Is the BCA Doing Enough for Cue Sports?

12/3/2008 9:12:52 AM

Is the BCA Doing Enough for Cue Sports?

In a previous thread @QuickShot brought up the point of is the BCA doing enough to promote our sport.

My feeling is that the BCA hasn't done enough. The BCA Expo is directed solely at the retailer leaving the public to go elsewhere for information about our sport and to about new products and services. The BCA has done little to bring billiards under one governing body.

I recently sent an e-mail to the BCA to discuss just this subject. My thought is that in order for billiards to survive the organizations need to band together. The BCA should partner with the APA and other leagues and provide associate membership in the BCA for all members. If the BCA has the membership of the public then it provides value to the retailers and wholesalers. In addition, the BCA should make the BCA Expo accessible to all members. Perhaps provide a retailer side and wholesaler’s side to the expo. This would encourage individual members to see what is available from the industry and put pressure on retailers to carry products that they are interested in. The BCA has also tied the US Open 9 ball tournament to the BCA Expo. Call me crazy, but I doubt that retailers could care less about the pro's playing in another room. The pool playing public are the ones who are interested.

If the BCA could manage to bring the public into alignment then the prospect of drawing all of the pro factions into a single league again may be possible.

With billiards having so many factions it would be hard to promote any event. The WPBA has done well with there work with the APA. In addition the coverage with ESPN has proven to be the only billiard coverage the sport has seen with any regularity. I have caught a few showings of speed pool and some US Open 9 ball, but little else.

I realize that there is some bad blood between the many organizations, but in the interest of saving our sport it would make sense to come to some common ground.

What are your feelings?

Any suggestions on improving the BCA?

dlabout

Is the BCA Doing Enough for Cue Sports?

Title: Is the BCA Doing Enough for Cue Sports?
Author: dlabout (Doug Labout)
Published: 12/3/2008 9:12:52 AM