The "Surprise Factor" in sports...

[chefjeff]

A few days ago I was at the Iowa Speedway for a meeting and the GASS tour was practicing racing with their students and it was a fun watch. The conversation turned to watching sports in general and which ones were preferred.

One die-hard sports guy said he'd rather watch college football than pros. Beings that a recent thread here was talking about such things and I'm always interested in marketing pool to spectators, vs. just players, I asked him why he liked amateur sports more than pro sports. His answer was telling.

He said that in pro sports you usually know what the ending will be, that there is no "surprise factor," as he put it. He said those guys are so good that it bores him to watch. As he said this, I was thinking of how pro pool players can make the game look so easy that ol' Joe Sixpack thinks the same and that he could shoot like that too, with just a little practice. And the thread about the video of amateur shooters made me think that maybe pool has a "no surprise factor" problem when it comes to spectators.

Could it be that pool's version of college players (short-stops or below, even--leagues, maybe?) might maker for better spectating than our best players do?

Comments? Grievences?

Jeff Livingston

 

[Maniac]

After 60 years of television and for the most part ZERO successful shows featuring pool, I don't think we will ever see a televised show involving pool that is not in some kind of way associated with gimmickry (as in "game show"). Pool as we know it is just not appealling to the masses, including many pool enthusiasts. It's not going to matter if it is shown played by seasoned professionals, or shortstop-speed players. IOW. there ain't no suprise factor gonna make it any more appealing. I love the sh*t out of pool, but watching it sometimes gets boring to me too. Live pool is no different. As bad a poolplayer as I am, when I go to a "big" tournament I rarely ever see anything that I haven't done myself at one time or another (with the exception of running multiple racks, three or more). I was all excited at the prospects of going to the recent Ultimate 10-ball tournament which was held about 75 minutes from my house, but when the day before the tournament came, I just couldn't muster up enough excitement to go over and watch. Just wasn't worth the trouble. As a poolplayer, I'd rather be home (or at a poolhall) actually PLAYING than watching.

I have serious doubts that pool will ever succeed as a spectator sport.

Maniac

 

[trustyrusty]

GREAT points Maniac. Being an avid golfer, I too would rather play than even watch televised golf. The only exceptions are major championships (mostly the Masters and US Open), and even then I'm only semi-interested until the final day or even back 9 on the final day! I honestly don't see how golf can get ratings being on tv, and I LOVE golf. Billiards has a smaller following than golf I would guess, and certainly has MUCH fewer willing sponsors. I have no idea how it could survive on tv....

 

[nelldrake]

Pool DVDs and videos

I watch them all the time especially when the narrators are knowledgeable. I don't watch any TV at all. If I am not busy tending to my life, shooting pool, or water skiing I am watching pool matches on the internet or some of my DVDs. As long as I can watch pool this way I don't care if it is not on ESPN or Fox Sports.

 

[trustyrusty]

I watch them all the time especially when the narrators are knowledgeable. I don't watch any TV at all. If I am not busy tending to my life, shooting pool, or water skiing I am watching pool matches on the internet or some of my DVDs. As long as I can watch pool this way I don't care if it is not on ESPN or Fox Sports.

You know I'm with ya there Nelly Nell....I tune into streams more than I watch tv...well, excluding watching my Cardinals (but I listen to them on the radio too).

 

[9BallPaul]

Personally I believe in the Cassius Clay theory. One player with charisma (anyone remember New York Fats) can capture the imagination of the media. From there, it's on to movies etc.

Landon Shuffett? He's got the talent, but not sure about the charisma. Anyone else out there on the horizon?

 

[Scott Lee]

Jeff...Randyg and I talk about this all the time in pool school. Every year we see the most amazing shots made by amateur players...great jumps, amazing masse's, runouts from nowhere...things you mostly don't see watching pros because they don't get out of line so badly very often. Then there's that thing about they don't miss that much either! LOL Interesting theory! :thumbup:

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

A few days ago I was at the Iowa Speedway for a meeting and the GASS tour was practicing racing with their students and it was a fun watch. The conversation turned to watching sports in general and which ones were preferred.

One die-hard sports guy said he'd rather watch college football than pros. Beings that a recent thread here was talking about such things and I'm always interested in marketing pool to spectators, vs. just players, I asked him why he liked amateur sports more than pro sports. His answer was telling.

He said that in pro sports you usually know what the ending will be, that there is no "surprise factor," as he put it. He said those guys are so good that it bores him to watch. As he said this, I was thinking of how pro pool players can make the game look so easy that ol' Joe Sixpack thinks the same and that he could shoot like that too, with just a little practice. And the thread about the video of amateur shooters made me think that maybe pool has a "no surprise factor" problem when it comes to spectators.

Could it be that pool's version of college players (short-stops or below, even--leagues, maybe?) might maker for better spectating than our best players do?

Comments? Grievences?

Jeff Livingston

 

[Scott Lee]

trustyrusty...While I am nothing close to an avid golfer, I am a avid fan. One the draws, for me, watching tournaments like you mentioned, is the way they have so many cameras and commentators, and have the ability to immediately switch holes to show live shots, as well as instant replay. If they showed pool that way, imo, it would make for great tv.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

GREAT points Maniac. Being an avid golfer, I too would rather play than even watch televised golf. The only exceptions are major championships (mostly the Masters and US Open), and even then I'm only semi-interested until the final day or even back 9 on the final day! I honestly don't see how golf can get ratings being on tv, and I LOVE golf. Billiards has a smaller following than golf I would guess, and certainly has MUCH fewer willing sponsors. I have no idea how it could survive on tv....

 

[chefjeff]

Jeff...Randyg and I talk about this all the time in pool school. Every year we see the most amazing shots made by amateur players...great jumps, amazing masse's, runouts from nowhere...things you mostly don't see watching pros because they don't get out of line so badly very often. Then there's that thing about they don't miss that much either! LOL Interesting theory! :thumbup:

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

Thanks for repsonding, Scott.

I've read here on AZ that Efren likes to watch amateurs because they shoot some shots he'd never thought of shooting and he learns from that.

With pool not being in the mainstream, I'd venture a guess that the avg Person can't enjoy top-level play as we, the pool players enjoy it. If that's true, then why do we (I use 'we' for the pool community) think that showing top-level play can sell to those folks? Maybe those folks would like to be entertained as you indicated in your post?

I'd like some more input on this from those who market pool for a living or want to do that. Maybe an opinion or two could give some of those Persons an idea to market this sport better?

Anyone else have an opinion?

Jeff Livingston

 

[zerowins]

I agree which is why I am a BIG FAN of jump shots. For the average spectator they are extremely exciting !!!

A few days ago I was at the Iowa Speedway for a meeting and the GASS tour was practicing racing with their students and it was a fun watch. The conversation turned to watching sports in general and which ones were preferred.

One die-hard sports guy said he'd rather watch college football than pros. Beings that a recent thread here was talking about such things and I'm always interested in marketing pool to spectators, vs. just players, I asked him why he liked amateur sports more than pro sports. His answer was telling.

He said that in pro sports you usually know what the ending will be, that there is no "surprise factor," as he put it. He said those guys are so good that it bores him to watch. As he said this, I was thinking of how pro pool players can make the game look so easy that ol' Joe Sixpack thinks the same and that he could shoot like that too, with just a little practice. And the thread about the video of amateur shooters made me think that maybe pool has a "no surprise factor" problem when it comes to spectators.

Could it be that pool's version of college players (short-stops or below, even--leagues, maybe?) might maker for better spectating than our best players do?

Comments? Grievences?

Jeff Livingston