Just for the fun of it, let’s imagine what could make the event more enjoyable to stream and more profitable to run. The following précis would apply to all four disciplines — Big Foot, Banks, One-Pocket, and 9-ball.
Let’s start with the viewer experience — specifically, with the live-stream audience. But, in the real world, that means first evaluating any possible changes from the owner’s perspective.
Let’s postulate …
GOAL:
Increase net revenue.
STRATEGY:
Bring in more online viewers.
TACTICS:
> Create an Arena Manager for the TV Table.
> Create a Media Concierge for the tournament.
Okay, let’s focus on the primary pool table. The one with the stands on four sides and commentators in the booth. Here, our new Arena Manager would become, essentially, a dictator.
> After the initial player pairings are drawn, again for all four competitions, he, or she, would decide upfront who is going to be spotlighted on the TV Table. This would be an arbitrary process designed to place the most popular players and the most competitive matchups in the spotlight.
> Once the first TV pairing is decided, the Manager would then begin scheduling the rest of that day’s Arena matches — in advance, as early as possible. Again, arbitrarily, he would tell which players to report to the Arena, and at what time. He wouldn’t rely on the vagaries of who happened to be available at a certain time.
Every year, the Derby ends up showing matches with mostly unknown players on the TV table. A dedicated selection process could, mostly, eliminate that. (However, our savvy Arena Manager would also be alert to quirky matchups, such as the delightful Hayden Ernst/Justin Hall contest.)
Now, deliberately selecting the Arena players could involve delaying or advancing some games for a short period, but wouldn’t affect 99% of the tournament. (In other words if Filler/Fedor were scheduled for 1:00 on an outer table, the TV schedule might dictate a 12:30 or a 1:30 start for them in the Arena.)
This dedicated selection process would continue throughout the day, every day. And, the new system should eliminate most of those dead hours when no one is playing on the TV Table.
Now, for the Media Concierge.
> Here, she, or he, would initiate an aggressive social media campaign — posting frequent updates to AZ, One-Pocket.org., the Arena commentators, YouTube, etc. But the bulletins would also be sent directly to everyone who signed up for the live stream. She would announce who is up next, provide a short bio for each, and include their DCC record for the current year.
> In addition, she would be responsible for posting a continuously-updated online schedule so that viewers could have an accurate, and current, overview of how the tourney is going. Yes, yes, easier said than done, but with someone dedicated to the task … well, she could improve the process with a more timely, and more easily understood, format.
Sidebar: Use a shot clock for every game on the TV table.
Next, the question for the streaming audience becomes, “What about the outer tables?” Viewers want to watch certain matchups far more than whatever is streaming in the Arena.
Well, XPOOL, if they are again the primary streamer, could:
> Leave things as they were this year.
> Expand their coverage to the other room.
> Arrive at some kind of accommodation with the other streaming services.
For XPOOL, the dilemma involves both a short-term financial decision and a long-term viewer-engagement opportunity.
Now … to the The Bigfoot Challenge. It’s popular with many, but to dedicate four TV days to a peripheral event doesn’t pass the logic test. The easiest solution would be to move the 10-footer to a slot in the other room.
Plus, consideration could be given to holding the final match on Championship Sunday. Yes, this would require setting up the table the night before. But if I understand it, the process wouldn’t be too arduous with a one-piece slate.
If, for some reason, the Bigfoot had to remain in the TV Arena, at least try to squeeze it down to two days. Start earlier, stay later. Maybe have the first round a race to seven instead of ten. Something, anything, to keep from hogging all that streaming time.
Of course, these random thoughts are merely a preliminary set of suggestions. Subject to refinement, change, and improvement.
DCC is a crackerjack event —- it would be nice to make the viewer experience as good as the tournament itself.
You’re welcome,
Sunny
Let’s start with the viewer experience — specifically, with the live-stream audience. But, in the real world, that means first evaluating any possible changes from the owner’s perspective.
Let’s postulate …
GOAL:
Increase net revenue.
STRATEGY:
Bring in more online viewers.
TACTICS:
> Create an Arena Manager for the TV Table.
> Create a Media Concierge for the tournament.
Okay, let’s focus on the primary pool table. The one with the stands on four sides and commentators in the booth. Here, our new Arena Manager would become, essentially, a dictator.
> After the initial player pairings are drawn, again for all four competitions, he, or she, would decide upfront who is going to be spotlighted on the TV Table. This would be an arbitrary process designed to place the most popular players and the most competitive matchups in the spotlight.
> Once the first TV pairing is decided, the Manager would then begin scheduling the rest of that day’s Arena matches — in advance, as early as possible. Again, arbitrarily, he would tell which players to report to the Arena, and at what time. He wouldn’t rely on the vagaries of who happened to be available at a certain time.
Every year, the Derby ends up showing matches with mostly unknown players on the TV table. A dedicated selection process could, mostly, eliminate that. (However, our savvy Arena Manager would also be alert to quirky matchups, such as the delightful Hayden Ernst/Justin Hall contest.)
Now, deliberately selecting the Arena players could involve delaying or advancing some games for a short period, but wouldn’t affect 99% of the tournament. (In other words if Filler/Fedor were scheduled for 1:00 on an outer table, the TV schedule might dictate a 12:30 or a 1:30 start for them in the Arena.)
This dedicated selection process would continue throughout the day, every day. And, the new system should eliminate most of those dead hours when no one is playing on the TV Table.
Now, for the Media Concierge.
> Here, she, or he, would initiate an aggressive social media campaign — posting frequent updates to AZ, One-Pocket.org., the Arena commentators, YouTube, etc. But the bulletins would also be sent directly to everyone who signed up for the live stream. She would announce who is up next, provide a short bio for each, and include their DCC record for the current year.
> In addition, she would be responsible for posting a continuously-updated online schedule so that viewers could have an accurate, and current, overview of how the tourney is going. Yes, yes, easier said than done, but with someone dedicated to the task … well, she could improve the process with a more timely, and more easily understood, format.
Sidebar: Use a shot clock for every game on the TV table.
Next, the question for the streaming audience becomes, “What about the outer tables?” Viewers want to watch certain matchups far more than whatever is streaming in the Arena.
Well, XPOOL, if they are again the primary streamer, could:
> Leave things as they were this year.
> Expand their coverage to the other room.
> Arrive at some kind of accommodation with the other streaming services.
For XPOOL, the dilemma involves both a short-term financial decision and a long-term viewer-engagement opportunity.
Now … to the The Bigfoot Challenge. It’s popular with many, but to dedicate four TV days to a peripheral event doesn’t pass the logic test. The easiest solution would be to move the 10-footer to a slot in the other room.
Plus, consideration could be given to holding the final match on Championship Sunday. Yes, this would require setting up the table the night before. But if I understand it, the process wouldn’t be too arduous with a one-piece slate.
If, for some reason, the Bigfoot had to remain in the TV Arena, at least try to squeeze it down to two days. Start earlier, stay later. Maybe have the first round a race to seven instead of ten. Something, anything, to keep from hogging all that streaming time.
Of course, these random thoughts are merely a preliminary set of suggestions. Subject to refinement, change, and improvement.
DCC is a crackerjack event —- it would be nice to make the viewer experience as good as the tournament itself.
You’re welcome,
Sunny
