An idea of the decline of pool.

[Systim6]

I was just thinking about the decline in pool and how a lot of people say it's dying. How many "All" ages pool halls are in your town/city? How many pool halls are 21+ because of the alcohol?

Here in Albuquerque I grew up during my teen years in an all ages pool hall. Thats where I learned to play at a young age and now they are closed down. I'm now old enough to go to 21+ pool halls and thats fine with me but where is the next generation of pool players? Unless they have a pool table at their house, which a lot of people don't how will they ever get "into" pool?

Maybe we just need to open more all age pool halls? idk just a thought.

 

[pulzcul]

Unfortunately I don't think you can make it on table time and pizza. You would have to charge to much. Maybe in a very large population base in special circumstances, but family billiard rooms are few and far between.
But I think you could introduce billiards into the school system like china. That would get some competition between schools going. Maybe move into a collegiate level. Scouting? Scholarships? Wishfull thinking I'm sure.

 

[deerhunter]

I tried to open an family friendly pool room 3 years ago. But the rent and other expenses are just to high. I ended up just building a private club at my house for my friends to have a place to play. I am again looking for a place for a larger pool room but the same problem.
I want to open a place in a one horse town with all kind of empty buildings. You would think rent would be reasonable, WRONG. The cheapest I found that is big enough is $10 a square foot for 6500 square feet. That is over $5400 a month and that is just rent.
I have giving up hope just having a pool room. If I can find the right place, I will open a sports bar with 12 to 20 pool tables and hope I can cover the expenses.

 

[Baby PacMan]

I totally agree. Pool needs to be where children are, not just in bars or smokey pool halls where people are hustling. Neither place is kid friendly. In a world where kids have easy access to a Playstation or Wii, pool seems like a relic. When you think about it almost is.

Pool tables are overpriced compared to Wii. Let's see Diamond sell a Pro Am for 200 bucks.

Pool tables are very large, you need entire rooms devoted to having one.

Pool tables are commonly found in places that are not kid friendly, ie Bar.

So, how is a kid magically suppose to be exposed to pool? They aren't unless a pool table is found at home. But they are expensive! I mean, for four grand there is so much more you can do. I can't think of another game where people are encouraged to buy used equipment because new is too much. That alone is a major strike against pool.

 

[Blue Hog ridr]

So, how is a kid magically suppose to be exposed to pool?

Maybe you can petition Chuckie Cheese and they might start putting in plug tables instead of video machines. Thats a start.
And if you really want it to be Magic, you may want to contact Disney Land.

They aren't unless a pool table is found at home. But they are expensive! I mean, for four grand there is so much more you can do.

Yes, they are expensive, and yes, for 4 grand there is so much more you can do with it. Just tell that to a room owner that has 16 to 20 plus tables in his room. So he should open a room to cater
to families that want to spend some quality time with their kids for 45 minutes worth of table time a couple of times a year? Cause when dad brings his son down to the hall, thats about the length of time they will spend on a table before the kid and his father get bored. Yep, and head down to Chuckie Cheese to eat.

Nope, the room owner wants players who spend 2 to 4 hours playing, buying drinks, eating, plugging the juke and playing the Lottery terminals.
And even then, running a room is iffy these days.

That alone is a major strike against pool.

I don't believe thats a major strike against pool in any way shape or form.
If you think it is, go to the bank and get a business loan, open a family rec center and see if you stay in business more than one month.

 

[terminal_288]

. I can't think of another game where people are encouraged to buy used equipment because new is too much.

golf or hockey...

 

[Baby PacMan]

I don't believe thats a major strike against pool in any way shape or form.
If you think it is, go to the bank and get a business loan, open a family rec center and see if you stay in business more than one month.

I wouldn't have to do all that to know the price of a pool table is a strike against pool in relation to getting kids to play. All you have to do is look at what kids play and ask "can pool compete?"

Wii 200 bucks, PS3 $349, XBOX 360 $400
Pool table 1300 to start for Olhausen base line model. 4000 Pro AM, 9000 GC.

It's not hard to see which is easier to get a hold of. The reason I price the table and not for pool hall is because you perfectly explain why the majority of pool halls cater to the adult crowd, and not teens, rendering pool tables availability to installing one at home.

So back to what Systim6 said, he asks why not just open more all ages pool rooms? I could have swore I read that over in the Room Owners section they said table time doesn't pay the bills, it's the pro shop, beer and food. And even then, I've read they are having a hard time just trying to make ends meet.

Anyhow, I guess it falls upon to the pool playing community to introduce the young to pool (not room owners to take a loss). I have an Olhuasen in my house. I have two children, my 8 year old daughter plays 14.1 with me. When my son who is still a tot gets old enough, he will learn also. I'm doing my part, there are two more children in this world who play pool.

 

[justadub]

It can happen...

http://www.thesportsarena.biz/

This is a big complex here in town. Bowling, pool, arcade games, a pizza place, an ice cream shop and a sports bar with a bunch of TV's. All in one.

Pretty busy, most of the time. Table rates are too high for me to play there regularly ($12/hour) so I only play there on league nights. But kids can and do play there, during the day and early evening hours. I don't know if they have a kids rate during the day, but I wouldn't be surprised. (Kids aren't allowed into the main pool area after 7PM.) I know they have daytime bowling specials, so it would make sense to have the same for pool.

The Sports Bar part is to one side of the pool tables, so the kids don't have to be right in the middle of the boozing. And the drinkers certainly don't want to go over the the arcade side...

Yes, it can be done.

 

[Blue Hog ridr]

Pac, I guess that I didn't think that would be a problem in the USA.
Where I am from in Canada, we have some pretty antiquated liquor laws and yet, kids can come into a pool hall where alcohol is being served.

I suppose its a difference in licensing laws between halls and bars.

 

[cueandcushion]

I don't think Wii or XBox prices have to do with anything. Pool tables that run $4000 will still be in use in 20 years. A $300 Xbox will not. Not to mention the average family has over $800 in games for each console. Those games get boring or get updated all the time. How many kids will be playing Guitar Hero 1 in 20 years? The decline of pool is a multi faceted issue. Trying to corner it to a few simple reasons seems short sided.

 

[justadub]

Pac, I guess that I didn't think that would be a problem in the USA.
Where I am from in Canada, we have some pretty antiquated liquor laws and yet, kids can come into a pool hall where alcohol is being served.

I suppose its a difference in licensing laws between halls and bars.

And between different states, as well. Laws that cover this sort of thing are the territory of the state, not federal. Whats OK here won't necessarily be the case the next state over.

Apparently it's reasonably easy to deal with here, since the place in my example earlier allows us to drink anywhere in the complex, and the kids are allowed anywhere in the complex, as well. (The kids are prohibited from the bulk of the pool area after 7PM, but I believe that is a rule of the complex. There are a few tables in areas kids can access after then, which allows the bulk of them to be kid-free during the evening when there are more folks drinking and such.)

As I recall, the law here allows my kids to come into a bar with me. So long as the bar allows it. Never really tested that theory. They'll have plenty of time in bars soon enough!