Blackjack's Buzzkill

[Blackjack]

Hey Blackjack!

I came into the pool scene just before the Mackey thing and was more involved with playing than learning about the politics. Could you explain what happened with that tour?

Barbara

Barbara,
Over the years I have addressed this subject both here and at RSB at great length. If you would like, send me an e-mail (blkjackds12@yahoo.com) with your number and we can discuss it over the phone. I'm sure you will find that chapter of our sport to be very intriguing, and quite similar to what we are hearing about these days with Mr. Trudeau.

I must say, I like how the IPT is going much more than the UPA.
I sincerely offered my services to help the UPA in any way I could,
and I am educated (2 college degrees), experienced, and have
been involved with Pool for almost 44 years, on many levels, and
Mr. Alvarez, after a few emails, dismissed me like 'who am I, that
I dare to offer to help them'. That is an attitude, that is geared for
failure.

Scott,
The main problem was getting in touch with you at the time. I explained that to you several months ago. I also remember discussing that issue with Frank Alvarez. At the time you did not have a phone number for us to contact you. That is probably why you have not heard from Frank. I am more than willing to work with you and I have told you that. The last I heard from you, you were involving yourself with running a tour in Kansas ( I forget which one you were assciated with). Feel free to get with me at any time, hopefully we can speak on the phone and not through PM's or e-mails this time.

So, I'd like to hear from BJ exactly how he wants all participants to be "united" and I'd like to also know WHY anyone would unite---and STAY united---if the situation established doesn't satisfy his/her reason for being in pool. Perhaps this is just a word problem, but I don't think so. It seems to me to be a conceptual thinking problem for those trying so hard, such as BJ, Hopkins, Siegel, to make pool successful.

Unity, as Vagabond mentions requires compromise. The reality is that cohesiveness has not existed between any of the tours and the industry. Don Mackey played favorites among tour sponsors which didn't help matters at the time. In the end, he turned his back on the billiard industry support which we so desperately need as a foundation to guide our sport to the next level. In short, we need to show potential sponsors (from outside our industry) that we have a solid, binding relationship within our own industry. We don't have that. That is why nobody will come near us with a 10 foot pole. If I'm Proctor & Gambel, and the IPT comes to me in hopes of doing business with me, they will hire a legal team to assess our track record and review financial data to see if professional pool is a good investment. We're not. Face it. With every disaster our reputation gets worse and worse. We have trouble co-existing within our industry because separate entities have separate agendas.

With unity, I am talking about having a common goal and working towards it. The BCA was formed to be the uniting entity for our sport and our industry. I'm not sure why they exist anymore, if someone out there knows, please tell me. I'm willing to listen and learn about that subject.

My plan is so simple that it just might work - and before anyone says anything to the contrary - its not about ME. It is about moving our sport in a direction at all levels, not just the professional level. It is about guiding the industry. Vagabond, I completely disagree with you when you say it can never happen. We have been conditioned to believe that. We have been conditioned to accept that. The problem with that, is that its not true. If we get enough positive people and enough positive energy behind it, it can succeed. If during our quest we run into someone that is unwilling to work with us, move on to someone else that will. I completely agree with using the PGA as a model to build our sport, but we need an organization such as the USGA as well. Anyone that has sat at the table with me and discussed this has heard me say that over and over. Without a governing body to protect the interests of the game, we will continue to bounce from tour to tour, and we will continue to put our faith in money that has been generated outside our own industry. The money exists within our own industry. The pro tours aren't seeing any of that money because we have not attempted to earn the trust within our industry. In some cases we haven't even attempted it. This may or may not be a step in the right direction. I haven't heard anyone come up with a contingency plan if the IPT doesn't work out.

In closing, I would like to say that I completely understand that people are excited about this tour. I would be too, but I see things from the standpoint of how this will affect the sport in the long term. It is not my intention to detract people away from this tour, but I feel that we have every right to be concerned, and if we were wise we would proceed cautiously. More money is not the answer to all of our problems. Money helps, but there are internal problems that exist below the surface that the IPT should be aware of. I'm definite that JAM would agree with me on that. If they are not careful, those "internal" problems could come back to cause the implosion of their tour. Right now everyone is happy, everyone is exicted, and everyone is glad about the money - what about those internal problems? Those problems are not going to disappear.

 

[Mr. Wilson]

what about those internal problems? Those problems are not going to disappear.

Which problem(s) are you speaking of?

Curious, has pool ever had any sort of contingency plan?

I'd never heard of one.

 

[shinyballs]

I agree with Blackjack 100%. The problem I see with pool players day in and day out is greed. They see dollar signs, and they go for it. Many and I repeat MANY pool players do not realize no matter how they want to slice it, a person still has to WORK for money. There are too many seeking the quick buck or fast hustle to make a spare hundred or two. That is what our sport has become.

Shorty, you are full of $hit on your point about greed.

Why are pool players greedy? It's because they can't make a living playing their sport, but they can't work and still be at a top level. If I was at that level, I'd be pissed too. I'd sign up for whatever paid the highest payouts to try to survive. I'd charge as much for lessons as people would pay for. I'd do whatever I had to do to keep my JOB.

A person doesn't have to work for money necessarily, but a lot of top pool players do. Do you think many pros in other sports work second jobs? Even minor league baseball players probably don't have second jobs.

As far as a fast hustle, if you get hustled in a pool room and don't expect it, you are an idiot. If you don't want to get hustled, don't bet. If you bet, you should expect to get hustled eventually.

Now the IPT, it probably will fail. Do I think it will hurt professional pool, probably not. It was in enough trouble before the IPT showed up.

 

[hustler]

I don't see how this whole IPT tour hurts anyone other than that it may distract from other efforts /tours . I am just an outsider so what do I know but I haven't noticed anything better in terms of $ comittment.

Also this past Sunday Boston Herald ran a cover story on KT. It mainly just mentioned how he was from Boston area and that he and his mother think his problems were because he found out he was adopted at a late age. They think that was the reason he made his mistakes..because he was willing to do whatever it took to be an important and successful person.
It sounded like he has been working out his past issues with a shrink.

Anyhow I wish I had the link but I am too lazy to look to see if it is there.

I think I remember reading something interesting that he said he wants to change some things that are not working. I read the article to see if there was any IPT or pool reference in there but there was no mention at all ...so take it for what its worth .

 

[Roll-Off]

Not only does this show your lack of maturity, but it also has nothing to do with the topic at hand. Please stick to the topic, & try to conduct yourself in a mature manner so the board can have a healthy discussion & not another flame war.

Here you go again. Picking out one slight imperfection in my post and blowing it out of proportion. There is no argument against what I wrote. Pool will forever be a back-room game dominated by thugs, punks and gangsters. It sounds harsh, but it's true...and unfortunate.

 

[Hooked]

I have remained very quiet during the IPT's recent rise to prominence...
Blackjack David Sapolis

Ya, so...uumn...who the fook are you?

Why do you care what another person does with their money?


From reading your *self righteous* post, I would come to one of these conclusions:

1 - You truly have nothing better to do with your time...

2 - You have little mans complex (I never laid eyes on you)...

3 - You feel you have to secure your spot in the pool industry by tearing down others efforts, all the while thinking you sound profound...

4 - Maybe you're a Copper. They seem to opinionate like you do when given the chance...

Surely I got one of those right

I doubt a man with 450 million will listen to you or the minions you are trying to create.

I spend my spare time shooting pool, you should try it...

Anyways, why do we care about your psychic visions? Dion Warwick never recommended you, did she?

 

[vader93490]

I personally think the IPT will ultimately fail for the reasons I stated in my previous post. However, I think that should this tour reach critical mass it will drive the final nail in the coffin of professional pool as far as interest, fans, tournaments etc.

I have to wonder though, what is Kevin Trudeau hoping to get out of this whole operation? More ill-gotten monetary riches earned from unsuspecting marks, perhaps? With the scandalous past that is easily found & read about on the internet coupled with what has been on television regarding Mr. Trudeau, I can't help but be leery of this whole operation.

As I stated previously, pool needs to have more than just money thrown at it. It needs to have a cohesive unit of both knowledgeable players & industry participants in order for it to succeed. So far, all that's ever happened is bickering among different cliques & all that has produced is a big fat zero.

I have yet to see any other tour (WPBA, WPA, WPBSA, etc.) come out in public support of this venture that Mr. Trudeau is proffering to the pool playing fans & professional players. If such a statement of public support for the IPT has been made, don't hesitate to correct me & please post a link so that I can read over it. Until such a public statement is made, I can only come to the conclusion that the IPT is a wolf dressed in sheep's clothing. As I stated in my previous posting, the recent "world tournament" served no other purpose other than to make a joke and satire out of the professional pool world.

Pool is a great game. It takes a great deal of skill to master its disciplines & play them well. And yes, I would love to see the recognition it deserves to have as it is long overdue in my opinion. What it doesn't need is some snake oil hustling salesman like Kevin Trudeau & his ill-gotten wealth & well-publicized criminal record tampering around with it and putting the sport in an even more unfavorable position with the general public. And in the end, I'm afraid that the players will wind up selling their souls to the devil himself.

 

[Rude Dog]

I personally think the IPT will ultimately fail for the reasons I stated in my previous post. However, I think that should this tour reach critical mass it will drive the final nail in the coffin of professional pool as far as interest, fans, tournaments etc.

I have to wonder though, what is Kevin Trudeau hoping to get out of this whole operation? More ill-gotten monetary riches earned from unsuspecting marks, perhaps? With the scandalous past that is easily found & read about on the internet coupled with what has been on television regarding Mr. Trudeau, I can't help but be leery of this whole operation.

As I stated previously, pool needs to have more than just money thrown at it. It needs to have a cohesive unit of both knowledgeable players & industry participants in order for it to succeed. So far, all that's ever happened is bickering among different cliques & all that has produced is a big fat zero.

I have yet to see any other tour (WPBA, WPA, WPBSA, etc.) come out in public support of this venture that Mr. Trudeau is proffering to the pool playing fans & professional players. If such a statement of public support for the IPT has been made, don't hesitate to correct me & please post a link so that I can read over it. Until such a public statement is made, I can only come to the conclusion that the IPT is a wolf dressed in sheep's clothing. As I stated in my previous posting, the recent "world tournament" served no other purpose other than to make a joke and satire out of the professional pool world.

Pool is a great game. It takes a great deal of skill to master its disciplines & play them well. And yes, I would love to see the recognition it deserves to have as it is long overdue in my opinion. What it doesn't need is some snake oil hustling salesman like Kevin Trudeau & his ill-gotten wealth & well-publicized criminal record tampering around with it and putting the sport in an even more unfavorable position with the general public. And in the end, I'm afraid that the players will wind up selling their souls to the devil himself.

Why does anyone have to have the approval or backing of any of those organizations that you mentioned above? And, how can the game become more unfavorable with the general public than it is now? If this tour works out, what will you and the rest of the people with negative things to say, talk about then? And if it doesn't work out, what will any of you lose? Un-phuckin-believeable! This is my last post regarding this topic, I give up.

 

[vader93490]

Why does anyone have to have the approval or backing of any of those organizations that you mentioned above? And, how can the game become more unfavorable with the general public than it is now? If this tour works out, what will you and the rest of the people with negative things to say, talk about then? And if it doesn't work out, what will any of you lose? Un-phuckin-believeable! This is my last post regarding this topic, I give up.

That's easy. Getting the public backing & support of those organizations would give more legitimacy to the venture. Personally, I don't think the other organizations will back it publically or give any public support to it because of Mr. Trudeau's questionable background. Additionally, it's not what I will lose as a person specifically, it's what the sport will lose overall in terms of respect from the general public.

Again, if such a public statement has been made in favor of the IPT by a recognized governing body of pool, snooker or billiards, I would appreciate it if someone would post a link to it. I would like to read over it for myself.

The whole problem with the pool world is that it's always been about me, me, me. Everybody's out for themselves & not giving back to the sport. Your statement illustrated that perfectly i.e. what will I, as a person, lose? What you can't understand or don't want to understand is that it takes a unified force of knowledgeable pool players & billiard industry participants to make a pool tour successful. That's the key to success, having people in charge who know what they're doing & how to go about achieving that goal of success. The IPT offers nothing like that. It only offers satires of "tournaments" like that recent "world championship".

Since you're leaving Rude Dog, there's no point of saying anything further to you. But think about this when you decide to calm down: What will you do when the IPT venture fails? What will you have to talk about then? You won't have a thing to say or discuss because the sport you like to participate in & discuss will be lost in a deeper quagmire of ill-repute with the general populace than it already is.

 

[Celtic]

Why does anyone have to have the approval or backing of any of those organizations that you mentioned above? And, how can the game become more unfavorable with the general public than it is now? If this tour works out, what will you and the rest of the people with negative things to say, talk about then? And if it doesn't work out, what will any of you lose? Un-phuckin-believeable! This is my last post regarding this topic, I give up.

But your last post in this thread basically pulled the exact same thoughts I have right out of my head and put them in print.

 

[Celtic]

What will you do when the IPT venture fails? What will you have to talk about then? You won't have a thing to say or discuss because the sport you like to participate in & discuss will be lost in a deeper quagmire of ill-repute with the general populace than it already is.

No, actually it will be back to the same level of nothingness that it was at before the IPT showed up. Pool's chance at making the bigtime is far better today then it was 1 year ago today and thats a fact.

 

[onepocketchump]

I will give my opinion not why it won't work, but can't work. They have not shown anything that even resembles a viable business plan. It can't work unless it is self supporting and profitable. Him just underwriting all this prize money is a fantasy. There is no reason for him or anyone to do it. He may, for whatever reason, actually put on a few tournaments but for anyone to think it will continue as a money losing write off if that is his motive is nuts. He may change his mind before the first tournament, the whole thing hinges on a whim. I know a guy who likes pool quite a bit. Others on here may know him as well. He is not a millionaire, or Billionaire but a multi billionaire. He is Roger King, (Do a google search) who owns the Oprah show, Wheel of Fortune and King world productions. He has never shown any interest in promoting pool because it will not make any money, not even self supporting. Could Roger sponsor a tour out of his pocket, of course, but you don't see him doing it, or anyone else with money for that matter no matter how big a fan they are. Now this guy comes along and pretends he is a pool promoter, where is all this money to come from?

You obviously don't know much about millionaires, multi-milliionaires or billionaires. They very often fund companies or endeavors that are not "money-making" ventures. I could give you plenty of examples. As for Kevin Trudeau he has outlined the business plan a hundred times over. Produce a product that is good enough to sell to Television. Investment: 15 Million. Return on Investment: Who knows? How many books can you sell when you have PRIME TIME slots to advertise in? What does Coca Cola pay for a 60 second spot in prime time? How does Golf make money? How does golf pay out the million dollar purses? I am betting the prize money doesn't all come from entry fees.

Roger King probably doesn't run a tour because he prefers to remain a fan instead of a pool bureaucrat. He probably has PLENTY to do already with his own business. Roger has NOTHING to GAIN by OWNING pro pool. Kevin Trudeau however has EVERYTHING to GAIN by OWNING pro pool as it is a relatively cheap buy in to get proven content for a promotional platform.

John

 

[beetle]

You obviously don't know much about millionaires, multi-milliionaires or billionaires. They very often fund companies or endeavors that are not "money-making" ventures. I could give you plenty of examples.
John

I'm definitely with JAM, Celtic, SlimShafty, Rude Dog, etc. on the IPT. If I had $millions, I would, without a doubt, do something similar to what Kevin is doing, and it would not be for the profit, it would be for the fun of it. People who have tons of money really can have fun like this. Roger King likes to gamble and play poker, perhaps his interest is more in line with funding a poker tournament. That might be his gig if he chooses. This one's obviously Kevin's gig. If it lasts a few year only, it is not a failure, it is 3 years of great pool and great money. Failure is talk without action. Pool greats are dying every year without having a chance at great money. I don't think they will care very much if this isn't the nicely packaged panacea that Blackjack is seeking.

 

[Blackjack]

Roger King probably doesn't run a tour because he prefers to remain a fan instead of a pool bureaucrat. He probably has PLENTY to do already with his own business. Roger has NOTHING to GAIN by OWNING pro pool. Kevin Trudeau however has EVERYTHING to GAIN by OWNING pro pool as it is a relatively cheap buy in to get proven content for a promotional platform.

John

Mr. Barton,

Nobody should "own" pool. The last time somebody "owned" pool they sold it, took the money and ran. I have no problem with somebody coming in and helping our sport. I would be much more comfortable if that person did not have the credibility issues that seem to follow Mr. Trudeau. Perhaps someday I will have to say that I was dead wrong about this, but honestly do not believe that will be the case.

To "Hooked" who so graciously decided to psychoanalyze me while tossing in personal attacks, I will not stoop to your level. This isn't about personal attacks, its about the future of pool.

 

[sonia]

Mr. Reyes

Man that's just great to hear JAM, I knew this would invigorate guys like Keith, I'm totally excited to see him play. I was always sad to see many outstanding players game suffer due to the fact that you can only push so hard when you know if you come in 10th place your going to lose money! And with all the stress and worry about financial issues and the road, pool has had little to offer these players, since God forbid a guy comes in 10th not only do they not make any money, they don't get any respect, talk about bad stress!

It is high time a player can come in 10th and feel like a winner and actually make money and be treated like a pro. In golf if you place 10th, your in the leaderboard and in a class of players that gets respect and you can see it time and again guys just don't have anything to shoot for in pool, they are fighting for there lives to get into the top 5 just trying to make a living, and after a few years they feel beat down and many lose that drive, that spark they had that you need to continue at such a high level.

Sadly we have lost some great talent that never even attempt to make it as a pro because it's just not worth all the aggravation and effort. We also lost out on seeing a higher level of competition, because regardless of what some say about the love of the sport, love can only go so far and doesn't feed your family, these guys deserve not only the money, but how about the respect that pool players have never seen. Look at Reyes, he's flying all over the place to get into any tournament he can, and he is just amazing and still doesn't get the kind of attention and respect he could or should get, and after all his expenses he makes it OK, but thats the top player, if your not in the top 6 or 7 at the end of the year your barely going to make it after expenses.

Players have nothing to lose (and don't blame them for that) and everything to gain, and I agree nothing is going to be any different if this fails since pool (at least in the USA) doesn't have an image to hurt or going to lose the spotlight since it's not even on the radar. Most current tours are based on entrance fees and very small advertising money and that will not change, and may even grow during the IPT experiment, so whats the risk, the risk is in not taking the risk!

And why fans would not want to support this (if not for anything then to help the players) is beyond me and drives me nutz

DO NOT FEEL BAD ABOUT REYES. REYES AND THE ENTIRE FILIPINO GROUP ARE FINANCED BY MR. PUYAT, A BILLIONAIRE. HE PAYS ALL EXPENSES. HE FLIES THEM ALL OVER THE WORLD. HOTEL AND MEALS ARE FREE. NOT A BAD LIFE, I SAY.

 

[Roll-Off]

Well, this whole thread can be summed up as another notch in the bickering swamp that we call pool. Special thanks to BlackJack for his contribution. Threads like this only clarify what intelligent folks, such and I, already know. What are you expecting? Pool players posing for Wheaties boxes? We don't even know if pool is a game or a sport! Save yourself some time, because you're fighting a losing battle.

 

[Colin Colenso]

Hey jeff,
Compromise is the cement that bonds the people in marriage.Marriage does not last long if there is no compromise.Jeff,keep stirring the pot....hee,heee,hee
Vagabond

I think he has a point here Jeff

I think compromise can still be interpreted as having net benefit.

No transaction gives us everything we want, but by definition, we transact, or act because we believe such actions will improve our current situation. Even when coerced, we act in the way that we perceive to be preferable, though unwanted. When we buy a buger for $5 cause one in not available for $4, we still choose the burger over our $5, but compromise.

That said, we know that many still think they are being cheated when they buy stuff

 

[Colin Colenso]

That's easy. Getting the public backing & support of those organizations would give more legitimacy to the venture. Personally, I don't think the other organizations will back it publically or give any public support to it because of Mr. Trudeau's questionable background. Additionally, it's not what I will lose as a person specifically, it's what the sport will lose overall in terms of respect from the general public.

Actually, that is not the reason WPA is not supporting KT's tour. It seems they were quite willing to do so if they got their cut of the prize money.

Again, if such a public statement has been made in favor of the IPT by a recognized governing body of pool, snooker or billiards, I would appreciate it if someone would post a link to it. I would like to read over it for myself.

The whole problem with the pool world is that it's always been about me, me, me.

Yeah, just like that rotten capitalism!

Everybody's out for themselves & not giving back to the sport.

In other successful sports, when money is supposedly put back into the sport, it is usually done for positive PR and often backed by sponsors who find it very useful marketing to grass roots. It's done for me, me, me and everyone benefits.

Your statement illustrated that perfectly i.e. what will I, as a person, lose? What you can't understand or don't want to understand is that it takes a unified force of knowledgeable pool players & billiard industry participants to make a pool tour successful.

Well I've studied how the big golf tournies, tennis tournies, Olympics are run and funded, and it ain't like you are describing. It's wheeling and dealing between a host of competitive property owners, broadcasters, media, sponsors, sponsor selling agents, ticket sellers and more. All out to get the best deal they can.

That's the key to success, having people in charge who know what they're doing & how to go about achieving that goal of success. The IPT offers nothing like that. It only offers satires of "tournaments" like that recent "world championship".

Since you're leaving Rude Dog, there's no point of saying anything further to you. But think about this when you decide to calm down: What will you do when the IPT venture fails? What will you have to talk about then? You won't have a thing to say or discuss because the sport you like to participate in & discuss will be lost in a deeper quagmire of ill-repute with the general populace than it already is.

If it fails it fails, I doubt it will cause any damange to the sport. It may provide valuable lessons. But I think, if it does fail, it won't be for the reasons you suggest.

You might want to brush up on your knowledge of sports marketing...try subscribing to www.sportsbusiness.com

 

[Colin Colenso]

Mr. Barton,

Nobody should "own" pool.

Yeah, look at the terrible mess created by Bernie Eccleston with F1, Vince McMahon with WWE, Kerry Packer with World Series Cricket and Don King in Boxing. In such cases, their places as market leaders are not and in some cases were not secure for ever. As stars and the sport are promoted to higher levels, there are openings for new entrepreneurs to improve the business model.

If KT promotes the game well, we well could see the big 4A agencies or other sports entrepreneurs bidding for the rights of the tour or the main stars.

The last time somebody "owned" pool they sold it, took the money and ran. I have no problem with somebody coming in and helping our sport. I would be much more comfortable if that person did not have the credibility issues that seem to follow Mr. Trudeau. Perhaps someday I will have to say that I was dead wrong about this, but honestly do not believe that will be the case.

You may be right about that, and I also hope you're wrong KT maybe great at marketing, but he may not be the most marketable person to have at the head of an organization. I would not be surprised if his PR agency asks him to take a back seat. He has had a lot of bad press in the past unfortunately. I wish him the best in overcoming this.

To "Hooked" who so graciously decided to psychoanalyze me while tossing in personal attacks, I will not stoop to your level. This isn't about personal attacks, its about the future of pool.

You just stooped a little by saying that

 

[macguy]

You obviously don't know much about millionaires, multi-milliionaires or billionaires. They very often fund companies or endeavors that are not "money-making" ventures. I could give you plenty of examples. As for Kevin Trudeau he has outlined the business plan a hundred times over. Produce a product that is good enough to sell to Television. Investment: 15 Million. Return on Investment: Who knows? How many books can you sell when you have PRIME TIME slots to advertise in? What does Coca Cola pay for a 60 second spot in prime time? How does Golf make money? How does golf pay out the million dollar purses? I am betting the prize money doesn't all come from entry fees.

Roger King probably doesn't run a tour because he prefers to remain a fan instead of a pool bureaucrat. He probably has PLENTY to do already with his own business. Roger has NOTHING to GAIN by OWNING pro pool. Kevin Trudeau however has EVERYTHING to GAIN by OWNING pro pool as it is a relatively cheap buy in to get proven content for a promotional platform.

John

I keep wondering why he wants to do this, he undoubtedly isn't doing to just for something to do or just give away money. I was reading the web site and based on his background I would say what he is doing is making an investment. Once he has dozens and even hundreds of matches in the can he will own the rights to it all, this could be pretty valuable I think that is why he is so specific about everything, he's creating a new product and he knows what he wants. Pool is not a timely sport like baseball or football. You can show matches even if they were played several years ago and people will still watch, ESPN figured this out a long time ago. On the web site he says he wants to use the pool tournaments to promote his health books and products. Here is I think how it will work.

He will purchase the TV time just as he does now with his informercials and show the matches as if it is a sports event with his advertising as the sponsor. He could even get other sponsors if he wants, it belongs to him to do with as he pleases, he may even sell videos or dvd's of the matches themselves much like Accu States again, it all belongs to him. If you ever watched any of his shows he does now they pretend to be interview shows talking about his books and products but obviously they are just a 30 minute commercial, this will be the same except it will be pool matches as he hawks his products. He can show the pool matches forever never having to pay the players another nickel once he has enough in the can it all belongs to him. Its a pretty good idea actually and would put pool on the TV a lot and be good for pool, but the players in the end will just have a short payday if he decides to pull the plug or just decides he has enough and doesn't care to invest any more money he will be able to prostituted the players from that point forward as he continuous to make money off them not having to pay them anything. Your right when you say it is a relatively a cheap buy in to get proven content for a promotional platform. He is not doing this out of the goodness of his heart. I hope the players protect their rights. They need agents. I think he sees he can be the Don King of pool and the players will belong to him so to speak. This is a direct quote from his web site, "Don King has been one of the most successful fight promoters in history, making virtually dozens of fighters multimillionaires. It is my intention to be one of the greatest promoters of pool in the history of the sport." The only fighters who made money with King were the ones who danced on a string. Like I said, the players need an agent to represent them.

I am not writing this to be negitive, I am just trying to objectivly understand his angle. If you read every word on the web site it begins to make sense. This one answer in the Q&A section on the website is very telling
"QUESTION:
NaturalCures.com is the major sponsor? They don't seem to be a proper fit for pool.

ANSWER:
I hear this all the time. First off, NaturalCures.com is one of my companies. The reason NaturalCures.com is the major sponsor for the International Pool Tour is because I believe that all people need to know about the benefits of natural cures. I believe that everyone is interested in non-surgical and non-drug ways to prevent and cure virtually every disease. It is ridiculous to think that pool players are only interested in drinking beer, smoking cigarettes, and taking erectile dysfunction drugs like Cialis and Levitra! Or eating at McDonalds! Up until now, all sports advertising is fast food, drugs for male erectile dysfunction, beer or some alcohol, and/or cigarettes. This makes no sense to me. Pool players, like everyone else, are interested in eliminating their pain, curing arthritis, learning about natural ways to handle diabetes, acid reflux disease, obesity, constipation, headaches, back pain, etc. Everyone is interested in natural ways to cure and prevent heart disease and cancer. NaturalCures.com is the sponsor because the people who will be watching IPT events and tournaments are great potential customers for NaturalCures.com. I also want to change the way people look at sports sponsoring. NaturalCures.com is also considering sponsoring other sporting events, other than just pool. It has budgeted in 2006 over $15 million in sporting event sponsorships, the majority of which may go to the International Pool Tour."

You notice he says "the majority of which may go to the International Pool Tour."
If he finds something better or the pool thing doesn't sell his products he will dump it in a second, he doesn't care anything about the pool or the players, he just wants to sell products. Don't have any illusions about this guy,If skateboarding sells his products better, that is where he will put the money. From what I read people are getting excited about the William Morris thing, I doubt that has much to do with pool, by his own words he wants to get into other sports, that's why he got them. They may even steer him away from pool as a bad investment and line him up with other sports with real potential so I wouldn't necessarily see that as such a positive thing for the pool project.