Making Pool a Product People Want to Watch!

Colin Colenso

Colin Colenso

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I've read a lot of crap about organization structure and gimmicks to make pool successful, some with more weight than others, but the elephant in the room has always been the product.

We need a game that allows, dare I say encourages shots like this, that make kids dream about doing such things, and that make adults wish they could ever play such shots.

Here is Earl, showing us a shot that is more inspirational to watch than any shot that has been played in WPBA events in years.

https://youtu.be/mg_DDJK-zR0
 
And take note that Earl is using a post alignment pivot Back Hand English technique on this shot to accommodate the left english on this shot. He hits at near max tip offset, nearly 1.5 tips a touch above CCB to achieve this pattern.
 
I don't know...shots like that hold no appeal to me. Crazy set-up trick shots are just not something that I find interesting or impressive. I've seen Earl hit some shots that have been very impressive in matches and those I appreciate, but not this the exhibition stuff like this.

I'm much more impressed by shots like this which come up in actual matches and showcase incredible skills to a purpose.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVDrZK6VpuU
 
slide13 said:
I don't know...shots like that hold no appeal to me. Crazy set-up trick shots are just not something that I find interesting or impressive. I've seen Earl hit some shots that have been very impressive in matches and those I appreciate, but not this the exhibition stuff like this.

I'm much more impressed by shots like this which come up in actual matches and showcase incredible skills to a purpose.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVDrZK6VpuU
Click to expand...

I think Colin is referring to incredible shots in general. Trickshot/Artistic pool has a much bigger audience than competitive. However, shots similar to both of your posts add some flair.
 
slide13 said:
I don't know...shots like that hold no appeal to me. Crazy set-up trick shots are just not something that I find interesting or impressive. I've seen Earl hit some shots that have been very impressive in matches and those I appreciate, but not this the exhibition stuff like this.

I'm much more impressed by shots like this which come up in actual matches and showcase incredible skills to a purpose.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVDrZK6VpuU
Click to expand...
Indeed a spectacular shot, one of my favorites in fact. But Corey could have played that as a 3 rail with inside english too. I don't see much difference in difficulty in both shots but Corey's looked weirder because it took the draw after the first rail bounce, which requires a slick table.

While Earl set his shot up, this pattern is pretty familiar to most good players, but always a challenge to execute. Obviously they'll almost always play a simpler route in competition 9 or 10 ball.

There's rarely a reward in playing these type of shots in our current popular game formats.
 
I am not sure pools viewer interest will ever be about the game. Needs to be more about the players. The only other factor would be with breaking records or a achieving a goal for a bonus. Like Earl did with the million dollars.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
 
A good start would be to solve the racking issues. Starting every game with 4 minutes of racking like Turning Stone this year certainly isn't getting any new people excited to watch.
 
Drop The Rock said:
I think Colin is referring to incredible shots in general. Trickshot/Artistic pool has a much bigger audience than competitive. However, shots similar to both of your posts add some flair.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I think the big shots, some of which fit into the artistic/ trick shot realm, need to find a place in pool games, in order to attract people to the sport.

They create a significant aspect of the wow factor. The current game formats make most of these shots too low percentage to consider attempting.

Colin
 
There are some games and sports that may only appeal to aficionados. Pool is probably in that group. Why snooker gets the ratings, I'm not sure. It's not significantly different enough from pool for it to be the game itself. I throw league and tournament darts, therefore I enjoy watching darts on TV. Were I not an avid player, I wouldn't be watching. The US, the UK and other geographic areas have different tastes. I wrestled in HS. There is a whole lot of what appears to be stagnation in a real wrestling match. I could watch a college or Olympic match now and be very interested. I would feel the tension and know what a subtle shift in balance, grip or footwork could mean for the next move. Not so if I never participated in the sport. It would be boring to most others.
 
Last edited:
Kris_b1104 said:
Where is that shot by Earl where the cue ball and object ball is almost straight in and he uses extreme force follow with left english for position? Love that one.

Edit: Here I found it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDGvdPR_LHo
Click to expand...

That's not quite it....at least not the version I've seen.

I've seen him put the object ball farther away from the c/b than that video shows, past that side pocket just off the middle diamond between the side pocket and the corner pocket where he makes the o/b. (The c/b still has to touch the second rail on the far side of the left side pocket)

He taught some of us his bridge for that shot and I still use it often. In fact, it has become my default bridge, even as I lower it for most shots. It is very stable.

Thanks, Earl.


Jeff Livingston
 
Colin Colenso said:
I've read a lot of crap about organization structure and gimmicks to make pool successful, some with more weight than others, but the elephant in the room has always been the product.

We need a game that allows, dare I say encourages shots like this, that make kids dream about doing such things, and that make adults wish they could ever play such shots.

Here is Earl, showing us a shot that is more inspirational to watch than any shot that has been played in WPBA events in years.

https://youtu.be/mg_DDJK-zR0
Click to expand...

I saw Earl perform once in my area. He set up shots like this to do as the "stroke shot" portion of the show, as it appears he is doing in this video. He did it17 times before he got it, suggesting that the shot was very difficult, but also suggesting that you probably won't see it much in a real match. The only thing I can think of that will make this happen is a trick shot magic type format where one person has to match the other, which of course has already been done. At least that, or the movies where editing is allowed.
 
Colin Colenso said:
I've read a lot of crap about organization structure and gimmicks to make pool successful, some with more weight than others, but the elephant in the room has always been the product.

We need a game that allows, dare I say encourages shots like this, that make kids dream about doing such things, and that make adults wish they could ever play such shots.

Here is Earl, showing us a shot that is more inspirational to watch than any shot that has been played in WPBA events in years.

https://youtu.be/mg_DDJK-zR0
Click to expand...

That shot was gorgeous.
I think you are onto something. Play the game of nine ball, and make it point based on the number of rails contacted while getting position for the next shot. Play out on a ten foot table and watch these pros make the cue ball dance.

Let's get an exhibition match started. We can call it Free Stroke 9-ball. And the winner of the rack isn't who sinks the nine, it's who can collect the most points off rails.

Just think of the ending when Player A is up by four points, and Player B has just the 9-ball left, he will have to pocket it and contact four rails to tie or five rails to win.

Shane vs Earl challenge match Free Stroke 9-Ball on the big foot!
 
99.99% of the public (and 90% of league players) wouldn't even know what went into that shot...nor would they care.

I appreciate you trying to think of ways to make pool popular, but this isn't it.
 
pool has a way to go

About all I know to say is pool has a way to go to be watchable.

Now womens pool is obviously interesting to men...maybe there is something to that?
 
For those that purchase streams and pay attention to the chats. One major gripe is who is playing on the streamed table. There are usually matches that are not streamed that most viewers would rather watch. So that might say something as to part of the problem. Its not so much about the game but who is playing. So even those willing to pay for a stream are not happy just watching anyone play pool. They want to see the big names and top players. Apparently those streaming have no control over this. Thus, keeping streaming numbers down. Which in turn makes pool less marketable.
 
jburkm002 said:
For those that purchase streams and pay attention to the chats. One major gripe is who is playing on the streamed table. There are usually matches that are not streamed that most viewers would rather watch. So that might say something as to part of the problem. Its not so much about the game but who is playing. So even those willing to pay for a stream are not happy just watching anyone play pool. They want to see the big names and top players. Apparently those streaming have no control over this. Thus, keeping streaming numbers down. Which in turn makes pool less marketable.
Click to expand...

Meh it depends on the tournament. At the Big Tyme Classic this year most of the streamed matches were determined by who the most popular and top players were that drew each other or who was advanced in the final stages of the tournament. Expo matches are the only true alternative.
 
I don't think there's anything wrong with pool's game design. 9 and 10 ball are essentially perfect television cue sport games that are fast paced, explosive, and provide a lot of dramatic moments. Straight pool can potentially be great TV viewing if they structured the scoring differently, like race to 5, 50 points per game, alternative break. Straight pool typically produces the most imaginative shots.

Like I said in the "pool is dying" thread, Americans don't watch pool not because the game is bad or broken, but because they just don't like watching pool and would probably rather play it. Bowling has suffered the same fate. Too many sports and events to compete with, from the 4 major sports leagues, to MMA, Golf, College Sports, and Soccer now on the rise (Unfortunately. Colin should agree. That's a sport for wogs and poms :p), etc, etc.

If pool is to catch on again here as a television spectacle, it will be fueled by a combination of a charismatic player/personality and a cultural event, like a great pool movie or television show.

That said, (American) pool is healthier than ever from a participation standpoint. It once was solely an American past time, now participation spans the globe. If you went back in time and told Greenleaf that the Filipinos would be dominating the game, he'd probably say you were nuts.

I just want to see a structured pro tour with good prize money, and the market is there, especially in Asia (China is probably a lost cause now with the emergence of Chinese 8 ball, which will become their main cue sport), but the people in charge obviously have no idea what they're doing and seem to operate out of self interest rather than helping the sport legitimize. Nothing to do with the game and everything to do with broken leadership.
 
Maybe a different kind of reality show. Not like the hustlers where there was too much staging, acting, editing. IMO.
More like the old bowling for dollars show. Remember that you old farts? Send a film crew into a random pool hall, and do something simular. Like 50 bucks a ball and you have option to quit and take money or continue for a runout. But lose all if you miss. Something like that. It would be closer to "reality" then most shows. Average Joes and Janes getting their 15 min of fame. And we get to laugh at the dumbass drunk bastards! And the owner of pool hall gets badly needed press exposure.

Edit....Found this article from USA Today dated 2013.
http:// www.usatoday.com/.../2013/06/...of-revived-bowling-for-dollars/2381109
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top