If came into a bunch of money some how I would take a couple of million and say, OK here some cash, lets save pro pool. What would you do if it was you. I don't know how to run a business.
if I win the lottery
- Thread starter fasted71465
- Start date
Neither do the people who have ever tried to "save" pro pool.
The first thing I would do is get all the "leaders" of pro pool together in one room and do some brainstorming. With someone to take good notes. Not everyone will agree at that meeting, but a lot of good info should come out of it for a good idea on what direction to go in.
I don't know how to run a business either, so I'd find a local, successful bar owner and partner up with him/her.
I'd open a poolroom/bar with 7' and 9' pool tables, a snooker table (lots of international students in my town), dart boards, a shuffle board table and maybe a space for live, local music.
It wouldn't be a "player's room" because there aren't enough "players" in the area to keep the place open. It'd be focused on college students and local leagues and whatnot.
I'd bring up instructors and pros from NYC to host clinics/give lessons. I'd host a metric crap-ton of tournaments: 8-ball, 9-ball, 14.1, charity events, etc. How about a 14.1 marathon tournament to support the local food bank (for example)? Players get sponsored for X cents per ball and then play all night.
I'd also try to structure everything so that kids can come in at least during the day. (Since there's going to be a bar, I don't know how the state handles that: kids to certain time, no kids at all, etc.) If I could get kids in, there'd be special rates (or free) and lessons for kids on Saturday morning (stole that idea from Best Billiards in Las Vegas.)
I got lots of ideas... too bad I like my job too much to roll the dice on it.
I'd open a poolroom/bar with 7' and 9' pool tables, a snooker table (lots of international students in my town), dart boards, a shuffle board table and maybe a space for live, local music.
It wouldn't be a "player's room" because there aren't enough "players" in the area to keep the place open. It'd be focused on college students and local leagues and whatnot.
I'd bring up instructors and pros from NYC to host clinics/give lessons. I'd host a metric crap-ton of tournaments: 8-ball, 9-ball, 14.1, charity events, etc. How about a 14.1 marathon tournament to support the local food bank (for example)? Players get sponsored for X cents per ball and then play all night.
I'd also try to structure everything so that kids can come in at least during the day. (Since there's going to be a bar, I don't know how the state handles that: kids to certain time, no kids at all, etc.) If I could get kids in, there'd be special rates (or free) and lessons for kids on Saturday morning (stole that idea from Best Billiards in Las Vegas.)
I got lots of ideas... too bad I like my job too much to roll the dice on it.
Last edited:
..................
Last edited:
I'd take that 2 million....give some to children's hospitals......find a few war widows w/children and give them some......donate to some battered women's shelters.....and give what I had left to some deserving homeless family living on the streets!!!
No pool player(s) would ever see a dime of it.
Maniac
On the contrary...
You would just need a couple of hundred thousands ($ 200k)
That, some brains and some patience is enough...
Last edited:
I budget it for just a few tournaments a year. I would set it up as a self sustaining non profit that can go on indefinitely. These say, three major tournaments a year would be augmented by spawning other tournaments much like golf has with satellite tournaments. These tournaments would not be open but all qualifier required. The major tournaments would have only token entry fee.
The ongoing cost of the tournaments would come from annual marketing. The seed money would hopefully grow leading to larger tournament prizes. It has to run like a business and not a giveaway. It needs to be run by someone who does it for the sake of the sport and not to see how much they can shove in their pocket.
Actually the IPT was a good idea except it didn't not want to wait for growth. Unfortunately they blew through their money with what seemed like no realistic long term plan of how to sustain the idea.
It think it takes more then a few million though.
Last edited:
On the contrary...
You would just need a couple of hundred thousands ($ 200k)
That, some brains and some patience is enough...
I don't have either one
There are a lot of very wealthy people and they find out real quick they can't really help that many people with their money. Pissing away the money doing very little for any one person is a waste. You pick an issue and focus on that in a self-sustaining way.
I would not spend the money on professional pool. Everyone carps about the promoters, players, blah, blah, blah -- but they're not to blame. There are simply to few players/viewers to attract serious sponsorship dollars.
With $2 million you could put on 8-10 first class professional pool tournaments. When those tournaments are over, what have you got? Nothing. No increase in viewers, no increase in players.
With $2 million you could put on 8-10 first class professional pool tournaments. When those tournaments are over, what have you got? Nothing. No increase in viewers, no increase in players.
Both are a small amounts but you may need to bring in investors. In show business there are what I believe are called "Angles". They invest for the sake of the arts and not for personal gain. Not everybody who loves pool is broke. It seems they won't invest though. I used to have a friend who loved pool. Came in the pool room often and loved to gamble at pool. He in dead now, he could have single handedly put pool on TV and on the map full time.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/10/business/media/10king.html?_r=0
For some reason he had no interest. People just will not invest in the sport. Danny DiLiberto was a good friend of Roger and I am sure tried to get him involved.
Last edited:
Joe T
Well-known member
I would do exactly what i'm doing now but maybe add a lil something extra to get more cooperation. Build a strong feeder structure that gives a path for aspiring players and rewards current ones; www.ABCPL.info
Money? You can't throw money at problems and expect solutions—the pro pool quagmire is no exception.
The real problem is the system in that we need standard operating procedures (SOPS) generated by
an active body promoting the (new) standard of pool that is forthcoming around the world.
You can't buy systems you must create them.
We also need our players to look at this game as sport and to prepare themselves accordingly;
smart nutrition, exercise, and general good lifestyle practices. You can't buy this, you must learn this.
I'M TELLING YOU ALL RIGHT NOW, if the pool CULTURE doesn't change in this country we are going to be left
wayyyy befind the rest of world. It's happening, folks, slowly, but it's happening.
Disrespect, potty-mouths, arrogance, and general bad-attitudes at our 20th Anniversary of the Mosconi Cup?
You kidding? These things have nothing to do with pool. THESE are the real problems.
Money can't fix those things. You need to either fix some inner problems/shortcomings or you need to change the people.
So don't waste your money. Spend it on something else.
It didn't work for Kevin Trudeau so why feel it will work for any anticipated deep pockets?
Remember, the root of our (U.S.) problem lies within the plurality of perspectives of those in the industry.
Not everyone, mind you, but the lion's share.
Last edited:
You have a horse and cart problem with your argument. Without the prospect of making money, why would there be players doing all the stuff you outline?
You'd be better off burning $2M cash. You'd at least get a little heat to keep you warm. That's a better use of your money.