Recent content by Ghost of OBC

If this is a question, I'd recommend looking at OBSbot. They have some nice PTZ web cameras that are easy to set up and make good pictures.

I was probably 6 or 7 years old. My father's soccer team was sponsored by a bar called The Rusty Nail in Newport News VA. I'd go with him to his games on Sunday and then to the bar to watch EPL games. I'd crawl around on the floor to find quarters and then play on the barbox with one of the...

Oktava make a very high quality mic, I believe the mk-012 series, is available with multiple capsules for different pick up applications. It is a nice set if you can find it for a decent price, covers lots of application including directional and omnidirectional applications.

Pool definitely aggravates my golfer's elbow. It isn't an injury that started with pool but I definitely feel it after league night.

Seagram's Seven Ball from the early 2000s. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin"...

I think they are the future for pool in the US. Haven't gotten to any event but would love to go.

Pickleball is a great example. They do amazing fan experience. They co locate amateur and pro events, have fun places to eat and drink, host live music, the big events are like festivals. As a spectator sport it's a lot like pool. Watching a tiny ball bounce around between 2 or 4 people on a...

That's precisely the point. People don't choose what to watch based on the size of the purse. They choose based on the experience. If you want to unlock big sponsors you need big audiences. Mercedes doesn't pay pro golfers because they are good golfers. They pay them because the right kind...

That's not exactly true. In large tournaments there is tons of pool to watch. Even the local amateur tournaments I play in will have 20+ tables going at once. Properly organized you could have hundreds viewers or more accommodated within a few feet of a table. Add some concession areas with...

You forgot, sell more tickets. Minor league baseball has no media presence, is boring, pays nothing but is a very good business. Pool would have to do something they've never done before, think hard about fan experience. In the age of streaming, live events pay the bills for musicians. My...

Yup. The PGA tour does a great job of spectator experience. That's something that pool could learn from. Most tournaments have a variety of spectator options ranging from free tickets for kids, police, military and educators, to covered seating with premium food, beverage, and table service...

"Why can't we expand the viewership of professional pool?" Oh, because we are slavishly catering to the preference of the extant viewers. Do the same thing, get same results. But hey, maybe you are better at this than NBC. It could be that.

If you look around the sporting universe, there's a distinct lack of story in pool coverage. Boxing is a very niche sport, but boxers start the show months ahead of time with talking sh*t, negotiating etc. Watch the Masters in a few weeks, there will be lots of packages with player bios...

That's a great article. Thanks for sharing. I knew Harry Crabtree a little from Obelisk Billiards in Newport News. In his later years he was the house pro and overall overseer of pool things there. Amazing to see him as a young man.

Fair winds, Prof. Ramos. Sad news indeed.