Everyone watched them play on TV

Ralph Kramden

Ralph Kramden

BOOM!.. ZOOM!.. MOON!
Silver Member
Many sport figures have household names because of TV.

Willie, Fats and the Miz were recognized by thousands,
because everyone watched them play pool on TV.

Jack, Arnie and Trevino were recognized by thousands,
because everyone watched them play golf on TV.

Tiger, Phil and Bubba are now recognized by thousands,
because everyone is watching them play on TV.
 
After many years of this it's no wonder the overall pool economy is down over 40%.

Ralph Kramden said:
Many sport figures have household names because of TV.

Willie, Fats and the Miz were recognized by thousands,
because everyone watched them play pool on TV.

Jack, Arnie and Trevino were recognized by thousands,
because everyone watched them play golf on TV.

Tiger, Phil and Bubba are now recognized by thousands,
because everyone is watching them play on TV.
Click to expand...

This is a documented fact and a GREAT POST Mr. Kramden.

When I first went to a tournament after 8 years they told me I was playing on the "TV Table". I was surprised that they had a TV station because if was a smaller event and they informed me it was "streaming video". I was slightly confused, but didn't question it.

After seeing this consistently done at tournaments I believe it's a HUGE mistake. I'm in favor of supporting streaming video and thank the people that put on this service, it certainly has it's time/place and adds value.

With that being said I must add "steaming video IS NOT TV," and it's a mistake to call the "steaming video table," the "TV Table". Imo TV was the reason pool was so popular in the 90s with ESPN coverage that went out to millions of people. I would say 80-90% of these people weren't "pool fans" and would NEVER seek it out on steaming video.

These were people that saw pool as a viable entertainment option and went out and supported upscale billiard clubs, bought products and stimulated the whole pool economy. The streaming video ONLY goes out to dedicated pool fans and does NOT bring in any new participants to the Game.

After many years of this it's no wonder the overall pool economy is down over 40%. This is not the "Game's" fault, it's just the lack of REAL TV COVERAGE that exposes {the Game} to the mass public's awareness. "Out of sight, out of mind" - 'The Game is the Teacher' CJ Wiley
 
The web makes entertainment stars overnight, without huge overhead, or monopolistic corporations playing gatekeeper.

Fats and Willie were self-promoters: they weren't on TV slugging it out in tournaments.

Today's players are not, with the odd exception of Jeanette Lee and Mike Massey.

Fact is, most billiard players made their money giving exhibitions or gambling until TV came along.
All tournament wins did was make them better known within the billiard community, increasing their name recognition and marketability.

American pool has no organization.
With whom would a TV network negotiate?

With a multitude of channels looking for content, there is no lack of potential markets that could be tapped and attract an expanding audience.

Many sports have developed an audience and sold themselves to TV:
Golf, darts, snooker, wrestling and many lesser or bizarre activities.
What they had in common was organization and promotion.
In the UK, it was Barry Hearn - boxing, darts, snooker, fishing, and now, table tennis.
Who in the U.S. is a promoter who could organize and sell billiards?

TV audiences comprise large numbers of people who have never participated in the activity they are watching, and never will - the Olympics are the perfect example.
 
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Who would they sale??

Who would the networks sale..., name the pool players that can be promoted to the public, sure the game is great, but who are the player that the public would want to get to know, watch or try to be like?

We need the game on TV for sure, but the game has got to be ready for TV
 
Scaramouche said:
Fats and Willie were self-promoters: they weren't on TV slugging it out in tournaments.
Click to expand...

I beg to differ with you sir. Pool TV ratings soared in the grudge matches between Fats and Willey.

Fats was playing... Willie was commentating. Fats was jabbering on as usual... but made the mistake of saying he even beat Willie.

Mosconi jumped out of his seat, called Fats a liar and said you never beat me and you never will. The following matches were set up.

These matches were probably well before your time I would guess. Many players played on black and white TV... Puckett, Crane, Moore to name a few. People knew who they were because they played on TV.

More people would know the men players if they could watch men play pool the way they watch the women. Lots of folks know Allison, Jeanette, Jasmin, Karen. Ask the same people to name some male pool players... hummmm, let's see... they might say Willey, Fats, the Miz.

This isn't promoting pool to the masses. Pool needs to be promoted. More pool rooms... not more pool rooms closing. IMO
 
Kaufman

Ralph Kramden said:
I beg to differ with you sir. Pool TV ratings soared in the grudge matches between Fats and Willey.

Fats was playing... Willie was commentating. Fats was jabbering on as usual... but made the mistake of saying he even beat Willie.

Mosconi jumped out of his seat, called Fats a liar and said you never beat me and you never will. The following matches were set up.

These matches were probably well before your time I would guess. Many players played on black and white TV... Puckett, Crane, Moore to name a few. People knew who they were because they played on TV.

More people would know the men players if they could watch men play pool the way they watch the women. Lots of folks know Allison, Jeanette, Jasmin, Karen. Ask the same people to name some male pool players... hummmm, let's see... they might say Willey, Fats, the Miz.

This isn't promoting pool to the masses. Pool needs to be promoted. More pool rooms... not more pool rooms closing. IMO
Click to expand...

I remember the pool shows with all those guys. They would play on TV Saturday mornings around here and we would watch as kids. It was great!
A similar thing happened in Wrestling. When a non-wrestler comedian named Andy Kaufman came on the scene Wrestling went through the roof! I think every person in the country started watching those matches! And that was pre-internet. Same way with the battle of the sexes grudge match in tennis with Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs. Those were huge events that those sports fed off of for years. Its all about promoting. Pool has lost that spark after the color of money. Maybe bonus ball will figure a way to promote their events in a way where they are marketable for tv.
 
Fats, Willie, and Mizerak, weren't seen that much, or that often, on television, and certainly not as much as the pro golfers you mentioned.
If you ask the average joe blow on the street who the Miz was, he more than likely won't know. If you ask him who Minnesota Fats was, I say the odds would be about 50/50 that he did. Mosconi, less than that. :)
 
Also tv ratings from that era aren't comparable due to the invention of cable tv and the internet. A lot more choices for entertainment in today's world.
 
Tramp Steamer said:
Fats, Willie, and Mizerak, weren't seen that much, or that often, on television, and certainly not as much as the pro golfers you mentioned.
If you ask the average joe blow on the street who the Miz was, he more than likely won't know. If you ask him who Minnesota Fats was, I say the odds would be about 50/50 that he did. Mosconi, less than that. :)
Click to expand...

Your right... Fats and Willie weren't seen that much on TV... but Steve Mizerak was.
The Miz was always seen making trick shots for beer commercials during ANY televized sporting event.

The 3 pool players most people could readily recognize in the movie 'Color of Money' are Paul Newman, Tom Cruise and the Miz.
Of the 3, the Miz is the only player... Some would know the name Grady Seasons... but not Grady Mathews who was an actual
player in the movie... or would know who Keith McCready is, even though he played the part of Grady Seasons.

It takes TV exposure to be known to the masses... and not that much exposure. Everyone recognizes Ewa (Mataya) Lawrence.
How many know who "Pretty Boy" Floyd is?
 
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King T said:
Who would the networks sale..., name the pool players that can be promoted to the public, sure the game is great, but who are the player that the public would want to get to know, watch or try to be like?

We need the game on TV for sure, but the game has got to be ready for TV
Click to expand...

I would like to see some real money matches... like poker on TV.
Something that the players would have to buy into and would have to pay to play.

They should also look good... collared shirts like golfers. No tee shirts!
A few sponsor names on the shirts to promote products would be OK.

These types of games would even draw fans from non-pool players. IMO
 
I was thinking about this the other day as I was watching some old IPT matches on youtube. They had a lot of things right, and their presentation was pretty slick. Unfortunately we all know it was ran by a crook, and maybe it was a bit too ambitious. It's interesting to think about the counterfactual though. If it had taken off like it was supposed to and if somehow pool was on tv in a similar manner to and had popularity on par with golf I'm not sure everyone would be happy. Maybe this is a topic for another thread, but I think if that happened not everyone would be happy. Certainly the pro players would be famous and wealthy and there would probably be more pool halls around to play in, but a lot of tournaments, challenge matches, TAR etc would be wiped out most likely. Also the accessibility of the players etc would be nonexistant. Probably pointless to think about, but I've always loved "what ifs" even if they aren't always useful.
 
StraightPoolIU said:
I was thinking about this the other day as I was watching some old IPT matches on youtube. They had a lot of things right, and their presentation was pretty slick. Unfortunately we all know it was ran by a crook, and maybe it was a bit too ambitious. It's interesting to think about the counterfactual though. If it had taken off like it was supposed to and if somehow pool was on tv in a similar manner to and had popularity on par with golf I'm not sure everyone would be happy. Maybe this is a topic for another thread, but I think if that happened not everyone would be happy. Certainly the pro players would be famous and wealthy and there would probably be more pool halls around to play in, but a lot of tournaments, challenge matches, TAR etc would be wiped out most likely. Also the accessibility of the players etc would be nonexistant. Probably pointless to think about, but I've always loved "what ifs" even if they aren't always useful.
Click to expand...

I think Kevin Trudou may have started out with good intentions... but the results are now history.

The what ifs will always remain, unless someone trys a "what if? " that turns out to be useful. IMO
 
Golf started out with Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and Jack Nicholas playing on TV

Ralph Kramden said:
I beg to differ with you sir. Pool TV ratings soared in the grudge matches between Fats and Willey.

Fats was playing... Willie was commentating. Fats was jabbering on as usual... but made the mistake of saying he even beat Willie.

Mosconi jumped out of his seat, called Fats a liar and said you never beat me and you never will. The following matches were set up.

These matches were probably well before your time I would guess. Many players played on black and white TV... Puckett, Crane, Moore to name a few. People knew who they were because they played on TV.

More people would know the men players if they could watch men play pool the way they watch the women. Lots of folks know Allison, Jeanette, Jasmin, Karen. Ask the same people to name some male pool players... hummmm, let's see... they might say Willey, Fats, the Miz.

This isn't promoting pool to the masses. Pool needs to be promoted. More pool rooms... not more pool rooms closing. IMO
Click to expand...

I watched these matches when I was a kid and thought it was the greatest thing on TV. It's the entertainment value though developing characters that was and will always be the "key".

Golf started out with Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and Jack Nicholas playing on Shell's Wonderful World of Golf. There is no "game" that attracts audiences, it's always the players that play the game.

Tiger Woods brought life back into the golf ratings just like Michael Jordan did for basketball's TV ratings. The games can't stand on their own without the personalities to drive the popularity. 'The Game is the Teacher'

Arnold-Palmer.jpg
 
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