Cmon! The Americans are getting sharked!

[Celophanewrap]

This event gets on ESPN 3 in the USA, not covered on mainstream TV at all.

That should tell you something about where pool falls in the realm of things in the USA. It's a recreational pastime and a gambling endeavor here.

As I'm sitting here hoping for a massive USA comeback, I'm also sitting here thinking that next year they should invite an Asian team and have the event in the PI or China.

For the last few years no one at ESPN 3 even had any idea it was going to be on until like the first day of the event.
We talk about the Asian thing every year. Last time someone made some reasonably good points about why that will never happen,
wish I could remember what they were.....

 

[snucar]

You seem a little paranoid and insecure.
No one's (or at least not me) is making fun of you. It's all good

I'm not paranoid or insecure, my friend. Hence I used the smiley in that post.

It's all good indeed, no worries.:smile:

 

[pmac666]

in that gambling aspect the only one who gets mentioned is svb (rightfully) and a bit JB..... but what about morris? who would stake him in a rt 100 for the big cheese against niels or daz? or skyler? or MD?
take your coverboy out and its getting very dark over there........

 

[BeiberLvr]

And you don't think the Ryder Cup is important to the players involved! They only talk about it and prepare for it all year long, just like we do for the MC. Both these events are indeed very important TEAM tournaments for all the players, coaches and their families involved in them.

To characterize it as a meaningless exhibition is one of the most inane comments I've seen on here.

An exhibition doesn't have to mean it's meaningless, nor did I ever classify it as such.

 

[jay helfert]

An exhibition doesn't have to mean it's meaningless, nor did I ever classify it as such.

Once again, the MC is NOT an exhibition! This is a serious competition between nations, similar to the Ryder Cup in golf. To categorize it as an exhibition is to diminish it's importance in the billiard world. Sorry Beiber, you got this one wrong!

 

[BeiberLvr]

Once again, the MC is NOT an exhibition! This is a serious competition between nations, similar to the Ryder Cup in golf. To categorize it as an exhibition is to diminish it's importance in the billiard world. Sorry Beiber, you got this one wrong!

I suggest you look into what makes something an exhibition.

 

[jay helfert]

I suggest you look into what makes something an exhibition.

I think I see one now! :grin-square:

 

[vladmin]

Let's do a short history for who's watching this event for the first time this year.

Shane is 98% deaf. He turns off his hearing aid when he plays. Not just MC but most of the tournaments.

Shane has been known to play extremely bad at MC. Be it in US or Europe.

Dechaine has been a losing hand in every single MC he played. Be it in US or Europe. He has won 1 game in the last 2 appearances that I could find. A double's match

Skylar lost to Albin 5-4 in consecutive years. This year he had the last break and scratched after playing bad shape on a shot where he had extension and the crowd was dead silent.

And 10-3 after 3 days. Really, blame all the crowds in the world. The score is very similar to 2013 when US lost IN VEGAS 11-2. And their team was stacked that year.

You get the idea

 

[one stroke]

Let's do a short history for who's watching this event for the first time this year.

Shane is 98% deaf. He turns off his hearing aid when he plays. Not just MC but most of the tournaments.

Shane has been known to play extremely bad at MC. Be it in US or Europe.

Dechaine has been a losing hand in every single MC he played. Be it in US or Europe. He has won 1 game in the last 2 appearances that I could find. A double's match

Skylar lost to Albin 5-4 in consecutive years. This year he had the last break and scratched after playing bad shape on a shot where he had extension and the crowd was dead silent.

And 10-3 after 3 days. Really, blame all the crowds in the world. The score is very similar to 2013 when US lost IN VEGAS 11-2. And their team was stacked that year.

You get the idea

I got it before it even started as did most everyone else

1

 

[Bbutler]

No, but increasing the length of time it takes for matches isn't going to change that.

The trend in most sports is shorter and sharper, pool going the other way will simply put it even further back (in terms of tv and sponsorship, I see how purists may like what you're saying but they aren't the target audience).

Well since the target audience isn't watching anyways why not make the broadcast suit the actual fans of the sport.

That is what other sports do, actually. Tennis isn't marketed to people that would never watch tennis, it's marketed to its fans. Same goes for pretty much every other sport -- except pool for some reason.

Once your fans are watching, the next step is to try and create more of them. Another thing pool can't seem to figure out.

 

[vjmehra]

Well since the target audience isn't watching anyways why not make the broadcast suit the actual fans of the sport.

That is what other sports do, actually. Tennis isn't marketed to people that would never watch tennis, it's marketed to its fans. Same goes for pretty much every other sport -- except pool for some reason.

Once your fans are watching, the next step is to try and create more of them. Another thing pool can't seem to figure out.

The demographic of pool fans isn't right for that though.

Tennis fans (typically) are more middle class and affluent than the AVERAGE pool fan, that is more appealing to the sponsors and makes selling advertising space in between sets/games etc. easier to sell.

If you made a pool tournament for hardcore pool fans no-one else would watch and it would lose money.

Thats the reality unfortunately.

I get that you seem to be a purist and are simply trying to suggest promoting the best format for the game, but sadly I'd say its unlikely to work.

Since snooker reduced its match times Eurosport (a cable/satellite sports broadcaster in the UK & Europe) has begun covering all major tournaments and ranking events, which is a big step up!

I'm not sure what the answer is for pool, but snooker's tv coverage is up and the pool formats that attract coverage here are the Matchroom events (Masters, World Cup and Mosconi Cup) all of which are short/medium races.

 

[vjmehra]

Originally Posted by jay helfert View Post
Once again, the MC is NOT an exhibition! This is a serious competition between nations, similar to the Ryder Cup in golf. To categorize it as an exhibition is to diminish it's importance in the billiard world. Sorry Beiber, you got this one wrong!

I suggest you look into what makes something an exhibition.

You're both right!

exhibition
ɛksɪˈbɪʃ(ə)n/Submit
noun
1.
a public display of works of art or items of interest, held in an art gallery or museum or at a trade fair.
"an exhibition of French sculpture"
synonyms: (public) display, show, showing, presentation, demonstration, showcase, mounting, spectacle; More
2.
a display or demonstration of a skill.
"fields which have been ploughed with a supreme exhibition of the farm worker's skills"

However the Mosconi Cup means a lot to the players, like the Ryder Cup, not only is it a significant honour to get selected/qualify, but it increases earnings (I know the Ryder Cup team isn't paid), exposure and sponsorship. Just look at the emotions and the discussions it generates here on this board...it means a lot to the players and fans!

 

[pmac666]

Well since the target audience isn't watching anyways why not make the broadcast suit the actual fans of the sport.

That is what other sports do, actually. Tennis isn't marketed to people that would never watch tennis, it's marketed to its fans. Same goes for pretty much every other sport -- except pool for some reason.

Once your fans are watching, the next step is to try and create more of them. Another thing pool can't seem to figure out.

so thats ure way to make pool interresting? boring rt 11 winnerbreak? and all just cause u get manhandled at mosconi? a joke lol
the change in the breakrules was the best for 9b, finally the matches are watchabale and there are tense safetybattles again! seriously who wants to see the best in the world running a 6 pack followed by a 5 pack? over in 25 minutes and u only saw a mosterbreak followed by 5 easy rolls.......ppl will turn off in seconds, no thx! think the better solution would be teching the US players a little bit of tactics, or better not, i love how mark gray is toying with team USA lol

 

[lawrence526]

I didn't watch a lot of it but what I did see, I concur with your shark analogy!

 

[JoeyA]

Sharking

Sharking the other team will remain an integral part of the Mosconi Cup of that I am certain. We (America) had better get used to it because it's not going away.


This successful event is a SPECTACLE, not a pool tournament and it wouldn't be nearly as successful without a bunch of drunken, disrespectful, howling buffoons.

I wonder if it would do any good to give them a taste of their own medicine?

JoeyA