★ Mosconi Cup ★ Absolutely Spectacular ★
- Thread starter Paul Schofield
- Start date
Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and everyone is also entitled to agree or disagree. Thats pretty much what a discussion forum is about.
But I can tell you that the tv ratings on this Mosconi cup were excellent and I can also tell you that in my 23 years of covering cue sports for broadcast networks that the one aspect of any event that is marketable is a team concept, especially when it incorporates a geographical interest. Rating tend to increase because you are widening the demographics and people may sometimes tune in even if they aren't pool fans but may know the area or be patriotic supporters of their country no matter what the competition involves. People may or may not agree with this but it is fact and I have been told this by network executives for many years now.
So any promoters out there looking to draw ratings suitable enough to attract sponsorship should always consider this avenue. Especially if they intend approaching a host network for possible broadcast purposes. It is what it is.
Sorry this event didn't appeal to you Mr Dixon but it obviously appealed to a lot of people for various reasons. I hope you continue to be a fan of the game and continue to watch based on the execution of that one shot by a top player that may have shown you something you didn't know before. You never stop learning in this game.
All the best over the holidays to AZ and all my friends out there!!
Jim Wych
PS Have rarely posted here but hey, its snowing like crazy outside and I wanted to voice another opinion before I get the courage to head out and shovel the driveway and walks.
But I can tell you that the tv ratings on this Mosconi cup were excellent and I can also tell you that in my 23 years of covering cue sports for broadcast networks that the one aspect of any event that is marketable is a team concept, especially when it incorporates a geographical interest. Rating tend to increase because you are widening the demographics and people may sometimes tune in even if they aren't pool fans but may know the area or be patriotic supporters of their country no matter what the competition involves. People may or may not agree with this but it is fact and I have been told this by network executives for many years now.
So any promoters out there looking to draw ratings suitable enough to attract sponsorship should always consider this avenue. Especially if they intend approaching a host network for possible broadcast purposes. It is what it is.
Sorry this event didn't appeal to you Mr Dixon but it obviously appealed to a lot of people for various reasons. I hope you continue to be a fan of the game and continue to watch based on the execution of that one shot by a top player that may have shown you something you didn't know before. You never stop learning in this game.
All the best over the holidays to AZ and all my friends out there!!
Jim Wych
PS Have rarely posted here but hey, its snowing like crazy outside and I wanted to voice another opinion before I get the courage to head out and shovel the driveway and walks.
Thank you but I am not trying to be positive. I think I am being accurate.The opposite of like is not dislike. It is apathy (indifference). I do not see or hear apathy anywhere.
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Pathetic Shark
Banned
Jim Wych is a class act.
Yes, and a cool cat to meet in person. I was lucky enough to get to hang with Jimmy and Jay last week after the Mosconi cup. I had the time of my life and cant wait to do it again.
Very cool.
If more people tried to build up the game as opposed to try and tear it down, pool would stand a better chance.
I enjoyed what I saw of the Mosconi Cup this year, as a production. The event, the production and everything about it was very well done. The only issue was the behavior of a few, which marred it somewhat. Certainly unfortunate.
Oh yeah, and I would have liked "our guys" to have done better
That doesn't take away from what a good pool show this was.
i'm trolling through all and catching up from Vegas. and was going to give you REP for this - till i realized it was from you, Lou....
xoxo!
someone should QUOTE you on this
Actually, there is a common point to be made re WWE .....
The production value and focus on the total viewer package is similar. You don't have to respect the content, but WWE has a consistently great production, even more amazing when you consider they tear it down and set it all up in a different arena every week.
The Mosconi Cup has similar amazing production qualities, meaning the total package.
i've known Earl for 25 yrs.
and on Day 2.
at 3pmPST.
he came real fricken close
to getting cold-cocked.
That alone would have more than justified the price of admission.
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You should post more often. It is REFRESHING -- I repeat, REFRESHING -- to read a post from an industry member who is as humble and generous as you are. I enjoyed you and Jerry in the booth at this year's Cup. You two complement each other with your seasoning and wisdom. You two also have perfect rhythm,knowing when to interject or speak. Bravo! :yes:
Okay. I hope you come back and read this, but my FAVORITE part of this year's Mosconi Cup was when you were interviewing Earl and Shane right after the first win for Team USA. After you got Earl's reflections of the match, you then took the microphone and placed it about 2 inches in front of Shane's face and said, "Shane, what's it like playing with Earl?" The look on Shane's face was PRICELESS. This was my BEST Mosconi Cup moment ---> HERE
You're an asset to the sport, Jim. We could use a few more just like you. Sweet blessings are coming your way. :smile:
Happy Holidays to you and yours.
Attachments
Always a classy post from you Jim; just like your commentary style.
Thanks for the information about the Mosconi Cup ratings being EXCELLENT.
Two thumbs up. :thumbup:
JoeyA
I'll second that! :smile:
But I can tell you that the tv ratings on this Mosconi cup were excellent and I can also tell you that in my 23 years of covering cue sports for broadcast networks that the one aspect of any event that is marketable is a team concept, especially when it incorporates a geographical interest. Rating tend to increase because you are widening the demographics and people may sometimes tune in even if they aren't pool fans but may know the area or be patriotic supporters of their country no matter what the competition involves. People may or may not agree with this but it is fact and I have been told this by network executives for many years now.
Dear JW--
I would make four observations about this paragraph.
First, you can only promote a sport as a team sport if it is a team sport to begin with. You couldn’t, for instance, have team horse racing. (Well, you could, but you would have to say the fix was in.) Basketball, football, hockey and soccer have to be played with a team. Billiards and pool, on the other hand, are almost never played as a team sport. (I leave aside leagues.) If you force the team concept onto them, you change the nature of the game, just as you would be essentially changing the game if the NBA played one-on-on or the NFL had punt-pass-and-kick.
Second, I rather imagine the geographical connection being a draw for increased viewership might be right, but perhaps only if the sport is a team sport to begin with. I am out of my depth here, but before I made the same assumption about individual sports, I would want to know if the Davis Cup matches draw greater viewership than Wimbledon, the French Open, the Australian Open, or the US Open. I would also ask whether the Ryder Cup draws better viewership than the major championships in golf or the Fed Ex Cup where the participants are playing as individuals in what is, again, ordinarily an individual sport.
Third, one of the commendable things which have happened in golf is that most people seem not to count where a player comes from. Sergio Garcia can be popular in Melbourne, New Jersey, or Dubai. The game is played as if it were an international confraternity.
Fourth, the European billiard players have for a long time played matches between countries, say Germany against The Netherlands, but when such matches are played they are often designated “friendship matches” and are used as an opportunity for everyone to get along with one another while competing wholeheartedly. The atmosphere is rather different when Germany plays The Netherlands on a soccer field. It is not necessarily desirable to import the atmosphere of the team sport to the venue of individual sport.
Dear JW--
I would make four observations about this paragraph.
First, you can only promote a sport as a team sport if it is a team sport to begin with. You couldn’t, for instance, have team horse racing. (Well, you could, but you would have to say the fix was in.) Basketball, football, hockey and soccer have to be played with a team. Billiards and pool, on the other hand, are almost never played as a team sport. (I leave aside leagues.) If you force the team concept onto them, you change the nature of the game, just as you would be essentially changing the game if the NBA played one-on-on or the NFL had punt-pass-and-kick.
Second, I rather imagine the geographical connection being a draw for increased viewership might be right, but perhaps only if the sport is a team sport to begin with. I am out of my depth here, but before I made the same assumption about individual sports, I would want to know if the Davis Cup matches draw greater viewership than Wimbledon, the French Open, the Australian Open, or the US Open. I would also ask whether the Ryder Cup draws better viewership than the major championships in golf or the Fed Ex Cup where the participants are playing as individuals in what is, again, ordinarily an individual sport.
Third, one of the commendable things which have happened in golf is that most people seem not to count where a player comes from. Sergio Garcia can be popular in Melbourne, New Jersey, or Dubai. The game is played as if it were an international confraternity.
Fourth, the European billiard players have for a long time played matches between countries, say Germany against The Netherlands, but when such matches are played they are often designated “friendship matches” and are used as an opportunity for everyone to get along with one another while competing wholeheartedly. The atmosphere is rather different when Germany plays The Netherlands on a soccer field. It is not necessarily desirable to import the atmosphere of the team sport to the venue of individual sport.
facetious |fəˈsēSHəs|
adjective
treating serious issues with deliberately inappropriate humor; flippant.
Lou Figueroa
Let me jump in here,
1. Using your own examples, golf and tennis are essentially "singles" events and yet the Ryder Cup and the Davis Cup are very important events in their respective sports.
2. The Davis Cup draws big audiences depending on which teams are playing. Remember it lasts for months and has many hours of television coverage, both nationally and internationally. All this culminates in a final match with worldwide interest by tennis fans everywhere. I doubt the ratings are as high as Wimbleton or the U.S. Open, but may well be higher than most other tennis tournaments. The Ryder Cup is a whole different story. It's always one of the highest rated golf shows of the year when it's played. It's a one shot deal, consisting of only four days of play.
3. Darren Appleton and Dennis Orcollo seem to be pretty popular all over the globe, or hadn't you noticed. Top pool players get acclaim wherever they go. Shane gets star treatment in the Philippines! So does Mika. Wherever pool is played, the top players are admired and respected, with one or two exceptions. Efren is BELOVED all over the world! He may be more popular in the pool world than Sergio Garcia is in the golf world. JMHO as always :wink:
I haven't really wanted to say anything about the Mosconi Cup because I was/am embarrassed not just about the performance of our nations representatives (which I could forgive... eventually). It was the solid endorsement of how the world expects Americans to behave. This really angers me.
I was in eastern Africa as part of the whole nastiness that happened there in the early 90's. I had my own preconceptions atomized as the character and supreme dignity of the people from that region plainly demonstrated to me that they deserved my respect.
From those that have so little to those that have so much... we deserve the stereotype that exists for a reason. I think every American and person selected to represent America should consider how important it is now (more than ever), how we comport ourselves as people / competitors.
People like Mr. Balsis in 1966 sitting down after an 11 ball run, watching Irving Crane crush him into the ground 150 and out. Balsis enjoyed the Deacons skill and achievement as much as any assembled, congratulating Irving at the end of that historic run.
We seem to have lost something. I do wish we could FIND it...
Regards,
Lesh
I was in eastern Africa as part of the whole nastiness that happened there in the early 90's. I had my own preconceptions atomized as the character and supreme dignity of the people from that region plainly demonstrated to me that they deserved my respect.
From those that have so little to those that have so much... we deserve the stereotype that exists for a reason. I think every American and person selected to represent America should consider how important it is now (more than ever), how we comport ourselves as people / competitors.
People like Mr. Balsis in 1966 sitting down after an 11 ball run, watching Irving Crane crush him into the ground 150 and out. Balsis enjoyed the Deacons skill and achievement as much as any assembled, congratulating Irving at the end of that historic run.
We seem to have lost something. I do wish we could FIND it...
Regards,
Lesh