World-Standardized Rules Update and Clarification

On rare occasions over the last year, the American CueSports Alliance (ACS) has experienced a few players asking about the rule change in 8-Ball that, after a foul on the break shot, the incoming player can place the cue ball anywhere on the table instead of having to shoot from the 'kitchen'.
 
Please be advised that there has been no such change in the World Standardized Rules as last published by the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) world governing body,  January 1, 2008.
 
Who has changed this rule is the company known as the BCAPL which, as an independent organization, is their right.  It should be noted that unfortunately it is not uncommon for a league sanctioning body to modify, eliminate or even add entirely new 8-Ball game rules. ‘Close to WPA world rules but not quite.
 
As players commonly play in more than one league system, this can be very confusing for players as they have to be aware of and then adjust to the differences.
 
The position of the ACS is simple. We have no intention of devising or managing our own unique set of 'better' rules; we follow the WPA rules from start to finish.  The ACS will continue to support the standardization of the rules for the sport both in North America and the world.
 
All game rules by definition are arbitrary, and the relative merits of each can be argued endlessly. Through the WPA, there is a well-defined process to implement change.
 
If the resulting WPA 8-Ball game rules are good enough for all the national pool federations (on 5 continents) to agree on, they are good enough for the ACS. 
 
In the interest of eliminating confusion everywhere, we wish everyone felt the same way.
 
To date, no other league sanctioning body such as APA, VNEA or TAP – nor the trade association Billiard Congress of America (BCA) which publishes a commercial rulebook - has adopted this BCAPL rule change.