What is the magic that draws people to snooker tournaments in Europe and not to pool in the United States? Snooker players are paid big payouts. So what do you think is the key here?
American Pool vs Snooker
- Thread starter BarTableMan
- Start date
This may be a start.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TCQz40-mxI&feature=youtube_gdata_player
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the game is such that it can provide moments of great excitement tension and drama, pool cannot.
The players, many are household names and their style, personalities and emotions are all on show.
Did you know that during snookers heyday in the 80's the largest viewing audience during the daytime coverage were housewives, they loved the boys in the tuxes.
The game now is being grown in asia and is healthier than it has ever been.
The players, many are household names and their style, personalities and emotions are all on show.
Did you know that during snookers heyday in the 80's the largest viewing audience during the daytime coverage were housewives, they loved the boys in the tuxes.
The game now is being grown in asia and is healthier than it has ever been.
China
Snooker seems to be very popular over most of the world, including all of Europe, including the former Eastern Block countries and the Balkans, India, SouthEast Asia, Australia, Canada and China. China particularly seems bent on world domination.
China has a population of 1.4 billion.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China
India has a population of 1.2 billion.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India
I think the real question is not why doesn't the world love 9-ball, but rather why doesn't snooker catch on in the United States?
Snooker seems to be very popular over most of the world, including all of Europe, including the former Eastern Block countries and the Balkans, India, SouthEast Asia, Australia, Canada and China. China particularly seems bent on world domination.
China has a population of 1.4 billion.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China
India has a population of 1.2 billion.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India
I think the real question is not why doesn't the world love 9-ball, but rather why doesn't snooker catch on in the United States?
It is several things. I was in Europe in the 90's and their TV consisted of news, English comedies and reruns of American TV sitcoms. Snooker beat that line up by a mile. Add to that they have open gambling on pretty much every match. I was at the world championships at the Crucible and they had betting windows just like a race track.
What has changed is more competition for peoples entertainment time.
ThePitster
Registered
I'm not sure it's the main reason, but Barry Hearn certainly had a strong influence in lifting
snooker from smokey small time venues with minimal exposure to a wider public audience
with corporate sponsorship and bigger payouts for the players.
It's true, recently snooker appeared to be in a commercial decline. In steps Barry Hearn
and suddenly there appears to be a fresh impetus to lift snooker once again.
I grew up watching interesting characters playing snooker on TV. Characters that entertained
and played to the crowd. From the raw maverick talent of Alex Higgins and Jimmy White to the
idiosyncrasies of Bill Werbeniuk (one of your friendly neighbours) and Steady Eddie Charlton
from down under. They all made snooker an interesting package for TV to embrace.
Such was the appeal, even my Gran and Aunties used to tune in and watch snooker when
I was a small lad.
I'm sure the pool world in America has thrown up similar characters, but maybe that one
central person that provided the link between pool and TV never materialised.
It's safe to say that snooker (in the 70's & 80's) also had an image of a working class pastime.
A game played in dodgy smoke filled clubs with shady characters lurking in the shadows.
Yet, it was a game which was successfully packaged and promoted to a wider public audience.
snooker from smokey small time venues with minimal exposure to a wider public audience
with corporate sponsorship and bigger payouts for the players.
It's true, recently snooker appeared to be in a commercial decline. In steps Barry Hearn
and suddenly there appears to be a fresh impetus to lift snooker once again.
I grew up watching interesting characters playing snooker on TV. Characters that entertained
and played to the crowd. From the raw maverick talent of Alex Higgins and Jimmy White to the
idiosyncrasies of Bill Werbeniuk (one of your friendly neighbours) and Steady Eddie Charlton
from down under. They all made snooker an interesting package for TV to embrace.
Such was the appeal, even my Gran and Aunties used to tune in and watch snooker when
I was a small lad.
I'm sure the pool world in America has thrown up similar characters, but maybe that one
central person that provided the link between pool and TV never materialised.
It's safe to say that snooker (in the 70's & 80's) also had an image of a working class pastime.
A game played in dodgy smoke filled clubs with shady characters lurking in the shadows.
Yet, it was a game which was successfully packaged and promoted to a wider public audience.
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I may get grief for saying this but maybe part of the problem lies within the games themselves. We here know that running a rack of 9 Ball is not a simple thing but when you compare it to running a century in Snooker well, it doesn't seem to compare.. With sports people like to tune in and see someone do something they could never see themselves do.. Imo to the non-pool player or the casual player 9 ball looks too easy when the pro's play.. Just my opinion and I am sure there are many more reasons why pro pool isn't where we all would like to see it.. I am sure that one day it (pro pool) will be popular
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Another reason is that it has standardised world rules.
Children playing Snooker in the garage are playing the exact same game as professionals at the Crucible - go figure :thumbup:
Children playing Snooker in the garage are playing the exact same game as professionals at the Crucible - go figure :thumbup:
england gives celebrity status to snooker players, the US does not.
putting the game on TV is not enough, you have to give these players personality.
putting the game on TV is not enough, you have to give these players personality.
Pathetic Shark
Banned
Lots of myths...gambling, personalities, grannies, er, sitcoms...
Phil has it nailed - snooker is packed with tension and drama. When two players have been going at it hell for leather, and each dies at the same time, there's nothing like it in pro sport. Selby an Robertson are at that point right now. I have so much respect for these guys, I don't know how they do it. They have balls of steel and all the skill in the world.
Phil has it nailed - snooker is packed with tension and drama. When two players have been going at it hell for leather, and each dies at the same time, there's nothing like it in pro sport. Selby an Robertson are at that point right now. I have so much respect for these guys, I don't know how they do it. They have balls of steel and all the skill in the world.
Same rules makes sense !
You mean same rules used in Snooker by everyone, as opposed to the bastardized rules the APA uses for the biggest pool leagues in the U. S. Just one many reasons
there is such a disconnect between the amateurs and the pros, I'd agree.
You mean same rules used in Snooker by everyone, as opposed to the bastardized rules the APA uses for the biggest pool leagues in the U. S. Just one many reasons
there is such a disconnect between the amateurs and the pros, I'd agree.
Nonsense.
Snooker is one of the best viewed programs on Eurosport. Eurosport is broadcast through the whole of europe. Especially in Germany and the Netherlands snooker gets very high volume of viewers.
World market - when Ding Junhui played Marco Fu in the final of the 2011 Masters the TV audience was estimated at about 135,000,000.
An organization
Dress code
Players receive media training and can actually speak
Public can bet on all manner of propositions
Players cannot be involved in gambling
Player contracts
Investigation staff, disciplinary procedures, significant penalties
In other words, snooker has everything American pool players avoid.
An organization
Dress code
Players receive media training and can actually speak
Public can bet on all manner of propositions
Players cannot be involved in gambling
Player contracts
Investigation staff, disciplinary procedures, significant penalties
In other words, snooker has everything American pool players avoid.
my 2 cents from Mosconi -
we all went to Best Billiards @ Flamingo @ Day 2.
they had 3-BBs. 8-9F. 4-3C.
(it was my 1st time laying hands on a heated 3-cushion!)
the waiting list was 3-deep for 9F, cause there were 25 of us. the 3C tbls were vacant. and we had 5 Brits w/ us, trying to play/learn 10-ball. they called it "slop".
we all went to Best Billiards @ Flamingo @ Day 2.
they had 3-BBs. 8-9F. 4-3C.
(it was my 1st time laying hands on a heated 3-cushion!)
the waiting list was 3-deep for 9F, cause there were 25 of us. the 3C tbls were vacant. and we had 5 Brits w/ us, trying to play/learn 10-ball. they called it "slop".
World market - when Ding Junhui played Marco Fu in the final of the 2011 Masters the TV audience was estimated at about 135,000,000.
An organization
Dress code
Players receive media training and can actually speak
Public can bet on all manner of propositions
Players cannot be involved in gambling
Player contracts
Investigation staff, disciplinary procedures, significant penalties
In other words, snooker has everything American pool players avoid.
efren speaks to the media too. :grin:
"Foul & a Miss" rule can be contentious in the garage without a referee ;-P