Not being an American, I simply ask this question out of idle curiosity. I am very bored this morning.
How can an Olympic committee give money to a 'sport' which does not have a national governing association?
BCA -- On the Road to Nowhere
- Thread starter JAM
- Start date
Not being an American, I simply ask this question out of idle curiosity. I am very bored this morning.
How can an Olympic committee give money to a 'sport' which does not have a national governing association?
After Charlie Williams, acting as the president and founder of the UPA, left to pursue other pool endeavors (Dragon Promotions), he left the reigns of the UPA to Frank Alvarez, who's a really nice guy.
The UPA basically lost credibility before Charlie Williams left, IMO, and Frank was left holding the bag of a sinking Titanic, trying to keep the UPA mission alive and well. It was difficult to get a tour going with legitimate stops, and that sealed the UPA's demise.
I do know there is a UPA amateur league, but I'm not sure what affilliation they have with this UPA, if any.
Maybe the powers-that-be in the UPA at one time paid for a 5-year domain name, and that's why there is still a link. I'm not sure. I don't read much about that UPA anymore, but I do know they are not the governing body of men's professional pool in the United States. To date, there is none, sad to say.
Jerry Forsyth
Well-known member
Jam,
You asked: "I fail to understand how the BCA has poured millions of dollars into professional pool with their BCA Open. The once-a-year tournament payout for the men was $15,000 first place. I think they raised it to $20,000 for first place the last two BCA Opens before they quit holding them, subject to check."
My answer: The budget for the BCA Open was $250,000 per year. The tourney was a lot more than just prize money for both the Men's and Women's divisions. There was a large staff who all had to be paid as well as the TV production costs, venue fees, and travel expenses.
You also asked: "Something I am unclear about is why do Europeans get monies from the Olympic Committee and the United States doesn't. Is what you are saying that there is an entity known as the Olympic Committee that gives money to countries in Europe? I remember reading one time that Niels Feijen was sponsored by The Netherlands' Olympic Committee. Is there an international Olympic Committee giving funds to The Netherlands and not the BCA, i.e., United States?"
No. The IOC does not fund anyone, anywhere. But National Olympic Committees do. So pool players who are fortunate enough to play in countries whose Olympic Committees have chosen to provide financial support for pool receive many benefits. The USOC has been petitioned many times by many diligent people. Ask John Lewis of the ACS about this. He worked his butt off for years trying to get the USOC to get off a single dime and they just told him that they had limited resources and that those resources were already committed to other sports. And there will certainly be no tax money coming out of Washington headed into the pockets of pool players. In this political environment that would be suicide.
Maries Husband: Yes, the BCA has dedicated its resources away from the play side of billiards and towards the sales side. This is what you do when your niche of the economy not just recedes but pulls a full freaking retreat on you and all of your members are screaming for the parent organization to "do something" about it. The truth is that the billiard economy really has been heavily impacted by the recession and many parts of the industry are in survival mode, not sponsorship mode. Sponsorship mode will return when companies are not sweating the bills. Those companies who have been most successful that past few years have continued to sponsor and support the sport. But it is unrealistic to believe that they can carry the entire weight of the pro game forever.
I can identify with your desire to only send Americans. But the truth is that the majority of American players, particularly those who are deeper into the rankings, cannot afford to go halfway around the world with no guarantee of covering their expenses. And, as I said, as a part of international pool, America has a duty to any event anywhere to help assure the success of the event by providing the best players possible. Plus, that only happens when the Americans who have the best shot at covering their expenses and satisfying the needs of the tournament have turned us down. For Mika to get an invitation to Beijing 16 top-ranked Americans had to turn down my invitation.
Finally, the World Governing body of pool is the WPA. They do indeed recognize the BCA as the governing body of pool in America. That duty is delegated to the WPBA for the women and is directed by the WPA/BCA committee for the men as the the men have no organization that is currently involved in creating and producing their own events as does the WPBA. When an organization surfaces that is willing to provide the men with the venues they require to ply their profession that organization will no doubt work with the BCA in the same manner that the WPBA does now.
Now, as I said, I do not intend to answer more questions here. It just becomes an endless chain of queries and I cannot spend my days on the forums.
Jan, do not get me wrong. I love you and Keith and I wish you and everyone on here all the success in the world. But I truly believe that these posts that belittle the WPA and the BCA are doing a lot more harm than the posters may realize. I go to the Trade Shows and the companies there are potential sponsors of the pro game, people that are connected to the BCA or that the WPA is speaking to. When these potential sponsors show me print-outs of negative posts found on here and ask me why they should invest in pro tournaments when the organizations that run them are so well hated by the fans it makes it very difficult to convince them that their investment in pool would find a return. I would simply request that everyone realize that these forums are read by more than just a small club of die-hard fans. The folks we need to help pull on our end of the rope are readers, too, and they need encouragement, not discouragement. When people post on here (as recently occurred) things like: "Companies need to know that their sponsorship does not get them my business" the affect of that blow can be brutal.
You asked: "I fail to understand how the BCA has poured millions of dollars into professional pool with their BCA Open. The once-a-year tournament payout for the men was $15,000 first place. I think they raised it to $20,000 for first place the last two BCA Opens before they quit holding them, subject to check."
My answer: The budget for the BCA Open was $250,000 per year. The tourney was a lot more than just prize money for both the Men's and Women's divisions. There was a large staff who all had to be paid as well as the TV production costs, venue fees, and travel expenses.
You also asked: "Something I am unclear about is why do Europeans get monies from the Olympic Committee and the United States doesn't. Is what you are saying that there is an entity known as the Olympic Committee that gives money to countries in Europe? I remember reading one time that Niels Feijen was sponsored by The Netherlands' Olympic Committee. Is there an international Olympic Committee giving funds to The Netherlands and not the BCA, i.e., United States?"
No. The IOC does not fund anyone, anywhere. But National Olympic Committees do. So pool players who are fortunate enough to play in countries whose Olympic Committees have chosen to provide financial support for pool receive many benefits. The USOC has been petitioned many times by many diligent people. Ask John Lewis of the ACS about this. He worked his butt off for years trying to get the USOC to get off a single dime and they just told him that they had limited resources and that those resources were already committed to other sports. And there will certainly be no tax money coming out of Washington headed into the pockets of pool players. In this political environment that would be suicide.
Maries Husband: Yes, the BCA has dedicated its resources away from the play side of billiards and towards the sales side. This is what you do when your niche of the economy not just recedes but pulls a full freaking retreat on you and all of your members are screaming for the parent organization to "do something" about it. The truth is that the billiard economy really has been heavily impacted by the recession and many parts of the industry are in survival mode, not sponsorship mode. Sponsorship mode will return when companies are not sweating the bills. Those companies who have been most successful that past few years have continued to sponsor and support the sport. But it is unrealistic to believe that they can carry the entire weight of the pro game forever.
I can identify with your desire to only send Americans. But the truth is that the majority of American players, particularly those who are deeper into the rankings, cannot afford to go halfway around the world with no guarantee of covering their expenses. And, as I said, as a part of international pool, America has a duty to any event anywhere to help assure the success of the event by providing the best players possible. Plus, that only happens when the Americans who have the best shot at covering their expenses and satisfying the needs of the tournament have turned us down. For Mika to get an invitation to Beijing 16 top-ranked Americans had to turn down my invitation.
Finally, the World Governing body of pool is the WPA. They do indeed recognize the BCA as the governing body of pool in America. That duty is delegated to the WPBA for the women and is directed by the WPA/BCA committee for the men as the the men have no organization that is currently involved in creating and producing their own events as does the WPBA. When an organization surfaces that is willing to provide the men with the venues they require to ply their profession that organization will no doubt work with the BCA in the same manner that the WPBA does now.
Now, as I said, I do not intend to answer more questions here. It just becomes an endless chain of queries and I cannot spend my days on the forums.
Jan, do not get me wrong. I love you and Keith and I wish you and everyone on here all the success in the world. But I truly believe that these posts that belittle the WPA and the BCA are doing a lot more harm than the posters may realize. I go to the Trade Shows and the companies there are potential sponsors of the pro game, people that are connected to the BCA or that the WPA is speaking to. When these potential sponsors show me print-outs of negative posts found on here and ask me why they should invest in pro tournaments when the organizations that run them are so well hated by the fans it makes it very difficult to convince them that their investment in pool would find a return. I would simply request that everyone realize that these forums are read by more than just a small club of die-hard fans. The folks we need to help pull on our end of the rope are readers, too, and they need encouragement, not discouragement. When people post on here (as recently occurred) things like: "Companies need to know that their sponsorship does not get them my business" the affect of that blow can be brutal.
Thank You Mr. Forsyth for answering my questions and I appeciate you taking the time to do that because it does give me more understanding about the BCA. I wish you and the BCA the best of luck during these economic times.
No more questions, I guess.
One opinion:
Mika and Thorsten should never be given BCA passes to events, whether there's Americans available to go or not. They should be representing their own countries, to include the European pool body (EPPF, or whatever it's called). This is dead wrong, IMO, and seems like favoritism, changing rules to accommodate the industry members' sponsored "darlings."
One comment:
One way for the WPA and BCA to garner support is to become more transparent. Issue press releases. Let the public know what is happening, instead of leaving us in the dark. If they don't communicate with the public, it gives the impression that then there must be something going on behind that closed curtain preventing them from communicating and being transparent.
If the WPA and BCA are, indeed, concerned about what is written on these plebian, as one poster puts it, "message boards," then, by golly, why not communicate better to the plebian public?!
Communication and transparency is all it would take.
End of opinion and comment.
"Jan" <---JAM
One opinion:
Mika and Thorsten should never be given BCA passes to events, whether there's Americans available to go or not. They should be representing their own countries, to include the European pool body (EPPF, or whatever it's called). This is dead wrong, IMO, and seems like favoritism, changing rules to accommodate the industry members' sponsored "darlings."
One comment:
One way for the WPA and BCA to garner support is to become more transparent. Issue press releases. Let the public know what is happening, instead of leaving us in the dark. If they don't communicate with the public, it gives the impression that then there must be something going on behind that closed curtain preventing them from communicating and being transparent.
If the WPA and BCA are, indeed, concerned about what is written on these plebian, as one poster puts it, "message boards," then, by golly, why not communicate better to the plebian public?!
Communication and transparency is all it would take.
End of opinion and comment.
"Jan" <---JAM
........Something I am unclear about is why do Europeans get monies from the Olympic Committee and the United States doesn't. Is what you are saying that there is an entity known as the Olympic Committee that gives money to countries in Europe? I remember reading one time that Niels Feijen was sponsored by The Netherlands' Olympic Committee. Is there an international Olympic Committee giving funds to The Netherlands and not the BCA, i.e., United States?.........
,[/B][/COLOR].
In most of those countries the olympic committees are appointed and are under the Governament control of their respective countries.Power is centralized and they have uniform laws though out the country.Governament funds those olympic committees.The governament pays for the transportation,boarding and lodging for the sportsmen/women that represent their countries.They also have a Minister ( like cabinet secretary in USA) for sports.when they don`t like to have a cabinet rank exclusively for sports, they put the sports under the minister of a different portfolio such as Ministry of cultural affairs,ministry of education etc.
USA encourages private investments and the governament does not control everything.Sports organizations in USA are autonomous bodies and hence the governament does not pay for the sportsman
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In most of those countries the olympic committees are appointed and are under the Governament control of their respective countries.Power is centralized and they have uniform laws though out the country.Governament funds those olympic committees.The governament pays for the transportation,boarding and lodging for the sportsman that represent their countries.They also have a Minister ( like cabinet secretary in USA) for sports.when they don`t like to have a cabinet rank exclusively for sports, they put the sports under the minister of a different portfolio such as Ministry of of cultural affairs,ministry of education etc.
USA encourages private entrepreunerialism and the governament does not control everything.Sports organizations in USA are autonomous bodies and hence the governament does not pay for the sportsman
Two years ago, I think it was, I turned down an opportunity to go to a function at the Obama White House, mainly because I didn't have anything to wear, truth be told.
The same event is coming up this summer, and if I get an invite, I am going to go. I don't know if I would even have the privilege to speak to the President, but if I do, guess what topic JAM is going to attempt to bring up. :thumbup:
Attachments
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In most of those countries the olympic committees are appointed and are under the Governament control of their respective countries.Power is centralized and they have uniform laws though out the country.Governament funds those olympic committees.The governament pays for the transportation,boarding and lodging for the sportsmen that represent their countries.They also have a Minister ( like cabinet secretary in USA) for sports.when they don`t like to have a cabinet rank exclusively for sports, they put the sports under the minister of a different portfolio such as Ministry of cultural affairs,ministry of education etc.
USA encourages private investments and the governament does not control everything.Sports organizations in USA are autonomous bodies and hence the governament does not pay for the sportsman
It is an old commie idea, dating back to Hitler and WW2 show the world you are the best in competitions by supporting athletes. In this case billiards, it is still a popular trend because traveling athletes are one man government billboards.
I am saying foreign players are able to keep an old tradition alive and that is showing that their "nation" is better than others at billiards. I am also saying that foreign players may not believe into the whole nationalism aspect of "nationalism in competition." To foreign players in other countries it could just be more of a "peacekeeping mission."
Jerry,
Following your line of thought, no one should ask the tough questions on this forum for fear of loss of sponsor support? If Jen had not started this thread, no one other than a small select group would have had the answers you and others provided. I for one agree with her and this thread. More information, not less! If a sponsor can be turned off by a forum thread, their commitment to the sport must be very weak.
Lyn
Originally Posted by Jerry Forsyth
I love you and Keith and I wish you and everyone on here all the success in the world. But I truly believe that these posts that belittle the WPA and the BCA are doing a lot more harm than the posters may realize. I go to the Trade Shows and the companies there are potential sponsors of the pro game, people that are connected to the BCA or that the WPA is speaking to. When these potential sponsors show me print-outs of negative posts found on here and ask me why they should invest in pro tournaments when the organizations that run them are so well hated by the fans it makes it very difficult to convince them that their investment in pool would find a return. I would simply request that everyone realize that these forums are read by more than just a small club of die-hard fans. The folks we need to help pull on our end of the rope are readers, too, and they need encouragement, not discouragement. When people post on here (as recently occurred) things like: "Companies need to know that their sponsorship does not get them my business" the affect of that blow can be brutal.
I look at your perspective from a more optimistic point of view, without conflict how can anything get better, no one gets it right the first time. If I were to read the issues here from the business standpoint of the WPA/BCA it could help me understand what I'm doing right or wrong. Mistakes are our teachers, and pool playing minds & business learn more from mistakes than successes. Industry in general to survive and grow deals with these issues and demons on a daily basis, it doesn't scare them.
Lack of communication creates WAY more problems. The industry SHOULD be directly involved with discussions on this forum.
CAN ANYONE FROM THE MFG SIDE HEAR ME? As they say, the sound is deafening....in this pool room.
It would be a great idea if the mfg. had a specific forum, and even better if they posted at least once a mth to let us know whats going on in their world.
I love you and Keith and I wish you and everyone on here all the success in the world. But I truly believe that these posts that belittle the WPA and the BCA are doing a lot more harm than the posters may realize. I go to the Trade Shows and the companies there are potential sponsors of the pro game, people that are connected to the BCA or that the WPA is speaking to. When these potential sponsors show me print-outs of negative posts found on here and ask me why they should invest in pro tournaments when the organizations that run them are so well hated by the fans it makes it very difficult to convince them that their investment in pool would find a return. I would simply request that everyone realize that these forums are read by more than just a small club of die-hard fans. The folks we need to help pull on our end of the rope are readers, too, and they need encouragement, not discouragement. When people post on here (as recently occurred) things like: "Companies need to know that their sponsorship does not get them my business" the affect of that blow can be brutal.
I look at your perspective from a more optimistic point of view, without conflict how can anything get better, no one gets it right the first time. If I were to read the issues here from the business standpoint of the WPA/BCA it could help me understand what I'm doing right or wrong. Mistakes are our teachers, and pool playing minds & business learn more from mistakes than successes. Industry in general to survive and grow deals with these issues and demons on a daily basis, it doesn't scare them.
Lack of communication creates WAY more problems. The industry SHOULD be directly involved with discussions on this forum.
CAN ANYONE FROM THE MFG SIDE HEAR ME? As they say, the sound is deafening....in this pool room.
It would be a great idea if the mfg. had a specific forum, and even better if they posted at least once a mth to let us know whats going on in their world.
An internet forum is going to generate a lot of opinion, and much of it isn't going to be represented well. That is the nature of the beast. If you truly believe that posts on an internet forum (even one as large as AZB) are going to damage the future of potential sponsorships for our sport, then we are doomed. You could close this forum off today and there would be another with weeks. Not to mention the others that already exist, like BD.
Surely any potential corporate sponsor understands this regarding internet forums. The anonymity creates an environment where things will be said that would never hear the light of day in a face to face conversation. Anyone making advertising/sponsorhip decisions in a major company has undoubtably encountered this before.
Again, if thats going to be the death knell, we're already gone.
I wish folks were more respectful here on AZB. I'm regularly disappointed, but rarely surprised. Again, the nature of the beast.
I thank you for all the things you've done for our sport, Jerry. It is greatly appreciated. And not often recognized, I expect. I also thank you for taking the time to come here and explain what goes on in your world, and the world of The BCA/WPA.
Thanks to JAM for making this something to be considered. If no one questions the process, there can be no integrity. She does so in a very respectful manner, as opposed to the forum cranks that Jerry is concerned about.
Here's to hoping for better times ahead. And soon!
Thanks for the detailed explanation on how the BCA spots were given out for the WPA World 8 Ball event and the upcoming Beijing Open. Pretty sad that you couldn't even get responses from 16 out of the top 20 players. If the yet unconfirmed ( at least I think uncomfirmed by Matchroom) post is accurate that the international events like the Beijing Open have been dropped as Mosconi ranking events for the US players in favor of the Seminole events, I wonder if Stevie Moore will even be going? Sad we can't get more US representation. Of course it isn't like these WPA events air here anyways where we could see them play.
UPA = Charlie Williams in 2001 (same month as the infamous 911 incident)
This is what I remember about the UPA;
Barry Berhman had just announced that because of the lack of gate money, the 2001 US Open 9 Ball tournament was going to lose money and that the players were not getting the full amount that had been promised.
Charlie Williams called for a player's meeting and discussed a 'union' or player Org. to prevent this type of promoter crap of promising one thing and delivering another. Escrows were talked about and 'garunteed' money was defined. Promoters were going to have to do it the UPA way or NO WAY.
Lots of Pros agreed and decided to pay up. Charlie decided to start his own tour and was immediately sanctioned by the UPA. Other promoters were trying to promote tournaments, but the UPA kept demanding the promoters abide by the UPA sanctioning requirements or no UPA players will play. Does Strong Arm sound familiar?
Charlie got out of the UPA and formed Dragon Promotions. The UPA had a board runing the show. Then Rodney Morris ran the UPA and now it is in Arizona as a League system run by Frankie Alverez.
I really would like the WPA to be successful, it has the making of a World Class Operation dedicated to the betterment of Billiards. All games of billiards (except One Pocket) 3 Cushion, Snooker and pocket Billiards are represented by the WPA. There is only ONE Standardized Rules set. All ball fouls are used in all tournaments. Referees are trained and used for all events.
Unsportsmanlike behavior stands out like a sore thumb. Only a very few players fall under this category.
This is what I remember about the UPA;
Barry Berhman had just announced that because of the lack of gate money, the 2001 US Open 9 Ball tournament was going to lose money and that the players were not getting the full amount that had been promised.
Charlie Williams called for a player's meeting and discussed a 'union' or player Org. to prevent this type of promoter crap of promising one thing and delivering another. Escrows were talked about and 'garunteed' money was defined. Promoters were going to have to do it the UPA way or NO WAY.
Lots of Pros agreed and decided to pay up. Charlie decided to start his own tour and was immediately sanctioned by the UPA. Other promoters were trying to promote tournaments, but the UPA kept demanding the promoters abide by the UPA sanctioning requirements or no UPA players will play. Does Strong Arm sound familiar?
Charlie got out of the UPA and formed Dragon Promotions. The UPA had a board runing the show. Then Rodney Morris ran the UPA and now it is in Arizona as a League system run by Frankie Alverez.
I really would like the WPA to be successful, it has the making of a World Class Operation dedicated to the betterment of Billiards. All games of billiards (except One Pocket) 3 Cushion, Snooker and pocket Billiards are represented by the WPA. There is only ONE Standardized Rules set. All ball fouls are used in all tournaments. Referees are trained and used for all events.
Unsportsmanlike behavior stands out like a sore thumb. Only a very few players fall under this category.
I did not know that was the thing that got the UPA created. This is such an educational forum sometimes.
Man, I will never forget 9/11, that blue cloudless sky, and there was a hint of fall in the air. Everybody was let off work, and there was gridlock traffic leaving the city. You could actually see black smoke in the sky from the Pentagon.
For me, October 15th, 2001, was a day I don't like to remember. I was caught in the middle of the anthrax attack. Because of the buildings I worked in, we all had to get that nasty medicine. It was nauseating. One of my co-workers actually quit and moved back to Pennsylvania.
Soon thereafter, I ventured out into the wonderful world of pocket billiards. Oh, joy! I guess timing is everything. I wonder what the topics of this forum will be 10 years from now.
Subject matters on this "message board" -- LOL -- can be cyclical, but I have enjoyed my participation here for the most part. I may come back as a new identity. This seems to be the AzBilliards trend these days. Maybe my posts won't be taken as seriously then, or maybe they will be taken more seriously.
Lyn, I have come the conclusion after 10 years in this professional pool racket that the BCA and WPA don't give a damn what you and I think. They're on a mission to do what they deem as best. If rules are changed willy-nilly to accommodate pool players the BCA industry members care about, then so be it.
Mike Zuglan got it right when he decided to leave professional pool and start up the Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour with the Joss guy. Regional tours, leagues, and recreational pool is what's happening today.
If I'm a pool plebeian, then so be it. I won't support entities that behave in a manner that negates the opinion of supporters of pool. Let them drink and be merry. I'm going on to greener pastures where me and mine will be happy.
"what motivates such devotion?"
Top to bottom, I've tread this thread. On a subject that I've always cared little about, a useless governing body in pool! However, I've garnered new respect for what it is to be a "FAN!!!"
JAM, your the type of person this sport is lucky to have on the sidelines, I wish you could manage a successful political coup'!:clapping::clapping::clapping:
Lyn, I have come the conclusion after 10 years in this professional pool racket that the BCA and WPA don't give a damn what you and I think. They're on a mission to do what they deem as best. If rules are changed willy-nilly to accommodate pool players the BCA industry members care about, then so be it.
Mike Zuglan got it right when he decided to leave professional pool and start up the Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour with the Joss guy. Regional tours, leagues, and recreational pool is what's happening today.
If I'm a pool plebeian, then so be it. I won't support entities that behave in a manner that negates the opinion of supporters of pool. Let them drink and be merry. I'm going on to greener pastures where me and mine will be happy.
Top to bottom, I've tread this thread. On a subject that I've always cared little about, a useless governing body in pool! However, I've garnered new respect for what it is to be a "FAN!!!"
JAM, your the type of person this sport is lucky to have on the sidelines, I wish you could manage a successful political coup'!:clapping::clapping::clapping:
If pool was a bust and people and investors dried up, then what is left.
The pros still have their events and dubious payouts. The retail end is still managing by.
The problem is how do you re-brand an old industry. A lot of car companies are attempting to advertise as "Green Companies now." New hype is a direction that can work, but I think it a waste of time.
This is a could time to redefine what pool is to society and culture and where you plan to take it. If I were a pro player I could imagine they are doing everything and anything to help get people interested, same goes for businesses and governing executives. A central rally point for players and businesses to push for is unclear. I am considering less big tours and more smaller tours as something that has been tried and by pros.
There is a need to re-energize the young talents and the players considering making the leap to full time pro. The gap between amateur and pro is huge, it'd be great if amateurs had more events to develop in before they start competing with the legendary pros and draw them in the first round. It is asking for more money but if amateurs had more opportunities to grow gradually at least there would be more players with realistic chances at being competitive, instead of the "overnight sensations" that fade away because of the talent gap.
It won't produce a lot of players but at least you can excite the people already interested in pool by giving them a chance or more chances to see if they are ready before they commit more than they can bargain for.
The pros still have their events and dubious payouts. The retail end is still managing by.
The problem is how do you re-brand an old industry. A lot of car companies are attempting to advertise as "Green Companies now." New hype is a direction that can work, but I think it a waste of time.
This is a could time to redefine what pool is to society and culture and where you plan to take it. If I were a pro player I could imagine they are doing everything and anything to help get people interested, same goes for businesses and governing executives. A central rally point for players and businesses to push for is unclear. I am considering less big tours and more smaller tours as something that has been tried and by pros.
There is a need to re-energize the young talents and the players considering making the leap to full time pro. The gap between amateur and pro is huge, it'd be great if amateurs had more events to develop in before they start competing with the legendary pros and draw them in the first round. It is asking for more money but if amateurs had more opportunities to grow gradually at least there would be more players with realistic chances at being competitive, instead of the "overnight sensations" that fade away because of the talent gap.
It won't produce a lot of players but at least you can excite the people already interested in pool by giving them a chance or more chances to see if they are ready before they commit more than they can bargain for.
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After they found out they didn't like the view they moved on.
The IPT did it best it got people interested in competing and then they fizzled after the promises turned to dust.
If you can't get the full time pro, then go after the amateurs.
I bet twenty years ago all the top pros thought pool would be better than it was today because it was bubbling. Now I bet the pros are thinking it was a bubble and wish they had invested better. I'd bet a lot that the pros are interested in making the future of pool better than it was 20 years ago.
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Jerry,
It seems to me that the posters chattering away on the Internet forums like AZB are the least of your problems. Your real problem is not the Internet posters but the harm that the players themselves are doing to pool's image. Consider the following comment that I made in another thread:
"The pool world runs itself like the World Wrestling Federation, wherein pool players commit personal fouls when the ref isn't looking, they gamble and shark each other, they cheat, play drunk and give their opponents slug racks. It's no wonder pool doesn't get much tv coverage. This kind of behavior just isn't televisable.
The image of the sport and the players does matter to the sponsors...."
We should be focusing our attention on cleaning up the image that our sport has...and then the money and sponsorships will follow.The image of the sport and the players does matter to the sponsors...."