The International Pool Tour was an event that attracted top players from around the world. This tournament was the first to be broadcast on TV and was intended to promote pool as a mainstream sport. Kevin Trudeau was the founder. He was an avid pool player who was already a successful businessman when he conceived of IPT.
It was a professional sports tour that featured bright lights, professional production, and some of the world's best pool players. This was an important step for pool, as it was a sport that was not well-organized at the time. Each day, players played several races-to-8 sets. However, only two teams advanced to round 2.
Trudeau was determined that the game would be a success. He started the tour with $13 million in funding. Although it was a short-lived venture it did help bring the sport into the public eye. The tour offered more than $6M in prize money over its life span.
During its initial year, the tour featured four events. One of the events was the King of the Hill Eightball Shootout with a prize fund of $200K. The North American Open featured a $2 million prize pool. Other tournaments included the IPT Players 8-Ball Championship, which was scheduled for October 22-29. The facility problems caused the 2007 cancellation of the tour.
The first year of the tour saw the largest pool prize money ever. Reyes won $500K for his win against Roderick Moor in the World Open Eightball Championship. He also won $163k for his victory against Niels Fijen in Predator World 14.1 Championship.
Efren Ries is considered a legend. Bata is his nickname. He is the king and hotshot of billiards. His reputation of "running tables" gave him his nickname. He has won 14 tournaments. He was awarded a bronze medal for eight-ball at the 2002 Asian Games.
He earned $500 an hr as a pool instructor when he was younger. His sudden entrance into pool was not expected. He decided to turn pro at tournaments a few years back. At that point, he became the face of IPT. He currently serves as the color commentator in 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, before he was a pro, sold imported goods and gambled on the road. But after word of the league got out, he started competing. During his tenure, he won two world championships and is a two-time World Professional Pool Champion.
Trudeau, who had been a long-time fan of pool, conceived of the tour when he heard a radio ad for a Chicago area pool tournament. Initially, the tour planned to have a challenge match in August 2005. The tour was cancelled following negotiations with the facility.