There Is NO Hope For Pro Pool IMO

[bdorman]

You're right sjm. Golf was already booming when Tiger arrived. And yes, the boom started with Arnold. Johnnyt

Arnold Palmer just happened to be the reigning champ when TV execs decided to broadcast golf matches.

TV made Arnold Palmer (and golf in general), just like the movie The Hustler made Minnesota Fats (Rudolph Wunderone).

Sure, Palmer was perfect for the role: a friendly, articulate "everyman" and exciting to watch. But golfers before him were friendly, articulate and exciting to watch. He was just there at the right time.

 

[CJ Wiley]

Have you ever heard of a "Spot Shot"? When pool was at it's height in popularity.....

The game doesn't need to change, it's great as it is, and as it was in it's heyday. It's the game we all here fell in love with.

Pool is golf's homely sister, stuck up in the attic on a Saturday night.

Golf was in a similar shape once, however briefly. But then came Tiger.
Unfortunately we don't have any Tigers, but we did have an Earl - a very different sort of animal all together.

The game did change through the years, and it's been diluted considerably. It's not the same game anymore, if you compare it to golf, it's like all drivers and three foot putts.

Have you ever heard of a "Spot Shot"? When pool was at it's height in popularity I would shoot hundreds of "Spot Shots" a month.....now some players don't even know what one is......the game changed, the best parts (the strategic components) were taken out, and replaced with nothing.......now it's just racking/breaking/ducking/kicking/running out......and this, believe it or not is boring to people that aren't pool fans......Pool needs to be more like BOXING again to get back in good Graces with the general public and get back in the Spot Light Again. imho

 

[Scott Lee]

Stu...I was about to say the same thing...you said it better! Bartender...bring me another Arnold Palmer! :thumbup:

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com

Tiger isn't the one who delivered golf to the fast lane. It was Arnold Palmer, whose networking and charisma led to significant corporate sponsorship. The emergence of an Arnold Palmer type who can sell pro pool to the corporations of America is far more important right now than the emergence of a Tiger Woods.

 

[one stroke]

You're right sjm. Golf was already booming when Tiger arrived. And yes, the boom started with Arnold. Johnnyt

That just picked up the boom golf has always had a big following Bobby Jones. Ben Hogan Sam Snead all immensely popular ,, but what made golf so popular was not just anyone could play either you were a member of a club or knew someone who could get you on the course ,, and boy if you could get a job as a caddy you were really in high cotton
Unlike pool were the persona of shady hustlers in smoke filled rooms .

Golf was looked at as a clean honest game played on beautiful manicured landscaped grounds where men of means and social status were so honest they even call fouls on themselves and some clubs are so private that only the rich of the richest can get in and their wives are only allowed once a week

So for anyone to think or even consider pool in the same class of golf on any level is simply not in touch with reality


1

 

[CJ Wiley]

.without TV ALL sports and games would wither, pool's no exception, it's "The Sample"

Arnold Palmer just happened to be the reigning champ when TV execs decided to broadcast golf matches.

TV made Arnold Palmer (and golf in general), just like the movie The Hustler made Minnesota Fats (Rudolph Wunderone).

Sure, Palmer was perfect for the role: a friendly, articulate "everyman" and exciting to watch. But golfers before him were friendly, articulate and exciting to watch. He was just there at the right time.

TV is the key to golf, football, baseball, hockey, MMA, on and on and on....pool's no exception, we need to put the streaming on the shelf and reach for TV Broadcasting.....streaming can compliment TV, but it is not TV......it's like "apples grapes", TV goes out to all the bars, sports-bars, clubs, Public Store's TVs, and is "Larger Than Life"......without TV ALL sports and games would wither, pool's no exception, it's "The Sample Example".

Bonus Ball is on the right track, they're just missing something....we're confident they will figure it out sooner or later. The positive thing is they're doing something that brings out the characters and personalities of the players.....this is a leap in the right direction. imho

 

[DogsPlayingPool]

You're right sjm. Golf was already booming when Tiger arrived. And yes, the boom started with Arnold. Johnnyt

True, though golf was in a bit of a down cycle at the time. Certainly not in danger of losing TV or anything, but Tiger came along at a great time. The renewed interest in golf, especially the thought of attracting a younger audience, couldn't have come at a better time. All the buzz about Tiger was right before the PGA Tour's TV contract expired. His coming along when he did got a nice fat increase from the networks and directly raised purses and player money significantly.

The pre-boom that set the stage for the whoever boom started when a bunch of club professionals got together and said " LET'S DO THIS"
and then they did :wink:

And there you have it, Joe. The players got together, took a longer term view and put some of their own self-interests aside. Take all the money that goes to charity as an example.

 

[fasted71465]

As long as we are alive we keep it alive. After death it wont matter much.