Everyone complains about pool just needing a major sponsor....

kujuj said:
Speaking of the color of money...why didn't the pros involved with the movie say that a pro would never play position for a bank shot like Vince did when he threw the game to Eddie...and btw the color of money started the pool craze in the 90's.
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TCOM was a bad movie that got some bad reviews.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hC0HdfCgeAQ

No TCOM did not cause the 90's Pool Fad...
The Book "How to Play 8 Ball for Beginners" is truly what caused the growth of Pool Rooms in the 90's.
https://issuu.com/poolkillers81/docs/a_beginner_s_guide_to_8_ball_pool


kujuj said:
We need the colour of money sequel.
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Linwood said:
Honestly don't you think that and The Hustler did the game much more harm than good?

What you need is somehow to do a Cool Running type movie about pool (I don't mean from an ethnicity standpoint but from a comes-from-outside standpoint).
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Linwood said:
Honestly don't you think that and The Hustler did the game much more harm than good?
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I volunteer:

"The life and times of Efren Reyes"
a) great pool story
b) a great and humble man
c) at the top of his form for 3 decades
d) in most major categories {8, 9, 10, 1-14, 1-P...}
 
A solid fan base is what's lacking in my opinion. Until there is a demand to see pro pool from a large number of fans major outside sponsorship is a pipe dream.
 
realkingcobra said:
That's because the players that have dragged this game down to shorter races, alternating breaks, break boxes, and all the rest of the bs rules knows they don't stand a chance and therefore wouldn't bother wasting a penny to play against the pros in this format.
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I don't know why everybody tried to dumb the game down over the years.

I always preferred the longest races possible, winner breaks, etc...no matter who I was playing.
 
Mr. Bond said:
On the other hand, there's also no reason under the sun that professional play cannot be reorganized and turned into something worthy of respect and honor.
It's just not happening at the moment.
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I absolutely agree.

And it could be done without essentially changing what the game is.


.
 
MitchAlsup said:
I volunteer:

"The life and times of Efren Reyes"
a) great pool story
b) a great and humble man
c) at the top of his form for 3 decades
d) in most major categories {8, 9, 10, 1-14, 1-P...}
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I like Efren and his story may make for a good movie, but I'm not sure what "medicine" it would inject into pool to bring it "back to life".

Efren's story would be a bit melodramatic for most young people's interest...IMHO. He is too reserved and doesn't create excitement, controversy, and the other things that people like in today's movies.

I think a movie about Earl would bring more excitement than the story of most other players. You wouldn't even have to write scripts for most of it...they are already written by real life events.

Poor kid pool prodigy living in the South...quits school...travels country trying to win money and become best player in the world...loud mouth...backs up loud mouth with playing ability...controversial...expert pool player but has "issues"...wins every tournament known to man...gets older....starts downslide...starts bringing even more emotion and controversy to the game when he plays...invents "gimmicks" to improve his play (ear muffs, ass weights, arm weights, etc.)...able to compete with world class players when he is "right"...still playing at age 50+....had thousands and thousands of dollars over his career....now doesn't have a dime.....etc., etc...etc...
 
JoeyInCali said:
Stick to pool table.
That statement is out in Pluto.

When UFC started, there were no rounds . It was battle to the end one-day round-robin. People got hurt bad. Two late substitutes even won tournaments when they only fought the finals match.
UFC was a dying sport after a while. They went to 5-minute rounds . They went to ranking system like in boxing. They had weight divisions instead of just open weight division.
Then Tito Ortiz, Chuck Lidell and Randy Couture and company started to make names with their rivalries. They started become household names. But, UFC was still not huge back then. So much that Randy Couture was only getting paid $250K per even and he tried to retire from it unless he got paid more .
Dana White and some partners bought UFC in the early 2000's.
They had a marketing plan. They exposed the fighters and events through Fox Sports.
That Ultimate Fighter show as jokrswylde mentioned made a huge difference.
After that UFC's ppv numbers surged. Then they cut a deal with Spike TV.
UFC hasn't looked back since. Even bought out Pride .

You don't think names make a difference? Ronda Rousey sold 1MM PPV's when she was hot. Anderson Silva sold a ton of PPV's when he was hot. Conor McGregor sold a ton of PPV.
Personalities sell sports. No matter what sport.

But, they need all the help and exposure they can get.

And oh, THE CASINOS OPENED BETTING ON UFC fights.
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All of this may be true...yet the reason why people watch remains the same. They are living out their violent (and other) fantasies by watching two buff, young men/women wailing on eachother and doing anything possible to hurt eachother, even when the opponent is down. There really is no beauty or sport to this. It's sheer brutality. I'm not going to debate wether this is good for society or not, because that's not entirely cut and dry. But lets not pretend that it's something other than what it is: raw violence as entertainment.

Pool can't tap into that need, and struggles to tap into the viewers who watch womens beach volleyball. I mean, women were the last pool players to be taken off the screen, but they couldn't compete with skimpy outfits in other sports so even the pervert viewers were eventually lost.

I believe pool could use the personalities of the players more than they have in the past, but I also believe the sport has to be respected. That can be done by actually having proper leagues and a proper pro-division with qualifiers. Being unorganized and challenge match focused with a conflict and intrigue driven narrative, risks having pool ending up with competing with redneck freakshows, and it can't possibly win that fight. If pool has to become a mixture between UFC, Honey Boo Boo and Pornhub to be great again, I'd much prefer it stayed the way it is.
 
realkingcobra said:
What type of business would it take to sponsor this sport, and if i owned that business, how would you answer my first 3 questions?

1) How do i get a return on my sponsorship investment beyond what i invest that would make it worth my while meaning, what's in it for my business that i can in return, make millions of dollars of profit, afterall, that's why I'm in business isn't it?

2) How would you turn this unorganized game of pool into a professional sport that my hard built business reputation could be proud of and glad to be involve

3) Who would be in charge of running this new venture for my investment dollars, and how would that work?
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First, you'd need a company that would benefit from the advertising and be available anywhere people play pool. I think your best bet would be an energy drink, a newer entrant to the market with some money behind it. Red Bull has the market for several smaller market sports, but pool is wide open. Since most people play pool when they drink, it would need to be a good mixer with Vodka, Whiskey, etc.....but also be a smooth drink without jitters, etc....something a non-drinker could enjoy in a long match. Or possibly some type of new coffee that goes well as a mixer....something bars would carry that can advertise.

The company would need to see this as a long term investment, and be strong enough and patient enough to see the returns.

You'd need a solid name in the sport to run it - someone who has been around, has tourney experience, on both sides, and who players respect. Someone with integrity and backbone.

I think pool needs to go the way of golf - there both have independent contractors, I think there would be a benefit to mirroring some of their habits. You could have 4 majors - let's say one in March, another in June, one in August, and the last in October, with the championship in early December. March, June, and August could work well with vacation times where people could travel to see events. You would need ongoing points totals, etc. You could work in top local players at each event, sponsors exemptions, etc.

I would work towards 1 tournament every two weeks, starting in February with a West Coast swing through March, work your way into major markets throughout the year hitting each area for a month or so to make it reasonable to players to travel. A major in LA, another in Dallas, another in New York, or whatever.....maybe do the Championship in New Orleans or Miami or something.....somewhere great to be in early December. Regular tourneys would be $25k added, with $50k in majors, but adjust those numbers up as popularity increases.


Similar to golf, likely have like a 5 day even starting on Wednesday through the weekend. I would have Tuesday as a practice day, events for kids, league players, etc. I would rotate through disciplines.....9 ball, 8 ball, 1 pocket, and straight pool.....maybe a west coast swing that is 2 months of 9ball, and then 2 months of 1 pocket with a major in dallas, then 2 months of straight pool in the NE with a major in NY, and then two months of 8 ball........and then maybe all 4 disciplines at the Championship in December over 10 days???

Anyway, a ton more of ideas and actual ways to carry it out, but I think a bar friendly drink of some type is the way to go. Tired of typing, that's all I have for now.
 
Big Perm said:
First, you'd need a company that would benefit from the advertising and be available anywhere people play pool. I think your best bet would be an energy drink, a newer entrant to the market with some money behind it. Red Bull has the market for several smaller market sports, but pool is wide open. Since most people play pool when they drink, it would need to be a good mixer with Vodka, Whiskey, etc.....but also be a smooth drink without jitters, etc....something a non-drinker could enjoy in a long match. Or possibly some type of new coffee that goes well as a mixer....something bars would carry that can advertise.

The company would need to see this as a long term investment, and be strong enough and patient enough to see the returns.

You'd need a solid name in the sport to run it - someone who has been around, has tourney experience, on both sides, and who players respect. Someone with integrity and backbone.

I think pool needs to go the way of golf - there both have independent contractors, I think there would be a benefit to mirroring some of their habits. You could have 4 majors - let's say one in March, another in June, one in August, and the last in October, with the championship in early December. March, June, and August could work well with vacation times where people could travel to see events. You would need ongoing points totals, etc. You could work in top local players at each event, sponsors exemptions, etc.

I would work towards 1 tournament every two weeks, starting in February with a West Coast swing through March, work your way into major markets throughout the year hitting each area for a month or so to make it reasonable to players to travel. A major in LA, another in Dallas, another in New York, or whatever.....maybe do the Championship in New Orleans or Miami or something.....somewhere great to be in early December. Regular tourneys would be $25k added, with $50k in majors, but adjust those numbers up as popularity increases.


Similar to golf, likely have like a 5 day even starting on Wednesday through the weekend. I would have Tuesday as a practice day, events for kids, league players, etc. I would rotate through disciplines.....9 ball, 8 ball, 1 pocket, and straight pool.....maybe a west coast swing that is 2 months of 9ball, and then 2 months of 1 pocket with a major in dallas, then 2 months of straight pool in the NE with a major in NY, and then two months of 8 ball........and then maybe all 4 disciplines at the Championship in December over 10 days???

Anyway, a ton more of ideas and actual ways to carry it out, but I think a bar friendly drink of some type is the way to go. Tired of typing, that's all I have for now.
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When i started this thread, i had a pretty good idea what people would suggest as answers, and i haven't been disappointed.... LOL....everyone keep beating the same drum, just cbanges the beat a little is all. If you want to make pool a sucessful sport, you have to look beyond the American borders, and consider world involvement as there are players all over the world, why does pool get looked at like it's only an American game.
 
A world 10 ball championship has to start and be finished in a weekend because people don't have the time or patients to watch an event for an extended length of time and when a pool tournament lasts 7,9,10 days, how much more does that costs the players, and who's really making the money?
 
realkingcobra said:
When i started this thread, i had a pretty good idea what people would suggest as answers, and i haven't been disappointed.... LOL....everyone keep beating the same drum, just cbanges the beat a little is all. If you want to make pool a sucessful sport, you have to look beyond the American borders, and consider world involvement as there are players all over the world, why does pool get looked at like it's only an American game.
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I'm a selfish American....what else would you expect :D

If you want it to be global, then 30th place in a 128 player event needs to pay out enough to cover airfare and all travel expenses for the week.....and I don't get the impression it's there...yet. Unfortunately, I think it likely needs to start in a smaller market and then expand. If Europe, Asia, or anywhere else is a better market, then start there and bring it to America. Whatever works best, I don't care.
 
realkingcobra said:
When i started this thread, i had a pretty good idea what people would suggest as answers, and i haven't been disappointed.... LOL....everyone keep beating the same drum, just cbanges the beat a little is all. If you want to make pool a sucessful sport, you have to look beyond the American borders, and consider world involvement as there are players all over the world, why does pool get looked at like it's only an American game.
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Are we talking about making pool more popular in america or worldwide. They are NOT mutually inclusive goals. Has America embraced cricket, rugby, darts, snooker, heck even soccer like the rest of the world? Conversely, how big is college football or NASCAR in asia?

World involvement is not the answer for a pool renaissance in the U.S. just as an explosion of pool in the u.s does not mean it will catch fire around the globe.

Like ir or not the IPT provided the blueprint for making pool tournaments a must see event. Big prizes, compelling matchups, great production value, great marketing, etc. Heck even Ronnie O decided to cross the pond for an ipt event.

Outside of Leo DiCaprio deciding to do a remake of the Hustler, or Mark Burnett deciding to do a season of Survivor with the contestants locked in pool hall for a month, a creative promoter with either bottomless pockets or a relative on the board of directors of Anheiser Busch is the most surefire way to spark the general publics interest in pro pool.

Maybe there is no viable way to make pro pool popular again. And? Pro pool had been in the dumps for a while, and yet leagues all over the country continue to grow. Heck i may even join one some day. People will always want to socialize, drink, and gamble.
 
Whatever the Brits do over there to make snooker the hit it is with the public might could be something to try with pool here in the USA. ??
If it works for them it might work here.
Better than what's been the norm here for so many years.
Keep on truckin'
:thumbup:
 
The problem with pool is theres plenty of the bottom to go around but no top. Forget pro tour stops and qualifiers when that leads to no where. I firmly believe that if pool was to create ONE world championship tournament a year, made up of the 128 best players on the planet, having identified the Pros, it becomes much clearer who the semi pros are, who the advanced players are, and who the intermediate players are, which would create a spin-off of world champion tournaments based on the non pro players, involving pool rooms by the 100s all around the world, thus creating a reason to go back into pool rooms and play avain. If for example the advanced player world championship tournament was made up of the top 2 advanced players from 1024 participating pool rooms from around the world, and each one of those pool rooms had 4 qualifier tournaments to pick their 2 representatives from their region of the world in a world amateurs world 10 ball championship, you'd end up with 2,048 players competing for that title. Its all done in house in each pool room, and no travel is required until the final 2 are on their way to the world championship event.
 
What you guys don't know about, and don't see is that all of the players had to at one time take a skill level test, cost $50, of which $25 goes to the pool room for giving the skill test, then $25 gets mailed in with the test score to the world tournament headquarters office. Then all of them 512 competing locations would be required to have at least 1 official qualifing pool table, consistently the same from one pool room to the next, a Diamond 9ft ProAm with pro cut pockets, and pay the fee of $500 a year to register that test table. So nust a little math here, 32 tested players per regional location around the world @ $25 per player, thats 16,384 player @ $25 each = $409,600 in score fees, plus another $256,000 in table sanction fees,
 
A once a year world 10 ball world championship tournament would produce world champion's in 4 different skill levels, require 1,000's of in house regional tournaments to determine the representatives of each region of the world, identify the questions everyone seems to like asking....what does it take to go Pro. And then, what about 8b, 9b, banks, 1p, 14.1....they ALL require their OWN world championship tournaments as well in 4 different skill level divisions as well, don't they??? Which is why I also asked where is the worlds finals going to be held?
 
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