Ego.

We all have one.

Of course, not everyone manages their ego the same way. While most people display a fairly healthy balance between quiet confidence and empathy, others we know play the superiority card and can’t admit failure.

Where I fall in these categories, I don’t even want to know! (Although being insecure about that probably gives away the answer!)

Now, there’s a reason I’ve launched into this Freudian topic, even if it’s a bit of a stretch. (Hey, you’ve gotta start somewhere!)

Companies have egos as well, especially highly motivated and successful companies. And when multiple successful companies operate in the same category, none want to be viewed as second to the others. That’s largely ego.

And in the quiet battle to satisfy those egos, companies generally work to set their bar in that category even higher than before. And the category becomes stronger, bigger and better.

And the market generally benefits.

Bet you know where I’m going with this.

I just finished watching the best players in the world compete for three world championships in a two-week span, with $700,000 in prize money between the three, and more than $300,000 sprinkled across a handful of ancillary events.

A few days later came news that the World Pool Championship, replete with its $1M prize fund, would be returning in early 2027, as well as the return of the long-lamented World Cup of Pool, the original big-time international team championship. A new World Nineball Tour (WNT) event in Spain has also been announced.

Earlier, Predator, producers of the Pro Billiard Series, within which the various PBS-produced World Championship events are staged, announced a long-term deal with the World Pool Association (WPA) to stage even more annual sanctioned World Championships — including … are you ready? … the WPA World One-Pocket Championship!

The WPA calendar in 2027 will feature no fewer than 10 sanctioned World Championships for pool, each with $200,000 minimum prize funds.

And before anyone gets their nose out of joint, I’m not at all suggesting that Predator, Matchroom (producers of the WNT) and the WPA (which still sanctions big independent events like the China Open and Qatar World Cup 10-Ball Championship, and are in current negotiations for other World Championships) are engaged in an ego-driven cat fight. Quite the opposite. Each, armed with disparate visions and business models, are simply upping their game for the good of their own companies and, by extension, the growth of the sport.

In other words, the players and fans are the beneficiaries of the drive to excel on the parts of the various promoters.

Put it this way: Remember when the promoters were passively threatening each other and openly threatening players? And remember how the players and fans were all talking about letting the players decide when and where they play? And letting the promoters do their own thing?

Well, this is it.

Do issues still exist? Of course. The annual buy-in costs to the players are still exorbitant, primarily because of the globetrotting requirements based on event locations. But if those demands continue to drive players away from the international game, promoters will have no choice but to address those concerns and come up with ways to soften that barrier to entry.

In the meantime, there have never been so many significant prize funds available in pool on an annual basis. Not even close. And I haven’t even touched on all the non-world title “majors” that the WNT and PBS offer annually.

And let’s not leave out the growth in eyeballs that the sport is starting to generate. And the industry is still doing all this on its own. Again, different approaches and different business models. But the numbers don’t lie, and eventually people outside our little community will take notice and recognize opportunity. It’s still a long journey ahead, but I do believe we’re trending in the right direction, which in itself is borderline miraculous given all the different hands that are trying to pull the same rope.

It’s always easy to find fault, nitpick and play politics. And we can continue to play that game and talk down the efforts of those still rolling the dice on this sport we love. I’m as guilty as anyone. But every once in a while, my head clears a little and I start adding up the positives.

And at that moment I once again become a believer.