I can't speak to why it's on the decline on a whole. But speaking for myself I can say I stopped going to our local pool rooms because of smoking. I'm not trying to say what people can and can't do. That's their choice and I support their rights to make that choice. But I've gotten where I can't take the smoke any more. So the only time I play any more is at a friend's house who has his own table.
Pool is dead
- Thread starter Stew boo
- Start date
I don’t think you can possibly suggest $10 for 3/5/7 hours (if you played 11-6) is fair value. Affordable yes, but there’s no way the room owner is making money off you there, he’s losing it, unless you have a hefty bar tab as well!
Unfortunately however what I think you have highlighted is that what’s affordable isn’t often commercially viable anymore :-(
A kid can get relatively good at on-line poker waaaay quicker than time its take to learn pool. I know quite a few who have gone the poker route and make good $$, some have made stupid $$$$. Pool is a hobby/past-time and just getting people to a table these days is TOUGH. Where i live league play is popular but as far as serious big-table pool its really dead. The casinos coming in and changing smoking laws didn't help the cause either. I hate to admit this but the European pool scene is light-years better than what's happening here. They treat it like a sport and player development starts early. They also have a well-run tour(Euro 9b Tour) and straight-pool leagues in some countries. Pool isn't dead here but its close to being on life-support and in need of major surgery.
In the great book "Willies World", Willie Mosconi's story he started "pool" was never bigger then the year of his birth, it has slide down hill since 1913.
Pool is hard to learn, hart to play well, kids today are very lazy with few exceptions. They was instant gratification for the most part.
Pool dark side keep legitimate people from getting involved in sponsor, tourtnments, and promotion of the sport.
Pool players are funny people, their hero are bumb hustlers, and road player, until they are their victim, and cry foul.
JMHO
Well said right there.
Does anyone see a trend: pool was better when ____ was younger?
And is seems to not matter how old _____ was.
To me, that is be strong indication that we humans started ignorant of, became enamored with and then developed a more realistic view of pool. Some continued on to disgust.
Pool's fine, the world is gonna have to be ok for you, blah-blah
wave.
And is seems to not matter how old _____ was.
To me, that is be strong indication that we humans started ignorant of, became enamored with and then developed a more realistic view of pool. Some continued on to disgust.
Pool's fine, the world is gonna have to be ok for you, blah-blah
wave.I played a lot in the post-Color of Money boom. There were rooms opening everywhere, there were good paying tournaments everywhere, good action could be found in LOTS of places and new cuemakers were showing up almost monthly. So yes, compared to the current state of pool, the games was way better. Hell, there hasn't been a national pro tour for 20yrs now. Pool is still alive but i wouldn't say it was "fine".
National leagues and league ops take a big chunk of pool money. Players in league don't strive to play as well as well and don't play as much as players used to. Rooms get a couple bucks for table time per player is a joke. Almost any new players in the game go the league route, because it is easier. It is killing pool and closing rooms. Don't believe me? Since leagues have been the trend how healthy has pool been?
Another recent post. LOL. https://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=482338
There are a few areas/pockets of activity but its FAR from a nationwide deal. As far as action goes Louisiana is killin' it. I live in a once thriving pool area and now the game is deader than HulaHoop.
Players complain instead of hosting tournaments and other activities.
Our town is swimming in pool stuff. There are a lot of players who love to create new tourneys and leagues and stuff.
Just the other day, the previous owner of the BCA franchise told me his teammate was buying it and going to start yet another league in town, when we have well over 10 different leagues going right now. He wants to use the 3-Ball International Skins Game I invented years ago as one of the formats, so we're going to do some planning and see how it goes.
IIITBIIUTM
Not a fun answer to your question, but it's true.
Jeff Livingston
Contrary to other peoples opinions, in my opinion, league play is what is keeping pool alive. Speaking as someone who went from the 14 year old kid getting discouraged by tournament play and the 27 year old adult that was discouraged by tournament play, as i didn't feel i was good enough, league play helped me get to where i am now. Yeah, there is only one or two league players in my area that can give me a run for my money NOW, but it didn't start out that way. Leagues are a great way to have lower skill level players dip their feet into the cash pool game without leaving with a bitter taste in their mouths. I for one, wouldn't play tournaments when i was a weaker player, as i didn't want to donate my entry fee to the best player. League play, anything can happen. Its strategy and a team event, so one person typically doesn't make or break the league and you get to play a very diverse group of people. I wouldn't be the pool player i am now if it wasn't for me starting out in that NAPA league and finding my way over to another league, APA. Leagues are way more beginner friendly than tournaments, with that being said, tournaments are the money maker for good solo players but the win or loss is 100% on you, which isn't ideal for less experienced players. My opinion, of course.
Yours is the second post about that I've read today, and I've got to yell "foul."
Inflation of the money supply by the govt counterfeiters has made the dollar worth a lot less than it was back then. Prices have simply reflected that fiat way of the dollar.
Motels cost more, but provide a lot more than previously. A $6 a night motel is now $60 or more a night, exactly the same as the funny money has gone up, 10 times.
The problem is those betting value their $5 now more than they did back then. Why? Fear, I'd say. The punksters nowadays are afraid of everything, including going broke and not having a clue as to how to get back to being non-broke.
Suffering and learning from that is a lost skill...for now.
Cycles happen and all of this will come around again, just watch.
Jeff Livingston
Great take on it. Fear is why these ADULTS cannot be in a bar. After all, it's for the children.
Jeff Livingston
Just my $.02 here but here's my take on current BCA league play. I was recently asked to play on a Mon. night BCA in-house league. I asked how many weeks and would they be going to Vegas. When told it lasted THIRTY-TWO weeks and they may/may not be Vegas bound i was OUT right then. Last time i checked 32wks is EIGHT months. Who's going to commit to being there every Mon. for 8mos and then possibly not going to Nationals unless you went to play singles. Not for me. Glad others like it.
Completely agree!
Hundreds will.
At least they do here.
The leagues in town mostly have gone to 2 sessions: One in the fall and one in the Spring. That way, a guy can choose either or both and not piss off his wife, etc.
Also, having 2 sessions give a player 2 chances to do well. I use the fall session more as a practice one and then from January to May, I play as competitively as I can. In the spring, there are 2 State tourneys and several interstate area tournaments.
Talk to that BCA Op and suggest he break it into 2 pieces.
Jeff Livingston
Well I recall playing pool at the Boy Club, in Miami, FL, this was before the politically correct Boyz & Gwirls Clubs of 2018. I started about 1954, 1955ish. Our tables were like fold ups, 3.5 X 7 foot or could have been 3 X 6 total junk. But kids took turn paying the winner, 8 ball was the only game. Pool was very popular.
Sometimes pennies, or a nickel was bet on a game, but gambling was again the club rules. Let's say I had a jar of penny's at home because I was better then most at the game. Most of the kids were poor so two cent was a big bet.
Today Pool has a bad image thanks to the like of promotors, room owners, or tournament organizers, who bounce checks, skip town with prize money, or just change payouts because they can, and player keep coming back to get shafted again.
I not picking on the BCAPL but friend went to their big tournament in Sin City, think he finished 3rd in his division. He said it was fun, but between getting their, room, food, entry fees, and TOKEN per game he was in the RED. Said had he won first, he would have been $100.00 in black.
Pool need to be on one organization, not 5 or 6. Then the organization need to guarantee prize money in escrow accounts. Player might get interested in pool again. Today pool has a bunch of big fish, each with their little pond.
Pool players should have taken up Golf, the payout are better, big event winner get paid millions, and some golf get paid to come, because they draw crowds. When was the last time some Pro Golfer got a bad check from a PGA Event? Pro Golfer, Pro NBA,NHL, NASCAR, NFL, MLB get paid & threaded because of one sport body doing it right.
Sometimes pennies, or a nickel was bet on a game, but gambling was again the club rules. Let's say I had a jar of penny's at home because I was better then most at the game. Most of the kids were poor so two cent was a big bet.
Today Pool has a bad image thanks to the like of promotors, room owners, or tournament organizers, who bounce checks, skip town with prize money, or just change payouts because they can, and player keep coming back to get shafted again.
I not picking on the BCAPL but friend went to their big tournament in Sin City, think he finished 3rd in his division. He said it was fun, but between getting their, room, food, entry fees, and TOKEN per game he was in the RED. Said had he won first, he would have been $100.00 in black.
Pool need to be on one organization, not 5 or 6. Then the organization need to guarantee prize money in escrow accounts. Player might get interested in pool again. Today pool has a bunch of big fish, each with their little pond.
Pool players should have taken up Golf, the payout are better, big event winner get paid millions, and some golf get paid to come, because they draw crowds. When was the last time some Pro Golfer got a bad check from a PGA Event? Pro Golfer, Pro NBA,NHL, NASCAR, NFL, MLB get paid & threaded because of one sport body doing it right.
Last edited:
That stinks.