Message from the Board – November 2021
After a tough 18 months with no competitive billiards, we are finally back playing with four events played in the last three months – all won by David Causier, a fantastic achievement.
But it’s not just been a tough time for players – it’s been a very difficult period for clubs in the UK. Some clubs have simply not had the budget to refurbish their tables as they might normally have done. Other clubs cannot contemplate, at this time, giving up table revenue for a weekend to accommodate a World Billiards event. We, at World Billiards, have to take this into account, not only as we liaise with our existing venues who have provided such great support to WBL, but also as we search for new venues to expand our circuit further.
Despite the challenges of the current climate, we decided to push on – the feedback of the majority of players is that they wanted to be playing again.
We extend our thanks to the Northern Snooker Centre, the Crucible Sports & Social Club Reading, the Terry Griffiths Matchroom and the Qzone who have hosted us recently. We are very grateful for their support and hospitality.
This season has seen new initiatives such as providing quality streaming at events and offering host clubs new match cloth where possible. We have also increased referee support and are working on a scheme to try to bring more referees into the game (more news on that topic soon).
Expenses, per event, have risen substantially. In addition to the prize pool (which is £2440 for a typical level 3 event), our costs for each event now average about £1750, which includes streaming, referees, trophies, cloth, and other tournament related expenses.
We are always on the lookout for new venues to host events. If anyone knows a venue that may be suitable, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
Please be assured that all feedback from participants in our events, whether a player, official or spectator, is listened to and taken on board. We continue to work hard on all aspects of events to continue growing our circuit. As a result, we have seen several new players join us, particularly at the recent British Open in Carlisle, who have indicated they are looking to return for more in 2022. It’s great to have you on board.
We are delighted with the excellent support we have seen since our resumption, both in terms of entry numbers and followers around the world on social media. We also look forward to seeing an increased number of international players returning to our events.
See you at a tournament soon.
The Board,
World Billiards Ltd.