What is there were no gambling or money tournaments in pool?

I understand what you are saying. However, if there were no money in pool the pros would not be able to afford to play. The talent level I think would go down immensly. I play all the time for no money and enjoy every second of it, but I also do love a good money game from time to time. I can't think of a pro game or sport where the professionals don't make money because that is their "profession". I don't go to work for free I will tell you that.

It's a no-brainer that 98% of the top pros simply couldn't afford to keep playing (it's a wonder that any of them can afford to do it currently).

More interesting, IMHO, is the question "how many amateurs would continue competing in tournaments if there were no cash payouts?"

I think the number of tournament players would drop significantly. Our local bar (8 Valleys) held a series of Wednesday night 9-ball tournaments. $10 entry, no added money. There were usually 8-10 of us participating. The bar owner started adding $100 and within 3 weeks we had more than 20 players. Of course, no one bought anything so after 6 weeks he withdrew the $100 added. Now it's down to 6-8 players.

justinb386 said:

I have a feeling that many really do not, and just do it for the money.

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What money? After the Top 5 Money Winners, the other guys could make more money working at McDonalds. Even the Top 5 could make more money in a career in which they dedicated the same amount of time to as they do to pool.

I think they do it because they love the game. It's an addictive game.

justinb386 said:

I wonder how many of the top players would keep playing the game if there were no cash in it for them?

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sadly, that's pretty much how it is right now :frown::frown:

pro's play for money, that is the definition of a pro. what you want is called amateur play.

pool is a game made to be played for money. most nowadays dont want to gamble or spend much on pool. that is why it is dying in the gutter.

they are still complaining about paying for bottled water in a poolroom or the table time.

I agree definition of a professional is someone who makes a living using their skill.
Consider how many pro baseball, basketball, football, soccer or any sport would do it for free? Why is it that ESPN wanted to charge the BCA to air tournaments yet they will pay other major sporting groups such as the NFL to have the right to air a football game? If the television industry treated the sport of pool the same way they did even Golf there would be far more players. Remember also that what a pro pool player makes in tournaments may be only a fraction of what they make from pool. They may be playing and betting on side games. Or giving lessons or getting money from sponsors or creating learning tools to help others learn to play better pool.

I think a main reason for the decline in players has a lot to do with the fact the kids are not as exposed to pool as they are to video games and TV and Internet. There was a time when most colleges and many high schools had billiards teams. If you look at the old ads Brunswick and AMF had pool tables in most bowling alleys. Now even bowling is a struggling industry. Just my opinion.

No good gotten

bdorman said:

It's a no-brainer that 98% of the top pros simply couldn't afford to keep playing (it's a wonder that any of them can afford to do it currently).

More interesting, IMHO, is the question "how many amateurs would continue competing in tournaments if there were no cash payouts?"

I think the number of tournament players would drop significantly. Our local bar (8 Valleys) held a series of Wednesday night 9-ball tournaments. $10 entry, no added money. There were usually 8-10 of us participating. The bar owner started adding $100 and within 3 weeks we had more than 20 players. Of course, no one bought anything so after 6 weeks he withdrew the $100 added. Now it's down to 6-8 players.

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Just me but I would feel better if I knew the place I was playing was going to stay open and the fee was their way of doing it. I think the minute that pool competition becomes about a way to make a living things get sort of out of whack. I enjoy the game immensely so much in fact that every time I see money and pool mixed up together I wonder how long its going to take something bad to happen and I haven't been disappointed yet, because it generally does. That should say something, not sure what it says but I will definitely bet their isn't anyone listening.

It's a fair question. Most know that there isn't a lot of money in pool. It's a fairly niche sport that we get into and fall in love playing. The gambling etc tends to come later after countless hours playing. Initially, it isn't about the money but the love of the game. Once you make the decision to make money or play for money, that can change a mindset then it does become about the money. Just depends on the player. For professionals, it is about the money because they are trying to support themselves by playing.

A good example is the US Amateur put on by the APA. It costs money to play and the only reward for the few thousand that enter is trophies for the top finishers and an entry to the US Open for the winner. If there wasn't gambling or money tournaments, I would still play because I enjoy the competition. I enjoyed the experience of playing in the US Amateur but it is a very expensive tournament considering the travel and time to qualify and to play in the finals.

What a question. None. Are you kidding? Corey D. will tell you he ONLY plays because it pays the bills. Most top players HAVE to play or they'll be living in a Maytag box. Sad,sure. True,sure.

David Price just signed a 7 year $217 million contract with the Boston Red Sox....He is a pitcher who only starts 30 some games a season. So, somewhere close to a million $ each time he works for the next 7 years. Would he show up for just a trophy? for his love for the game? LOL.

I think pool players do it because they love it. They don't get paid jack. And like someone else said, if they put that kinda dedication into something else; they'd likely make more money. And if any of them can fire a baseball mid to upper 90s, they step away from the pool table right now!!

btw, I've shot some with Corey without him getting into my pockets...though I think he may have been trying to pick my brain on how to get 10 extra yards off the tee.

trustyrusty said:

David Price just signed a 7 year $217 million contract with the Boston Red Sox....He is a pitcher who only starts 30 some games a season. So, somewhere close to a million $ each time he works for the next 7 years. Would he show up for just a trophy? for his love for the game? LOL.

I think pool players do it because they love it. They don't get paid jack. And like someone else said, if they put that kinda dedication into something else; they'd likely make more money. And if any of them can fire a baseball mid to upper 90s, they step away from the pool table right now!!

btw, I've shot some with Corey without him getting into my pockets...though I think he may have been trying to pick my brain on how to get 10 extra yards off the tee.

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I think in the professional baseball example you gave, that the the pro baseball players would still be playing if there was no money. But, they'd do it in their own local neighborhood leagues for a night out like we do for pool. Now, this is assuming there was no money at all in baseball, for both the players and the owners.

On the other hand, if baseball owners were making millions/billions, and the pro players were doing it for "fun", they would never ever step foot on the field. Because they are not getting their fair slice of the pie that they are creating, and would be cheated.

So in pool, I see it the same way. There is so little money to go around, that some pros do it for a "side hobby" and hold real jobs, and other pro's have no chance of cashing in some events, but do it anyway because they love the competition, etc. But, if pool ever got to where there were 20,000 paying fans at every event (fantasy world of course), no pro would ever hit a ball at that point unless they all split the gate (and rightfully so).

justinb386 said:

That is just sad think. I wish more loved to just compete, even if it is just a measly $50 cash prize at the end of the night, or whatever.

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It is a catch 22. If there was no money there would be no tournaments to compete in. If tournaments were put on but didn't pay anything to the players and kept all the money that would make even less sense. The players would just be whores.

As it is though most players, even tournaments players, do play for the love of the game since there is no money in it as it is. Even the larger tournaments you have to finish very high just to break even. Doesn't sound like very many are playing for the money.

trustyrusty said:

David Price just signed a 7 year $217 million contract with the Boston Red Sox....He is a pitcher who only starts 30 some games a season. So, somewhere close to a million $ each time he works for the next 7 years. Would he show up for just a trophy? for his love for the game? LOL.

I think pool players do it because they love it. They don't get paid jack. And like someone else said, if they put that kinda dedication into something else; they'd likely make more money. And if any of them can fire a baseball mid to upper 90s, they step away from the pool table right now!!

btw, I've shot some with Corey without him getting into my pockets...though I think he may have been trying to pick my brain on how to get 10 extra yards off the tee.

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If MLB ended tomorrow and all contracts were cancelled, David Price would still play baseball. He'd join one of the biggest amatuer baseball leagues in the USA, (MSBL). They' have to lift the ban on no PRO's allowed until after 5 years after they last played professionally.

Heck, every one on our baseball team pays $400 each to play A 22 game season... with only ONE team trophy awarded for the championship..... and all the teams "recruit" like the dickens to find pitchers in the off season to win that one trophy

And just like many pool league players, I'd best most of us would play for trophy only, no cash payouts, I know I would. It's more about the competition and just getting in the box and competing and giving it your best game.

I'm not exactly sure what the question is here, but I will take a stab at an answer. If there were no money in pool at all whatsoever, then only those pros who still enjoy the game would continue to play. I would hazard a guess that most who took up the game in the first place fell in love with it at some point. Money spends, sure, but it can not love you back, nor can it instill much life satisfaction (though the lack of $ can be more than an inconvenience...).

I love to go hiking and I've never had the trails pay me to take a walk. But I do it anyway, and as often as I can. Same with pool for me. The day I prioritize prize money over pool is the day I quit playing. Not that there is any danger in that based on ability coupled with the lack of prize money in the game anyway. Given that, it looks like the love of the game is the only thing that can keep any of us playing anyway.

justinb386 said:

Yeah, I understand that they need to make a living, but I just wonder how many of them do it because they truly love the game, and how many of them do it just because they happen to be great at it, and just for the money. I know there are many great players that really had no love for the game, and just completely quit when there was something else they could do full time to make a better living (like poker for example). I just wonder how many of the top players out there truly love the game, and would keep playing even if there were no money in it. I understand that this is purely fantasy, because in that case they would need to get a real job, and may not have time to even play the game as much as they wanted to (if they really loved the game). When I was a kid, I loved the game so much. It would not matter if I wasjust playing for a quarter or just for fun, I just loved to shoot. Sorry for repeating myself, but I just wonder how many of the top players truly love the game of pool. I have a feeling that many really do not, and just do it for the money.

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Hard to love anything without food and a roof over your head. Its a silly question.