Career Choice: Prize Income VS Regular Income

[justnum]

America may not be performing well on the international level because you can make more money having a regular 9-5 job. The income is more stable and there is less pressure about placing in an event and traveling around the world .

There are "great American" players but some have found out they'd rather have a less hectic work life. Today's generation of great American players are talented but don't have the backing of the golden era of American pool players. Today's players are self funded, they don't have luxuries foreign players have.

The issue I present is Americans have more job opportunities than players from other countries. American pros are talented but have three jobs, playing pool and finding ways to support their pool lifestyle and traveling around the world. Foreign pros may have less financial burdens.

Pro pool as a career choice has great features but traveling is work, personal finances are full of headaches and playing pool ... well you've heard how players are throwing balls and breaking cues in matches. That is how they act during match, imagine outside the match.

As a career choice I am not against foreign players dominating, I am just saying of their possible career choices they may have a very short list of options.
However American players can find more job opportunities that don't involve competing in international events.

 

[sammylane12]

America may not be performing well on the international level because you can make more money having a regular 9-5 job. The income is more stable and there is less pressure about placing in an event and traveling around the world .

There are "great American" players but some have found out they'd rather have a less hectic work life. Today's generation of great American players are talented but don't have the backing of the golden era of American pool players. Today's players are self funded, they don't have luxuries foreign players have.

The issue I present is Americans have more job opportunities than players from other countries. American pros are talented but have three jobs, playing pool and finding ways to support their pool lifestyle and traveling around the world. Foreign pros may have less financial burdens.

Pro pool as a career choice has great features but traveling is work, personal finances are full of headaches and playing pool ... well you've heard how players are throwing balls and breaking cues in matches. That is how they act during match, imagine outside the match.

As a career choice I am not against foreign players dominating, I am just saying of their possible career choices they may have a very short list of options.
However American players can find more job opportunities that don't involve competing in international events.

Or America just isn`t good enough.

 

[justnum]

Or America just isn`t good enough.

It is common problem from minor league sports recruiters. Minors are trying to recruit great college talent, but get few call backs. Once college players graduate and have steady jobs or settled down with a family the prospect of playing sports drops off significantly.

 

[sjm]

Pursuit of a career in sports is gamble, but those who follow their dream are to be envied. Most of them are smart enough to complete their education before chasing the dream, so they have a fallback position. That's what make projects like Mark Wilson's at Lindenwood ideal, for prospective pro players can refine their skills at pool while simultaneously pursing an education.

 

[Tin Man]

I think the poster makes a great point. When comparing US vs other countries globally it's easy to think we're doing something wrong. In fact, that's the conclusion that most people here make.

But the reality is that if pool pays a level of income that is poverty level in the US, and livable income elsewhere, it's no surprise other countries have the luxury and incentive to play more.

The same thing happened with poker. World wide poker sites got very tough because if you were playing microstakes ($.10/25 blinds for example), you could maybe mutlitable and make $5-6/hour. That isn't anything in our country, but in other countries it was enough for players to make a living. This lead to US falling behind in poker as well, at least online.

In the end we have to eat first, play second. It's been proven that opportunity is a requisite of success. Other countries may simply have more opportunity. Both in terms of relative income, and also in terms of country support and domestic tours and backing.

When comparing women vs. men the number one reason cited for the different skill levels is the numbers participating. It may be no different than with US vs. other countries. That's a good reminder, so before we bash US players for 'failing to evolve' or 'lacking discipline', we might want to consider the lack of support our young players have growing up.

One last thought, in the 70s when gas and hotels were cheap, and top players could pick up money in bars like it was growing on trees, they had tremendous OPPORTUNITY to do well. Kind of like poker in 2002-4. Maybe that's why the US did so well. Our numbers were up, others were down. Now it's flip flopped.

Not talent. Not gene pool. Just capitalism and opportunity.

I vote this as post of the year. Great job OP.

 

[Str8PoolMan]

But...

Money won is twice as sweet as money earned.

 

[sjm]

Money won is twice as sweet as money earned.

Not when it's time to pay the bills.

 

[Tramp Steamer]

Pursuit of a career in sports is gamble, but those who follow their dream are to be envied. Most of them are smart enough to complete their education before chasing the dream, so they have a fallback position. That's what make projects like Mark Wilson's at Lindenwood ideal, for prospective pro players can refine their skills at pool while simultaneously pursing an education.

Best reply, so far.
Education is the key to all things. Without it you're screwed with a capital S.
I don't think, however, that the Billiard team at Lindenwood is there to make students into professional pool players, but rather to provide an outlet for those students who enjoy, and excel in pocket billiards. :smile:

 

[dr9ball]

Best reply, so far.
Education is the key to all things. Without it you're screwed with a capital S.
I don't think, however, that the Billiard team at Lindenwood is there to make students into professional pool players, but rather to provide an outlet for those students who enjoy, and excel in pocket billiards. :smile:

Have any of the students that have been through the pool program at Lindenwood actually turned pro and made their living from playing professional pool?

 

[Tramp Steamer]

Have any of the students that have been through the pool program at Lindenwood actually turned pro and made their living from playing professional pool?

I don't know. I've wondered that, myself.
Maybe someone here can enlighten us. :smile:

 

[PoolChump]

Playing pool for a living is really more of a hobby

Have any of the students that have been through the pool program at Lindenwood actually turned pro and made their living from playing professional pool?

I am unfamiliar with Lindenwood and its pool program, but I do know that there are very few pool players that earn enough to live on. I could safely say that only the top 20 players in the US could live off what they earn from sponsors, tournaments, and gambling. Some top level pool players actually earn income working a secondary job in pool halls as pool instructors or managers, table mechanics, spouses income, or other various jobs. Even if these players earn enough to live on while playing, what will happen to them financially once they stop playing? Do you think any of them save money for retirement or receive any retirement package plan when they stop playing?

 

[justnum]

I am unfamiliar with Lindenwood and its pool program, but I do know that there are very few pool players that earn enough to live on. I could safely say that only the top 20 players in the US could live off what they earn from sponsors, tournaments, and gambling. Some top level pool players actually earn income working a secondary job in pool halls as pool instructors or managers, table mechanics, spouses income, or other various jobs. Even if these players earn enough to live on while playing, what will happen to them financially once they stop playing? Do you think any of them save money for retirement or receive any retirement package plan when they stop playing?

Sounds like the billiard's industry today is like pro skateboarding before Tony Hawk.

Oddly skateboarding has more injuries than billiards.

Being a great tournament player is not a common aspiration, most pool players aspire to just be great in their local area. As for long term financial planning, that is an afterthought.

 

[onepocketron]

Pursuit of a career in sports is gamble, but those who follow their dream are to be envied. Most of them are smart enough to complete their education before chasing the dream, so they have a fallback position. That's what make projects like Mark Wilson's at Lindenwood ideal, for prospective pro players can refine their skills at pool while simultaneously pursing an education.

Agree 100%.

 

[spartan]

America may not be performing well on the international level because you can make more money having a regular 9-5 job. The income is more stable and there is less pressure about placing in an event and traveling around the world .

There are "great American" players but some have found out they'd rather have a less hectic work life. Today's generation of great American players are talented but don't have the backing of the golden era of American pool players. Today's players are self funded, they don't have luxuries foreign players have.

The issue I present is Americans have more job opportunities than players from other countries. American pros are talented but have three jobs, playing pool and finding ways to support their pool lifestyle and traveling around the world. Foreign pros may have less financial burdens.

Pro pool as a career choice has great features but traveling is work, personal finances are full of headaches and playing pool ... well you've heard how players are throwing balls and breaking cues in matches. That is how they act during match, imagine outside the match.

As a career choice I am not against foreign players dominating, I am just saying of their possible career choices they may have a very short list of options.
However American players can find more job opportunities that don't involve competing in international events.

Partly true only, mostly untrue
Of the pool nations , probably Philippines and Poland have low per capita GDP less than $10K. China is pool nation in women's pool not men's pool. Upcoming pool nations in Middle East like Qatar per capita GDP at least $100K
Most of Europe and Taiwan have per capita GDP at least $24K so yes they can survive getting a full time job

So no, that is not reason why USA is not doing that well in pool compared to others