if you mean viewers, yes. filling seats won't do it for sports like pool or snooker. there's a lot of tv viewers of chinese 8-ball, but curiously very few spectators. good money in it because of the viewers and ad revenue/sponsors.
Hardships of Professional Pool as a Career
- Thread starter JAM
- Start date
if you mean viewers, yes. filling seats won't do it for sports like pool or snooker. there's a lot of tv viewers of chinese 8-ball, but curiously very few spectators. good money in it because of the viewers and ad revenue/sponsors.
Watched one of their tournaments recently, appears they started the 4.5 inch pockets, not shimmed on those amf tables.
Are you referring to Hunter Lombardo? He's the only "2nd tier" pro I can think of who travels the world
No not him but
But it's not Hunter.
I'm not going to name him and put his personal life out in public.
But it's not Hunter.
To which we should add that it sold out on the first day tickets went on sale. There are many that wanted to attend that couldn't get their hands on a ticket.
Glad to see that you have pro in quotes, for the player you describe is not a pro at all. Those who regularly play in pro events in which they have less than a 20% chance to cover their expense are, in my view, not pros, but instead hobbyists.
The Mosconi Cup spectators were a big part of 'The Show'. It was appealing to the viewers. The ruffians, the clowns, the beer drinkers...just added some of the color needed. The pool purists may disagree but I think it will increase spectators and viewers...and that means MONEY.
This has been an issue in pool for decades, although you may be defining it a bit too narrowly.
I have had contact with ESPN myself over the years, so this is first-hand info.
Pool on TV didn't get bad ratings. What it had was bad demographics. Advertisers are looking to reach the 18-49 years old demographic and a high-income demographic, but the data on televised pool showed that it was reaching an older and less affluent demographic.
Nice post!
Yes, that's true, but it is the dream of event producers to grow the sport to the point that it is less reliant on the revenue generated from the dead money players. As you say, we're not there yet.
boogieman
It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that ping.
IMHO great pool looks boring IF you don't understand how hard it is to make it look boring.
They have no tough shots... yes we all know why that is (great cue ball control), but those not "in the know" just think it looks boring.
Hell if it looks easy people think it is easy. Why watch an easy sport?
Sometimes I even get sick of seeing pros just play easy shots so I'll tune into matches between less skilled players. Don't get me wrong, I thoroughly appreciate great pool, but I can actually learn more at times watching mere mortals.
They have no tough shots... yes we all know why that is (great cue ball control), but those not "in the know" just think it looks boring.
Hell if it looks easy people think it is easy. Why watch an easy sport?
Sometimes I even get sick of seeing pros just play easy shots so I'll tune into matches between less skilled players. Don't get me wrong, I thoroughly appreciate great pool, but I can actually learn more at times watching mere mortals.
You have a very good point here. The casual spectator has no idea how difficult pool is because it looks relatively simple when the pros play it. I think commentators for TV events like the Mosconi Cup need to stress how difficult the game is by using telestrators to show how precise players need to be. People need to appreciate how difficult the sport is before it catches on. That's one of the reason I like Earl commentating because he always stresses how difficult the game is.
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At least 3 or 4 of them
Too bad, I hear there is a thriving checkers tour.
yea, they have sizeable prize money. if MR can do with pool what theyve done for darts we wouldn't have threads like this
Absolutely right!
More importantly, it was televised in both Europe and Asia. I agree that the rowdy fans add a lot to the event, creating something approaching a party atmosphere. It wouldn't be the Mosconi without them. One watching the event might actually think "I wish I was there" but few pool events will bring forth such emotions.
The opposite extreme in 2022 was the Premier League Pool, a superb event that offered exceptional pool but there was not a single fan in attendance and, consequently, something just didn't feel right.