 Membership of the Association was by application, with playing achievements and disciplinary records the main factors taken into account.This means of becoming professional was later replaced by a series of "pro ticket" events.Prior to the formation of the WPBSA, the world governing body of both snooker and English billiards was the Billiards Association and Control Council (BACC or BA&CC), later known as the Billiards and Snooker Control Council.