JoeyA said:
Would you care to elaborate a bit more about "American pool players don't strive together to compete either, and it is pretty obvious who and what is the culprit"?
When there are forces that prevent professional players from competing in high-profile events, there is the culprit. What gives one person or one entity the right to pick and choose a player's participation? There are invitational events today on American soil, but a legitimate men's tour has vanished. To be quite honest about it, the previous men's tour was flawed for reasons which have already been expanded on ad nauseum on this forum.
Today, the pool climate in America has most definitely changed, and it seems to be more international in scope. There are quite a few who want to tar-and-feather Kevin Trudeau and his vision of the IPT. I may be in the minority, but I believe Trudeau did, in fact, have good intentions. However, his high expectations could never be realized, unfortunately, in today's pool world.
What happened to the IPT is that there is no interest in pool here in America, and there never will be if things continue on the way they are. Americans will soon be emigrating to Asian-Pacific Islander countries if they want to compete in professional events. It is a shame the IPT did not succeed because the short time it was around, it brought hope to many American players I know and gave them the ambition and desire to excel, which would have been GREAT for American pool. It would have attracted aspiring pros as time went by. Existing pros would have climbed up the ladder of respectability in the American pool culture's eyes at least, and pool would have become a legitimate sport.
American players Dee Adkins, Dave Matlock, James Walden, just to name a few, excelled in the IPT. Now that the IPT has gone, they like many others may have thrown in the towel on American pool, at least competing on a professional level. What a shame that is when these three players in particular are strong enough to compete today in high-profile events. However, you don't see these guys getting hand-picked and selected to attend so-called "world invitiationals" today, do you?
JoeyA said:
I know it is difficult and even next to impossible to make a decent living playing pool for most Americans. That is a sad state of affairs. This has always been the case. The different organizations have not contributed to the growth of our sport. Some organizations have improved the participation in POOL LEAGUES while making a profit running the organizations and will continue to do so. Apparently no one has figured out a way to run the professinal organizations so that a profit can be made and a living can be earned by the players.
Therein lies the problem, JoeyA. You cannot earn a decent living playing pool in America. The expenses far outweigh the payouts in most events. In fact, as I have always believed, it is the regional tours and weekend events like Viking, Joss, Pechauer, Florida Pro Tour, and others that give the best bang for the buck. Week-long tournaments cost a lot, and the only way to come out ahead is to win, place, or show. I know we spend $2,000 to $2,500 for week-long events when you add in hotel, travel expenses, food, entry fees, et cetera.
So then it would seem that an American pool player should pick their events wisely. Men's organizations have come and gone for American players. Today, some players have left the pool scene, maybe for good, and there will soon be others that follow. The existing lot of American players is dwindling, and there are not very many young aspiring professional players to take their place. Fast forward 20 years from now, and pool, which originated here in the States, will be nothing more than a happy memory of the way things used to be.
American pool today is leagues. That is where the money is for industry members that belong to organizatinos like the BCA. They don't care a hill of beans about pro players. Their interests lie in filling up their pockets, and truth be told, the leagues have the masses.
Mainstream America would NEVER spend more than a couple hundred bucks for a cue stick. Yet, the majority of quality cues are, in fact, American made. So the American cue-makers must go overseas to other countries to sell their wares, and I predict this will soon be where the existing lot of American pro players will go to compete in tournaments.
JoeyA said:
Even the "perfect" model of the WPBA which is the most successful professional pool player's organization cannot figure out how to bring in enough money to cover the expenses for the lower end of the small field of players.
The WPBA, JoeyA, is a transparent organization, which is why it is successful. There is no favoritism and player selections done behind the scenes. Everything is above board, the way it should be. That and that alone is the MAJOR reason the WPBA is succsesful. They also have an Internet website which is kept up to date. All players are treated equal in the WPBA.
Here in America, there are too many forces pulling against each other rather than working together. One man's vision is not what makes a men's professional tour. Players need to work together as Americans and improve pool here on American soil; to compete and strive together, if you will.
The Billiards Congress of America is not interested in promoting professional pool. The once-a-year BCA Open, again, is an invitational, and there are MANY American players who should compete in this event who don't because the American players are hand-picked. 50 percent of the attendees are foreign players and not Americans. As a caveat, yes, I know there are qualifiers for the BCA Open, 4 per year.
American pool is fading away in the sunset, and gone are the days when the American player will shine. Within 20 years, I predict professional pool in America will be dead in the water. JMHO, FWIW!
JAM
