How to fix pool

[Bishop]

Any more stereotypes you want to throw in about blacks, hispanics and gay people?

I mentioned none of those 3.

Not sure why you would bring it up tbh.

I brought up generations because that poster took to disparaging millennials. So yeah if you can’t reach them or Gen z you’re stuck with no market.

You kinda need a market. Old customers don’t live forever.

Pool needs new customers to thrive and grow.

We can absolutely bring up more stereotypes if you want. There’s a profound lack of black and gay members here. Feel free to tell me why.

 

[ShootingArts]

Yeah, and then..... Throw all that out and build a time machine, go back in time 25 years, and kill everybody who started programming computer games. And social media.

Because the "problem with pool" is that young people are not taking up the game, because competitive gaming is WAY more profitable, and social media is a time sink for bored teens, as opposed to pool, which it USED to be.. Young people have TONS more options for entertainment when they are bored now, as opposed to playing pool. Without young people taking up the game, there are no young players, and few young fans. Because fans don't want to watch a bunch of forty year olds and above playing the game.

The first step to "fixing pool" is to recognize what the actual problem is, and not going and chasing red herrings. Literally NOBODY in this thread is addressing the core problem with pool. An aging demographic that gets tired of the game and stops playing, and are not replaced with young players.

Russ, I think you are a lot more right than wrong in what you are saying. However, it is going to be pretty much impossible to get the gamers to learn pool and support the halls in any numbers. Another sport I was involved in had the same issue, little or no appeal to youngsters.

What they did not recognize is that their "youngsters" were empty nesters with time on their hands and money in their pockets. These "youngsters" could still compete for twenty or thirty years, well worth getting them involved. Pool may be in the same boat, they need to target the bit older crowd with leagues and promotions to appeal to the forty-five years plus crowd. They might be the younger generation for today's pool halls.

The issue for the youngsters pool wants to attract is that they are already involved in other things that for the most part don't cross over well. My gamer nephew had a blast in more ways than one when I helped him get started shooting pistols. He was twelve years old. Red dot and compensator, a race gun was right up his alley. Put the red dot on the target and let'r rip! Pool he barely dabbled at. Old geezers and lots of smoke. Everybody is better than the beginner where he started off winning in lower classes with a pistol.

I think pool needs to focus on the people they can get into the halls. After that they might try to get the youngsters in. It isn't easy to get them interested enough to keep coming back.

Hu

 

[Bishop]

Russ, I think you are a lot more right than wrong in what you are saying. However, it is going to be pretty much impossible to get the gamers to learn pool and support the halls in any numbers. Another sport I was involved in had the same issue, little or no appeal to youngsters.

What they did not recognize is that their "youngsters" were empty nesters with time on their hands and money in their pockets. These "youngsters" could still compete for twenty or thirty years, well worth getting them involved. Pool may be in the same boat, they need to target the bit older crowd with leagues and promotions to appeal to the forty-five years plus crowd. They might be the younger generation for today's pool halls.

The issue for the youngsters pool wants to attract is that they are already involved in other things that for the most part don't cross over well. My gamer nephew had a blast in more ways than one when I helped him get started shooting pistols. He was twelve years old. Red dot and compensator, a race gun was right up his alley. Put the red dot on the target and let'r rip! Pool he barely dabbled at. Old geezers and lots of smoke. Everybody is better than the beginner where he started off winning in lower classes with a pistol.

I think pool needs to focus on the people they can get into the halls. After that they might try to get the youngsters in. It isn't easy to get them interested enough to keep coming back.

Hu

You’re absolutely right that the emphasis will be on the hall. There’s a big disconnect with the current type of pool hall and what would bring the younger generations to the playground.

I think the current jukeboxes that are accessible from your phone is one positive.

There’s gonna have to be a modernized version of what a pool hall is. Hard to say what that will end up looking like.

 

[smoochie]

Maybe if you tried jumping a ball with accuracy and cueball control and when you see one well executed it's entertainment.

nop, not with shortie kiddie cue.

 

[Coos Cues]

Any more stereotypes you want to throw in about blacks, hispanics and gay people?

This is both off the wall and out of line.

 

[ShootingArts]

You’re absolutely right that the emphasis will be on the hall. There’s a big disconnect with the current type of pool hall and what would bring the younger generations to the playground.

I think the current jukeboxes that are accessible from your phone is one positive.

There’s gonna have to be a modernized version of what a pool hall is. Hard to say what that will end up looking like.

It seems like modern pool halls might be headed in this direction from a handful I have seen in different parts of the country. Open spaces, bright, can't see them in this picture but windows to the outside letting sunlight in, a good bit different atmosphere from what I consider a pool hall. I don't feel at home in these places and have only walked in and looked around, played in one once when I think about it but have walked into half a dozen. It doesn't seem like a "real pool hall" to me but then again I am not today's market.

Hu

 

[sellingboe]

This is both off the wall and out of line.

Really? Because I was the one doing the stereotyping to which I responded? I always marvel at the hypocrisy of the ISTS when they are called out for their ISMS.

 

[Coos Cues]

Really? Because I was the one doing the stereotyping to which I responded? I always marvel at the hypocrisy of the ISTS when they are called out for their ISMS.

I have no idea the meaning of your acronyms. Stop looking for "isms" behind every bush.