For Billiards to get big...it must start from the collegiate level

dom_poppa

dom_poppa

Banned
It must start here and the current generation of players must promote the game to our youths. If somehow collegiate athletics can recognize the game then it will be a huge success.

Many "Student Unions", basicall a recreation area at colleges, are considered small pool halls. My local university has 20 tables and I am in the process of trying to run tournaments there. Cheap entry fee and you win prizes and not money. If every college does this, then it will cause the athletic program to take notice.

Not only will this grow the sport but colleges may offer scholarships based on skill and talent. This will breed smart pool players and not the bush league tactics that are being done by a certain organization on here.

The industry can pump money to these schools with advertising, what colleges don't like money? This will draw interests from students, thus, spending money on certain pool products....shafts, cues and accessories.

Even if it's small, it still would generate enough interest, an example is the Collegiate Rugby National Championships. Few American colleges have a Rugby program, but the few, got together and formed a Rugby National Championship Tournament.

Perhaps, a collegiate Billiards National Championship Tourney will exist in the future.
 
No it must start much sooner then collegiate try pop warner football for example. There needs to be a league for kids or high school, that is where it needs to start and that would ensure a future for pool.
 
BrokeHustler said:
No it must start much sooner then collegiate try pop warner football for example. There needs to be a league for kids or high school, that is where it needs to start and that would ensure a future for pool.
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I will go as young as high school....due to table and equipment size...it will be pretty hard to convince an American child to play this game.
 
dom_poppa said:
I will go as young as high school....due to table and equipment size...it will be pretty hard to convince an American child to play this game.
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that's true but i think natural ability would be able to show threw, it's like learning to throw a baseball when your a kid you don't forget and it because a natural talent you don't have to think about it you just know.

but maybe your right but definitely high school and by having the collegiate championships and scholar ships then it would make billiards and option for high schools.
 
Just face it, pool is going nowhere. Never has, most likely never will. If you think getting the youth interested will do anything, you are sadly mistaken. The youth of today and yesteryear who had the desire, grew up to the fragmented industry we have today.

Pool is at best a 3rd tier sport. It will never be any bigger than darts, ping pong or bowling. These industries will never be able to compete with any athletic sport period.

People enjoy doing something while drinking booze in the bar. That is one reason pool leagues have prospered. The APA and the Equalizer system works, but they have no financial interest in promoting top level players.

Honest gambling and betters from the rail could have helped pool, but we all know what happened there. KT's business model was also based on generating revenue from gambling.

The hustler mentality will always permeate the pool world. The biggest, newest thing going is TAR and their business model is based on this premise.

Instead of trying to help the pro's make more money, I think I will focus on my career. If I make a couple bucks from a tournament here and there, then fine. It lessens my entertainment budget. For 99.9% of us, pool is only entertainment.

That's my 2¢'s and I want change back.
 
jason said:
Just face it, pool is going nowhere. Never has, most likely never will. If you think getting the youth interested will do anything, you are sadly mistaken. The youth of today and yesteryear who had the desire, grew up to the fragmented industry we have today.

Pool is at best a 3rd tier sport. It will never be any bigger than darts, ping pong or bowling. These industries will never be able to compete with any athletic sport period.

People enjoy doing something while drinking booze in the bar. That is one reason pool leagues have prospered. The APA and the Equalizer system works, but they have no financial interest in promoting top level players.

Honest gambling and betters from the rail could have helped pool, but we all know what happened there. KT's business model was also based on generating revenue from gambling.

The hustler mentality will always permeate the pool world. The biggest, newest thing going is TAR and their business model is based on this premise.

Instead of trying to help the pro's make more money, I think I will focus on my career. If I make a couple bucks from a tournament here and there, then fine. It lessens my entertainment budget. For 99.9% of us, pool is only entertainment.

That's my 2¢'s and I want change back.
Click to expand...

if pool is for only entertainment, Then what is basket ball? it's the lack of influence by our own culture that creates this lack of participation of the sport.
 
In my opinion;

Maybe ONE out of 50 High School Students can play better than a 'C'

Maybe One out of 100 College students can crack into the B+ range and they'd have to miss a lot of classes and play a lot of pool to be able to get close to "B+"

Students with a lot of time? that is a stretch. Classes, studying, partying on the weekend, when can they practice pool enough to get better.

Why would they? there isn't a career path to making $100,000 a year in pool.

Remember? some of the PROS don't even get paid when they do WIN.

Pool needs a NEW game and Players that know how to make the game Spectator SPECTACULAR.

Now, pool is boring and so are the players. If you can get 500 fans in the seats you consider your event salvagable. Maybe break even.
 
BrokeHustler said:
if pool is for only entertainment, Then what is basket ball? it's the lack of influence by our own culture that creates this lack of participation of the sport.
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Yes, basketball at its core is entertainment too, but at the top it is a sustainable career for many. Basketball also has an added benefit of exercise.

Pool is big at the league level, but I think when these discussions come up, they are always directed toward the pro level. Forget about the pipe dream of getting a major sponsor too. Look at how fickle the advertising world is. The stigma of the pool player totally affects the ability of top pros to get high profile sponsors. Very few outside the industry are will to take a chance on a pool player.
 
jason said:
Just face it, pool is going nowhere. Never has, most likely never will. If you think getting the youth interested will do anything, you are sadly mistaken. The youth of today and yesteryear who had the desire, grew up to the fragmented industry we have today.

Pool is at best a 3rd tier sport. It will never be any bigger than darts, ping pong or bowling. These industries will never be able to compete with any athletic sport period.

People enjoy doing something while drinking booze in the bar. That is one reason pool leagues have prospered. The APA and the Equalizer system works, but they have no financial interest in promoting top level players.

Honest gambling and betters from the rail could have helped pool, but we all know what happened there. KT's business model was also based on generating revenue from gambling.

The hustler mentality will always permeate the pool world. The biggest, newest thing going is TAR and their business model is based on this premise.

Instead of trying to help the pro's make more money, I think I will focus on my career. If I make a couple bucks from a tournament here and there, then fine. It lessens my entertainment budget. For 99.9% of us, pool is only entertainment.

That's my 2¢'s and I want change back.
Click to expand...

While I agree that this is the case at the moment in the US I have to point out that China, taiwan and some middle eastern countries have demonstrated success with developing junior programs. They are also making headway in the snooker world.

I believe with the right financing/organization some kind of sanctioning body could make pool take off on the college level. Bass fishing is now a college sport, Quiditch a game that was thought up for Harry Potter is on its way to being a college sport.

Pool is a sound product but as the old adage goes "pool is a beautiful game played by ugly people" With the right leadership it can and will grow.
 
I have seen it offered as a PE class in a kind of prep high school before and I have a friend a few years back that actually taught a class for a continuing education project in his area. High schools and colleges would be a nice addition, like to see it happen. Good thread.
 
we just need a pool player that goes Hollywood. needs his own reality show, Shows how all they do is hang out at pool halls have fun go to strip clubs,eat great food, party it up and gamble on every little thing possible. that would be good for the sport
 
One thing is certain and that is pool will continue it's downhill slide. There are VERY few pool players under 30 now and if we have no young players it stands to reason pool has very little future. Not at least as we know it now and with most establisments doing zero to attract younger players theyare litterally helping to end their own future. It astonishes me that pool room owners do so litle to get young folks into their rooms. I started to play when I was 14 and there were lots of kids in pool halls back then, (mid 60's) most people in pool rooms then were under 30. Flop that around to today and it's the opposite. If it weren't for leagues most pool halls would be gone already and IMO that may be the key. If leagues and pool hall owners could come up with a creative arrangment it would benefit both to get some new young players interested in playing. JMO..........
 
There appear to be numerous problems with Pool in the US:-

1. The view that many people outside the game still have of it, even though it's not too much like it was years ago outsiders still have that view.
2. Bad press much of which we do ourselves, things like players not getting paid, some players antics on and off the table etc.
3. Pool has players but a miniscule # of Fans. Players do not like watching Pool they prefer playing it.
4. Too many organisations, too many tours to be national or international
5. Pool needs a brand, like the NFL, NBA, MLB
6. TV coverage is virtually non existant. We need to get someone interested in putting Pool on a major channel. I don't know if that is possible as even the Mosconi Cup is not shown live here. It would appear to be the perfect vehicle if ever anyone is ever going to watch it.
 
Georgia Boy said:
There appear to be numerous problems with Pool in the US:-

1. The view that many people outside the game still have of it, even though it's not too much like it was years ago outsiders still have that view.
2. Bad press much of which we do ourselves, things like players not getting paid, some players antics on and off the table etc.
3. Pool has players but a miniscule # of Fans. Players do not like watching Pool they prefer playing it.
4. Too many organisations, too many tours to be national or international
5. Pool needs a brand, like the NFL, NBA, MLB
6. TV coverage is virtually non existant. We need to get someone interested in putting Pool on a major channel. I don't know if that is possible as even the Mosconi Cup is not shown live here. It would appear to be the perfect vehicle if ever anyone is ever going to watch it.
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Georgia Boy,

Everything you stated here is already known. What is not known are the answers to your questions. Nobody has been successfully able to solve these problems to our satisfaction. Many have tried and many have failed.

The one thing you stated that has exceptional potential to break the ice to the general public is the Mosconi Cup. If it could be the perfect gateway event. Nice observation GB.
 
dom_poppa said:
It must start here and the current generation of players must promote the game to our youths. If somehow collegiate athletics can recognize the game then it will be a huge success.

Many "Student Unions", basicall a recreation area at colleges, are considered small pool halls. My local university has 20 tables and I am in the process of trying to run tournaments there. Cheap entry fee and you win prizes and not money. If every college does this, then it will cause the athletic program to take notice.

Not only will this grow the sport but colleges may offer scholarships based on skill and talent. This will breed smart pool players and not the bush league tactics that are being done by a certain organization on here.

The industry can pump money to these schools with advertising, what colleges don't like money? This will draw interests from students, thus, spending money on certain pool products....shafts, cues and accessories.

Even if it's small, it still would generate enough interest, an example is the Collegiate Rugby National Championships. Few American colleges have a Rugby program, but the few, got together and formed a Rugby National Championship Tournament.

Perhaps, a collegiate Billiards National Championship Tourney will exist in the future.
Click to expand...
This is in order to achieve what end? You may produce more players that may frequent bars and pool rooms as adults. This will not produce a future big money sport. One has nothing to do with the other. Pool is also not athletic.
 
It needs more than the youth. That is a given. Most parents don't want their kids spending 1000$ anyways. We need more upscale poolrooms and lower hourly rates.
 
Tom In Cincy said:
In my opinion;

Maybe ONE out of 50 High School Students can play better than a 'C'

Maybe One out of 100 College students can crack into the B+ range and they'd have to miss a lot of classes and play a lot of pool to be able to get close to "B+"

Students with a lot of time? that is a stretch. Classes, studying, partying on the weekend, when can they practice pool enough to get better.
Click to expand...
Based on my own limited experience good high school players grew up with a table in their house. The only pool table I had access to as a teenager was the barbox in the bowling alley. After a while, they got sick of the kids hanging around only shooting pool (i.e, not buying food, bowling, etc) that they moved the table into the lounge where you had to be 21 to get in.

To improve the level of high school students, you have to make tables accessible. (Good luck with that.)

Any collegiate-level program has to include training (e.g., group lessons) to improve the quality of the players. If every kid in officially sanctioned college sports have time to go to class, practice, travel for games, etc, etc, I think students who enjoy the game will make time. It helps that a lot of dorms have tables that are free or incredibly cheap (mine was a buck-an-hour.)
 
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