JAM -
I have interviewed just about all of the OLD pros, years ago.
Most were broke. Things really havent changed.
I was interviewing Ray Martin at his house in Florida years ago. It was small, very modest. I asked Ray about some pool players his age, including a number of HOF players that were absolutely broke. Ray considered himself very fortunate to have what he had and he thought he was better off than almost all of them.
So thinking the old guard were rich isnt right either. The ones that have made a ton in the pool industry made it from other than the money made gambling or tournaments. Hopkins, Varner, etc.
The pool player that is most successful today isnt the best pool player by far. It is one that has leveraged pool into other things, and that is Jeanette Lee. Again years ago, when I was doing some writing she made over $400K in endorsements and advertising, and probably $30K max from tournaments.
The folks that are successful in pool, IMO, would have been successful without pool.
But whining about how little money is in pool, years and years, reminds me of the liberals and the 99%ers who think they are entitled to something. IF you want to be successfull go do the work to be successfull, dont go belly aching about the price of gas in 1960 and the payouts in tournaments.
Both of my daughters went to college and are teachers. Teachers start at $34K a year, but I dont stomp my feet and whine and blame the BCA, blame the fans, blame everyone. My kids knew how much they were going to make as teachers and still went into the field.
Pool players could and can ask anyone, unless you really have something on the ball you are going to make very little money, it is expensive to go and play, and more than likely going to be broke most of their lives.
SVB is the best in the country, makes $100K. Almost any engineer in the country makes more than that when they are upper end performers.
I dont really care, but damn can you please quit whinning about it, nobody is entitled to anything....just go out there and earn it.
Ken
exactly right