Pool and Billiards” and has published numerous instructional videos, including the “Video Encyclopedia” series. All of his instructional products are available for purchase at: DrDaveBilliards.com. Dr. Dave also created and maintains the popular billiards resource website billiards.colostate.edu, and is Dean and co-founder of the website Billiard University (BU). He was instrumental in developing the BU assessment tools, rating system, and instructional resources at BilliardUniversity.org. Dr. Dave has also been a long-time monthly instructional columnist for Billiards Digest magazine and an active participant in online billiards forums and social media. He is a devoted authority and an expert in understanding and teaching the physics of the game. Dr. Dave offers private lessons and intensive courses through his websites Dr. Dave’s Pool School and the BU Summer School Boot Camps. He also has an active Facebook page and YouTube Channel.

“Dave Alciatore has had perhaps the widest impact of any PBIA instructor recently, particularly through social media,” said Bob Jewett, PBIA committee chair. “On YouTube he has had over 9 million views in the last year, alone, and his channel has climbed to 200,000 subscribers. One recent video in which he presents and explains in detail amazing shots from tournaments has had a million views. He has also contributed greatly to the resources that the PBIA offers its members.”

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 to all PBIA Instructors. 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.

About Professional Billiard Instructors Association
The PBIA (formerly the BCA Instructor Program, established in 1992) is the largest international organization of professional billiard instructors. Since its founding, the PBIA has improved it leadership position by growing cue sports through professional instruction, development of training products, contributing instructional articles to industry publications, participating in educational workshops and seminars, acting as certified referees or league officials, and directing some of the most notable billiard tournaments throughout the country. The PBIA's mission is to provide quality billiard instruction to the general public, as well as offer training and certification programs for individuals wishing to become qualified billiard instructors. For more information, visit PlayBetterBilliards.com or call 303.243.5070.

Jeanette Lee Honored with Billiard Congress of America 2020 President’s Award
    
Superior, Colo., - July 12, 2021. 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. 2020/2021 BCA Chairman Ivan Lee has chosen to recognize Jeanette “The Black Widow” Lee with the 2020 BCA President’s Award.

Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., Lee is arguably the most recognizable pool player in the world. Her ability to shine a spotlight not only on the herself as a player but also the entire sport of pool and billiards is unparalleled.

“I’m extremely honored to receive this prestigious award,” said Jeanette Lee. “I have always worked hard to be both a serious player and a great role model. To be recognized like this means so much to me. I really hope to continue in this sport and stay deserving of this honor. Thank you, thank you!”

“Jeanette has elevated the visibility and the perception of the sport in ways not previously seen,” said BCA Chairman Ivan Lee. “She continues to be one of the most recognized pool players in the world, and throughout her journey, she has not only competed at the sport’s highest levels, she’s elevated the sport’s perception and provided unmatched exposure to pocket billiards. As one of the sport’s great ambassadors, Jeanette has been tremendously committed to giving back. Junior players have always held a special place in her heart and she has used that passion to assist the Billiard Education Foundation with its events, hosted team camps for rising junior players and assisted Team USA in the Atlantic Challenge Cup, just to name a few of her on-going contributions to the game.”

As a promoter and marketer, Lee parlayed her talent, her great looks and her natural appeal into a business empire that has resulted in untold amounts of exposure for both her and the sport. After boldly declaring her intention to become No. 1 in 1993, Lee wasted little time, winning three WPBA Classic Tour events, the U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship and the WPBA Nationals in 1994. The incredible string of wins vaulted Lee to No. 1 and earned her Player-of-the-Year honors from both Billiards Digest and Pool & Billiard Magazine.

Lee won seven more Classic Tour titles from ’95-’99, and added two ESPN titles: the Tournament of Champions and the Ultimate Shootout. In 2001, Lee earned the gold medal at the World Games in Akita, Japan. She has won a dozen titles in the 2000s, including the WPBA Florida Classic and BCA Open Championship in 2004. Lee’s accomplishments at the table are all the more impressive considering the physical ailments (scoliosis, arthritis, bursitis and more) that have resulted in more than a dozen surgical procedures. Lee is currently battling stage 4 ovarian cancer that has metastasized throughout her body.

Off the table, Lee’s contributions and clout have been recognized in her 1998 selection as WPBA Sportsperson of the Year and her ranking as one of the industry’s most powerful people in the bi-annual Billiards Digest Power Poll in 2001, ’03, ’05 and ’07. She was featured in ESPN’s annual “The Body Issue,” magazine in 2010, and she has appeared in numerous movies, television commercials and has been a guest on countless national television shows. She served as National Spokesperson for The Scoliosis Association and on the board of the Women’s Sports Foundation. Lee was inducted into the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame in 2013 and the Asian Hall of Fame in 2015.

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.

MATCHROOM POOL MAKES ATLANTIC CITY THE HOME OF THE US OPEN POOL CHAMPIONSHIP AT HARRAH’S RESORT

Matchroom Pool, a world-leading sports promoter, is making Atlantic City the new home of the US Open Pool Championship, which will take place at Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City from September 13-18, 2021, in partnership with Caesars Entertainment and the Atlantic City Sports Commission.

The US Open Pool Championship is the longest running major in the sport with a history dating back almost half a century. Showcasing the very best players from around the world, the US Open is the ultimate test of professional pool, with a prize fund of $300,000 and TV coverage across the globe.

Having previously been staged in Chesapeake, VA and Las Vegas, NV, the US Open Pool Championship now heads to Atlantic City as pool players, officials and fans from around the globe descend on New Jersey for one of the most-anticipated weeks of the year.

Emily Frazer, Managing Director of Matchroom Multi Sport, said: “We are thrilled to be bringing the US Open Pool Championship to Atlantic City, which we hope will become the new home for this great, historic event. Having met with the teams at Meet AC and Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City I know we all share a great vision for the future of this event as well as potential new opportunities.

“We know the East Coast has a thriving pool community and we have been excited by the response we’ve had to bringing the event to Atlantic City. In addition we know the event attracts fans and players from across America and around the world and we know Atlantic City is going to be a perfect home for one of pool’s biggest majors.”

“Caesars Entertainment is thrilled to host the US Open Pool Championship at Harrah’s Resort and bring this high-profile event to Atlantic City,” said John Koster, Regional President for Caesars Entertainment’s Eastern Division. “There’s no better location for this world-class sporting event – as both a spectator and a player – than The Waterfront Conference Center at Harrah’s and we are thrilled to introduce our brand of hospitality to the hundreds of visitors from all over the globe who will be traveling to Atlantic City for this event.”

“The Atlantic City Sports Commission is thrilled to partner with Matchroom Pool to bring the most talented billiard players to our seaside destination. We believe that both the athletes, and billiard enthusiasts will find the amenities that Atlantic City has to offer world-class, for what we know, is a world-class event,” stated Atlantic City Sports Commission Director of Sports Sales, Daniel Gallagher.

US No.1 Shane van Boening shares a record five US Open titles with American legend Earl Strickland, while Germany’s Joshua Filler is the defending champion.

The US Open Pool Championship will see a full field of 256 international players and their guests travel to Atlantic City alongside staff, officials and broadcasters as well as pool fans from across America and beyond.

The tournament will be broadcast live for 54 hours around the world including on DAZN in USA and Canada, Sky Sports in the UK & Ireland and broadcasters across Europe including Viaplay (Scandinavia, Baltic Nations and Iceland), DAZN (including Germany, Spain and Italy), Zhibo.tv (China) and SuperSports in South Africa and Sub Saharan Africa.

About the Atlantic City Sports Commission

The Atlantic City Sports Commission was officially formed on January 13, 2015 as a 501 (c)(3) organization with the support of Meet AC and the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) to attract sporting events, conventions and competitions to Atlantic City.

For more information, visit http://www.atlanticcitysports.org/. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Matchroom.Live To Sponsor Snooker’s British Open

Next week’s British Open world ranking event will be title sponsored by global sports streaming platform matchroom.live

The matchroom.live British Open will run from August 16 to 22 at the Morningside Arena in Leicester.

Many of the world’s top stars will be competing for the title and a top prize of £100,000, including Judd Trump, Mark Selby, Shaun Murphy, Kyren Wilson and John Higgins. In all there will be 128 players in the field.

matchroom.live was launched in 2020, 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, features and interviews. For more details go to matchroom.live

The matchroom.live British Open will have television broadcast on ITV, Eurosport, PCCW (Hong Kong), Truesport (Thailand), DAZN (Canada), Astrosport (Malaysia), Sportcast (Taiwan) as well as Liaoning TV and online broadcasters in China.

In all other territories it will be available on matchroom.live

WST Chairman Steve Dawson said: “We are thrilled to bring back the British Open as it has been absent from our calendar for 17 years. It is a stellar field of great names in Leicester and a fantastic tournament to have early in the season.

“Our partnership with matchroom.live has gone from strength to strength. Over the past 15 months, this platform has brought live snooker to so many new fans across the planet. Wherever you are in the globe, you can watch snooker’s biggest tournaments, which is exciting for the growth of our sport as we look to new territories.

“The many millions of fans we have in regions such as the Indian sub-continent, Africa, and the Americas now have snooker at their fingertips on any device.

“The matchroom.live British Open will be seven days of world class sport, I trust the players to deliver a great occasion.”

Tickets for the tournament are still available – for details see www.wst.tv/tickets

Turkish Masters Snooker Postponed

The new Turkish Masters world ranking event has been postponed until March 2022.

The tournament was due to take place from September 27 to October 3 in Antalya, but has now been put back to March. The qualifying rounds have also been postponed until 2022.

Turkey remains on the UK Government’s red list for travel, and the country is currently battling severe wildfires. Based on these factors, and in consultation with the Turkish Billiard Federation and Big Break Promotions, WST has taken the difficult decision to postpone the event.

The qualifying rounds of the BetVictor English Open and BetVictor Scottish Open tournaments will be brought forward to September, around the dates previously occupied by the Turkish event.

WST Chairman Steve Dawson said: “It is a huge disappointment for ourselves and the Turkish Billiard Federation to have to postpone this event and I am sure the players will share that sentiment, as well as the fans in Turkey who had looked forward to seeing their heroes for the first time.

“We fully intend to be in Antalya in March. In the mean time our thoughts are with the Turkish people and those affected by wildfires in country.

“We are living through tough times, constantly facing the challenges of travel and commercial restrictions on a global scale. Our sport has coped much better than most over the past 18 months and we continue to strive to provide the best possible calendar of events for our players and fans. Despite postponing Turkey, we have a packed schedule for most of the season, while our worldwide linear and digital audiences continue to grow.”

Ersan Ercan, President of the Turkish Billiard Federation, added: “It is unfortunate that we have to postpone this event due to circumstances beyond our control. We look forward to welcoming WST, players and officials to the beautiful destination of Antalya in March.”

WST has agreed a four-year deal with the Turkish Billiard Federation and Big Break Promotions to stage the Turkish Masters every season until at least 2024/2025. Overall prize money will start at £500,000 and increase each year.

Antalya is renowned as one of Europe’s outstanding destinations, known for its culture, history and ideal location on the Mediterranean coast.

The revised WST calendar for the 2021/22 season will be announced shortly.

Dynamic Billard Lasko Open 2021

Lasko, the beautiful picturesque town in the heart of Slovenia will play host to the Dynamic Billard Lasko Open this week. The town of Lasko and the
Thermana hotel & spa resort is already known for the hosting of international tournaments in Basketball table tennis and several other high profile sports and they can now add Billiards to their portfolio of events.

More than 200 Athletes from 35 countries are making their way to Slovenia to contest the second Eurotour stop of 2021, this number in itself is an
achievement considering the restrictions this Covid pandemic is throwing up.
Testing for those athletes not yet vaccinated or recovered will be carried out
every 48 hours to ensure a safe environment for everyone. Visitors and
spectators are also required to show a form of vaccination or recovery
certificate before entering the hotel and sports hall.

The matches will start Thursday 12th August at 09:00 and carry on through to the finals on Saturday at 17:30 local time. You can watch all the matches live at www.kozoom.com with the results and schedule found at www.epbf.com

For more information visit https://www.epbf.com/tournaments/eurotour/

33rd Annual BEF Junior National Pool Championships Crowns 2021 National Champions
    
Superior, Colo., August 13, 2021 – The Billiard Education Foundation recently held its 33rd annual Junior National Pool Championships, Tuesday, July 27 to Friday, July 30. The event attracted more than 130 of the top junior pool players across the country.

During the event, the Billiard Education Foundation recognized more than 85 players as Academic All Americans, as they all had a great point average of 3.0 GPA or better. Of those players, 39 players had a 4.0 GPA or higher. Along with the Academic All Americans, the BEF also recognized Alessandra Alejandro and Niko Konkel as the recipients of this year’s Brenden Crocket Sportsman Award for exemplifying the ideals of sportsmanship while at the pool table with ethical behavior, fair play, and integrity throughout the event.

During the week-long tournament BCA Hall of Famer Tom “Dr. Cue” Rossman also made his 27th consecutive appearance and held his annual artistic pool competition. Dr. Cue presented the 2021 Artistic Pool awards to this year’s champions: Landon Hollingsworth (U18 boys division), Joey Tate (U16 boys division), Grayson Vaughan (U14 boys division), Hayleigh Marion (U18 girls division), Hayleigh Marion (U16 girls division), and Chole Tate (U14 girls division).

On Friday July 30th the Junior National Pool Championships concluded with the final matches in each category. In an effort to aligned with the WPA World Junior 9-Ball Championship, the BEF awarded gold, silver and bronze medals to the top three finishers of each division.

The finalist of this year’s BEF Junior National 9-Ball Championships presented by Iwan Simonis are:

Gold medalists:
•        18UB Landon Hollingsworth (Greenville, SC)
•        18UG Aryana Lynch (Allen, TX)
•        16UB Landon Hollingsworth (Greenville, SC)
•        16UG Kennedy Meyman (White Bear Lake, MN)
•        14UB Harry Leinen (Waconia, MN)
•        14UG Hayleigh Marion (Bristol, VA)

Silver medalists:
•        18UB Riley Adkins (West Jefferson, OH)
•        18UG Sofia Mast (Land O Lakes, FL)
•        16UB Joey Tate (Elm City, NC)
•        16UG Elli Gonzales (Normal, IL)
•        14UB Kyle Yi (Sugarland, TX)
•        14UG Skylar Hess (Queenstown, MD)

Bronze medalists:
•        18UB Eric Roberts (Crossville, TN)
•        18UG Tiana Jiang (Harvard, MA)
•        16UB Lazaro Martinez III (New Braunfels, TX)
•        16UG Hayleigh Marion (Bristol, VA)
•        14UB Konner McFadyen (New Port Richey, FL)
•        14UG Bethany Tate (Elm City, NC)

This year’s event also two new divisions: the U22 10-Ball National Championship presented by Diamond Billiard Products; and U18 8-Ball National Championship presented by Lucasi Cues. Both inaugural events allowed for both male and female competitors to compete alongside one another for a very dynamic and competitive event that will return in 2022. Finalists for the 2021 10-Ball and 8-Ball events are:

U22 10-Ball National Championships presented by Diamond Billiard Products
·     Gold Medalist: Mason Koch (Appleton, WI)
·     Silver Medalist: Justin Toye (Ormond Beach, Florida)
·     Bronze Medalist: Ricky Evans (St. Charles, MO)

U18 8-Ball National Championships presented by Lucasi Cues
·     Gold Medalist: Gabriel Martinez (New Braunfels, TX)
·     Silver Medalist: Lazaro Martinez III (New Braunfels, TX)
·     Bronze Medalist: Trenton White (Plant City, FL)

Sponsors for this year’s event included:

•        Aramith
•        AZ Billiards
•        BBTV Productions
•        Billiards Digest
•        Diamond Billiard Products
•        Iwan Simonis
•        J. Pechauer Custom Cues
•        Jacoby Cues
•        Lucasi Cues
•        Master Chalk
•        Predator Group
•        Seyberts
•        Ultimate Team Gear
•        Viking Cues

About Billiard Education Foundation
The Billiard Education Foundation (BEF) was formed in 1993 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity committed to promoting a love of pool and building the next generation of players through youth programs and academic scholarships. The BEF is managed by the Billiard Congress of America. For more information about the BEF or to learn how you can support the foundation please visit BilliardEducation.org.

Billiard Education Foundation | 303.243.5070 | BilliardEducation.org

Billiard Congress of America Welcomes Two New Board Members

Superior, Colo. – August 12, 2021, the Billiard Congress of America announced the results of its 2021-2022 Board of Directors elections, which are as follows:

Category 1 (Manufacturer/Distributor)
•     Robbie Selby (R and R Outdoors), three-year term
•     Nick Kroll (Viking Cues), three-year term

In the follow-up election of BCA officers, Ivan Lee (Iwan Simonis, Inc.) accepted a one-year term as BCA Board Chairman, as did each of the remaining seated officers: Vice Chairman Debbie Corvey (Boynton Beach Billiards); Secretary Philippe Singer (The Predator Group); and Treasurer Brian Igielski (GLD Products). The remaining directors include: Ed Liddawi (Sandcastle Billiards); Stephanie Schmidt (A. E. Schmidt), and Shane Bouchard (Maine Home Recreation).

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.

ACOS 2021 Set To Be The First UK Industry Gathering

After missing a year in 2020, the Autumn Coin-Op Show is set to be the first major gathering for the UK industry in 2021.

Taking take place on Wednesday 20th and Thursday 21st October at a brand new venue, the ILEC Conference Centre, IBIS London Earls Court, ACOS 2021 will continue the tradition of delivering a unique coin-op event at this special time in the year.

Event Director Karen Cooke commented: “We are so excited to be back and in particular to announce the new venue. It is wonderful to find a venue in the West End that provides a great exhibition space and a setting so well suited to the relaxed and sociable style that ACOS has become known for."

The major manufacturers and suppliers have already booked the stands and are ready to present their latest products to the UK amusements industry. The event will also welcome HC Terminals and Heddleworth Amusements who will be exhibiting for the first time.

The ILEC Conference Centre has been extensively refurbished offering an ideal space with good access, transport links and onsite parking. Located within the IBIS Hotel rooms are available allowing participants to stay onsite and special rates have been negotiated.

Accommodation and travel details can be found at www.coin-opshow.co.uk

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN

US PRO BILLIARD SERIES LIVE ON BILLIARD TV

The Diamond Las Vegas Open, second stop of the 2021 Predator US Pro Billiard Series, will be live from today, Wednesday September 1st to Saturday September 4th, with five matches broadcasted each day.

You can choose between watching it on your TV or on your favorite device. Visit https://streamstak.com/billiardtv/ to find out how to watch.

This event is brought to you by CueSports International and Predator Group and is held alongside the amateur CSI Leagues events during the CueSports International Expo.

The tournament is played on Diamond Pro-Am pool tables covered with Predator Arcadia performance cloth, with Predator Arcos II balls, and under the Predator Arena billiard lights.

The Predator US Pro Billiard Series is a series of open pro events held in the United States to provide more opportunity for professional and aspiring pool players to compete in high-quality events, and earn their way into the $100,000 added Predator World 10-Ball Championship held in Las Vegas at the end of the season as part of the CueSports International Expo.

US OPEN POOL CHAMPIONSHIP DRAW COMPLETE

The draw for the 2021 US Open Pool Championship has been made with 2019 champion Joshua Filler starting his defense against America’s Joseph Byler in the opening match of the tournament at Harrah’s Resort, Atlantic City on Monday, September 13.

The draw, brackets, and match schedule can be viewed now on CueScore.

Shane Van Boening and Earl Strickland will start their hunts for a sixth US Open title against Francesco Candela of Italy and the USA’s Adam Martin respectively. Matchroom Pool World Rankings No.1 Albin Ouschan begins against Scott Haas. 22-time World Snooker ranking title winner Judd Trump makes his bow in pool against Joe Magee.

Players were seeded based on the combination of World Ranking and Performance in Major Events. Click here for the full seeding breakdown.

Live rack-by-rack scoring will be available throughout the event at www.matchroompool.com thanks to our partners CueScore. Broadcast details for the tournament in full can be found here with coverage on DAZN for those in the USA, Canada, Germany, Austria, Spain, Italy, and Brazil with UK coverage available on Sky Sports throughout.

Ticket prices start from $31.24 per session for the single-elimination stage and $31.24 for the day during the double-elimination stage.

A range of ticket packages are available including an event pass giving you access to all six days of action for only $166.25, a saving of up to $100.

All tickets are subject to booking and processing fees. Each ticket includes a $5.50 transaction fee which is only applied once per order. Orders of multiple tickets will therefore save $5.50 per additional ticket purchased.

Book a hotel room at Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City here and get a special discounted rate. Stay side-by-side with the stars of pool at Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City.

The 2021 US Open Pool Championship will be partnered by Diamond, who supply the Official Table; the cloth is supplied by Iwan Simonis and the Official Balls are ARAMITH Tournament BLACK pool ball set with Duramith™ Technology by Saluc. Predator is the Official Cue of the event and Kamui are the Official Chalk and Tip. The US Open Pool Championship is sanctioned by the WPA.

GET YOUR TICKETS HERE

DETAILED SCHEDULE FOR TWG 2022 PUBLISHED

Ten Days of Competition - 34 Sports - 223 Medal Events

The detailed schedule for The World Games 2022 in Birmingham, USA is now online. The International World Games Association has published the detailed programme for the 11th edition of the Games, taking place from 7 to 17 July 2022.

On the ten competition days, starting the day after the opening ceremony in the new Protective Stadium, more than 3,600 athletes will compete in 34 sports. In a total of 223 medal events the world’s best athletes in their specific disciplines will strive for the Gold of The World Games. The Birmingham Organising Committee expects participants from more than 100 nations. Tickets for the individual competitions are now available at:
https://twg2022.com/tickets/

For the first time in the 40 years of history of The World Games, there is no distinction between official sports and invitational sports; all 34 sports are included in the programme. This applies for the sports that were proposed by the BOC: Flag Football, Low Point Wheelchair Rugby, Duathlon and Wushu. For the first time at The World Games, a para-sport is part of the official programme; Wheelchair Rugby demonstrates the inclusiveness of the event.

Ten sports start on the first day of competition, Friday 8 July, with medal decisions in DanceSport, Finswimming and Powerlifting among others. The last awards, on Sunday 17 July, will include medals in Muaythai, Korfball, Canoe Polo and Squash.

Meanwhile, qualifications for The World Games 2022 have already begun. So far, athletes from nearly 40 nations have secured their bibs for the Games in Birmingham, Alabama. Also qualified is the Iroquois team in Lacrosse, which will represent an indigenous ethnic group.

The detailed schedule:

https://www.theworldgames.org/editions/Birmingham-USA-2022-13/schedule

You can find the current status of the qualifications here:

https://www.theworldgames.org/editions/Birmingham-USA-2022-13/qualifications

The World Games is a multi-sport event staged every four years by the International World Games Association under the patronage of the International Olympic Committee. The 11th edition of The World Games will be held in Birmingham, Alabama, USA, 7-17 July 2022. 3,600 athletes from over 30 sports and 100 countries will take part in The World Games.

Seybert's Welcomes Penguin Amusements Into The Family

We are very pleased to announce that Seybert's has completed the acquisition of Penguin Amusements.

Owners of coin-operated billiard tables across the globe know Penguin as the first choice for replacement rails and other parts for their table. Now as part of the Seybert's family of brands, Penguin can reach more consumers and businesses who are looking to take their playing experience up a notch.

Seybert's has been selling Penguin rails for years, and now with the partnership cemented, we look forward to expanding our offering of replacement rails in the coming weeks.

Penguin Amusement is a manufacturing and retail company based in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. They specialize in the production and distribution of pool table replacement parts and offer a number of additional products and services.

We are excited to have such a talented group of craftsmen as part of the Seybert's team. These skilled team members are a big reason this business has been so successful, for so long.