2026 WPA Predator Men's World 10 Ball Saigon

[jbart65]

Yeah I just don't agree, Race length has absolutely nothing to do with fan engagement.

I don't generally state absolutes, but you are absolutely wrong on length of games. They quite clearly do matter. People only have so much time.

All major sports, for example, have sped up OT or changed the rules to shorten games. Tennis, hockey, baseball, college football. Only pro football has gone against the grain, but even the NFL has gotten worried about game lengths growing beyond three hours.

Baseball added a pitching clock because games were getting too long and fans were losing interest. I know. I stopped watching as much for that reason.

College basketball added a play clock years ago to attract more viewers. North Carolina's four-corners system under Dean Smith gave a big assist. Boring as hell to watch.

One thing I like about soccer/football is games are 2 hours and done.

Maybe race length is not as big a factor for pro pool viewing, but it surely does matter. It matters in all sports trying to broaden audiences.

It's all about interest. You have to get the viewers interested in the outcome. Some kind of interviews, or bios that are pretaped and thrown into the match during racking, or clips of either sportsmanship or poor sportsmanship. Create a hero and a villain, or someone to root for or root against.

Agreed.

 

[jbart65]

It just shows you don´t know about subject..

No, I don't know as much about snooker as you do. Pool would be lucky to be as big on TV as snooker is in the UK and China. If the sport is to grow, however, I don't think it can mimick much about snooker.

As for the Chinese snooker numbers, I treat as suspect all numbers coming from China. I write about economics, and their economic numbers have repeatedly proven to be ... untrustworthy.

A core global audience of 100 million, even 200 million, is possible. But 500 million? That's half the population of China!

 

[skogstokig]

No, I don't know as much about snooker as you do. Pool would be lucky to be as big on TV as snooker is in the UK and China. If the sport is to grow, however, I don't think it can mimick much about snooker.

As for the Chinese snooker numbers, I treat as suspect all numbers coming from China. I write about economics, and their economic numbers have repeatedly proven to be ... untrustworthy.

A core global audience of 100 million, even 200 million, is possible. But 500 million? That's half the population of China!

india, pakistan, iran etc are snooker nations

 

[jay helfert]

What's the history of the race length? Could it be the beginning stages are actually shortened for time as opposed to lengthening them in the later stages. I prefer a bit longer race; however, I will fully admit I do not have the patience to watch a live stream online. I will wait until it's at least halfway through, or more, and then start watching it, that way, I can zip past the boring parts.

We played Race to 11 in majors for decades! From first match to last. DE and the winner pf the losers side had to beat the undefeated player twice!

 

[jay helfert]

No, I don't know as much about snooker as you do. Pool would be lucky to be as big on TV as snooker is in the UK and China. If the sport is to grow, however, I don't think it can mimick much about snooker.

As for the Chinese snooker numbers, I treat as suspect all numbers coming from China. I write about economics, and their economic numbers have repeatedly proven to be ... untrustworthy.

A core global audience of 100 million, even 200 million, is possible. But 500 million? That's half the population of China!

Not so long ago Pool was one of the biggest participation sports in the country, with an estimated 35-40 million casual players. It probably remains at abour half that number now. The good news is it seems to be making a modest comeback now, with home table sales at all time highs.

 

[Jaden]

We played Race to 11 in majors for decades! From first match to last. DE and the winner pf the losers side had to beat the undefeated player twice!

Yeah, my only problem with televised matches from the past was their editing out the mistakes. One of the key factors in developing interest is the willing suspension of disbelief. The former high school footballer who watching the NFL can think to himself, if I would've stuck with it or gotten a college scholarship that could've been me.

With the way they edited the old matches for tv, there wasn't a person in the world, even if they were capable of doing it, that could think, yeah on a good day if I had stuck with it, I could've been there doing that.

That's one of the reasons that I like the WNT conditions and format. It creates the opportunity for mistakes occassionally and even though those conditions make it even less likely that the average viewer could ACTUALLY compete, it makes it easier to create that willing suspension of disbelief that makes watching interesting.