Future Of Pool On TV Is Gambling

Johnnyt

Johnnyt

Burn all jump cues
Silver Member
I still say that gambling goes with pool and the only way pool will ever get big like poker if they legalize it for gambling on the Internet. Need to be able to watch it on TV and bet over the net or/and casino's. I don't buy that one dump-job 30 years ago put an end to legally betting on pool in the US. Most likely the numbers weren't big enough at that time for the casino's to put in ways that stopped most of the dumping and such. Boxing is one of the worst sports to bet on and always has been, but you can bet on that. Anytime there is a human factor there is a good chance of a fix. Johnnyt
 
Johnny, I agree with you but the players have to be making enough money so even the appearance of impropriety isn't evident.

Having a vested interest in the outcome always helps spark interest, but will the books take a risk taking odds on players who can easily be bought. I would love to think the players will play to win since they want to prove they are the best (most will), but sadly money is very important and top pro players just aren't fairly compenstated for their level of expertise.

The only way it would work is if there was a big enough purse for the players to play. Meaning the winner and loser both get paid just like any other sport that we bet on, but for some reason if both players get paid in pool it is considered a challeneg match and not real. Is any other sport considered a challenge match because everyone is getting paid. Professional's in any industry are suppose to get paid. Whether it is sports or a 40hr a week job.

Also, remember only the best of the best get paid just like boxing. A PPV wouldn't have two lowel level pro's matching up. It would always have to be the best in the world taking on #1 contenders with maybe an undercard match with the next number #1. You need to build drama and drama takes money. You need to advertise your stars just like they do in all other sports. Boxing has reality shows now on the upcoming fights to create drama and most importantly interest. The top top pool players would have to become household names. This takes a lot of money and face time.

We all know the top players in every other sport even if we don't watch the sport, because the networks shove them down you throat. However, only pool players know the top players in our sport. Building awareness is the key to any sport succeeding. A business plan to create awareness in America of the greatest pool players in the world with the funding behind it is probably the only chance pool has to become somewhat mainstream. We need to create heros and villians and give people someone to root for or against.

Gambling helps us root for or against someone but the betting public really needs to know who they are betting on first. I wish it was easier than what I just wrote, however it isn't and what I said still only has a small chance of working.
 
I tend to agree with you. I have felt that great matches, with MONEY at stake, develops interest when there is none.

Good commentators & interface with the railbirds, backers, referees & the players will complete the show.

Make the whole show about Pool & Gambling. Be sure to open the show with 3 4-Speeds playing for $500 a game (their own money), so that folks watching can see the difference in skill levels. I wonder what non-players think when the only thing witnessed on TV is someone shooting easy shots..

Anything is worth a try....

Scenario >>> We had a kid come watch a Golf Match (on a Snooker Table with regular balls) the other day & after a few minutes, he asked, "how much are they playing for.., can anybody get in the game. I haven't seen anyone make a ball yet"... I'm not sure folks really see the difficulty in our great game.
 
GMAC... these improprieties you speak of have cost the GAME a great deal.

Anyone caught doing this (anywhere) should be banned from competition for LIFE. No Exceptions.

Because situations & things have happened, gifts & money to the players has dried up.

All professionals should be able to make a living at their chosen endeavor. If they can't, it's a shame.
 
ceebee said:
GMAC... these improprieties you speak of have cost the GAME a great deal.

Anyone caught doing this (anywhere) should be banned from competition for LIFE. No Exceptions.
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The only way this will work is if there is a strong governing body overseeing professional pool.

Since we don't have a governing body, and we won't have a governing body, there will be no deterrant to anyone working out a deal and dumping a match.
 
Johnnyt said:
I still say that gambling goes with pool and the only way pool will ever get big like poker if they legalize it for gambling on the Internet. Need to be able to watch it on TV and bet over the net or/and casino's. I don't buy that one dump-job 30 years ago put an end to legally betting on pool in the US. Most likely the numbers weren't big enough at that time for the casino's to put in ways that stopped most of the dumping and such. Boxing is one of the worst sports to bet on and always has been, but you can bet on that. Anytime there is a human factor there is a good chance of a fix. Johnnyt
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Agreed, but just for the record I introduced this idea 2 or 3 years ago on AZ. Nobody said squat because everyone was going for the 'goody-two-shoes-thing, rathing than realizing pool's true potential. :grin:
 
whitewolf said:
Agreed, but just for the record I introduced this idea 2 or 3 years ago on AZ. Nobody said squat because everyone was going for the 'goody-two-shoes-thing, rathing than realizing pool's true potential. :grin:
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I wrote about this on here before also. I said the BCA has been trying to get everyone to show pool in clean no gambling formats since the 1950's. They had pink, gold, and other stupid cloth colors. One of the reasons pool didn't sustain the high it got from the Hustler and COM was trying to show pool (please call it "billiards") as something it is not and never will be. Pool is what it is. You would think if a game plan didn't work in over 60 years you might want to change it a bit. The BCA reminds me of Washington. Johnnyt
 
Johnnyt said:
I wrote about this on here before also. I said the BCA has been trying to get everyone to show pool in clean no gambling formats since the 1950's. They had pink, gold, and other stupid cloth colors. One of the reasons pool didn't sustain the high it got from the Hustler and COM was trying to show pool (please call it "billiards") as something it is not and never will be. Pool is what it is. You would think if a game plan didn't work in over 60 years you might want to change it a bit. The BCA reminds me of Washington. Johnnyt
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totally agree with OP that this is the only way pool will ever make it to mainstream media.
 
Well.... maybe it's not "the" way, but an additional way.

Gambling matches will certainly add some interest to the mix, but I'm not sure that centering the game around gambling will be it's saving grace. Man to man competition works well some sports (some tournaments & some matches) the powers of the game will have to find a successful venue & build upon it.

Golf players play for lots of money, on just about every course on the planet, but that venue doesn't get Golf on TV & into mainstream sports. The love of the game is the allure.

So... we have to ask ourselves, "what is needed to entice new blood & sponsors into the game of Pool & Billiards". Maybe we have to find a way to interface with the audience in an audio/visual manner with changes to the traditional way ......... (long subject)
 
ceebee said:
Well.... maybe it's not "the" way, but an additional way.

Gambling matches will certainly add some interest to the mix, but I'm not sure that centering the game around gambling will be it's saving grace. Man to man competition works well some sports (some tournaments & some matches) the powers of the game will have to find a successful venue & build upon it.

Golf players play for lots of money, on just about every course on the planet, but that venue doesn't get Golf on TV & into mainstream sports. The love of the game is the allure.

So... we have to ask ourselves, "what is needed to entice new blood & sponsors into the game of Pool & Billiards". Maybe we have to find a way to interface with the audience in an audio/visual manner with changes to the traditional way ......... (long subject)
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to go along with your idea i think miking up players would really help boost audience viewing. Or having a tournament broken into 20 or so parts like they do for WSOP main event.
 
Show the action side of pool. One on one matches to develop and showcase stars. Wish I would of thought of that stuff. :D

As for marketing anything it just takes a shit ton of money and a plan. Its damn hard to make a dent in Joe Public's ad saturated brain. Hollywood will spend $6 million marketing a $5 Million movie. They do that every week of the year. Pro Pool needs to worry less about reaching Joe Sixpack and Susie Homemaker and more about getting the people who already play the game to pay attention to the people who play it better than anyone in the world. IMO of course.

Crawl. Walk. Run.
 
JCIN said:
Show the action side of pool. One on one matches to develop and showcase stars. Wish I would of thought of that stuff. :D

As for marketing anything it just takes a shit ton of money and a plan. Its damn hard to make a dent in Joe Public's ad saturated brain. Hollywood will spend $6 million marketing a $5 Million movie. They do that every week of the year. Pro Pool needs to worry less about reaching Joe Sixpack and Susie Homemaker and more about getting the people who already play the game to pay attention to the people who play it better than anyone in the world. IMO of course.

Crawl. Walk. Run.
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You are right on as usual
 
JCIN said:
Show the action side of pool. One on one matches to develop and showcase stars. Wish I would of thought of that stuff. :D

As for marketing anything it just takes a shit ton of money and a plan. Its damn hard to make a dent in Joe Public's ad saturated brain. Hollywood will spend $6 million marketing a $5 Million movie. They do that every week of the year. Pro Pool needs to worry less about reaching Joe Sixpack and Susie Homemaker and more about getting the people who already play the game to pay attention to the people who play it better than anyone in the world. IMO of course.

Crawl. Walk. Run.
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Yes, what you/TAR do is about what I'm talking about and you were the first to do it in modren times. They had challenge matches, championship matches, and invite tournaments in the 1930's-1950's with Mosconi and others. The big hotels where they held them were packed with spectators. Some were broadcast on radio.
I know this is a different time and people have a lot more things to choose for there viewing pleasure, but I believe it can still work today if the gambling is promoted and not hidden. JMO of course. Johnnyt
 
I know this has been mentioned in the past, but I think a reality show or documentary following a top player around the nation gambling etc. would be intersting. I really think this could do more for pool then any tournament/gambling coverage if it caught on of course.
 
PunchOut said:
I know this has been mentioned in the past, but I think a reality show or documentary following a top player around the nation gambling etc. would be intersting. I really think this could do more for pool then any tournament/gambling coverage if it caught on of course.
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Shhhh

I wrote a letter to tru tv last week asking them to do a series following me as I drive across the country hustling in bars.....

No response yet
 
Here's one

th3r0ck said:
A lot of good Ideas I wonder if any of them will take off.
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According to a 2008 survey the BCA paid for, there is approxamently 32 million recreational players in America that play pool at least once a week.

Is there a way, avenue, to make the connection between those 32 million players and the Pro's????
When you find the solution and get those recreational players to invest just one ($1.00) per year each, you have solved the problem of branding for the pros and will have the money to many other things for the game....IMO?
 
I believe that was an estimated 32 million players around the world. 32 million players would have equaled 1 in 10 Americans.

That figure has doubled, because China has laid their Ping Pong paddles down & taken up Billiards...
 
Johnnyt said:
I still say,,,,,,Boxing is one of the worst sports to bet on and always has been, but you can bet on that. Johnnyt
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Here's the deal. Not enough people care about pool for it to be a viable gambling venue. The core problem with pool is the one that no one ever addresses.....it's boring to watch.
 
LAlouie said:
Here's the deal. Not enough people care about pool for it to be a viable gambling venue. The core problem with pool is the one that no one ever addresses.....it's boring to watch.
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Not if your a gambler and you can put money on the matches. Johnnyt
 
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