It is absolutely true. ESPN (ocho) would rather stream the Mullet hair do championship than anything billiards. That says that people are more interested in a stupid hair style than a real game…
You don't need to be on ESPN. Polo season in Florida and the steeplechase seasons in the mid Atlantic do great numbers on gate receipts without any tv coverage at all. Tickets packages running from $50 to $10k, great guest experiences, lots of perceived value. Likewise spring season pro football. UFL/XFL has crappy FS1 tv coverage, but their teams sell lots of premium tickets for $100+ per head because they provide a great fan experience.
This shouldn't be hard. A premium bourbon lounge with good bbq, an exclusive Calcutta for premium tier ticket holders. Exclusive player interactions and/ or clinics, product demos, skills challenges for prizes, exclusive merch. People love a door marked private.