That's not correct, try again. Obviously for someone wanting to change pool you are not paying attention when at events.
WPB World 9 ball
- Thread starter tduncan
- Start date
That's not correct, try again. Obviously for someone wanting to change pool you are not paying attention when at events.
Gambling isn't the reason pool is not on TV and there's no sponsors. If that were the case, poker wouldn't be as big as it is today.
People don't care about watching guys play for a first prize of $10,000.
If there was a legitimate tour where first place was over 100k, people would tune in if it was aired on ESPN.
If TAR got a deal with some network, to do a weekly show where players were betting a huge chunk against each other. People would watch.
People don't care about watching guys play for a first prize of $10,000.
If there was a legitimate tour where first place was over 100k, people would tune in if it was aired on ESPN.
If TAR got a deal with some network, to do a weekly show where players were betting a huge chunk against each other. People would watch.
Anybody who thinks pool can become mainstream by broadcasting emotionless, robotic tournament soldiers is sorely mistaken. Sad but true!
Pool was just recently removed from the Asian Olympics, along with chess, muay, and dance sports. Pool has sunk to the bottom rung of the sports ladder around the world now. Again, the current tournament soldier robots are boring to watch, especially to those who do not understand the multiple games of pocket billiards and its multiple rules for each game.
Pool needs a personality. It doesn't matter what game is played, whether it's 8-ball or 14.1. I am a pool enthusiast, but I can't sit there and watch robots bang balls for hours on end, whether it's on TV or on my computer. It's boring to me, and, again, I love pool.
Players with personalities and good commentary to complement the match is key, but this doesn't always occur at each and every pool happening. Jerry Forsyth should commentate all pro pool matches. Billy Incardona is another excellent commentator to listen to. Spectators want to see and hear a little color, so this includes the players. Maybe a short video snippet of the player before a match begins to show his origins, his family back home, how he got into pool, what his peers say about him, et cetera, et cetera, would draw the viewer into the match. Mainstream America does not give a hoot who Shane Van Boening is if they don't know him. After they know him, they'd love him like we do, and this includes the explosive Earl, the man-of-faith Johnny, and the humble Efren.
At the 2002 Super Billiards Expo (SBE) on the lower level in Valley Forge, PA, they used to have one bar box which was considered the designated action table. It was my first time going to something like this, and there were multiple competitions going on simultaneously with league players, pro players, senior players, lady players, and junior players.
The majority of the attendees at the 2002 SBE were circled around this one lonely bar box where action was taking place. The commentary was by the players themselves, and I'll never forget it. What a blast this was. It was one of the coolest pool experiences I've ever had. They had to kick everybody out at closing because nobody wanted to leave that one lone bar table. :grin-square:
Pool was just recently removed from the Asian Olympics, along with chess, muay, and dance sports. Pool has sunk to the bottom rung of the sports ladder around the world now. Again, the current tournament soldier robots are boring to watch, especially to those who do not understand the multiple games of pocket billiards and its multiple rules for each game.
Pool needs a personality. It doesn't matter what game is played, whether it's 8-ball or 14.1. I am a pool enthusiast, but I can't sit there and watch robots bang balls for hours on end, whether it's on TV or on my computer. It's boring to me, and, again, I love pool.
Players with personalities and good commentary to complement the match is key, but this doesn't always occur at each and every pool happening. Jerry Forsyth should commentate all pro pool matches. Billy Incardona is another excellent commentator to listen to. Spectators want to see and hear a little color, so this includes the players. Maybe a short video snippet of the player before a match begins to show his origins, his family back home, how he got into pool, what his peers say about him, et cetera, et cetera, would draw the viewer into the match. Mainstream America does not give a hoot who Shane Van Boening is if they don't know him. After they know him, they'd love him like we do, and this includes the explosive Earl, the man-of-faith Johnny, and the humble Efren.
At the 2002 Super Billiards Expo (SBE) on the lower level in Valley Forge, PA, they used to have one bar box which was considered the designated action table. It was my first time going to something like this, and there were multiple competitions going on simultaneously with league players, pro players, senior players, lady players, and junior players.
The majority of the attendees at the 2002 SBE were circled around this one lonely bar box where action was taking place. The commentary was by the players themselves, and I'll never forget it. What a blast this was. It was one of the coolest pool experiences I've ever had. They had to kick everybody out at closing because nobody wanted to leave that one lone bar table. :grin-square:
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Quality response, kudos.
Another gambling match with a huge crowd surrounding the table at this 2004 Super Billiarsd Expo. That's Liljon directing traffic before the break. :grin-square:
People were selling chairs in the front row for 20 bucks for spectators to sit because the action at this table was non-stop. Nobody wanted to leave. There were many more viewers at this table than the pro tournament on the upper level.
People were selling chairs in the front row for 20 bucks for spectators to sit because the action at this table was non-stop. Nobody wanted to leave. There were many more viewers at this table than the pro tournament on the upper level.
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![2005VF-LittleJohn[1].JPG](/data/attachments/220/220171-e3513c83a6ee2c2113e2c4ebbc555de3.jpg?hash=41E8g6buLC)
I disagree, but that's okay. Pool has never been showcased before in a way that would allow it to grow. Bowling is a game, but it is also a profession. And bowling is the closest "sport" I can compare pool to in the year 2013.
The BCA organization should be promoting professional pool since they are the representative to the WPA for the United States, but they don't do a damn thing except -- well, that's a topic for another thread.
Recently, I was dealt a hand that will give me a huge opportunity to do something gigantic for pool. I hope I can play it right. If I do, threads about pool action enthusiasts versus the pool purists will come to an end. :wink:
I guess starving artists can also be considered professionals?
Bowling isn't much better, aside from the top six who made a decent living (this year).
http://www.pba.com/SeasonStats/TotalWinnings/
Golf has 234 people (this year) who made a decent living, does that count as a "profession"?
http://espn.go.com/golf/moneylist
I really wish folks would stop misrepresenting the game of pool as a "profession". It's a game. Nothing more.
"I'm design buildings. I love to play pool." - Professional Architect
"I build enterprise servers. I love to play pool." - Professional IT Technician
"I'm a professional pool player. Banks won't loan me money." - Professional Derelict
"I'm a professional pool player. I once made a whopping $50K." - Professional Has Been
"I'm a professional pool player. Wanna play cheap sets?" - Professional Mooch
Poolmouse
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Anybody who thinks pool can become mainstream by broadcasting emotionless, robotic tournament soldiers is sorely mistaken. Sad but true!
Pool was just recently removed from the Asian Olympics, along with chess, muay, and dance sports. Pool has sunk to the bottom rung of the sports ladder around the world now. Again, the current tournament soldier robots are boring to watch, especially to those who do not understand the multiple games of pocket billiards and its multiple rules for each game.
Pool needs a personality. It doesn't matter what game is played, whether it's 8-ball or 14.1. I am a pool enthusiast, but I can't sit there and watch robots bang balls for hours on end, whether it's on TV or on my computer. It's boring to me, and, again, I love pool.
Players with personalities and good commentary to complement the match is key, but this doesn't always occur at each and every pool happening. Jerry Forsyth should commentate all pro pool matches. Billy Incardona is another excellent commentator to listen to. Spectators want to see and hear a little color, so this includes the players. Maybe a short video snippet of the player before a match begins to show his origins, his family back home, how he got into pool, what his peers say about him, et cetera, et cetera, would draw the viewer into the match. Mainstream America does not give a hoot who Shane Van Boening is if they don't know him. After they know him, they'd love him like we do, and this includes the explosive Earl, the man-of-faith Johnny, and the humble Efren.
At the 2002 Super Billiards Expo (SBE) on the lower level in Valley Forge, PA, they used to have one bar box which was considered the designated action table. It was my first time going to something like this, and there were multiple competitions going on simultaneously with league players, pro players, senior players, lady players, and junior players.
The majority of the attendees at the 2002 SBE were circled around this one lonely bar box where action was taking place. The commentary was by the players themselves, and I'll never forget it. What a blast this was. It was one of the coolest pool experiences I've ever had. They had to kick everybody out at closing because nobody wanted to leave that one lone bar table. :grin-square:
Poker tournaments get plenty of airtime, and with a few exceptions (just like pool), most of the players show very little emotion. I think there's two major reasons for this
1. The amount of money to win.
2. The fact that viewers at home think they can be just like Phil Ivey.
Increase the prize funds in pool tournaments, and more people will watch. The more people that watch and see SVB winning 100k or more in a single tournament, the more people will show interest in learning the game.
When I watch poker on TV, I get to know the player because of the up-front video footage of the player's personality. I am then drawn in to root for that player.
I see emotion in poker games on TV. When a player gets a good hand, there's plenty of colloquy at the table, unlike pool robots between shots.
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Looks like JAM beat you to the answer NYC CUE DUDE.
The answer to why no one ever watches the finals.
It's because there's always an action match going and it usually don't even involve 2 of the top players, but it does draw all the spectators away from the tourney match. ALWAYS. And if even involves one really high caliber player or one super good talker like liljon, then the tourney is completely forgotten about.
Now, next question NYC CUE DUDE. Ask yourself and tell us why is that? Lets see if you can get 1 question right before you go saving pool.
The answer to why no one ever watches the finals.
It's because there's always an action match going and it usually don't even involve 2 of the top players, but it does draw all the spectators away from the tourney match. ALWAYS. And if even involves one really high caliber player or one super good talker like liljon, then the tourney is completely forgotten about.
Now, next question NYC CUE DUDE. Ask yourself and tell us why is that? Lets see if you can get 1 question right before you go saving pool.
I guess starving artists can also be considered professionals?
Bowling isn't much better, aside from the top six who made a decent living (this year).
http://www.pba.com/SeasonStats/TotalWinnings/
Golf has 234 people (this year) who made a decent living, does that count as a "profession"?
http://espn.go.com/golf/moneylist
I really wish folks would stop misrepresenting the game of pool as a "profession". It's a game. Nothing more.
"I'm design buildings. I love to play pool." - Professional Architect
"I build enterprise servers. I love to play pool." - Professional IT Technician
"I'm a professional pool player. Banks won't loan me money." - Professional Derelict
"I'm a professional pool player. I once made a whopping $50K." - Professional Has Been
Poolmouse
I am most definitely not a pool purist, so my thoughts about pool may differ from yours.
The pool purists in the American pool culture continue to put down professional pool players as if they're scum of the Earth. Therein lies one HUGE problem that exists today with American pool. :embarrassed2:
There are a few of us, like me, who do not think professional pool players are pariahs.
FWIW, of course, it is not possible to make ends meet in professional pool today. I don't need anyone to point this out to me. I invested six figures in it to find this out.
I believe, however, that given the right venue and people, professional pool can rise from the dead. I think in order for this to happen, pool needs to get a personality to attract new blood. I don't think emotionless tournament robots is the way to go, though I am sure pool purists believe this is the way professional pool should be represented: tournament soldiers dressed up in tuxedos playing mum pool with no emotion. :grin-square:
To each their own.
What a load of crap! Most of the great players emerging right now are coming from Asia, where electronic gadgets and gaming are way more prevalent than they are here.
Problem with pool in this country is the lack of exposure to quality equipment for youngsters to learn and practice on. If you build it, the kids will come, make no mistake. They love a challenge, especially physical ones. Who do you think pioneered all the jaw-dropping bike and snowboarding and skateboarding stunts? Give American kids the proper places to play WITHOUT the negative influence of gambling and you just sit back and watch this sport grow.
You shouldn't have bought into his premise to begin with. Most of the bigger tournaments have tons of people watching the finals.
Yes, tons of people watchin the streams if theres one.
You obviously don't get to many tourneys then. Because when theres action it takes no backseat to any tourney.
*Derby City is a prime example, always
*Super Billiards Expo was this way when I was there.
*Also the last 2 white diamond, SVB and Busty won them, with hardly many in attendance watching the event live at all, and there was over 25k 1st riding on each event with calc.
*Saw this at the recent Big Tyme Classic as well. Building was packed when finals came around, but they were sweating a 3/400 a game one pocket match instead of the finals that had over 14k 1st on the line.
*The last music city open I saw, same thing. Everyone was around the action.
Even this past Texas Open there was more people watching "Texas Bumps" for crying out loud them Kiamco vs. Hillbilly, that's really a shame as Texas Bumps is completely a silly game
The picture at the top of this page tells the whole story. When theres a character or action involved, people will watch it more then any tourney.
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Yeah-i haven't been to many tournies live.
Not to mention you have changed your premise from "no one watches finals at any tournament" to "WHEN there is action, blah blah etc" Two very different statements. I have seen the latter many times myself but still not the majority. The SBE pro event seems to be a real dud for some reason regardless imo in recent years.
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That's wasn't my point. Calling the game of pool a "profession" doesn't help the game. It only underscores the delusion folks have about making a living at it. It's a complete farce, and it embarasses folks who play the game for fun and recreation, and to folks who take the game seriously enough to devote reasonable time/effort, not to mention it misleads kids who might have a fighting chance at a real career (read: Ginky).
Yep, it'll always be a game. It'll never be a viable profession. Ever.
I agree 1000%.
People need to quit trying to make it something it has no shot at, and take it for what it is and roll with it.