And Gorst isn’t American, at least his skill and level of play, he brought that from Europe.
Matchrooms Concern
- Thread starter Island Drive
- Start date
if prize money and general interest grows, people will find a way to get there. private clubs with 9fts will likely play a bigger role in both europe and US anyway. not a big fan of them myself but hear talk of them all the time
Let’s separate for a second money and skill.
A Pro athlete at any sport, is a business and should have a business plan. Pros are about to get paid.
Success in big tournaments requires high level of skill.
If you make money of pool, whether it’s by giving lessons, play money games or win bar tables tournaments, it’s all nice and great and it makes you a Pro.
But Pro level as in highest skill level requires a different approach.
Think of an athlete that his main goal is to get to the Olympics, there is no money on this route, just some medals and trophies.
A lot of athletes sponsor them selves.
A pool player should want to aspire to become world champion, that what should drive him, not money.
There are other way to make a living but being sponsored in order not to is better.
If a pool player mainly cares about making money of the game, then Chinese 8 ball is probably the way.
But we are back to the beginning, what American pool player that grows on bar boxes with buckets for pockets, can make it big on snooker sized pockets on a 9ft table with napped cloth?
billiards_watch
Well-known member
I have thought of opening a private pool club in my area during COVID. It would be outfitted with at least 10 tables. 20 man membership and each person come and go as they please. It would be in an air conditioned warehouse. I got the idea from a German friend of mine who said he played at a club and people go in and out as they please.
Instead of that per hour basis...members can stay as long as they want. I think this type of platform would be very inviting to classes. For the parents who just want to drop their kids off for an hour. It would be like karate class.
The reason why kids don't play pool is the age factor. Pool halls or establishments with pool tables are 18/21 years or older.
Instead of that per hour basis...members can stay as long as they want. I think this type of platform would be very inviting to classes. For the parents who just want to drop their kids off for an hour. It would be like karate class.
The reason why kids don't play pool is the age factor. Pool halls or establishments with pool tables are 18/21 years or older.
The difference in pay can't be the difference. What I mean is this. The guys winning a big prize in a CSI Fargo capped division still have day jobs. You can't do it for a living. I know there have been posts about guys doing well in fargo capped bar box events. It's the kind of thing that isn't sustainable and you won't net out what you could from a job in most cases. Most of the people winning one of the events you are talking about have zero shot to improve to say a 750 Fargo. They started late in the dreaded American bar box culture railed about sometimes here. What is holding them back is not some lack of killer instinct or the willful failure to seek tough competition. The cultures are just different I guess.
Not to sound too harsh, but maybe you guys need to raise some buy ins so you can win a couple thousand at a weekend event.
The German system is great.
These places can vary in size, sometimes down to just one table.
The members are co-owners and they take turns in running and maintaining it.
They bring their kids and teach them, they take the kids to tournaments in other places.
A lot of great players emerge from that system.
This also works due to it being a non profit thing.
But I’m not sure it can work anywhere. It takes a German mentality….
I sometimes forget that the USA is more than just the big cities and a lot of places are small towns with a small community and they can’t have a big size pool halls so it’s just bars and bar boxes. But I’m sure that there is always a solution. If someone wants to become a top skilled player, they could find a way.
billiards_watch
Well-known member
Thank you.
You know what I'm talking about.
When he explained this to me I thought it was the best idea ever. LOL
InsertCleverNameHere
Well-known member
haha what a comparison
The problem is that our government wants them to work harder (making a few $$ an hour) and then after 8-10 hours of work, they can go play tennis/pool until falling into bed exhausted.
Who in their right mind is going to "push" their children to play pool?
There is also the negative connotation that comes with playing the game.
Very few can make a decent living when compared alongside a steady job.
The number of young people that play competitive golf grinding in an attempt to make it on the big tour will always greatly outnumber those playing pool.
In the grand scheme pool just isn't that important.
There is also the negative connotation that comes with playing the game.
Very few can make a decent living when compared alongside a steady job.
The number of young people that play competitive golf grinding in an attempt to make it on the big tour will always greatly outnumber those playing pool.
In the grand scheme pool just isn't that important.
This is the same worldwide, and yet, those who really wish to excel at pool or any other thing, find their way if they are serious enough about it.
Well, here lies the other big issue with American pool besides bar boxes... appearance.
Germany was mentioned here, so I'll bring another example from their attitude:
I was in Germany in 2010 for the World Teams Championship. I was astounded by how the German team acted.
Breakfast was served at 7:00, but the German team got out at 6:00 for a run. Then at breakfast they only eat healthy.
During the whole event, they all wore the national trainers, the same as the German team wore for the Olympics.
In the evening after the matches of the day ended, at dinner, I tried to get Hohmann and Souquet to have a drink with us; they don't drink during tournaments.
Not only do they act as athletes, but they also look like athletes. They are proud, and pool is a sport, so why won't they involve kids in sports?
Do all parents that throw a ball with their kids in the backyard plan on their kids becoming pros? It's just another sport activity.
In other countries, pool can be a lifesaver; not much is going for the average Filipino. Becoming strong players will earn and provide for their family. In that culture, gambling is a big part of it, and yet, no bad connection.
America has to find what will work for America; the attitude that you show will not help... and there are many things that could be done.
Where I live, billiards had a very bad reputation as a criminal's game. Today you have big and nice pool halls that are safe for kids. It's an activity to do with the kids on the weekend, and you get kids coming after school to play. Sadly, the local federation is weak and not doing much to push the sport and the players, so the level of players is not that high. Some good players that are kind of prodigies all started as kids in these clubs.
I don't think it has anything to do with reputation it has to do with the money. How many pro pool players even make $50k a year? In America being a pool player is like working at Mc Donald's as far as making a living goes. Except you have to dedicate your whole life towards pool. It just doesn't make sense to most people.
Stay in school, get a good job.
If you're just after the money.
If you pick up basketball or football or baseball or whatever big sports as a kid, nobody promises you a fat NBA/MLB/NFL contract in the future.
People pick up sport because they like it, and they get better at it because of the passion for it and not for a pay cheque in the future.
Most people that pick any sport don't become pros, they may still be very good at it.
How much does a gymnast earn in a competition?
Pool players around the world for many years, not made much money at pro tournaments, and still there are lots of players at a pro level that compete; there are more players today at the highest level of the game than there were in the past, yet less of them in the USA.
If you're just after the money.
If you pick up basketball or football or baseball or whatever big sports as a kid, nobody promises you a fat NBA/MLB/NFL contract in the future.
People pick up sport because they like it, and they get better at it because of the passion for it and not for a pay cheque in the future.
Most people that pick any sport don't become pros, they may still be very good at it.
How much does a gymnast earn in a competition?
Pool players around the world for many years, not made much money at pro tournaments, and still there are lots of players at a pro level that compete; there are more players today at the highest level of the game than there were in the past, yet less of them in the USA.
They pick up a football, baseball or basketball because it offers them a way to make millions if they make it or a free ride to college! Sure we all start because we love playing but pool offers no future especially here in the US. Not sure what you aren’t understanding? Why would a kid here pick pool over a sport where he could make millions. It just doesn’t make sense for the amount of time pool takes to be great, so what maybe you can barely scrape by in life.
Jason Shaw started on a BarBox?
I guess all is left for the Americans when it comes to pool is to get a good job and collect expensive cues...
Are you sure that a 10 years old kid, picks up football or other sports because he think that it'll make him rich one day?
Or maybe because he watched it on TV and it looked exciting?
Have you watched pool broadcasting production quality in the USA compared to Europe or Asia? or Snooker? Have you watched the tournaments productions?
Let Matchroom do its thing, maybe pool will be great again in America.
Obviously, if you want to get pool to a higher level in the USA and even get players play, the first thing to do is give control to someone outside the USA.
Right now Ultimate Pool is the most exciting thing happening in Pool and yes its all BarBox. Shane, Corey, Tyler, Archer, Tyler and all the top European small table players and many others are all playing in it. Its not the US Open, but it got the buzz.