Will WNT World Championship in Jeddah Put Pool on the Map in Mainstream Media?

Will WNT World Championship in Jeddah Put Pool on the Map in Mainstream Media?

  • Yes. Pool will rise in popularity on a global scale.

    Votes: 13 30.2%

  • No. Pool's popularity will not change.

    Votes: 30 69.8%
  • Total voters
    43
JAM

JAM

I am the storm
Silver Member
With the large $250,000 first-place prize payout at Matchroom's WNT World Championship in Jeddah, if media around the world picks up this event and takes notice, will it help to elevate pool to a higher rung on the global sports ladder?

Folks sometimes say pool is not a spectator sport like golf, tennis, football (soccer), baseball, and basketball. But imagine the possible human interest stories of some of the players in Jeddah and what it could do for pool if this tournament is picked up by the global media, to include print and broadcast TV coverage:
• Mohammad Soufi and his journey to Europe from his homeland
• Shane Van Boening's ability to win at the highest level despite his hearing function
• veteran Ralf Souquet showing age does not matter when it comes to champions
• John Morra's ability to switch hands and not lose a beat
• James Aranas taking no prisoners to the finals
• Naoyuki Oi's post-finals-match speech if he wins
• Ko Brothers, the pride of Taiwan, the cream of the crop
• Fedor Gorst, forced to be a man of two countries

The possibilities are endless. Most of us know these pros and their backgrounds, but mainstream folks do not. Could this event effect a change for the better in pool as a sport?
 
As for the US, no. Matchroom can't get pool broadcast in the US. I'm sure they'd love to, but the US sports broadcast market is closed. The last time I remember it almost happened was when two hours of the Mosconi Cup (delayed, recorded) was going to be broadcast on a Fox or ESPN channel. Didn't happen because of the background music that they weren't willing to pay for. Or so I heard.

Internationally, it will probably help, especially if the finals are between China and the Philippines.
 
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Bob Jewett said:
If you mean in the US, then no. Matchroom can't get pool broadcast in the US. I'm sure they'd love to, but the US sports broadcast market is closed. The last time I remember it almost happened was when two hours of the Mosconi Cup (delayed, recorded) was going to be broadcast on a Fox or ESPN channel. Didn't happen because of the background music that they weren't willing to pay for. Or so I heard.
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I am actually referring to mainstream media on news stations, not the coverage of the live streams. I mean news broadcast reports on the TV news. I probably should have worded my post better.

In other words, if CNN is in the sports talk time, they would mention this event and show highlights.
 
Pool is somewhere near Pluto as far as mainstream media's radar goes. This event won't change that.
 
when money got high in the noughties there were some spaghetti arms.. DD and oi are nervous as it is, i don't believe in either of them as a winner.. as for the topic i think no, but i voted yes because i don't think it's so dependent on mainstream media.
 
Bob Jewett said:
As for the US, no. Matchroom can't get pool broadcast in the US. I'm sure they'd love to, but the US sports broadcast market is closed. The last time I remember it almost happened was when two hours of the Mosconi Cup (delayed, recorded) was going to be broadcast on a Fox or ESPN channel. Didn't happen because of the background music that they weren't willing to pay for. Or so I heard.

Internationally, it will probably help, especially if the finals are between China and the Philippines.
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It was streamed on ESPN3 (back when it was separate to some degree from the actual channels) in 2017. That was the last time, though.

https://matchroompool.com/news/mosconi-cup/espn3-live-stream-partypoker-mosconi-cup-usa/
 
My knee jerk reaction is to say no, but the event is a step forward in making pro pool a good career, and that will help to motivate some of those considering pool as a career. This can, in turn, help grow interest in the game internationally.

So, while I doubt pro pool gets a big one-time boost from this event, I believe this event can further the goal of growing the game.
 
I would say no not at all. However, it really doesn’t matter. The mainstream media is rapidly dying out. The average age for a viewer for a cable news channel is 72. Young folks don’t watch the mainstream media. They watch Tik tok, YouTube and older gen x does Facebook. This is not just the future it’s the here and now. Pool is doing well on these platforms.
 
mnorwood said:
I would say no not at all. However, it really doesn’t matter. The mainstream media is rapidly dying out. The average age for a viewer for a cable news channel is 72. Young folks don’t watch the mainstream media. They watch Tik tok, YouTube and older gen x does Facebook. This is not just the future it’s the here and now. Pool is doing well on these platforms.
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Agreed. To the extent this championship would have any impact, it would be in China, showing American pool as a viable alternate to heyball.
 
There may not be anything on TV media about it, but we might see an article somewhere other than AZBilliards.
 
Badi Nazhat comes to mind when I see these great things posts... That was 2013 if it rings any bells... Players will chase whatever they see shiny, even bonus ball. Will this take pool over the edge? No... Online betting and Vegas putting it back on the big boards WILL do that... Open the pockets back up and lose the plastic templates... 80% making a ball is funny funny.. I like one of those golf tees where you hit the tee and not the ball so you can't slice or hook... If a bookie can't make the odds accurately we have no shot... Refs never need to rack again with anything IMHO... Player Rack.. Ref inspect and get on with it......
 
The Renfro said:
Badi Nazhat comes to mind when I see these great things posts... That was 2013 if it rings any bells... Players will chase whatever they see shiny, even bonus ball. Will this take pool over the edge? No... Online betting and Vegas putting it back on the big boards WILL do that... Open the pockets back up and lose the plastic templates... 80% making a ball is funny funny.. I like one of those golf tees where you hit the tee and not the ball so you can't slice or hook... If a bookie can't make the odds accurately we have no shot... Refs never need to rack again with anything IMHO... Player Rack.. Ref inspect and get on with it......
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yea you can forget that. players knows more about rack mechanics and manipulation than any ref on the planet lol. going back to that shit won't happen
 
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As an aside, I read something on Facebook by someone in the know who said when the World Snooker Championship was held in Jeddah, they had trouble filling the seats in the audience until the final days.

Every WNT pro on Facebook is sharing photos of the venue, raving about it, saying it's the best they've ever had. Of course, this huge venue is quite different than the traditional snooker venues. I wonder if they will fill the seats up okay. The lady referees were wearing loose-fitting all-black tunic-like clothing at the World Snooker Championship, not their usually skin-tight garb. I did not see any ladies in the audience at the World Snooker Championship.

Interestingly, on the side of the buses in Jeddah, there is a huge advertisement about this event covering the entire side of the bus. That's pretty cool.
 
JAM said:
As an aside, I read something on Facebook by someone in the know who said when the World Snooker Championship was held in Jeddah, they had trouble filling the seats in the audience until the final days.

Every WNT pro on Facebook is sharing photos of the venue, raving about it, saying it's the best they've ever had. Of course, this huge venue is quite different than the traditional snooker venues. I wonder if they will fill the seats up okay. The lady referees were wearing loose-fitting all-black tunic-like clothing at the World Snooker Championship, not their usually skin-tight garb. I did not see any ladies in the audience at the World Snooker Championship.

Interestingly, on the side of the buses in Jeddah, there is a huge advertisement about this event covering the entire side of the bus. That's pretty cool.
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it was also kind of, the seats were booked AND empty, so noone could sit there iirc. the WST said something along the lines of it being their culture to pop in and out of attendance. wasn't a good look
 
Just as I imagined, the females at this event from around the world are dressing in loose-fitting tunics and baggy clothing. Quite different than the skin-tight clothing at other Matchroom events that leaves nothing to the imagination.
 
Pool is already rising in popularity on a global scale, but I highly doubt it will have anything to do with this event being staged in Saudi Arabia. If anything, the association with Saudi Arabia may hurt pool in some countries.

The draw video came across as very uncomfortable to me, like a beheading was about to happen or something. This is a culture that is abhorrent to me, and selling out to them strictly for the $$ is detestable at best. But I will watch and try to pretend that this isn't happening where it is. Hopefully the players will stay within their predefined boundaries and not do anything that requires them to be stoned to death, beheaded, have appendages chopped off, and so on. God forbid Pia tries to drive somewhere without a husband with her.

Matchroom continues to screw the US audience with DAZN-only viewing access. I think matchroom has given up on US support for pool and is growing it without counting on us.
 
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