CSI dumps Diamond for Predator tables

[Nick B]

All this talk of Predator or Diamond supporting pool in a major way, and how it's a great thing for professional pool now, is actually quite misleading. Yes, they are funneling funds into major pool events now like never before, and because of that increased support, entities such as Matchroom, and pro billiard players are enjoying the benefits of this increased support.
The truth remains though that the real supporters of these events and promoters are in fact, those that purchase their products at the inflated prices necessary for them to funnel their support to profession pool players and events. Predator and Diamond are not doing this out of the goodness of their heart, they are doing this as a business decision to actually help them make more money, by increased interest in pool. The consumer of their products are actually the ones responsible for this increased funding of professional pool, not Predator or Diamond.
For all those that complain about the price of a new quality table, Diamond for instance, would you be interested more in buying their table for say $1000-$2000 less, if it meant that say pro events weren't sponsored like they are now? Or do you feel that your donation towards pro pool and pro players of possibly $1000 or more on a table purchase, is worth it to you. Keep in mind that it actually is your money, not Diamonds, or Predators, that is actually supporting professional billiards, and those that play pro events to enjoy they lifestyle they have.

You ever buy a case of beer? I know first hand that they allocate more money for marketing and advertising than the actual cost of manufacturing. And if that hurts your feelings try perfumes, make-up and luxury goods (watches etc).

 

[muskyed]

Anyone knows that, but you seem to have missed what I was alluding to.
Given the subject of Predator and Diamond products, and their support for professional pool, if given a choice to save say $1000 or more on that Diamond table if they weren't supporting professional pool and professional players incomes.
Keep in mind pool would still survive, tournaments would still happen, just differently for sponsored pros. But everyone else would still have their local tournaments, leagues, state tournaments, and more than likely national tournaments to participate in, just the top professional players would be affected to an extent.
Pool table manufactures would still survive and innovate to keep putting out a product that the consumer wants, but actually be able to offer it at a reduced price than it is now. Cue manufactures would still keep selling cues and because of compitition, keep working at making better cues, just at a reduced cost.
There would still be streaming to watch, just as there is now.
Yes, everyone makes choices when they buy products, but is it really worth a substantial price increase on a billiard product you purchase, when for the most part it basically only supports say the top 200 or so pros, and producers such as matchroom?
If you think it's worth it to be able to watch their matches, that's great, and the way it should be. Yes, I purchased a Diamond professional table a few years back knowing full well that part of my purchase price went twords supporting professional pool, and that that was the price to pay to get what I wanted. Could have bought a used Gold Crown I guess, if it actually bothered me.
There actually is a good argument to be made right now on pool sponsorship, and the increased interest in pool lately. Is it because of that, or other factors, who really knows, but I don't think your average league player could name 5 of the top 30 pool players in the world. They just enjoy pool.

 

[Cameron Smith]

Anyone knows that, but you seem to have missed what I was alluding to.
Given the subject of Predator and Diamond products, and their support for professional pool, if given a choice to save say $1000 or more on that Diamond table if they weren't supporting professional pool and professional players incomes.
Keep in mind pool would still survive, tournaments would still happen, just differently for sponsored pros. But everyone else would still have their local tournaments, leagues, state tournaments, and more than likely national tournaments to participate in, just the top professional players would be affected to an extent.
Pool table manufactures would still survive and innovate to keep putting out a product that the consumer wants, but actually be able to offer it at a reduced price than it is now. Cue manufactures would still keep selling cues and because of compitition, keep working at making better cues, just at a reduced cost.
There would still be streaming to watch, just as there is now.
Yes, everyone makes choices when they buy products, but is it really worth a substantial price increase on a billiard product you purchase, when for the most part it basically only supports say the top 200 or so pros, and producers such as matchroom?
If you think it's worth it to be able to watch their matches, that's great, and the way it should be. Yes, I purchased a Diamond professional table a few years back knowing full well that part of my purchase price went twords supporting professional pool, and that that was the price to pay to get what I wanted. Could have bought a used Gold Crown I guess, if it actually bothered me.
There actually is a good argument to be made right now on pool sponsorship, and the increased interest in pool lately. Is it because of that, or other factors, who really knows, but I don't think your average league player could name 5 of the top 30 pool players in the world. They just enjoy pool.

Their marketing and manufacturing budgets are separate. Pulling back on advertising wouldn’t result in a cost reduction because their prices are likely influenced by cost and demand. If they used their marketing budged to try to reduce the price this year then they will have less revenue next year, which means a smaller marketing budget. And while every player knows about them today, that doesn’t have to be true forever.

Without all of this sponsorship we don’t have the same viewing opportunities because the pro billiard series wouldn’t exist and the Matchroom series wouldn’t exist. While it’s true that there would still be pool streaming, in the absense of proper sponsorship it’s usually local events with top players beating up the locals until the much later rounds.

Diamond/Predator are indeed marketing their products to established players, and they don’t expect a non-players to immediately make an impulse purchase. But the strategy is to get the established fan to purchase today while helping to expand the market so that there is a larger consumer base in the future. Their companies can’t grow if player base doesn’t grow.