R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. and the Pro Billiards Tour have
formed an alliance to bring a series sponsor to the Tour for the
first time. The Camel Pro Billiards Series is a $1.5M, 14-event
nationwide tour which includes a season-ending fund of $250,000
to be distributed among the top 20 players. Camel's involvement
will also extend to the sponsorship of the $150,000 Camel World
9-Ball Championship, a $1,000 trick-shot competition at each
sanctioned Tour event, and the American Poolplayers Association's
Camel 8-Ball Classic for amateur players. The first event in the
series will take place June 4-9 in Reno (Pro Billiards Tour). In
a news conference yesterday, RJR Sports Marketing Enterprises
President T. Wayne Robertson said, "We want to enhance the sport
of billiards through our operational and marketing support much
the same as we've been able to do with NASCAR and NHRA racing."
Tour Commissioner Don Mackey: "This is an historic step which
will take pool to a whole new level of respect and prestige. The
players of the game will soon be recognized as some of the
greatest athletes in the world. ... If we can take what they've
done in racing and apply a fraction of that to billiards, we'll
be extremely happy." Talks are underway with Prime, ESPN, TBS,
Fox and CBS about a possible TV deal (THE DAILY).
