Pro Pool players courting disaster

[cardiac kid]

Except in Golf..where even the guy who finished 125th on the money list (last to keep his card for next year without going to Q School) finished with earnings of about $650,000

http://www.golf-gab.com/showthread.php?1490-2012-PGA-Tour-Year-Ending-Money-List

How many of the "bottom" guys are playing on their own nickel and how many have backers with deep pockets? Kind of sounds like pool doesn't it. Of course one tournament win could put them in the top twenty on the money list so the backers keep backing. Can you blame them?

Lyn

 

[1 Lone Wolf]

Rather play pool than fight....

If one hundred players came here and said "I want there to be more money in pool." what would it mean?

I went to the UFC this weekend and watched guys who train harder than any pool player ever has in history beat the shit out of each other for $6000 to show and $6000 to win on the undercard with no guarantees of ever getting another gig. Thats in the fastest growing sport in the world. Money is hard to come by all over not just in pool. I know for a fact if I showed some MMA fighters what top pool guys make in a year they wouldn't believe it.

Some of the best competition shooters in the world do not win in a year what someone will win at the Ultimate Ten Ball.

Bottom line if you are not at the very top of any sport it is almost impossible to make a living playing it.

JCIN, How can you say pool players don't train hard ? It takes a lifetime of practice to learn what the game has to offer. Im not agains't any sport, I love to watch boxing myself. Watched all the Greats. Do you think they have the talent it takes to play pool.

I know they train hard, Im not saying they don't. Do you know you are putting the guys down that that you say you support, When you say pool players haven't trained. There are a load of world class players in the U.S. that you rarely here about anymore, They are tired of practicing, For What ? To try to finish in the top 6 of a pro event to break even . Just saying..........Don't say these guys don't work hard that you are selling tickets to watch.

I would rather take a long ass whoopin than the years of playing, traveling town to town, It is lifelong mental beating that hurts worse than any ass whoopin I ever got.
Gary

 

[Palmerfan]

True

How many people play golf "professionally" ?

Not just the PGA tour. All of them combined. How many try to play those tours?

Yes, no doubt - Buy.com, Hooters Tour and Satellite Tours pay out a fraction of what the PGA $ pays

 

[Palmerfan]

Depends

How many of the "bottom" guys are playing on their own nickel and how many have backers with deep pockets? Kind of sounds like pool doesn't it. Of course one tournament win could put them in the top twenty on the money list so the backers keep backing. Can you blame them?

Lyn

Agree with you if like Justin you're not talking PGA Tour, but the other tours...cause even the "bottom" guys on PGA are making a decent living where only the very best Pool players are taking in the same cash.

Don't know if a lot of bottom guys have backers..but i'm sure some of them do but even on a 50/50 or 60/40 split they take in more then the top Pool pro's based on purse $ ..gambling, who knows

 

[mikeyfrost]

JCIN, How can you say pool players don't train hard ? It takes a lifetime of practice to learn what the game has to offer. Im not agains't any sport, I love to watch boxing myself. Watched all the Greats. Do you think they have the talent it takes to play pool.

I know they train hard, Im not saying they don't. Do you know you are putting the guys down that that you say you support, When you say pool players haven't trained. There are a load of world class players in the U.S. that you rarely here about anymore, They are tired of practicing, For What ? To try to finish in the top 6 of a pro event to break even . Just saying..........Don't say these guys don't work hard that you are selling tickets to watch.

I would rather take a long ass whoopin than the years of playing, traveling town to town, It is lifelong mental beating that hurts worse than any ass whoopin I ever got.
Gary

Gary you're not being honest with yourself if you say pool players practice a lot. Yes there are exceptions and those guys generally excel. However the vast majority of guys don't hit the table day in and day out for 8-10 hours. Its simply not true. Pool players are by far the laziest at their craft at the top level.

 

[peteypooldude]

If one hundred players came here and said "I want there to be more money in pool." what would it mean?

I went to the UFC this weekend and watched guys who train harder than any pool player ever has in history beat the shit out of each other for $6000 to show and $6000 to win on the undercard with no guarantees of ever getting another gig. Thats in the fastest growing sport in the world. Money is hard to come by all over not just in pool. I know for a fact if I showed some MMA fighters what top pool guys make in a year they wouldn't believe it.

Some of the best competition shooters in the world do not win in a year what someone will win at the Ultimate Ten Ball.

Bottom line if you are not at the very top of any sport it is almost impossible to make a living playing it.

Damn.... I have never been paid for getting my ass beat. I would take an ass whipping for 6 grand, one a week if available lol. If they ever initiate the 8 second rule like the rodeos then I'm definitely in lol
Can u hook me up with some 6 thousand ass whippings?
PS. I'm not interested in free ones

 

[Johnnyt]

If the promoters don’t make money putting on pro events why not just walk away and see if Bonus Ball pans out or is a big flop? If Bonus Ball does well then the pros in Bonus Ball will do well and that is what most promoters say they want to see…the pros doing well. If Bonus ball stays around then the promoters don’t have to worry about putting on pro events that they are gambling to break even on. I think after all these years of only the top 3-5% making money after taxes, entry fees, travel, hotels/motels, and food this all needs to let play out and see what happens. Johnnyt

 

[CJ Wiley]

at least we'll keep the Pros busy with a positive cash flow.

If the promoters don’t make money putting on pro events why not just walk away and see if Bonus Ball pans out or is a big flop? If Bonus Ball does well then the pros in Bonus Ball will do well and that is what most promoters say they want to see…the pros doing well. If Bonus ball stays around then the promoters don’t have to worry about putting on pro events that they are gambling to break even on. I think after all these years of only the top 3-5% making money after taxes, entry fees, travel, hotels/motels, and food this all needs to let play out and see what happens. Johnnyt

That's a great idea actually. The reality is that 80% of the players break even or lose money anyway, so it's really a Lose/Lose proposition for the majority of the players to attend Pro Tournaments. Maybe we can all fund some challenge matches in various major cities. I know I could play a TOP pro for at least a thousand every week for several months....maybe someone in 20 other cities could make the same arrangements. Then we could give it a catchy name and send out press releases and promote them locally.

I probably can get some of them televised regionally to start with here in Dallas/Ft. Worth and at least we'll keep the Pros busy with a positive cash flow.

 

[cleary]

Damn.... I have never been paid for getting my ass beat. I would take an ass whipping for 6 grand, one a week if available lol. If they ever initiate the 8 second rule like the rodeos then I'm definitely in lol
Can u hook me up with some 6 thousand ass whippings?
PS. I'm not interested in free ones

It's gonna cost more than $6k to put your face back together.

 

[Put_upor_shutup]

Gary you're not being honest with yourself if you say pool players practice a lot. Yes there are exceptions and those guys generally excel. However the vast majority of guys don't hit the table day in and day out for 8-10 hours. Its simply not true. Pool players are by far the laziest at their craft at the top level.

If u call liftin bottles of goose day in and day out lazy......well then u just dont knowwww sonnnnnnn....

 

[tommyceilings]

You conveniently left Barry out of that list.

While some question payments and length of time, no one can question what the US open has done for pool.

He's done a lot and to say there are events with Mark and Greg is not fair to the sweat and money Barry has lost in this game. Talk about a labor of love.

 

[tommyceilings]

Lots of people are not doing well financially, and a lot of women have sponsors. The men come on here looking for a sponsor (not just Cliff) and they get pounded, ridiculed, and run off.



Bonus Ball doesn't conflict with The Ultimate 10 Ball Championship. This event is about 3 weeks away and there are 40 Men players signed up for this event (out of 128 available spots) and there is $75,000.00 of added money waiting for the Men players in addition to the purses bulging from the entry fees. Transportation costs from Memphis are nil. Hotel rates are CHEAP. The event is only 4 days long.

What is the Men players' reasoning behind not supporting THIS EVENT like it should be supported?

 

[JCIN]

JCIN, How can you say pool players don't train hard ? It takes a lifetime of practice to learn what the game has to offer. Im not agains't any sport, I love to watch boxing myself. Watched all the Greats. Do you think they have the talent it takes to play pool.

I know they train hard, Im not saying they don't. Do you know you are putting the guys down that that you say you support, When you say pool players haven't trained. There are a load of world class players in the U.S. that you rarely here about anymore, They are tired of practicing, For What ? To try to finish in the top 6 of a pro event to break even . Just saying..........Don't say these guys don't work hard that you are selling tickets to watch.

I would rather take a long ass whoopin than the years of playing, traveling town to town, It is lifelong mental beating that hurts worse than any ass whoopin I ever got.
Gary

I find it interesting that you focus on one tiny part of my post and completely dismiss the entire point I was trying to make.

When you wake up every day and think "How do I create something?" and the following thought is "How do I pay the players?" like I do then you can attempt to scold me. Until then keep on saying how other people need to do things to pay out more money and I will keep on thinking you have no idea at all how things get done in the real world.

 

[JCIN]

If the promoters don’t make money putting on pro events why not just walk away and see if Bonus Ball pans out or is a big flop? If Bonus Ball does well then the pros in Bonus Ball will do well and that is what most promoters say they want to see…the pros doing well. If Bonus ball stays around then the promoters don’t have to worry about putting on pro events that they are gambling to break even on. I think after all these years of only the top 3-5% making money after taxes, entry fees, travel, hotels/motels, and food this all needs to let play out and see what happens. Johnnyt

Thats the answer.

Just quit.

Maybe that can be the new pool slogan.

 

[The Renfro]

Lots of people are not doing well financially, and a lot of women have sponsors. The men come on here looking for a sponsor (not just Cliff) and they get pounded, ridiculed, and run off.



Bonus Ball doesn't conflict with The Ultimate 10 Ball Championship. This event is about 3 weeks away and there are 40 Men players signed up for this event (out of 128 available spots) and there is $75,000.00 of added money waiting for the Men players in addition to the purses bulging from the entry fees. Transportation costs from Memphis are nil. Hotel rates are CHEAP. The event is only 4 days long.

What is the Men players' reasoning behind not supporting THIS EVENT like it should be supported?

It appears to be in complete conflict... If you look at the players signed up for the Ultimate 10 Ball vs the rosters for BB you can see the impact.....

 

[jay helfert]

It appears to be in complete conflict... If you look at the players signed up for the Ultimate 10 Ball vs the rosters for BB you can see the impact.....

Yeah, why fly all the way to Tunica and take a shot at 28 grand, and maybe 30 or 40 more in the Southern Classic, when you can stay in Vegas and get your thou a week and give it to the casinos.

Heck, if it last two months you'll have made eight grand! And maybe still have 800 in your pocket. Go for it!

 

[watchez]

Yeah, why fly all the way to Tunica and take a shot at 28 grand, and maybe 30 or 40 more in the Southern Classic, when you can stay in Vegas and get your thou a week and give it to the casinos.

Heck, if it last two months you'll have made eight grand! And maybe still have 800 in your pocket. Go for it!

Jay the players won't lose it in the casinos. They won't have time to go over there. They will be training hard every day, 10 - 12 hours a day just like a boxer or UFC fighter does.

 

[CJ Wiley]

controversy just reminds me of the stress and problems that Barry must have faced....

It appears to be in complete conflict... If you look at the players signed up for the Ultimate 10 Ball vs the rosters for BB you can see the impact.....

I'm going to play, I'm just dragging my feet as usual. You can ask Barry at the US OPEN, I usually call him a couple days before the tournament and say "you still got a spot," and he'd say "CJ, we always have a spot for you"..., Barry is one cool dude,

I know and understand he's had some financial challenges and problems (who hasn't?), but at the end of the day I look back and appreciate what Barry's done for pool. I'm 100% sure that he didn't want these problems with the US OPEN, NO ONE wants problems in business.

All I know is he made a lot of us players feel special though the years and the US OPEN in Chesapeake is part of some of my fondest memories in Professional Pool.

I'm not sure why that came out, all this controversy just reminds me of the stress and problems that Barry must have faced all those years running the #1 Pool Tournament in the Country. Anyway, Thanks Barry, I sincerely hope you have the US OPEN this year and I'll make a special point to attend......of course you know the routine, save me a spot until the day before the Event. :thumbup: 'The Game is the Teacher'.com

 

[1 Lone Wolf]

Not trying to scold you .............

I find it interesting that you focus on one tiny part of my post and completely dismiss the entire point I was trying to make.

When you wake up every day and think "How do I create something?" and the following thought is "How do I pay the players?" like I do then you can attempt to scold me. Until then keep on saying how other people need to do things to pay out more money and I will keep on thinking you have no idea at all how things get done in the real world.

JCIN, I know the great job you do, I have been in some action a couple times on TAR. Your comment was right on, Except someone other than you woke and thought about creating something. Other people may have an idea that will possibly be a good one. Then they thought about how do I pay the players, And they also figured out how to pay the players.

I have not entered this thread with any harm intended for anyone. I am rooting for the new group. No disrespect intended by me to anyone. Only time will tell now, I know I am hoping for something to boost Pro Pool.
Gary Lutman

 

[Blue Hog ridr]

Gary, I am hoping for a big red fire truck this coming Christmas.