A US national billiard program with a dedicated facility and nationwide chapters would be great. Do i see it happening in the next 10yrs? No. There are junior programs in the US but they are too scattered and not on the same page to really be effective. The BEF does a great job with the resources they have but it could be a lot bigger. Of course $$ is a huge part but just getting kids near a table is a huge challenge. BTW, there is hope. US kid Eddie Vondreau just finished 3rd in the Predator World's Under19's.
I think pool is less a sport then it is a subculture. Within our own little world actually a lot is going on, but the outside world doesn't really know or care about it.
YouTube is full of videos on pool. And when you look at them maybe they got a few thousand views. Meantime you click on a video about how to set up a camping stove and get 150,000 views in 10 days.
I watched a video last night of a guy turning a little 5x8 cargo trailer into a camper. In 2 weeks it had 485,000 views.
I don't really know where I'm going with this other than to say, I don't think the general public cares one bit about pool.
I think in some respects you can't get away from the idea that some corporate people don't really want to be involved with pool. It carries a stigma that while to many is fascinating, others want nothing to do with it.
I think the gambling, living by ones wits, an outlaw so to speak is what the public has always liked about pool. Even when they did these old-timers tournaments years ago, the music was from the sting.
