Today see’s the delayed launch of GB9 Leagues a new amateur league structure for 9-ball pool players in the UK.
I was originally involved when this was first tried in the UK and after 12 months due to lack of support from sponsors and venues it failed to get beyond 12 months.
This time under the tutelage of Tony Weafer, a player on the GB9 Ball Tour and successful businessman, the league structure has much more planning and impetus to be successful behind it. Tony has worked tirelessly with Rileys (the UK’s leading pool and snooker provider) to bring them on board en masse. What this means is that the leagues will launch in around 100 venues simultaneously in January 2010.
It is an important time for such a scheme to get started, Britain as a nation has been achieving great results on a professional level with the likes of World Champions, Darren Appleton and Daryl Peach plus excellent performances from the likes of Imran Majid, Karl Boyes and more recently Chris Melling and Craig Osborne.
GB9 Leagues in my opinion will help us further strengthen our position internationally by developing the game and the interest at grassroots level. Yes, it will be full of amateur players wanting to have some fun, and why should it now be? However, it will also be a proving ground for young players and players moving across from other cue sports like snooker and English Pool.
Never has there been a better time in the UK’s history of 9-ball pool than now. Our professionals are performing better than ever and our official tour has announced plans to move into hotel venues for 2010 and beyond.
I wish the leagues every success and will actually be using them to get myself playing pool regularly again. The prize money, the county selection and ultimately spots on the GB9 Tour are all reasons why this will be a success.
