Originally operated by the Billiard Congress of America (BCA), the BCA Pool League is now operated by CueSports International. The BCA Pool League is an umbrella membership organization for pool leagues worldwide. The group has over 50,000 member and more than 500 leagues in 8 countries.
The BCA Pool League, the oldest pool league sanctioning organisation in the globe, is still being operated by the BCA. The BCA originally managed the organization. CueSports International purchased the company in 2004. It has over 450 leagues throughout eight countries, and is a prominent presence in Canada.
BCA Pool League rules have been designed to facilitate team play. Each team can have no more than eight members. Each player on the team may play only one or two games per round. The BCA must have all players. All players must agree to a Code of Conduct and Ethics. The Hall of Fame recognizes outstanding players.
To unify leagues around the globe, the BCA Pool League was created in 1978. It was created to help pool leagues achieve economies of scale. It has grown to become a significant force in pool. It has become a major sponsor in the WPBA Tour. This is North America's premier pool tournament.
BCA Pool League rules were created to ensure fair play and promote sportsmanship. Terry Bell and Larry Hubbart created the league. They were also professional pool players. In 1981, they established the American Poolplayers Association. It also has two international affiliates: the World Pool-Billiard Association, (WPBA), and the Japanese Poolplayers Association, (JPA).
The BCA Pool League is a nine-ball and eight ball league that plays on 9-foot tables. The nine-ball matches are based on points. The player needs to score two or more points to win. Players must play eight-ball at a skill level three or higher. The player who wins eight games per round is the winner. The match must be played within three week if the match is delayed. If the player is unavailable for three weeks or more, the match is forfeited.
Players must register and pay dues to the BCA Pool League. All dues must be clearly noted on score sheets. If a player does not pay all dues, his or her scores will not be counted.
BCA Pool League rules also include "Applied Rulings" from large-scale tournament administration. These rules include the lag time rule which requires that the ball be shot only after the ball of the opponent touches the foot cushion.
The league director has the right to make placement decisions. He or she is also responsible to ensure that the competitive levels of all divisions are comparable. The league director is responsible for making sure that all players are treated equally, and that no one team is preferred over the other.
The BCA Pool League rules contain an APA handicapping program called the "Equalizer". This system was created to give every player a fair chance at winning.