comparing top pro pay

M

maha

from way back when
Silver Member
just a thought: based on tournament winnings

only the top 10 pros in the whole world make as much, or more than a new york city cop gets in salary after 5 years. $126,000.
and only the top 40 players in the world starting salary for a cop. $66,000

all below that cant afford to even live in n.y.c. without a second job.
 
Ok. Just what exactly are supposed to take from this?? That pool doesn't pay much?? Wow, whatta revelation. Thanks. ;) Seriously, i think anyone that's been around pool for more than a month knows there's higher payin gigs. BTW, who the hell wants to be a cop? 120k/yr would not make me even think of that thankless job. Hats off to those that do it, they get shit pay to put their life on the line.
 
and those figures don't take into account the expenses which can be high.

but the few top ones do get endorsement money more than a pittance the lower level ones get.
 
I recently showed my two sons these numbers. They both love the game and wish that their games were better. We talked about what they would need to do to get to a low end pro level.
Practice/play, and treat the game as a job, eight hours a day.
Once seeing the numbers, both were a little more happy with their corporate jobs and keeping pool as a recreational hobby.
 
In comparison:

a fresh out of college Computer designer can get $120K
while a seasoned Computer designer can get $300K
and a seasoned Computer designer working for a successful startup can make $5M when the company goes public.
 
These numbers do not tell the whole story.

The top players all have very lucrative cue deals that, more or less, pay their participation expenses, so they get to keep all of their prize money. Many also have other significant sponsorships and make money from exhibitions, giving lessons, and from action matches. Others own or are partners in either poolrooms or pool merchandising concerns. Some of them generate other income from having a significant internet presence or, in some cases, their own Youtube channel. Still, your suggestion that not many of them make an attractive living is fair.

Nobody selects pro pool as a career because that's where the money is. Certainly, nobody having qualifications in a career that pays much more than pool will choose pool as their career.

Yes, a pro player can probably not afford to live on Park Avenue, but these days, more than you think can live comfortably.

Finally, a marginally successful pro player I spoke to commented "As much as I love the game, I'd probably be playing pool every day anyway. At least this way I am getting paid for it." How does one put a price on getting to play the game you love for a living?
 
sjm said:
These numbers do not tell the whole story.

The top players all have very lucrative cue deals that, more or less, pay their participation expenses, so they get to keep all of their prize money. Many also have other significant sponsorships and make money from exhibitions, giving lessons, and from action matches. Others own or are partners in either poolrooms or pool merchandising concerns. Some of them generate other income from having a significant internet presence or, in some cases, their own Youtube channel. Still, your suggestion that not many of them make an attractive living is fair.

Nobody selects pro pool as a career because that's where the money is. Certainly, nobody having qualifications in a career that pays much more than pool will choose pool as their career.

Yes, a pro player can probably not afford to live on Park Avenue, but these days, more than you think can live comfortably.

Finally, a marginally successful pro player I spoke to commented "As much as I love the game, I'd probably be playing pool every day anyway. At least this way I am getting paid for it." How does one put a price on getting to play the game you love for a living?
Click to expand...
An olde hustler told me once: "Some people work for a living, some people play for a living"...as he made another hole in his arm.
 
Black-Balled said:
An olde hustler told me once: "Some people work for a living, some people play for a living"...as he made another hole in his arm.
Click to expand...
I think the key word here is "olde".

I agree with SJM. While pool may not quite be there yet, I think the day is fast approaching where a young man who has some ability (even in the U.S.) wouldn't be crazy for making a go at it...provided he chooses to "turn professional". Steven Pressfield wrote a great book called "Turning Pro", and it's about becoming a professional in any discipline. It's a great book.

The players now that are making money are "professionals". They do what needs to be done to succeed...even if they don't want to do those things. They have no glaring weaknesses in their games. They practice every aspect. They travel all over all the time. They understand that part of becoming a professional is curating a life that can support pool now and support them when they cannot play pool anymore. This means they refrain from substance dependency and promote themselves as ambassadors for other businesses and their own businesses...particularly their own businesses. I was watching an accu-stats match where Mark Wilson said that Aloysius Yapp made 20 trips to China to play Chang Jung-Lin even 9-ball sets...and lost them all. Now look at Yapp. That is a professional.

Fedor hired someone to film him and help him with his Youtube channel (in addition to keeping a serious practice routine). This was extremely smart, and I don't know why every other pro with a little bit of change doesn't do the same. The smart ones, to various degrees, are cultivating a youtube / instagram stream of income. (Fedor, Niels, the Fillers, Alex, etc.).

When you consider the opportunity to chase a dream vs. non-dischargeable school loans to work a job that you will lose to A.I., I am not sure pool isn't fast becoming a "non-crazy" option...provided the player is going to be a professional as I have described here.

Finally, I am not going to name names as that seems impolite. However, on occasion at the DCC, I have seen several TOP players with their "lady friends". All of these players...ALL OF THEM...had an 8 or above with them, and none of them (in my estimation) would be with the same company of women, if they were a schoolteacher or accountant. It's good for a guy's love life to be at the top of a male hierarchy with a touch of globetrotting. What's it worth to travel the globe and bag hotties from 25 to 35? It's not nothin'.

I know, it's easy for me to say this as I sit at my desk with health insurance. When I get cancer, I will get treatment...and then I will be gone.

kollegedave
 
kollegedave said:
I think the key word here is "olde".

I agree with SJM. While pool may not quite be there yet, I think the day is fast approaching where a young man who has some ability (even in the U.S.) wouldn't be crazy for making a go at it...provided he chooses to "turn professional". Steven Pressfield wrote a great book called "Turning Pro", and it's about becoming a professional in any discipline. It's a great book.

The players now that are making money are "professionals". They do what needs to be done to succeed...even if they don't want to do those things. They have no glaring weaknesses in their games. They practice every aspect. They travel all over all the time. They understand that part of becoming a professional is curating a life that can support pool now and support them when they cannot play pool anymore. This means they refrain from substance dependency and promote themselves as ambassadors for other businesses and their own businesses...particularly their own businesses. I was watching an accu-stats match where Mark Wilson said that Aloysius Yapp made 20 trips to China to play Chang Jung-Lin even 9-ball sets...and lost them all. Now look at Yapp. That is a professional.

Fedor hired someone to film him and help him with his Youtube channel (in addition to keeping a serious practice routine). This was extremely smart, and I don't know why every other pro with a little bit of change doesn't do the same. The smart ones, to various degrees, are cultivating a youtube / instagram stream of income. (Fedor, Niels, the Fillers, Alex, etc.).

When you consider the opportunity to chase a dream vs. non-dischargeable school loans to work a job that you will lose to A.I., I am not sure pool isn't fast becoming a "non-crazy" option...provided the player is going to be a professional as I have described here.

Finally, I am not going to name names as that seems impolite. However, on occasion at the DCC, I have seen several TOP players with their "lady friends". All of these players...ALL OF THEM...had an 8 or above with them, and none of them (in my estimation) would be with the same company of women, if they were a schoolteacher or accountant. It's good for a guy's love life to be at the top of a male hierarchy with a touch of globetrotting. What's it worth to travel the globe and bag hotties from 25 to 35? It's not nothin'.

I know, it's easy for me to say this as I sit at my desk with health insurance. When I get cancer, I will get treatment...and then I will be gone.

kollegedave
Click to expand...
Yours is an interesting perspective for sure. Nice post.
 
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