I asked the owner of my local Pool Room if he had invited the newspapers & radio to come see a huge One Pocket tournament... the place was packed. He said No, can't be bothered.
Article by Badi Nazhat
- Thread starter Houstoer
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I asked the owner of my local Pool Room if he had invited the newspapers & radio to come see a huge One Pocket tournament... the place was packed. He said No, can't be bothered.
I asked the owner of my local Pool Room, MaGoos in Tulsa, if he had invited the newspapers & radio to come see a huge One Pocket tournament... the place was packed. He said "No, we don't bother with 'em".[/SIZE]
That's because Jim McDemott sold the place a few yrs back, and the mindset is geared towards rock/roll and the business model has changed with the new owners. Jim tho had Thee best manager/servers/bartenders/leaguer operators that were fortunate to have this man as their owner. His true character showed thru the actions of his employees and their concern of others. Dan Tull is a close second.
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Jerry Forsyth
Well-known member
Getting radio and TV for pool is not always so easy. I was once given the task of drawing local media to the US Open. I called all the papers and all said they did not cover pool. When I called the radio stations asking if they would interview a star like Johnny or Earl they did not know who they were and refused.
Once in California I called a Hearst newspaper. They told me that pool was a game played by fat drunks and it was not a sport so could not be covered by them.
Every newspaper in Memphis and the surrounding areas was sent at least two emails by me requesting their presence at UTBC. Not one of them ever returned my email. One local TV station did agree to come and one Memphis newspaper did send a reporter. Their coverage could best be described as time filler.
Pool is not coveted by the American press. Sometimes it is tolerated, but rarely sought.
So do not try to convince me that all you have to do is call. The DCC is right outside of Louisville. Anybody want to try and get Louisville media to come visit this year? Good luck.
Once in California I called a Hearst newspaper. They told me that pool was a game played by fat drunks and it was not a sport so could not be covered by them.
Every newspaper in Memphis and the surrounding areas was sent at least two emails by me requesting their presence at UTBC. Not one of them ever returned my email. One local TV station did agree to come and one Memphis newspaper did send a reporter. Their coverage could best be described as time filler.
Pool is not coveted by the American press. Sometimes it is tolerated, but rarely sought.
So do not try to convince me that all you have to do is call. The DCC is right outside of Louisville. Anybody want to try and get Louisville media to come visit this year? Good luck.
That's great news if he got the room back, how long ago?
Originally Posted by bigshooter View Post
Originally Posted by markgw View Post
Do you know what the cost of getting radio and tv appearances would be to promote this event? Zero, zilch, nada. We go on the radio and do tv appearances before almost every show my band plays. I do radio interviews to help with the promotion a few weeks before the show and the day of show we go on the morning news and play a couple of tunes. All it takes is a few phone calls from an experienced publicist to set this up. They could have Archer, Strickland or any of the top pro's on the morning news. The radio is more forthcoming than you would think also. This is a way to promote the event free. So you have a couple of pro's on the local news, pro's doing radio interviews prior to the event, and everyone within' a 100 mile radius getting information on this event. Use the internet effectively also<<<<<That's huge!!!
This is accurate!
So who pays the publicist? Or will pro pool players except this as well as everything else?Or will pro pool players get of their A$$ and do it themselves... :thumb up:
So a dozen pool players all call their locate radio show - the radio show gets tired of the same calls a get switched off.
This discussion isn't difficult to find solution, the issues are commitment and structure.
Use proven existing models and adapt them for your self.
And if you don't know, ask. And if you have to pay - so be it.
But it sure beats going around and around in circles with a trail of lost $ bills :thumbup:
Originally Posted by markgw View Post
Do you know what the cost of getting radio and tv appearances would be to promote this event? Zero, zilch, nada. We go on the radio and do tv appearances before almost every show my band plays. I do radio interviews to help with the promotion a few weeks before the show and the day of show we go on the morning news and play a couple of tunes. All it takes is a few phone calls from an experienced publicist to set this up. They could have Archer, Strickland or any of the top pro's on the morning news. The radio is more forthcoming than you would think also. This is a way to promote the event free. So you have a couple of pro's on the local news, pro's doing radio interviews prior to the event, and everyone within' a 100 mile radius getting information on this event. Use the internet effectively also<<<<<That's huge!!!
This is accurate!
So who pays the publicist? Or will pro pool players except this as well as everything else?Or will pro pool players get of their A$$ and do it themselves... :thumb up:
So a dozen pool players all call their locate radio show - the radio show gets tired of the same calls a get switched off.
This discussion isn't difficult to find solution, the issues are commitment and structure.
Use proven existing models and adapt them for your self.
And if you don't know, ask. And if you have to pay - so be it.
But it sure beats going around and around in circles with a trail of lost $ bills :thumbup:
Tony Hill - Dallas Cowboys
THis is true, and that's why it's always best to position and align yourself with a local charity. This changes the scenario. At the Million Dollar Challenge we featured Tony Hill's foundation and he made an appearance, attracting local media in Dallas....of course we had a Public Relations Group sending out press releases daily as well.
Tony Hill - (Dallas Cowboys) at CJ's Billiard Palace during Million Dollar Challenge Tournament
THis is true, and that's why it's always best to position and align yourself with a local charity. This changes the scenario. At the Million Dollar Challenge we featured Tony Hill's foundation and he made an appearance, attracting local media in Dallas....of course we had a Public Relations Group sending out press releases daily as well.
It's simple the root is sports in school and what accompanies that is parents, and if the parents are grasping and understanding a sport and how it effects their children your base is educated ALSO. Ya got to involve parents and the kids Together, then they all have the knowledge needed to watch and show up for something of the college or pro level even if their offspring is not part of that. Pretty simple to figure out.
I don't think anyone is saying that this is easy. But there are individuals out there who specialise in this area. Some call them publicists, others call them networkers. Whoever they are, what they are, where they are; the fact remains that these individuals can and will open doors, others simply can not walk through - more often than not, with ease.
IT'S NOT WHAT YOU KNOW... IT'S WHO YOU KNOW. :thumbup:
Sometimes this just has to be accepted.
I actually think what Jerry said in the earlier post is pretty accurate from my experience. I put on several regional events in the solar industry and we did a significant amount of outreach - who you know can be important - but the biggest factor is how much you can pay them.
Radio interviews, TV spots and newspaper 'articles' are very easy to get - when you pull out your wallet. I've never seen any of it happen for free.
Not always in my experience. And without ego, I am experienced in dealing with media.
But just because a few doors can be opened. They need to be opened for a reason - This again, is where Pool is lacking...
If the current media outlets won't have us, we shall create our own.
Start the countdown....
YES - All new possibilities should be considered!!!
Someone else mentioned AZ as a platform which it ALREADY IS!
AND A DAMN FINE ONE IT IS TOO :thumbup:
Pro athletes are known as some of the worst money managers, and that's their prerogative.....what someone does or doesn't do with their own money is no one's concern but theres. Some of life's best lessons cost a fortune, and that's cheap.
I know of several Dallas Cowboys that have blown tens of millions of dollars and laugh about it, same with several other pro athletes I know.....at some point they all "real eyes" that having more money doesn't equate to more of anything else.....having too much money and not enough maturity can lead to some awful consequences....and, again, that's just life teaching life's lessons.
Without TV no pro athlete would make much of a living and they certainly wouldn't have any major sponsors...of course that's not reality, the reality is - sports are on TV and as a result the Pros make a decent living......some more "decent" than others.
Other sports are on TV, and those pros make a decent living, because those sports, and those pros, have an entertainment package that sponsors and the general public will buy.
It sounds like you and I are in agreement on most things here except for a statement you made in an earlier post where you said that the (pool) pros have done nothing wrong. I disagree with that. I think the pros are just as responsible for their own predicament as anyone else. They have done nothing to change with the times and increase their own entertainment value. Instead, they have taken the attitude that they are all fine just the way they are, so why can't they all get paid what they're worth?
At this point in time, I think pro pool players are probably being paid EXACTLY what they're worth.
Roger
There is a lot of truth in this statement.
Pros are not in charge of marketing, advertising and setting up Pro Ams & Charities
I didn't say the Pro players have done nothing wrong, on the contrary I said they had done nothing wrong in Tunica.
There'a a big difference.
Everybody does things "wrong", look how many times Bill Gates messed up Microsoft....look how many times Abe Lincoln messed up his political career.....look how many times Michael Jordan missed a key basket....look how many times Tiger Woods missed a key putt.
Humans make mistakes (talk about pointing out the obvious), the Pros are not in charge of marketing, advertising and setting up Pro Ams and charity functions. That's the job of the tournament promoter. In the respect of "doing other people's jobs" the Pros did nothing wrong in Tunica.....that's a fact!!!
'The Game is the Teacher'
I didn't say the Pro players have done nothing wrong, on the contrary I said they had done nothing wrong in Tunica.
There'a a big difference.
Everybody does things "wrong", look how many times Bill Gates messed up Microsoft....look how many times Abe Lincoln messed up his political career.....look how many times Michael Jordan missed a key basket....look how many times Tiger Woods missed a key putt.
Humans make mistakes (talk about pointing out the obvious
), the Pros are not in charge of marketing, advertising and setting up Pro Ams and charity functions. That's the job of the tournament promoter. In the respect of "doing other people's jobs" the Pros did nothing wrong in Tunica.....that's a fact!!!'The Game is the Teacher'
And why aren't they? They should be at least as responsible as anyone else for making any event a success, especially when it effects their livelihood more than anyone else's. Promoters might be "in charge" of marketing, advertising and setting up, but they can't successfully sell something that is unsellable.
Currently, the pros do not have a marketable product; which I think is the biggest reason sponsors are walking away. I also think that's the point Badi Nazhat was trying to make.
Roger
Originally Posted by CJ Wiley View Post
the Pros are not in charge of marketing, advertising and setting up Pro Ams and charity functions. That's the job of the tournament promoter.
And why aren't they? They should be at least as responsible as anyone else for making any event a success, especially when it effects their livelihood more than anyone else's. Promoters might be "in charge" of marketing, advertising and setting up, but they can't successfully sell something that is unsellable.
Currently, the pros do not have a marketable product; which I think is the biggest reason sponsors are walking away. I also think that's the point Badi Nazhat was trying to make.
Roger
I get the point Roger is making here.
If all the pros at least took themselves (the individual) seriously as a product to be sold, then the pro's themselves would have indirectly promoted the event on behalf of themselves - the product and the promoter.
E.G. - top pro get's local newspaper exposure because he / she is competing in a world event!
The thing with this is that it takes the pro out of their comfort zone in order to learn new skills - but that's the teacher :thumbup:
the Pros are not in charge of marketing, advertising and setting up Pro Ams and charity functions. That's the job of the tournament promoter.
And why aren't they? They should be at least as responsible as anyone else for making any event a success, especially when it effects their livelihood more than anyone else's. Promoters might be "in charge" of marketing, advertising and setting up, but they can't successfully sell something that is unsellable.
Currently, the pros do not have a marketable product; which I think is the biggest reason sponsors are walking away. I also think that's the point Badi Nazhat was trying to make.
Roger
I get the point Roger is making here.
If all the pros at least took themselves (the individual) seriously as a product to be sold, then the pro's themselves would have indirectly promoted the event on behalf of themselves - the product and the promoter.
E.G. - top pro get's local newspaper exposure because he / she is competing in a world event!
The thing with this is that it takes the pro out of their comfort zone in order to learn new skills - but that's the teacher :thumbup:
This is the crux of the matter.
If you are trying to sell a pencil sharpener and you are unsuccessful, you can't blame the pencil sharpener.
... but when the product being sold is one or more human beings, failure to sell the product is sometimes partly, or even completely, attributable to the behavior of the person(s).
In fact, this concept decides many a political election. I recall how much the Michael Dukakis presidential campaign in 1988 was hurt by his alleged position and role on the Willie Horton case. Hard to blame Dukakis' campaign manager for the fact that Dukakis instantly became harder to sell to the American public. His product had let him down.
If a product that is human acts to devalue itself, sometimes no amount of marketing or salesmanship will be enough to sell it effectively. The men's pro pool product in America is plagued by the fact that players themselves, through their image and behavior, have devalued the product that pool entrepreneurs are trying to sell.
Everybody has to do more, and I won't subscribe to the blanket defense of the players, painted by some as incapable of affecting pool's business model and having no accountability for how pro events fare.
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