The International Pool Tour attracted many top players from all around the globe. This tournament was one the first multi-million-dollar tournaments to be aired on television. It aimed to make pool more mainstream. 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 a major step forward for pool, which at that time was not well-organized. Players would play several race-to-8 sets a day, but only two players per group advanced to the next round.
Trudeau was determined to give the game a serious shot. The tour began with $13 Million in funding. Although it was a short-lived venture, it helped bring the sport into the spotlight. Throughout its lifespan, the tour awarded more than $6 million in prize money.
During its initial year, the tour featured four events. One of the four events was the King of the Hill Eight Ball Shootout. It had a prize pool of $200K. The North American Open had a purse of $2 million. The IPT Players 8-Ball Championship took place from October 22-29. The facility had problems in 2007, so the tour was cancelled.
The first year of the tour featured the most prize money in the history of pool. Reyes won $500K for his win against Roderick Moor in the World Open Eightball Championship. He also received a $163k first prize for his win against Niels Feijen in the Predator World 14.1 Championship.
Efren Ries is considered a legend. Known as Bata, he is the king of the billiards hotshots. His nickname stems from his reputation as "running the tables." He has won 14 tournaments. He won a bronze medal in eight ball at the 2002 Asian Games.
He used to make $500 an hour teaching pool when he was younger. It was a surprise that he found his way into the pool world. He made the decision to become a professional tournament player a few years ago. At that point, he became the face of IPT. Currently, he serves as the color commentator on U.S. broadcasts.
Reyes and Francisco Bustamante represented Philippines at the World Cup of Pool. They beat Roderick and Earl Strickland. They won the Dr. Louis Pannullo Trophy.
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. After hearing of the league, he began competing. He won two world championships during his tenure and was 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. Initial plans called for a August 2005 challenge match. It was cancelled by the facility after negotiations failed.