JAM...One thing...I said ENTERTAINERS, not teachers. You can count on one hand the number of professional instructors making a decent living teaching. The majority of us do because we love to teach...period. I was talking about pro players taking advantage of what I perceive as a HUGE available market for entertainment. I make far more money doing exhibitions than I do teaching, and I make no bones about it (add to it that to do that I am on the road 200+ days a year). Hopkins saw a need for a consumer pool show, filled it, and makes a nice living from it, allowing him to do whatever he chooses (he works hard on that annual show). Sigel is what he is. Varner is still competing at a high level, AND making money selling product and doing exhibtions (definitely a smart move). Massey realized decades ago the financial fate of the American pro players, and went a different route (to achieve worldwide fame and acceptance, AND financial gain)...also a smart move. Jeanette is "king of the hill" as far as pro poolplayers making a real living. She got that through hard work and good representation (something the men players have NEVER had, for various reasons). Whether she is easier to book than Archer remains to be seen. Archer has had chances for good representation (imo), and has declined to take advantage of it.
JAM, I don't disagree with you about how things are...nor how things have changed over the past 40 years (gas, motels, food, not to mention less tournaments with less prize money, etc). Do I think it's right that you can be the best in your country at something mainstream like pool, and not be able to make a decent living? No. I also don't think it's right for hundreds of athletes in the NFL, MLB, and NBA to be making millions every year, just because they are good at what they do. The ultimate cost to the consumer is absurd. You may call them "dancing monkeys", but I call it doing what you need to do, to pay the bills, while pursuing what you want to do (play pro pool competitively). BTW, I don't consider myself a "pool purist". That said, I do consider myself a practical individual, with the skills, desire, and gumption, to acheive what I want. We are both on the same side of the issue. I just feel like the players can help themselves, if they really wanted to.
Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
JAM, I don't disagree with you about how things are...nor how things have changed over the past 40 years (gas, motels, food, not to mention less tournaments with less prize money, etc). Do I think it's right that you can be the best in your country at something mainstream like pool, and not be able to make a decent living? No. I also don't think it's right for hundreds of athletes in the NFL, MLB, and NBA to be making millions every year, just because they are good at what they do. The ultimate cost to the consumer is absurd. You may call them "dancing monkeys", but I call it doing what you need to do, to pay the bills, while pursuing what you want to do (play pro pool competitively). BTW, I don't consider myself a "pool purist". That said, I do consider myself a practical individual, with the skills, desire, and gumption, to acheive what I want. We are both on the same side of the issue. I just feel like the players can help themselves, if they really wanted to.
Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
You continue to share how much money you make in this industry, Scott, by teaching pool. Well, here's a flash alert for you. Just because somebody can play pool proficiently doesn't mean the pool pro can teach it. As well, just because somebody can teach pool doesn't mean the teacher can actually play pool proficiently. Two different animals.
As I stated earlier in the thread, there is no money in pool today. It is a rich man's high. The same payouts are existent in pool today as they were in 1970. Yet, it costs $75 to $150 for a hotel room compared to $25 to $50 in 1970. It costs $3.50 to $4.50 for a gallon of gas compared to $1.50 in 1970. IOW, a pro player must come in first, second, or third place to break even on expenses. Sadly, they are usually so stuck from attending two, three, and four pool tournaments a month that even pocketing $10,000 for third place in the U.S. Open doesn't help bring one back in the black. Heck, it costs a couple dimes to stay the entire week at the U.S. Open, unless you like sleeping in a car, eating fast food, or sharing a room and sleeping on the floor.
I love Jeanette Lee and admire her ability to market herself, but a sexy lady dressed in black that can run racks is a much better sell than, say, Johnny Archer running racks. An agent would have more success booking Jeanette, IMO, than Johnny, speaking hypothetically, of course.
Some strong pro players have left competition after the realization of what playing pool professionally really is, like Allen Hopkins, Mike Sigel, and Nick Varner. They try to eke out a living selling product and being pool promoters. John Schmidt tried his hand as a pool room owner. Mike Massey is a trick shot artist today instead of a pro player. Eddie Kelly deals cards in Vegas. Sooner or later, the pro player can't exist anymore playing pool professionally without a sponsor or a fat stakehorse.
Back to my original thoughts, the only people making money in pool is the industry members, pool promoters, instructional authors, teachers, and pool organization members. Even the pool print media is suffering and tyring to stay afloat. They have to try to build up their online presence and attract sponsors to pay the bills. Most print media today is just not fast enough for the readers in this age of technology.
There is no market for professional pool in America. It's a dead fish in the water. Those who can't afford to compete professionally cannot do it full time and must get a job, or else they end up, yes, Scott, the dancing monkey for the profit and entertainment of others.
This is my story, and I am damn well sticking with it. People can thumb their nose up at today's pros and believe it's their fault that pool sucks in America, but it ain't. There's no market for pool in America. There's no money. There's no future. There's not hope for the pro-caliber player to have a decent future with the exception of very minute few, but when their streak ends, when they can't run a rack anymore, let's see how kind this forum is to them at that time. I already know the answer.
I'm not a defeatist; I am a realist. Been there, done that, spent six figures, and I know what promise professional pool holds for the pro player. As long as they dance like monkeys, they will be everybody's friend. There is not enough American pool pie for the pro players. They continue to scramble for crumbs while others enjoy a nice fat slice. And today the American pros must share their crumbs with our international bretheren, to include pool opportunities to compete in more lucrative events.
The existing lot of professional players in the United States is dwindling, and people wonder why.
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