Online cue sports video done right!
What’s the deal with all the online pool?
Well, you may have noticed the new trend in 2008 of live streaming pool events. It all started with The Action Report challenge matches and live streaming gambling matchups at the DCC and Qlympics. Now they’ve been joined by a bunch of home brewed broadcasters.
If you want to see how streaming events should really be done, do yourself a favor and check out the UK Snooker Championships out of Telford, England. They’ve got nine days of high quality live programming in Europe. Some fellow in Western Europe has captured the feed and is relaying it to the rest of the world via JustinTV. This feed is currently allowing many Chinese snooker fans to follow their chap playing the English legend Steve Davis.
I’m here to tell you that the level of play is mind boggling, commentators are compelling, and the video production is of the likes we haven’t seen since the big IPT events of 2006. I watched a bit of it yesterday and saw an incredible exchange between Ding and Davis where the only way the former could win the frame was to snooker Davis two times with only the pink and black remaining. Ding properly hooked Davis several times and some were nearly airtight. Davis had to play swerve (masse’) kick shots on two occasions from about ten feet of cueball travel and hit the pink full in the face both times. Astounding!
Check out the streaming here.
It gets better. Look at the AZ like brackets only with tons of links to read up on the players.
Oh yeah, it gets even more sickening for American pool players. They are playing for a purse of £625,000 which is according to the currency converter $953,000! Due to the current economic meltdown this would have been more like $1.2 Million just five months ago. Don’t worry. The winner still gets the US equivalent of $150,000. This one tournament would plunk the victor just a notch above Ralf Souquet on the AZ money list.
Player Name Prize Money Totals
Ralf Souquet $150,514.00
Shane Van Boening $132,420.00
Darren Appleton $128,751.00
Niels Feijen $103,775.00
Mika Immonen $99,161.00
Dennis Orcollo $96,800.00
Francisco Bustamante $80,903.00
Alex Pagulayan $66,603.00
Chia-Ching Wu $66,250.00
Jian-Bo Fu $64,650.00
Karen Corr $61,000.00
Johnny Archer $60,745.00
Here are some screen shots to drive the point home. This first one shows the high quality stream. Smooth and clear video along with flawless sound. Check out the viewer count. I dare say that numbers like this have never been seen by one of the American streams.
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Mike Davis winning $15k in a field of 167 yesterday in Reno.
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Playing for IPT-like money!
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Brackets and player links.
Enjoy,
Mike
New forums to help players
I’m trying to get a new forum off the ground. Take a look, create an account, and join the discussion!
Northern Lights Casino 8-Ball Tournament
Joe and Linda Thomas put on another 8-Ball tournament October 17-19, 2008 at Northern Lights Casino in Walker, MN. Four divisions vied for a hefty prize fund.
Singer sinks another
Jessica and Jeri
More photos are HERE.
Northern Lights Casino Winners
October 17-19, 2008
Men’s Open (128 players)
1 Mike Singer $1,400
2 Jody Helmin 900
These top two actually split the prize money. Jody was in the drivers seat and their first match Mike beat him. They then decided to split and flipped a coin for first spot.
3 Ross Krmpotich 600
4 Dave Mullen 460
5-6 Bruce Carrier 300
5-6 Dave Strachen 300
7-8 Jesse Engel 200
7-8 Bob Larson 200
9-12 Mark Finken 160
9-12 Chad Folken 160
9-12 Tim Krug 160
9-12 Konrad Tellinghuisen160
13-16 Jared Bailey 120
13-16 Dan Fisher 120
13-16 Ken Hilliard 120
13-16 Dan Herman 120
17-24 Ron Sully 80
17-24 Vince Simon 80
17-24 Jason Blanski 80
17-24 Mike Decelles 80
17-24 Steve Baker 80
17-24 Bruno Nadeau 80
17-24 Bill Frisby 80
17-24 Jim Andres 80
25-32 Jamie Bartlett 40
25-32 Jeremy Wheelock 40
25-32 Tom Budik 40
25-32 Danton Tibbetts 40
25-32 Greg Hyttinen 40
25-32 Mike Garnett 40
25-32 Rich Ciponi 40
25-32 Chris Messer 40
Men’s Masters (31 players)
1 Vince Chambers $1,200
2 Felix Beardy 800
3 Jeff Clare 600
4 Mike Frechette 380
5-6 Mike Fieldhammer 200
5-6 John Traverse 200
7-8 Josh Burbul 100
7-8 Rod Carl 100
Rising Stars (32 players)
1 Lori Nelson $680
2 Julie Brunelle 400
3 Sue Roberts 300
4 Shawn Helmin 200
5-6 Rose Mackenzie 100
5-6 Gail Seagris 100
7-8 Joanne Cheechoo 40
7-8 April Kasstan 40
Stars of the North (16 players)
1 Jessica Frideres $1,000
2 Jeri Bouvette 600
3 Beth Fondell 400
4 Carol Graham 300
$200 Cash Winners
James Henry
Eric Hyttenin
Mike Frechette
Jason Blanski
Rene Aggamaway
A huge thanks from Six Arrows Pool Tournament Coordinators and staff, Linda, Joe, Floreen, and Beverly.
Thank you to Steve Schoenfelder of Schuler Legacy Cue Sales and Service.
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