In light of the ABP boycott of the US Open I have some questions for Jay, Jam, Justin and others that are knowledgeable about pool tournaments.
1. What was the last profitable big tournament? If so how much did they make?
2. If they made money. How? Gate, entries, PPV streams?
After observing the life cycle of pool tournaments and tours I just don't see how it makes sense to have a pool tournament and expect to make a huge profit or even make enough to break even.
In my view I think that "professional pool" if you want to call it that will have to depend on 1 and done tournaments that have a wealthy backer who is willing to take a financial bath to put on an event.
Thanks for thinking of my opinion as worthy. I'm not a minion of today's click, for lack of a better word, but I never was a follower. And I must add that I have a strong disdain for those who worship money more so than their own integrity.
Most promoters don't like to publish what they make in profit, mainly because the pool public will complain about paying gate fees and other tournament-associated expenses. What folks sometimes may not realize is that most pool promoters, as was recently stated by Mark Griffin, do this because of their love of pool, sometimes not expecting to profit financially.
From my observations, I think Allen Hopkins may profit well because his platform at Super Billiards Expo in Valley Forge, PA is solid. He has quite a few vendors who come each and every year. The leagues are plentiful in numbers, and they make up the bulk of the attendance. Pro pool is a drop in the bucket for this event, IMO.
Greg Sullivan's Derby City Classic wasn't always a profitable endeavor, but I think he has carved himself an annual event that many feel is their favorite once-a-year pool vacation. There's a little bit there for everybody. Though Greg goes out of his way to get the pros to come attend by helping them with some of their expenses, the pro pool scene at the DCC isn't what makes it special. Rather, it's the culmination of pool peeps from all walks of life that distinguish the Derby City Classic from all the rest. I think Greg Sullivan makes ends meet, which is a lot better than some promoters. If he profits, good for him. That's a huge undertaking that requires the patience of a saint when dealing with all the fires to put out to keep it running smoothly. I don't know how he does it.
Mike Zuglan is at the low end of the totem poll when it comes to profiting in pool. With all of his efforts in keeping the Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour running, to include the two $25,000-added Turning Stone events, I think Zuglan treads water, but he's not getting rich from pool. He just got sick of all the pool politics and favoritism and organizational failures when he was hitting 'em strong and decided to stop talking and start chalking. He did things his way, and for 16 years [subject to check], the Joss tournament structure is still alive. This may be the longest running regional tour in existence, to my knowledge.
I have not had the privilege of attending the Vegas events, mainly because I won't fly in airplanes and must drive everywhere. This limits my ability to attend tournaments over on the West Coast. The Mark Griffin ventures are first class and enjoyed by the masses, to include amateurs, pros, and social shooters. He must be doing something right because it appears that his business entities get stronger each year.
Dragon events do profit, thanks to PoolGrapevine, et al. They have not been as friendly to the pool public as other events, from what I have read on this forum, charging players' wives extra fees to sit ringside to see their husbands play pool, as an example. But, hey, you gotta do what you gotta do to turn a profit, even if it means not treating everyone the same way you treat the favorites within the organization.
I don't know much about the Seminole events, but everything I hear is good. It's ironic because Native American culture is a passion of mine. I was planning on attending a Seminole tournament in August, but it's still up in the air. I might have to work overtime that month. There's a lot of things going on in D.C. that are providing me work opportunities right now, and I will never put pool ahead of my livelihood again. :smile:
and that's about it. Most other events that I've worked on (as a producer or director) were losing propositions. I've had far more success owning and operating poolrooms.
