Popularity of pool? Average age?

J

jaime_lion

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
So I saw someone say pool was dying and I googled. It does look like the popularity of pool is decreasing. Do you think pool will die out entirely? Also I am curious what is the average age of pool players in your area? I am 31 so lets use that for an arbitrary line. How many people are older or younger than 31?

Thanks for the info.
 
HNTFSH

HNTFSH

Birds, Bass & Bottoms
Silver Member
I see from 23 to 73. It's a game IMO that often skips the busier years of life (career, kids, etc.) and comes back around when that settles out.

Lotsa young guys play leagues early in their pool career. And then the ones that grew up playing on home tables, etc.

It's just hard to make money owning a hall. Between what I put in the digital juke box and tip the bartender (for a couple waters over 4 hours) it comes out to at least twice what the table time was.
 
JT4Annapolis

JT4Annapolis

JT in FL now
I agree with "HNTFSH" I see mostly younger and older than you. Like me a lot of people take a 10 year break when they have kids. I dont feel like pool is dying but a lot of 9' tables being replaced by bar boxes for sure.
 
G

garczar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
jaime_lion said:
So I saw someone say pool was dying and I googled. It does look like the popularity of pool is decreasing. Do you think pool will die out entirely? Also I am curious what is the average age of pool players in your area? I am 31 so lets use that for an arbitrary line. How many people are older or younger than 31?

Thanks for the info.
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You planning on opening a place? Just curious as to why you ask this. Where i play there are FAR more over 30 than under.
 
J

jaime_lion

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
garczar said:
You planning on opening a place? Just curious as to why you ask this. Where i play there are FAR more over 30 than under.
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Nope just curious. Just kind of seeing if I have picked a hobby I wont be able to do in 5 years or such because it has "died". I have this weird knack for picking things as hobbies that are obscure at least for where I live.
 
G

garczar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
jaime_lion said:
Nope just curious. Just kind of seeing if I have picked a hobby I wont be able to do in 5 years or such because it has "died". I have this weird knack for picking things as hobbies that are obscure at least for where I live.
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Pool is not dying anytime soon.
 
HNTFSH

HNTFSH

Birds, Bass & Bottoms
Silver Member
jaime_lion said:
Nope just curious. Just kind of seeing if I have picked a hobby I wont be able to do in 5 years or such because it has "died". I have this weird knack for picking things as hobbies that are obscure at least for where I live.
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I'd a thought Ax Throwing leagues were on fire.
 
sixpack

sixpack

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
jaime_lion said:
So I saw someone say pool was dying and I googled. It does look like the popularity of pool is decreasing. Do you think pool will die out entirely? Also I am curious what is the average age of pool players in your area? I am 31 so lets use that for an arbitrary line. How many people are older or younger than 31?

Thanks for the info.
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John Schmidt said on facebook one time (paraphrased): "My groupies are all 60+ years old and wear shorts and sandals with black socks!"

LOL.

It's funny but it's true. Although at least here in California it seems like pool is on an upswing. Quite a few younger players now that are serious about their game.
 
C

Cron

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Dying doesn't mean dead. The game is strong in countries outside of the USA. The USA holds a stigmata over it thanks to gambling and the association with being a "hustler".

Anyways, you'r being vicarious. Play it or don't.
 
Buzzard II

Buzzard II

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
For the demographically oriented I'm with HNTFSH and JT. Played as a kid in bars mostly between 18 & 22. Then laid off for about 36 years, 40 until I really got into it. Switching from home table to a GC did it.

As big as when I was a kid? Never again. Too many lost souls walking around with a phone shoved up their nose.
 
J

jaime_lion

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
garczar said:
Pool is not dying anytime soon.
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Well lets hope your right just like the other people that say stuff like computer repair is not dead. Or stuff like physical keys are not going anywhere.

To which I reply I have a computer that when it breaks I will just throw it away because it cost me 90 dollars brand new form best buy. and I don't use a physical key anymore on my door. I unlock my door with my smartphone. and my smartphone if it breaks I will be buying a new one.

As you can see I have ran into this before.
 
J

jaime_lion

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Buzzard II said:
For the demographically oriented I'm with HNTFSH and JT. Played as a kid in bars mostly between 18 & 22. Then laid off for about 36 years, 40 until I really got into it. Switching from home table to a GC did it.

As big as when I was a kid? Never again. Too many lost souls walking around with a phone shoved up their nose.
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I am going to take a shot in the dark and guess your at least 60.
 
HNTFSH

HNTFSH

Birds, Bass & Bottoms
Silver Member
jaime_lion said:
Well lets hope your right just like the other people that say stuff like computer repair is not dead. Or stuff like physical keys are not going anywhere.

To which I reply I have a computer that when it breaks I will just throw it away because it cost me 90 dollars brand new form best buy. and I don't use a physical key anymore on my door. I unlock my door with my smartphone. and my smartphone if it breaks I will be buying a new one.

As you can see I have ran into this before.
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That's product evolution though which is not the same. The hall I frequent has a digital juke box and it's sweet. Hobbies that require time and skill aren't as easily disposable and games like pool can be enjoyed a life time. I agree there's more bar boxes than 9 footers these days but I also think that will shift back a little over time as young players want a different experience.

There's also value in one day at a time. Being 22 or 31 doesn't mean you can't get hit by a bus. If you don't love the game, it's not the game fault. If you do, you never stray far.
 
G

Geosnooker

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Cron said:
Dying doesn't mean dead. The game is strong in countries outside of the USA. The USA holds a stigmata over it thanks to gambling and the association with being a "hustler".

Anyways, you'r being vicarious. Play it or don't.
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True, this site often assumes the ‘A’ in AZBilliards stands for American.

There are 1500 snooker clubs in Shanghai and 1200 in Beijing. ..seems a lot until you see the even bigger expanse expanse of Chinese 8 ball. I played in clubs that looked like they were out of a scene in Monte Carlo in a 60’s James Bond Film. Chinese 8 ball has followed the ‘classy’ image of Snooker. Chinese demographics is a lot of educated males 20 to 50. Snooker and Pool are similar demographics to the ‘corporate’ golf group in North America.

Pool is alive and in my Canadian city. I play in 3 unaffiliated leagues. Ages 18 to mid 80’s. No money involved. More like playing slowpitch or ball hockey. Lots of couples. My wife has no hesitation to play with her adult granddaughter...folks aren’t getting drunk, gambling , swearing.
 
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J

jaime_lion

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Geosnooker said:
True, this site often assumes the ‘A’ in AZBilliards stands for American.

There are 1500 snooker clubs in Shanghai and 1200 in Beijing. ..seems a lot until you see the even bigger expanse expanse of Chinese 8 ball. I played in clubs that looked like they were out of a stern in Monte Carlo in a 60’s James Bond Film. Chinese 8 ball has followed the ‘classy’ image of Snooker. Chines demographics is a lot of educated makes 20 to 50. Snooker and Pool are similar demographics to ‘corporate’Golf in North America.

Pool is alive and in my Canadian city. I play in 3 unaffiliated leagues. Ages 18 to mid 80’s. No money involved. More like playing slowpitch or ball hockey. Lots of couples. My wife has no hesitation to play with her adult granddaughter.
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Actually I thought it was for Arizona only. But my question was more about america than the rest of the world.
 
Charles Hartfield

Charles Hartfield

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
As far as pool’s popularity, the live stream between Styer and Robinson drew a little over 2 thousand per day. There are 7.8 billion people worldwide. The world is basically locked down with no sports to watch. I grant that some of the 7+ billion are children or people that can’t watch for some other reasons. I also grant that the match was kind of boring even for a pool junkie like me but 2 thousand is a low number.
 
HNTFSH

HNTFSH

Birds, Bass & Bottoms
Silver Member
Charles Hartfield said:
As far as pool’s popularity, the live stream between Styer and Robinson drew a little over 2 thousand per day. There are 7.8 billion people worldwide. The world is basically locked down with no sports to watch. I grant that some of the 7+ billion are children or people that can’t watch for some other reasons. I also grant that the match was kind of boring even for a pool junkie like me but 2 thousand is a low number.
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Ha! Agreed but the other side to that coin are folks like many of us that don't care much about "watching" rather like "doing". I never watch a hunting show. I never watch a fishing show or tournament. Don't seek Retriever Field Trial utubes and gave up on the NFL.

Most I might watch is a world cup soccer game and that's more patriotic than anything.

Watching golf, watching pool, watching horse shoes...would rather be doing something instead.

But I do hear what you're saying. :thumbup2:
 
C

Cron

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Geosnooker said:
True, this site often assumes the ‘A’ in AZBilliards stands for American.

There are 1500 snooker clubs in Shanghai and 1200 in Beijing. ..seems a lot until you see the even bigger expanse expanse of Chinese 8 ball. I played in clubs that looked like they were out of a scene in Monte Carlo in a 60’s James Bond Film. Chinese 8 ball has followed the ‘classy’ image of Snooker. Chines demographics is a lot of educated makes 20 to 50. Snooker and Pool are similar demographics to ‘corporate’Golf in North America.

Pool is alive and in my Canadian city. I play in 3 unaffiliated leagues. Ages 18 to mid 80’s. No money involved. More like playing slowpitch or ball hockey. Lots of couples. My wife has no hesitation to play with her adult granddaughter...folks aren’t getting drunk, gambling , swearing.
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Yep. American pool is very hostile in general. I'm not a fan of gentrification typically as it can remove spirit/culture, but American pool needs it desperately. It actually needs more glam and Paris Hilton. Anyone telling you otherwise is living in a suburb or something similar. It's fine for me, as I grew up incredibly poor, but in general American pool halls are not for children (teens are typically fine though). Let me put it this way, I knew parents that felt safer if their children were working in coal mines than in a particular "pool hall" (it was more like 6 tables on a bunch of wood called a floor, with dogs and the occasional "pet" rooster running around).
 
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