Economy and Pool

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Race2-9

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Just curious if the current economic problems are starting to effect the participation in many of the tournaments. Travel cost have gotten so bad that instead of having to finish 3-4 to break even, now you have to win the whole thing.
This on top of the difficulties with finding true gambling (i.e. most people won't play now unless they have the stone cold nuts) I have to wonder just how bad it's going to get with pool either pro or amateur.
 
Race2-9 said:
Just curious if the current economic problems are starting to effect the participation in many of the tournaments. Travel cost have gotten so bad that instead of having to finish 3-4 to break even, now you have to win the whole thing.
This on top of the difficulties with finding true gambling (i.e. most people won't play now unless they have the stone cold nuts) I have to wonder just how bad it's going to get with pool either pro or amateur.
Click to expand...

I think my team and I have attended our last VNEA State tournament this year, unless it is here at home. I live in Sioux Falls, SD, and the tounament the last couple years has been in Rapid City, 350 miles away. So you have gas both ways, food and 5 nights in a hotel if you go for both singles and teams. My girlfriend and I shared a room, so no real savings there. Even if you split gas with someone, it is still a lot of money to be shelling out for a CHANCE to win something.
 
I have quit going to Eurotours because of the costs. It's minimum 1250 $ for me to join a tournament, with entryfee, hotel, flights, other transportation and food. On top of that the Eurotours require's that you will have to be there Wednesday evening, which means I have to take 3 days off from work = loss of income...

It's just not worth it for me.

I am mainly competing in weekend tournaments now, but I try to use my vacations and travel to big tournaments if it's possible.
 
driving across a a state the size of texas for a Chance of winning a tourney just aint worth it. Nope its gonna be only local tourneys for me for a while.

Whats worse is that less players going to tourneys means less money for paying out, so the winner will barely make anything and might not feel it was worth it and not come to the next one. It goes round and round.
 
I think it will get worse!!! Hopefully only for a short time.

Its a little scarry if you really think about it. My husband and I are lucky.
No kids and make a good living. But I have friends who try to make a living at pool. These players are stuck right now. I guess its time to go out and get a part time job until the economy improves, so you can survive. A little hard work didnt kill anyone.
 
If Shannon's tournament in Greenville, SC was any indication, the price of gas will keep many players from going far to play in tournaments. I think they had 34 players, or there abouts. Lot of people from Tennessee and North Carolina did not make the trip, it seems.
 
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