Straightline,
You and I both know that life is a crapshoot, and that's true whether you're rich or poor. But, like the Wise Man once said, "No balls, no blue chips." Nothing is easy, and if something is worth having it's worth fighting for.
OK, let's say you're able to get +/- 20 world class players together who can show through act and deed (PAT) that they actually are the best in the primary disciplines (if Efren decides to join, he may qualify for an exemption). You establish the time and place for "The 1st Annual Professional Pool Players of America Tournament" and then every swingin' richard starts marketing. Have events. You know, "Meet the Pros", "Beat the Pros", Clinics, Pro-Ams, Beer Parties, whatever. Call every DJ you know or don't know. Take the hotshot Sports Reporters to lunch. Ask them to tell The Story. And then fight with everything you've got to find ONE Nationally known sponsor...like Brunswick, or Budweiser, you get the picture. What's the hottest pool town in the USA right now? Have the 1st Annual Tournament there, but have the event in a very nice venue in the nicest part of town you can find. Ask the local Hoyty-Toyties to come to the event. Soap 'em up. Do whatever it takes to grow the business. And do it with a smile on your face. And when you shake their hand, look them right in the eye, and don't you dare give 'em no damned dead fish. Make it man to man. With REAL leadership and excellent management, it can work, but it is going to have to be CLEAN. No punks and no cocaine allowed.
So, now you're wondering where the hell am I gonna find 20 world class pool players who are willing to expose themselves to a certain amount of risk. I say risk, because in order to be a member of The PPP of America, they're going to have some skin in the game, as in "no free lunch." Like any syndicate, participation is going to cost you, one way or the other. Purses are purses, and good solid purses attract a better class of patron. Image, quality, recognizable names, class, and just a little dash of glitz. Have you ever seen Dustin Johnson, or Sergio, or Rory, or Ricky Fowler out on a golf course dressed in a wife beater T-shirt? Presentation is everything.
Well then, these are just a few of the things on the "Do Whatever It Takes" list. So that puts the ball in their court. Do they want it? Have they got what it takes to achieve it? Is the status quo secure enough so the whole damn thing is moot. I have no clue, and to make matters worse, I wouldn't have played on the PGA Tour even if I had made it, much less the PPP of America. I like being at home with my child bride playing slap and tickle too much. But think about this: The PGA of America was made up of men who had never even dreamed of a tour. They were happy playing cow tracks for a can of pork and beans and a glass of cold water. Today, Jack Nicklaus has a net worth of 320 million dollars and Tiger is worth over 1 billion. What started in 1917 with 35 charter members has grown to be one of the most recognizable brands in the world. Can pool do the same thing? I don't know, but one of the main reasons the golfers organized was because they were tired of being treated like second class citizens by the members of the clubs where they worked.
I frequently use golf as an example of a very successful concept. It has taken about 100 years for golf to get from where it was to where it is today. I have no delusions that pool will be more successful than golf, even if it takes 100 years. I try to compare and contrast golf and pool. One of the main differences between golf and pool is that generally speaking, pool players want it all and they want it now. They rarely care about anybody but themselves. Golf has succeeded in some large part because of its adherence to the "one for all and all for one" concept. Yes, golf and pool are individual sports, but golfers know beyond any shadow of doubt that without greenskeepers, golf equipment vendors, assistant club pros, volunteers, sponsors, world class venues, excellent college golf programs (with awesome scholarships), dedicated parents and myriad other contributing factors, they would not have anything, up to and including those great big paychecks.
Pool is at a crossroads. Smelly old pool halls are dying a slow, violent death, and nobody really knows how close to death the current batch of visible pool promoters are. If televised pool was truly a profitable venture, it would be on TV with all the other success stories. And it would be supported by real sponsors with really deep pockets.
Pool has two choices. It can smolder along like it has for the last 60 years with no apparent gains. It can have little pockets of glory and greatness, but it can also have long periods of doubt, anxiety, and distress. It can pugnaciously accept the status quo....or, it can redefine itself, be grateful for all that it has and all that it means to so many people, and it can go out and proudly grab the brass ring. Like the LGBTQ community, pool needs to have a Pride Parade. Pool players are not the dregs of society. They are talented, interested, and dedicated sportsmen who are more than capable of taking what is rightfully theirs, Center Stage.
Organization and genuine leadership! That's how pool will grow and prosper. It should be evident by now that the current approach has failed. The future of pool is out there just waiting for you. No balls, no blue chips.
