Pool Campaign

[JAM]

Living in the Nation's Capital, I catch wind of political activities, think tank groups and academic roundtable discussions.

David Axelrod, a senior advisor to the presidential campaigns of Clinton and Obama, recently took on the new job as the director of the Institute of Politics at the University of Chicago.

At one of the first roundtable discussions last month, they discussed, soup to nuts, how they created a successful campaign to win Obama the presidency in '08 and '12.

What was interesting to me is that most of these people were volunteers, some not receiving any salary for a long while, others working in "windowless caves" 16 hours a day creating algorithms or "caucus math," and digital geniuses who relied on social media outlets to grow the support.

They all worked together for the common goal without promise of any reward. Of course, because of the success of Obama's campaign, some of them have been rewarded with lucrative jobs today.:wink:

If pool industry members, print media folks, and other digital gurus in the pool world worked together in this manner, I think it would elevate pool in the United States. It seems like some pool peeps are only looking out for their own interests and not willing to work together with others. Maybe this is for proprietary reasons. I'm not sure.

I just wonder, though, if given a chance, the union of today's pool giants could be "the" change agent.

Check out this panel discussion of the men behind Obama's presidential campaign: Inside Obama's Campaign.

What do you think? Would a pool campaign be doable, a pipe dream, pie in the sky, or just a fantasy?

Here is the Chief Technology Officer for the Obama Campaign, Harper Reed. We have gurus in our pool world too, as well as persons with other expertise.

 

[JAM]

Social media outlets like Twitter and Facebook only started to become prevalent in 2004, and it has taken off.

There must be a way to utilize that outlet for pool.

2012 Campaign Chief Technology Officer Harper Reed and President Obama.

 

[JAM]

Jeremy Bird was the National Field Director of the 2012 Obama Campaign.

He said he didn't get involved into politics until he went to Boston. He went there to study conflict rsoltuion but ended up taking another class. What catapulted him into running a successful campaign was this:

I took a class on community organizing, and in the class, you had to go work in the community. I was working with these students, high school students in Roxbury and Dorchester and Boston, and they were trying to get $13 million put into their schools.

They ran this campaign against the City Council—not against them, but to get them all to agree to veto the Mayor's budget, snd they brought in kids from Newton, from the rich suburbs, to show those City Council their school books versus the school books they were working on, pictures of their school versus pictures of the school that they had in the suburbs.

I watched them win, and they got $13 million put into their schools. I thought community organizing works. I want to do this, and I've been doing it ever since.

Community organizing in pool? Maybe, but it goes to show that a group effort can effect a change, and this would be really good for pool, raising money. :grin-square:

Notice all these guys relatively young adults. Jeremy Bird, National Field Director of 2012 Obama Campaign.

 

[Maniac]

What do you think? Would a pool campaign be doable, a pipe dream, pie in the sky, or just a fantasy?

It always sounds/looks good on paper, but I seriously doubt that enough people associated with pool are going to put forth the necessary effort required to "move mountains" in the pool world without some kind of monetary benefit coming out of it.

Most people in the pool industry SEEM like they just cannot see far enough up the road to do what is needed to receive the benefits from what they do earlier in the mission.

They seem to want it NOW, NOW, NOW!!!

Maniac

 

[JAM]

It always sounds/looks good on paper, but I seriously doubt that enough people associated with pool are going to put forth the necessary effort required to "move mountains" in the pool world without some kind of monetary benefit coming out of it.

Most people in the pool industry SEEM like they just cannot see far enough up the road to do what is needed to receive the benefits from what they do earlier in the mission.

They seem to want it NOW, NOW, NOW!!!

Maniac

Exactly right.

Which brings me to this point. Instead of entities pulling against each other, what would happen if they came together and worked for a common goal?

Here's Dan Wagner, who worked in the "windowless cave." He is the 2012 Campaign Chief Analytics Officer. He started out with himself and eventually got a full crew.

 

[JAM]

Imagine creating a pool database of e-mail addresses. This contact info could promote pool products, pool events, tournaments, exhibitions, et cetera. The more people who know about something, the more chance it has to be successful.

I keep getting e-mails about Ustream events, and I never signed up for those, yet the Ustream software recognizes my interest in Ustream was pool, so they contact me with upcoming events.

A pool database is the first step.

 

[Cdryden]

Well first, it seems to me that a team needs a leader. Someone to get behind, someone with the right answers. and most importantly someone without a hidden agenda like pool has had in the past.

I don't know if I would want to model anything after something that has to do with big government but you are right about several of your points. Should the pros unite and be the governing body? Well, if history has taught us anything it has taught us that they have more often than not been their own undoing. (not trying to be mean, just honest.) If by chance a true leader could emerge from the pro ranks it would be best.

But most of all the greed has got to be eliminated from the equation. This has to be built not bought and that happens by reinvesting into it. Reinvesting time and money.

I belong to a non for profit club that started out as a few guys getting together to find ways to raise money that we could give back to the community. At first we would pick out a few families each year and buy them whatever they needed. We met once a month in each others houses. But we always set aside a percentage of the money into a fund to build the clubs future.
We now own (paid cash in full) for a gun club property with 41 acres that has a club house, a skeet shoot range with 6 trap houses, a rifle range and a pistol range. We have built our own covered stage outdoors for events held at our club. We give around $12,000.00 a year back to the community and we have ZERO debt. All because we BUILT it, slow and steady and we kept our focus on the main goal. Get bigger to give bigger. And we are still to this day doing just that.

If four idiots from Missouri can accomplish this I see no reason why the pool world can't.

By the way, if you figure this out and would like some help I would be happy to do what I can.

 

[JAM]

Well first, it seems to me that a team needs a leader. Someone to get behind, someone with the right answers. and most importantly someone without a hidden agenda like pool has had in the past.

I don't know if I would want to model anything after something that has to do with big government but you are right about several of your points. Should the pros unite and be the governing body? Well, if history has taught us anything it has taught us that they have more often than not been their own undoing. (not trying to be mean, just honest.) If by chance a true leader could emerge from the pro ranks it would be best.

But most of all the greed has got to be eliminated from the equation. This has to be built not bought and that happens by reinvesting into it. Reinvesting time and money.

I belong to a non for profit club that started out as a few guys getting together to find ways to raise money that we could give back to the community. At first we would pick out a few families each year and buy them whatever they needed. We met once a month in each others houses. But we always set aside a percentage of the money into a fund to build the clubs future.
We now own (paid cash in full) for a gun club property with 41 acres that has a club house, a skeet shoot range with 6 trap houses, a rifle range and a pistol range. We have built our own covered stage outdoors for events held at our club. We give around $12,000.00 a year back to the community and we have ZERO debt. All because we BUILT it, slow and steady and we kept our focus on the main goal. Get bigger to give bigger. And we are still to this day doing just that.

If four idiots from Missouri can accomplish this I see no reason why the pool world can't.

By the way, if you figure this out and would like some help I would be happy to do what I can.

That's a great example of what team effort can do! Thanks for sharing that successful experience.

One thing I have learned from following political discourse is that one must *never* look back and try to replicate the past, whether successful or unsuccessful. Times change, requiring new ideas.

In Obama's '08 campaign, he twittered, used social media to his advantage. This would not be as effective in 2012 because Twitter had already taken off. I did an interview with John McCain during the 2008 campaign, and I knew he was going to lose at the conclusion of that interview when he revealed and admitted he did not know how to send or receive an e-mail.

With changing times, one needs to come with creative ways to accomplish their goal. Collectively, if the right people got together, did not look at the past, only had a common goal ahead of them to achieve, the campaign to promote pool would work. Think community organizing in pool! :grin-square:

 

[Kid Dynomite]

Thank you Jam for posting this! I noticed that the people that were behind obama's rise and success were from all walks of life. But, still some anti obama tea party members still choose to be adversarial. They can't get this sequestration stuff fixed. Plus, people still believe they are excluded and their voice is not being heard. Despite, the recent republican cabinet members and defense department nominations.

I think this post of yours trys to illustrate the inclusiveness of the obama administration. I just hope other americans realize an effort is being made to include all veiw points and everyones needs. All anyone can hope for is the greater good of the country!

Kd

 

[JAM]

Thank you Jam for posting this! I noticed that the people that were behind obama's rise and success were from all walks of life. But, still some anti obama tea party members still choose to be adversarial. They can't get this sequestration stuff fixed. Plus, people still believe they are excluded and their voice is not being heard. Despite, the recent republican cabinet members and defense department nominations.

I think this post of yours trys to illustrate the inclusiveness of the obama administration. I just hope other americans realize an effort is being made to include all veiw points and everyones needs. All anyone can hope for is the greater good of the country!

Kd

For sure, Kid. Imagine what would happen if all walks of like in our pool world got together to create, say, a tour for men and women alike. It would be the PGA of pool.

When you look at those people behind Obama's campaign, it is amazing the variety of people behind the political machine that got him elected.

I strongly believe we have enough expertise in the pool world to make something happen, but if everybody doesn't want to work together, only looking out for their own profit and interests, it won't happen. I would like to see pool industry members donate 1 percent of their profits to a fund for a professional pool tour, as a starter.

I would like to find a chief technology officer in one of the Ustreamers we have in today's pool world.

Wouldn't it be great to have a board consisting of various facets of our pool world representing the players, the industry members, the lady pros, the male pros, the pool room owners, the instructors, and the referees?

 

[JAM]

Thank you Jam for posting this! I noticed that the people that were behind obama's rise and success were from all walks of life. But, still some anti obama tea party members still choose to be adversarial. They can't get this sequestration stuff fixed. Plus, people still believe they are excluded and their voice is not being heard. Despite, the recent republican cabinet members and defense department nominations.

I think this post of yours trys to illustrate the inclusiveness of the obama administration. I just hope other americans realize an effort is being made to include all veiw points and everyones needs. All anyone can hope for is the greater good of the country!

Kd

And one more thing. Since President Obama doesn't have to worry now about getting reelected, he does not have to worry about offending certain entities.

I am working on a written Q&A to submit to President Obama about playing pool, where he learned, what he thinks about pool today, et cetera, et cetera. It may not go anywhere, but imagine how cool it would be if I got a reply.

Plus, I got an insider who will get it to the right person, and if I'm lucky, he just may give me a few minutes of his time to provide answers to my questions. This would be a dream!

President Obama plays to win. He's the Competitor in Chief. Check out this cute article ---> Obama Plays to Win.

Whether shooting pool, reading to children or working to raise his bowling scores, President Obama cannot contain his competitive nature. :thumbup:

 

[BobTfromIL]

I never try to stir the pot but IMO this one belongs in NPR.

 

[JAM]

Data. Here is how pool data can be instrumental in pool entities turning a profit.

If one were to know the demographics of, say, spectators at a tournament, competitors in a tournament, viewers on livestream matches, female players, retirees, et cetera, then when upcoming opportunities present themselves, an entity can target that demographic which is unique to their product.

For example, let's say men aged 21 to 31 represented 80 percent of those who watch livestream matches, wouldn't it be great to have access to a contact list for this demographic?

 

[JAM]

I never try to stir the pot but IMO this one belongs in NPR.

Not at all. This thread is about promoting pool utilizing data, similar to how political entities use data; thus, the title of the thread, "Pool campaign."

Just because you see a picture of President Obama doesn't mean this is not about pool.

 

[BobTfromIL]

You may feel it's about pool but as soon as you used him for the example there became a political aspect. I'm sure there may be some else you could use that would be more platable to everyone.

 

[RRfireblade]

All those active in political and other arenas are also doing so for their own personal gain and 'rewards' whether it be monetary or otherwise.

The difference in pool is there's nothing really to gain by personal or financial sacrifice. And then there are those you would be sacrificing for.....not a good track record in terms of long term investment.

IMO.

 

[JAM]

You may feel it's about pool but as soon as you used him for the example there became a political aspect. I'm sure there may be some else you could use that would be more platable to everyone.

It may help to read the entire thread. The reason I chose President Obama's campaign strategy was to parallel how that effort could be applied to pool.

You don't have to read this thread if it is offensive to you, politically speaking. I don't care what political persuasion anyone is. Just becuase the word "Obama" is mentioned, it does not mean the content is political in nature. I could care less who anybody voted for.

BTW, President Obama plays pool, FWIW!

 

[JAM]

All those active in political and other arenas are also doing so for their own personal gain and 'rewards' whether it be monetary or otherwise.

The difference in pool is there's nothing really to gain by personal or financial sacrifice. And then there are those you would be sacrificing for.....not a good track record in terms of long term investment.

IMO.

I understand your thought, but in a political campaign, say for Romney, there is nothing to be gained personally or financially if the presidential candidate loses.

In pool, the collective effort of people with expertise in different areas would bring personal gain and rewards in the long run if pool became mainstream. It's a win-win, IOW. :smile:

 

[RRfireblade]

I understand your thought, but in a political campaign, say for Romney, there is nothing to be gained personally or financially if the presidential candidate loses.

In pool, the collective effort of people with expertise in different areas would bring personal gain and rewards in the long run if pool became mainstream. It's a win-win, IOW. :smile:

That's not why they got started tho.

 

[RRfireblade]

Oh , the only way for pool to become mainstream is to reinvent it and rename it.