The International Pool Tour attracted many top players from all around the globe. This tournament was one among the first multimillion-dollar tournaments that were aired live on television. It was designed to introduce pool to the mainstream. It was founded by Kevin Trudeau. He was an avid gamer of pool, and was already a successful man when he came up with the idea for IPT.
It was a professional tour of pool that featured professional production and bright lights. 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 that the game would be a success. With $13 million of funding, he started the tour. It was a short-lived venture that helped to bring the sport in the spotlight. Throughout its lifespan, the tour awarded more than $6 million in prize money.
The inaugural year of the tour saw 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 was another, with a $2,000,000 purse. Other tournaments included IPT Players 8-Ball Championship which was set for October 22-29. The facility had problems in 2007, so the tour was cancelled.
The first year of the tour saw the largest pool prize money ever. Reyes won $500K total for his win over Roderick Morse 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 known as the "king" of the billiards hotshots. His reputation as "running all the tables" is his nickname. He has won 14 tournaments. He won a silver medal in eight-ball at 2002 Asian Games.
As a young man, he earned $500 an hour as a teacher of pool. It was a surprise that he found his way into the pool world. He decided to turn pro at tournaments a few years back. He was the face IPT. He is the current color commentator on U.S. broadcasts.
Reyes and Francisco Bustamante represented Philippines during the World Cup of Pool. They defeated Earl Strickland and Roderick Morris. They also won Dr. Louis Pannullo's Award.
The International Pool Tour featured several other stars, including Mike Sigel. Sigel was an importer and a gambler before he became a professional. He began competing after hearing about the league. He won two world championships during his tenure and was a two-time World Professional Pool Champion.
Trudeau, a long-time player of pool, came up with the idea of the tour when he was exposed to a Chicago tournament. The tour originally planned to hold a challenge game in August 2005. The tour was cancelled following negotiations with the facility.