The International Pool Tour was a tournament that attracted some of the most renowned players around the world. This tournament was one of the first multi-million dollar tournaments that was aired on television, and it aimed to bring pool into the mainstream. Kevin Trudeau started it. He was an avid gamer of pool, and was already a successful man when he came up with the idea for IPT.
It was a professional sport tour that featured bright lights and professional production. The event also included some of the most talented pool players around. This was a significant step in pool's history, which was not well-organized. Although players could play many race-to-8 sets in a single day, only two players from each group progressed to the next round.
Trudeau was determined give the game a serious shot. The tour was funded with $13million. Even though it was short-lived, it helped bring the sport to the forefront. Throughout its lifespan, the tour awarded more than $6 million in prize money.
The inaugural year of the tour saw four events. One of the most popular events was the King of the Hill Eightball Shootout. This event had a prize money of $200K. The North American Open featured a $2 million prize pool. The IPT Players 8-Ball Championship took place from October 22-29. Due to issues with the facility, the tour was cancelled in 2007.
The first year of the tour saw the largest pool prize money ever. Reyes won a total of $500K for his victory over Roderick Morris in the World Open Eight-ball Championship. He also won $163k for his victory against Niels Fijen in Predator World 14.1 Championship.
Efren is considered a star. Bata is his nickname. He is the king and hotshot of billiards. His nickname stems from his reputation as "running the tables." He has won 14 tournaments. He won a medal in eightball for the 2002 Asian Games.
When he was younger, he used to earn $500 an hour as a pool teacher. His emergence into the world of pool was unexpected. He decided to make it a career as a pro tournament player several years ago. He was soon the face IPT. He is currently the color commentaryator on U.S. broadcasts.
Reyes and Francisco Bustamante represented Philippines on the World Cup of Pool. They defeated Roderick Morse and Earl Strickland. They were also awarded the Dr. Louis Pannullo award.
Several other stars were included in the International Pool Tour, including Mike Sigel. Sigel worked as a road dealer and importer before he became an international pool tour pro. But after word of the league got out, he started competing. He won two world titles and is currently a twotime World Professional Pool Champion.
Trudeau had been a long-time enthusiast of pool and thought up the tour after seeing a radio advertisement for a Chicago region pool tournament. Initial plans called for a August 2005 challenge match. However, it was cancelled after negotiations broke down with the facility.