We at AZBilliards.com wish all of you a very Happy New Year!
2013 was a year of great change for AZB. We launched our new website in the Spring and it has been greeted very warmly. It has helped us remain the largest billiard media outlet anywhere and a source of information for pool enthusiasts all around the world. We have covered large events in major countries and presented the photos and stories of these events for all to enjoy. And, as you all know, we launched the AZB Gold Members subscriptions. Our AZB Gold Members are readers who choose to join as a subscriber and in return for their membership, they get monthly drawings for the best gear in the industry and access to all of our past archives. Coming in 2014, they will also enjoy custom content created just for them.
The coming year will be a big one for the Golden Ones. We are getting ready to launch the AZB Gold Mine, where we will soon be showing a nearly complete history of the National Billiard News with almost every issue displayed in full screen so that you can sit back and read about the Johnston City events in real time along with stories about players from Ralph Greenleaf to Fats to Jim Rempe and into the modern era. We will also be bringing columns back online where the best writers in the industry will find a forum. Later in the year, we'll also launch the Photos section featuring the work of our own JP Parmentier as well as all the leading photographers in the industry.
We also have a few more surprises still in our cases, that we will bring online in 2014...
The AZB Gold Mine Giveaways every month will only get bigger and better. Our partners who provide us with the products that we give away are all long-time supporters of the site and we would like to thank them all for their continued support. In alphabetical order we wish to thank Giveaway Contributors: The Delta Rack, Fury Cues, JB Cases, Lucasi Hybrid Cues, Master Chalk, OB Cues, Predator Cues, Summit Cues, Viking Cues, and TAR. These companies have shown their love for the players by providing over $20,000 annually in merchandise and we know you will consider them first when choosing gear for purchase.
AZB is looking forward to 2014 and all of the changes and challenges it will bring with a great deal of energy and excitement. Once again we will be wherever the pros are playing and we will cover the sport for you as no one else can and usually in very real time.
Finally, we wish to thank all of our promoter partners who make it possible for us to bring you the news of their events. Without them we cannot bring you live scoring, live brackets, live streaming, daily reports and galleries of photos. Thanks to Mike Zuglan of the Joss Tour, Greg Sullivan and Chad Scharlow of Derby City Classic, Badi Nazhat of the Ultimate Ten Ball Championships, Mark Griffin of all things CSI, Barry Behrman and Shannon Paschall Behrman of the U.S. Open 9-Ball Championships, and Luke Riches of Matchroom Sport. It takes a team to get you all of the information we present and these are critical members of the team.
Thanks also to all of the Regional Tour Operators who give us their information and to Skip Maloney for assembling all of that and making it readable.
Happy New Year again to all of you and we wish you all good shooting.
