Many of you may well know that it is time for the second ‘episode’ of the Oracle Super Tour. This new tour, born out of the Gangsters Grand Prix, features some of the world’s best 8-ball pool players, including World Champion Gareth Potts & former World Champion Chris Melling.
Why do these player participate? Simply due to the prize money on offer, £44,000 across the four event series, with £3,400 to each event winner (events 1-3) and £9,400 to the winner of the final event in November.
A lot of tournaments in the UK do struggle for numbers but it shows when you combine a guaranteed prize fund with an interesting handicap system (Pro players give up to a 4 start in a best-of-15 frame match!) the players will turn out. This tour has a full list of 128 players signed up in advance, with a few more waiting in the wings should spots become available.
Credit for the success has to go to Keith Brewer and Oracle Hotel Refurbishments Ltd, one for Keith bringing a sponsor of this size on board and two for Oracle having the vision and confidence to put money into what is still a fringe sport.
CueSport TV came on board late in the day, I have personally known Keith for a number of years, and offered our services to the tour which they gladly accepted. This is part of our vision as a company, there is no hiding the fact that we are in this business to make money however, I always have the best interests of the sport in the back of my mind when I do anything.
The first event (from our point of view) was a dissapointment as we could not broadcast live, it is these live events that are going to lay solid foundations for the sport and give it a worldwide audience. Every month CueSport TV receives viewers from 110 different countries worldwide, these come from some very obscure places but they sit and watch for long periods of time. There is no other broadcaster or network that can allow users/viewers to dive in and try something of this nature for free.
The more countries that continue viewing this sport the more chance there is of the game progressing on a world stage.
The second most popular viewing country from the list is the USA, a country that plays 8-ball but not the game that we play. I have had conversations with a number of US viewers over the game of English 8-ball and they are all positive. Especially once you explain that the pockets are like snooker pockets and you play on a slow napped cloth. They do not realise how difficult the game is to play until you explain the nuances. I am not suggesting for one minute that the UK game is going to take over the world, but what could and should happen is that the game is given more respect from players all over the globe.
You can watch the Oracle Super Tour Live this weekend (6th/7th Sept) only at CueSport TV.
