Pool is Not Dead.....Just Transitioning

[BasementDweller]

I have heard all this talk about how pool is dying and I may be in the minority here but I don't buy it.

I will agree that many pool halls (in the U.S.) are struggling and a lot of the gambling money has dried up -- thanks to poker and the economy. BUT I think pool is just entering a brand new phase. Internet streaming is where it's at!

I have been watching a lot of matches on the internet lately and I'm really impressed with the quality of these productions. My hunch is that we are nearing the end of the beginning of the internet streaming. By that, I mean the first phase of this format is coming to an end. The 2nd phase will be beginning soon. In this phase we will see more sponsors step up to advertise and more money will find its way into the hands of those that have put so much time and effort into these streams.

The only thing stopping this from happening is the overall economy. When and if the economy starts growing again this 2nd phase will begin. This is my hope at least. Pool is now in the hands of the internet streamers.

 

[sammylane12]

I just don`t see where the money is going to come from. I have watched FREE streams of top players playing in big tournaments in this country and they are lucky to get 1200 viewers. The womens finals of the China open had over one million viewers. The only people who care about pool in America are the hardcore players. Pro pool has a future in Asia, possibly the Middle east and Europe. It has an abysmal future in the US.

 

[jason]

I just don`t see where the money is going to come from. I have watched FREE streams of top players playing in big tournaments in this country and they are lucky to get 1200 viewers. The womens finals of the China open had over one million viewers. The only people who care about pool in America are the hardcore players. Pro pool has a future in Asia, possibly the Middle east and Europe. It has an abysmal future in the US.

When the transition of U.S. wealth to China is complete and we be able to watch all of the Chinese government controlled programming we want. Hopefully they will still like pool.

 

[Scott Lee]

sammylane12...I agree about Asia. The Middle East are tiny blips on the radar, and are invitational events only. Forget about Europe...their poolplayers aren't making any money either...except when they win an Asian tournament or the US Open.

BasementDweller...I agree! Pool is not dying.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

I just don`t see where the money is going to come from. I have watched FREE streams of top players playing in big tournaments in this country and they are lucky to get 1200 viewers. The womens finals of the China open had over one million viewers. The only people who care about pool in America are the hardcore players. Pro pool has a future in Asia, possibly the Middle east and Europe. It has an abysmal future in the US.

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

Kids in the USA are different now than they were in the 1950's. We were happy to play pool at a BOYS Club, YMCA, City Park. Today kids want to play Video Games, WII, Use a Cell phone, text Message, and I think Pool that too much effort, and is not as exciting as the other thing I mentioned.

The Internet, Country Clubs, Tennis Clubs, and other thing people have to do in 2011 are more exiting than Pool.

Even the kids at the Boy & Girl Club in Phoenix in 2011 stand in line to get on the clubs computer like we stood in line for a chance to play pool in the 1950's.

Pool in the 2011 has lot of competition for people time, attention, an money.

 

[jason]

Today kids want to play Video Games, WII, Use a Cell phone, text Message, and I think Pool that too much effort, and is not as exciting as the other thing I mentioned.

Do you blame them? For the life of me, I can't understand why they wouldn't want to do these other things over pool. Life has changed and is changing for everybody constantly and quicker than ever.

Can you imagine a freshman in HS telling his guidance counselor he would like to be a professional pool player? Can you imagine a guidance counselor agreeing with him? It is a crime to any child who doesn't have and is exposed to technology skills.

I choose to take a typing class in HS, thinking it was probably a waist of time. Today typing is an essential skill in almost all jobs.

 

[12squared]

Or as Frank Zappa once said: Pool is not dead, it just smells funny

Ok, maybe it was jazz, but the spirit applies to the topic. By the way, I like pool.

Dave

 

[sammylane12]

sammylane12...I agree about Asia. The Middle East are tiny blips on the radar, and are invitational events only. Forget about Europe...their poolplayers aren't making any money either...except when they win an Asian tournament or the US Open Basement. Dweller...I agree! Pool is not dying.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

You are probably right about the Middle East and Europe. However Europeans at least seem to care about pool. There is a passion there that I don`t see in the US.

 

[BasementDweller]

Do you blame them? For the life of me, I can't understand why they wouldn't want to do these other things over pool. Life has changed and is changing for everybody constantly and quicker than ever.

Can you imagine a freshman in HS telling his guidance counselor he would like to be a professional pool player? Can you imagine a guidance counselor agreeing with him? It is a crime to any child who doesn't have and is exposed to technology skills.

I choose to take a typing class in HS, thinking it was probably a waist of time. Today typing is an essential skill in almost all jobs.

No I don't blame them. I blame us! I could very easily let my kids sit around all day and play video games or watch TV, but I don't.

If we want kids to learn to play AND love pool it starts with us. I have yet to have a child come into my home that wasn't interested in pool when given the chance and a little instruction. The excitement you see on their faces when they pocket a ball or two is really priceless.

 

[laserbrn]

No I don't blame them. I blame us! I could very easily let my kids sit around all day and play video games or watch TV, but I don't.

If we want kids to learn to play AND love pool it starts with us. I have yet to have a child come into my home that wasn't interested in pool when given the chance and a little instruction. The excitement you see on their faces when they pocket a ball or two is really priceless.

So you wouldn't have your kids sitting around all day playing video games or watching TV (both of which can be very educational with proper parental guidance), you would have them sit around all day playing pool? Is the hope that someday they will grow up to hang out in seedy bars and gamble?

I enjoy pool. I think it's an interesting game and I probably wasted too many years drinking and playing and I really wouldn't wish the same on my children. There's a lot more to life than balls on a rock and this game sucks the rest of it away from you. I'll always love it, but I've smoked this rock and now I can't quit.

 

[Jimbojim]

So you wouldn't have your kids sitting around all day playing video games or watching TV (both of which can be very educational with proper parental guidance), you would have them sit around all day playing pool? Is the hope that someday they will grow up to hang out in seedy bars and gamble?

I enjoy pool. I think it's an interesting game and I probably wasted too many years drinking and playing and I really wouldn't wish the same on my children. There's a lot more to life than balls on a rock and this game sucks the rest of it away from you. I'll always love it, but I've smoked this rock and now I can't quit.

Who said that trying to hone their skills at pool mean they have to forget about education, making friends, meeting a love partner and starting a family? There isn't a rule that says that to play pool you have to drop everything and practice 10 hours a day.

 

[BasementDweller]

So you wouldn't have your kids sitting around all day playing video games or watching TV (both of which can be very educational with proper parental guidance), you would have them sit around all day playing pool? Is the hope that someday they will grow up to hang out in seedy bars and gamble?

I enjoy pool. I think it's an interesting game and I probably wasted too many years drinking and playing and I really wouldn't wish the same on my children. There's a lot more to life than balls on a rock and this game sucks the rest of it away from you. I'll always love it, but I've smoked this rock and now I can't quit.

Did you watch the video???

No I wouldn't have my kids standing around the pool table all day anymore than I would have them sitting around playing video games all day. We do have some video games in our home but we try to limit it as much as possible. Our goal is to try to do things together as much as possible. I don't have the scientific research to back up my claim but something instinctively tells me that games that require physical movement are much better for children than sitting in front of the TV playing video games.

I get your point regarding the seedier element of the pool culture. This is something I haven't really thought about until you brought it up. Would I really want one of my children to be a great pool player??? Hmmm, my fatherly pride says yes but I do see your point regarding the trappings of the lifestyle. I think a solid foundation (faith, family, & education) could enable one to overcome the temptations that a lot of players succumb to.

For now, we will just continue to have fun together on the table. The winters can be long around here. They would be even longer without the table in the basement.

 

[laserbrn]

Did you watch the video???

No I wouldn't have my kids standing around the pool table all day anymore than I would have them sitting around playing video games all day. We do have some video games in our home but we try to limit it as much as possible. Our goal is to try to do things together as much as possible. I don't have the scientific research to back up my claim but something instinctively tells me that games that require physical movement are much better for children than sitting in front of the TV playing video games.

I get your point regarding the seedier element of the pool culture. This is something I haven't really thought about until you brought it up. Would I really want one of my children to be a great pool player??? Hmmm, my fatherly pride says yes but I do see your point regarding the trappings of the lifestyle. I think a solid foundation (faith, family, & education) could enable one to overcome the temptations that a lot of players succumb to.

For now, we will just continue to have fun together on the table. The winters can be long around here. They would be even longer without the table in the basement.

I understand where you are coming from. I would introduce my child to the game of pool. I do love it, and I'd be happy if they did too. I just think that people are often quick to blame video games and television for the pitfalls of poor parenting.

Yes, we have all seen how video games have changed the behaviors of children. I've known children that grew up from a young age with video games and now that they are hitting their teens, they sure don't seem right. I've also known kids that grew up in bars and pool halls and some of them aren't really "right" either. But, the main theme was poor parenting in both.

I don't believe that pool is dead. It may not be mainstream and it may not appeal to the masses, but I don't think that it needs to. Chess, like pool is a truely beautiful game and it's really only popular amongst it's players. It isn't 'mainstream', but I would say it certainly isn't dead.

 

[Bavafongoul]

Everyone Has It All Wrong

I'm 65 yrs old and there's been two big spurts to pool....early 60's...it all started with Paul Newman & George C. Scott in "The Hustler". That 1963 film received nine (9) award nominations including best picture, best director, best writer, best actor, best supporting male actor, best supporting female actress, and it won two Academy Awards as well. This movie sparked the first big wave in pool popularity. A few years earlier, championship play got changed from a 10' table to a 9' table which Mosconi cfredits for increasing the growth in pool players since the game became a lot easier for the average player. Brunswick sold lots of home tables after the Hustler film was released.

About the time that pool popularity was dwindling, the second Tsnumai came with the release of the sequel movie, "The Color of Money" in 1986 starring of course Paul Newman in his role as Fast Eddie and Tom Cruise as Vincent. That movie sparked the next big rise in pool's popularity which cariied us in the the new millenium period. Every 15-20 years or sopool needs another jump start....The Color of Money appealed to the younger crowd and that's what we need again...Another "good" movie about pool players on the road hustling and trying to become the best.

I know there were other movies along the way but none of them had the impact and sparked interest like these two movies did. Hollywood needs to come up with a movie about some hot chick that decides to take on the men's circuit like Michelle Wie tried to do in golf but failed so miserably. This time the girl makes it big on the women's tour and makes some death bed pledage to her Dad that she'll win the men's US Open...or some notion like that. Or do a movie about some young kid in college who hustles big money to pay for his medical or law education....Matt damon did a movie like that about poker.

The point is to reach out to the younger audience set and create some excitement about the game of pool. We just need another third wave to happen.....pool has relied upon this and evereyone seems to have forgotten how dead the game was until the first movie came along and when it started to die out, wham...the second movie came along.

In fact, "The Color of Money" is what drove up the price of original Balabushka cues....you could get one before that movie was released for $1500-$2000 tops. Afterwards, forget about it......that's the fix to the pool industry duldrums...a new movie with some popular stars to help make pool look sexy again.

Bavafongoul...aka.... Matt

 

[Ratta]

You are probably right about the Middle East and Europe. However Europeans at least seem to care about pool. There is a passion there that I don`t see in the US.

Hi there,

believe me- in germany they re also having exactly the same discussions. having the same problems (or similar). fightin "old odds" and so on. many are discussing about it, by far more are hollering at all-but doin themselves nothing to solve this problem. it s not easy-that s sure. but the players themselves have to do something- to put pressure onto the higher instances if it s about regular leagues, tournaments etc.

but pool dying? don t see it-

 

[daniel]

I frequent a poolroom with mostly young kids & not one of them is serious about being a good player. In my observation kids today,as a whole, are too distracted & lazy to put the time & effort into mastering a difficult game. Even in tennis there are not many hot young prospects in the US. China is emerging in many sports & the Europeans are dominating.

 

[Posmanic]

Ill start off saying I'm 30, so not old not young, as a kid all i did was play pool, its all i wanted to do its all i wanted to do in life. sadly i never had a great role model and eventually i found women and i stopped playing like i did and it became a hobby instead of a life for me.

But that is not why I'm not writing. I'm actually writing about my lil sister she is now 17 an like me growing up she actually picked up pool quickly and thanks to me she did have a role model to push her. I may not have been directly around but she was always interested and always asking me how to shoot shots and how to get shape on a shot.

Now In High School She meets a boy. He plays World of Warcraft, and of course he wants her to play to. now i get less and less of those calls and since i also do play wow as well to on occasion i see her on more and more. Seeing this thread makes me want to confront her and ask her about it. But that's the big brother in me i guess. I still play in 2 leagues and try to practice at least 12 hours a week (I know thats not alot) but my back tends to stop me now a days :/

 

[jmonche]

I frequent a poolroom with mostly young kids & not one of them is serious about being a good player. In my observation kids today,as a whole, are too distracted & lazy to put the time & effort into mastering a difficult game. Even in tennis there are not many hot young prospects in the US. China is emerging in many sports & the Europeans are dominating.

Don't blame the kids, but rather the way pool is organized, er make that, disorganized in the States. The young Europeans, in particular the Germans, have the opportunity to join billiard clubs at a young age, where they are actually taught something by trainers who themselves must become certified. They, in turn, compete at all levels and have the opportunity to travel, meet new friends, and -- most important -- learn the game the way it should be played. I am sure the baby boomer crowd can remember the old days when you had to be 16 or 18 to get into a pool room. And, women, were pretty much barred.
The U.S. has been behind the 8-ball as far as grooming young players goes for as long as I can remember and it's only getting worse.

 

[Tzytnt]

I just don`t see where the money is going to come from. I have watched FREE streams of top players playing in big tournaments in this country and they are lucky to get 1200 viewers. The womens finals of the China open had over one million viewers. The only people who care about pool in America are the hardcore players. Pro pool has a future in Asia, possibly the Middle east and Europe. It has an abysmal future in the US.

Actually in Asia Snookers has a brighter future...likely pool economy as well, but definitely not the sport. Pool in China is more like a everyday casual game, lots of ppl play it, but just for fun. News are biased, all the reports are about those Chinese players, I have to resort to other websites while I am there to learn anything 'non-Chinese'. There are more than 10 million ppl play pool in China, however most of them are still at the level of "how to draw?' and "what is the difference between pool and snooker?"

If pool is conducted into Olympics it would really be disastrous. I guess you guys are familiar with table tennis.

Taiwan's way of developing pool is worth considering.

 

[JustPlay]

US Men's Professional Pool had it's moment between 1983 up till about the mid 90's. The MTV generation was more concerned with their "spring breaks" and Cribs. Wall Street was booming and the internet generation was taking off....The Video game industry became a more appealing babysitter to young kids while their parents were too busy making money (working from home). Not to mention current tweets, facebook, myspace (almost exstinct), Ipads, Ipod and oh yea, online Poker (on pause).......

In the last 20 years the "professional" US pool player has to travel the world to compete. US Mens professional pool is no longer and no foreseeable future.

The bottom line: it's always money! sex! and wild entertainment!