We have about a month left until the opening game. In the 2023-24 season, the Professional Billiards Association (PBA), which is preparing for the fifth season after its launch, drew a new picture.

PBA officially announced through a press release on the 18th that the new teams, SY Group and High1 Resort, will enter the team league in earnest. Among these, the joining of High1 Resort, which served as the title sponsor for the 22-23 season, was well known. 

Just like when Hana Card was founded last season, priority is given to the new team. However, this year, only SY Group, a completely new team, takes priority. High1 Resort is founded by taking over a team that is being disbanded, and as a result, it binds protected players and jumps into the recruitment draft just like existing teams.

A large number of star players in the PBA were introduced this season. Representatively, Daniel Sanchez (World Ranking No. 2, Spain), who is considered one of the 4 kings of 3-cushion cushions, along with the current ‘PBA senior’, Frederic Kudron (Belgium, Welcome Savings Bank), jumped into the Korean stage. 

Sanchez is a ‘world class’ itself, having won the billiards world cup 16 times and reached the top of the world championship 4 times. Before the launch of the PBA, he was active as a pillar of world billiards with Kudron and has numerous Korean fans. 

In addition, the world’s 10th ranked Semi Seiginer, called the ‘Turkey Prince’, also stepped into the PBA. Classified as a tier 1 player like Sanchez토토사이트, Sanchez found the team as a priority, and Seiginer is waiting for a selection. 

Notable domestic powerhouses include Lee Chung-bok, who made a name for himself as a Korean 3-cushion signboard by winning the top of the 2016 LGU+ 3-Cushion Masters and runner-up in the 2022 Veghel 3-Cushion World Cup, as well as Choi Seong-won (World 3-Cushion Championships 1st, World Team 3-Cushion Championships 1st) Above, UMB world ranking No. 1) joins. 

In the LPBA, domestic amateur rankings No. 1 and 2, Han Ji-eun and Jang Ga-yeon, will be on the professional stage. Among them, Jang Ga-yeon was born in 2004 (19 years old) and is the youngest LPBA player. In addition, a total of six players, including Kim Bo-reum, Shim Ji-yu, Jeong Ye-jin, and Luong Thi Tom (Vietnam), will make their debut on the women’s professional billiards stage this season. Nguyen Linh Quynh has not signed up this season, leaving Luong Thi Thom the only Vietnamese player in the LPBA.

As the scale expanded, PBA also needed a place to take root. Existing PBA tours were conducted by moving to the facilities of the company that served as the title sponsor, a hotel, or a broadcasting center. Representative examples include Goyang Bitmaru Broadcasting Center, Sono Calm Goyang, Elysium Gangchon, and Blue One Resort. 

However, starting this year, excluding some sponsored facilities, it will take place at KINTEX in Ilsan, a temporary stadium.

Here, the LPBA’s survival system has disappeared since this season. As a result, the number of game days is increased by 3 to 4 days more than before. If the LPBA and PBA tours are held individually, the number of tournament days is expected to increase to a maximum of 14 days. This is the total period of rest days. 

A PBA official said, “Since the exclusive stadium is leased annually, the usable period is longer, so we are discussing the efficient hosting of the tournament” In addition, a new system for fostering pros will be created in line with the establishment of the temporary stadium.”

In addition, the PBA is gradually establishing its outline as a professional sport by holding its first grand prize ceremony this year. As the player pool grows, eyes are also on institutional developments such as the introduction of free agents (FA) and activation of trade.

Meanwhile, the PBA completed preparations for the sortie with the successful completion of the PBA Q School and LPBA Tryout on the 13th. Starting June 11, the opening game will be held at Blue One Resort in Gyeongju to announce the start of the new season.