I am not a room owner but one of my best friends has been for over 35 years. He's not the most technically proficient guy in the world so when he asked me to post this for him, I said no problem. here it goes....
Well, that’s it! I have to write! No one mentions “THEM”, no one notices “THEM”. Does anyone in our industry ever see “THEM”? Who is “THEM”?
THE FANS!! Remember them? The ones that no one sees because they just came to watch a good show & go home, or a good performance by the greatest (the best) players around. “THEM” are the people who sometimes come in & are watching live pool for the first time. “THEM” are the ones who sometimes, not always, pay the price for a ticket to get in!
So question #1. The most important source of income for a promoter is what? Customers! (FANS) Just ask Match Room sports. I was at the Mosconi Cup in Las Vegas 2017 for the first time. Lets see, I paid around $175 for an all week pass, multiply by 300 spectators, $52,500. That’s a good start for a major “added” tournament. FYI when the Cup is in Europe (England) they have some 2000 spectators. You do the math! Berry Hearn & his Match Room sports is an exception. Mr. Hearn is some kind of Promoter, WOW!
Forgetting the Mosconi Cup for a moment, the 2nd question promoters must ask: What kind of show are we giving “THEM”? Are we giving them an exciting show? Do we hear them saying oooh or ahhh or breaking out in cheers after a good shot? Or maybe a big roar because the 9 Ball is slowly rolling toward the pocket on the break and may go in to win the game! Oh! That’s right, the 9 Ball on the break isn’t a win any longer, or why aren’t the players taking a 9 Ball Combo to win the game, oh yeah that’s right again, they took the combo out of the equation, no longer a win! Some of the most exciting shots for “THEM” to watch and cheer about are now taken out of the game, Why?
The break, before the break, you all know what I’m talking about, the racking BS. Do you think the casual spectator wants to see that? It’s ridiculous! It’s boring! Did you ever go to a tournament & find out you are eye level with the rail and there are no over head screens? How about sitting & watching players on a 4 ball runout with no tie ups take 3-4 minutes to finish? Brutal!
As I was reading this letter to my wife, who by the way has been a room operators wife for 33 years, when she heard that the 9 ball on the break doesn’t win any longer, she had 3 words for me “that’s really DUMB!”
A “THEM” shows up to watch professional pool for the first time, they just bought their first cue & case (retail $150) joined a league & plays 2-3 x a week at the “Billiard Club”. The perfect customer! He’s heard that the pro’s can string racks together w/ breaks & runs. He’s hoping to see a 4 or 5 pack. What does he get? ALTERNATE BREAKS! Great, what does the player who just won the rack get to do? Sit and wait his turn! Do players, can players ever catch a rhythm? Another rule changed.
Lastly, tight pockets, tighter pockets, tightest pockets, let’s make them even tighter! Pretty soon, the “customers” will be watching Snooker, and we all know how well that took off! It died in Canada after the Color of Money & in the US, we never gave it a second thought. So I pose this next question to our industry: How do we get “THEM” into the show?
Carl Galante, Room Owner - Classic Cue Billiards, Buffalo NY
___________________________________________________________________
Well, that’s it! I have to write! No one mentions “THEM”, no one notices “THEM”. Does anyone in our industry ever see “THEM”? Who is “THEM”?
THE FANS!! Remember them? The ones that no one sees because they just came to watch a good show & go home, or a good performance by the greatest (the best) players around. “THEM” are the people who sometimes come in & are watching live pool for the first time. “THEM” are the ones who sometimes, not always, pay the price for a ticket to get in!
So question #1. The most important source of income for a promoter is what? Customers! (FANS) Just ask Match Room sports. I was at the Mosconi Cup in Las Vegas 2017 for the first time. Lets see, I paid around $175 for an all week pass, multiply by 300 spectators, $52,500. That’s a good start for a major “added” tournament. FYI when the Cup is in Europe (England) they have some 2000 spectators. You do the math! Berry Hearn & his Match Room sports is an exception. Mr. Hearn is some kind of Promoter, WOW!
Forgetting the Mosconi Cup for a moment, the 2nd question promoters must ask: What kind of show are we giving “THEM”? Are we giving them an exciting show? Do we hear them saying oooh or ahhh or breaking out in cheers after a good shot? Or maybe a big roar because the 9 Ball is slowly rolling toward the pocket on the break and may go in to win the game! Oh! That’s right, the 9 Ball on the break isn’t a win any longer, or why aren’t the players taking a 9 Ball Combo to win the game, oh yeah that’s right again, they took the combo out of the equation, no longer a win! Some of the most exciting shots for “THEM” to watch and cheer about are now taken out of the game, Why?
The break, before the break, you all know what I’m talking about, the racking BS. Do you think the casual spectator wants to see that? It’s ridiculous! It’s boring! Did you ever go to a tournament & find out you are eye level with the rail and there are no over head screens? How about sitting & watching players on a 4 ball runout with no tie ups take 3-4 minutes to finish? Brutal!
As I was reading this letter to my wife, who by the way has been a room operators wife for 33 years, when she heard that the 9 ball on the break doesn’t win any longer, she had 3 words for me “that’s really DUMB!”
A “THEM” shows up to watch professional pool for the first time, they just bought their first cue & case (retail $150) joined a league & plays 2-3 x a week at the “Billiard Club”. The perfect customer! He’s heard that the pro’s can string racks together w/ breaks & runs. He’s hoping to see a 4 or 5 pack. What does he get? ALTERNATE BREAKS! Great, what does the player who just won the rack get to do? Sit and wait his turn! Do players, can players ever catch a rhythm? Another rule changed.
Lastly, tight pockets, tighter pockets, tightest pockets, let’s make them even tighter! Pretty soon, the “customers” will be watching Snooker, and we all know how well that took off! It died in Canada after the Color of Money & in the US, we never gave it a second thought. So I pose this next question to our industry: How do we get “THEM” into the show?
Carl Galante, Room Owner - Classic Cue Billiards, Buffalo NY
___________________________________________________________________