How do the following earn a living - today?

I think that right now most players are in survival mode. Everyone is trying to figure out how to make $$ in an economy that is not helping.
As some of you know I work with two of the biggest names around that are also two of the greatest players who ever lived and still it is a full time job getting exhibitions and pool schools booked. The reason it is full time is not because I can't sell the deal as everyone I speak to for the most part really want the guys there. It is not the lack of talent or names, it is just that alot of pool rooms are just hanging by a thread and trying to make it through.
My point is, Although we are doing well it isn't easy to make happen even at the low prices we are offering. So it is going to take something pretty big and or different with big names to make $$ in this economy, thats my opinion from experience.
 
bfdlad said:
I think that right now most players are in survival mode. Everyone is trying to figure out how to make $$ in an economy that is not helping.
As some of you know I work with two of the biggest names around that are also two of the greatest players who ever lived and still it is a full time job getting exhibitions and pool schools booked. The reason it is full time is not because I can't sell the deal as everyone I speak to for the most part really want the guys there. It is not the lack of talent or names, it is just that alot of pool rooms are just hanging by a thread and trying to make it through.
My point is, Although we are doing well it isn't easy to make happen even at the low prices we are offering. So it is going to take something pretty big and or different with big names to make $$ in this economy, thats my opinion from experience.
Click to expand...


What really sucks is that it dosent appear to look any better any time soon, historically pool should be doing better now that there is less $$$-because its cheaper than alot of other forms of entertainment. But the rooms as you say are slow-real slow. This winter is going to tell us alot about the future of pool, the economy has changed and will remain so for at least a year, so when it gets cold if the rooms dont pick up-good by to alot of them, it dosent look good. We been buying up rooms(tables,lights,balls) so I have seen and talked to alot of people. Pool isnt a way for anyone but 30 or 30 players in amierica to earn a living-and it aint great for them either, they may not be able to depend on pool as a career, sux but you gotta keep it real.
 
I think the best chance we have right now is the pool poker and pain. I think poker and mma fighting is usually on about 2 or 3 channels at a time any hour of the day if this thing goes off good it could really do good things for pool plus it would actually be fun to watch on tv.:thumbup:
 
marlinhunter said:
I heard that the really good snooker players make alot of money. Is this true?
Maybe we should start promoting snooker here in America and try to challenge the snooker players in England in the future. Just a thought
Click to expand...


There is but its getting worse every year, snooker $$ is getting smaller. Snooker culture has been a part of the UK for years, its not here and wont be. It is very expensive to operate a snooker room and because the tables are so big which makes the cost of playing high, most rooms are switching to 7' tables to survive, more $$$ per sq ft of space, they have to pack them in. Snooker rooms dont work like that, another problem is it would be 10 years before we would be competitive with the UK perhaps longer because snooker is a differernt dicipline and takes years to play at a professional level. I wish it would happen as I like snooker alot more than American pool, infact Americam/PI pool is catching on more in the Uk now-the oppsite of what you suggest. nice thought though. best regards.
 
Isn't snooker in the UK having issues also?? Money/sponsers pulilng out, lack of interest, etc???
 
poolhustler said:
Isn't snooker in the UK having issues also?? Money/sponsers pulilng out, lack of interest, etc???
Click to expand...

Direct from Steve Davis' mouth a couple years ago, he told me Snooker in the UK had already died.

Snooker's rise in the UK came with the innovation of color television. Snooker balls had pretty colors; therefore the game was showcased and a fanbase grew that carried the game for 30 years+.

The Snooker scene died sometime ago - or else Allison Fisher would still be in the UK!
 
We have been over and over this on AZ for years. The crashing economy just makes it worse for poolrooms to stay open and the top 30 players keeping their heads above water.

Pool was doing good the three other times the economy took the big dip since 1900. But it will hurt it this time around. Too many other thing/toys to play with right at home now.

I go along with Fatboy on this. I would say there are not more like 15 player in the US that can make over $35,000 net from pool. The rest better treat it like a game and go find a job. Johnnyt
 
Last edited:
Anybody got the line on Jim Rempe?

He has always been a super nice guy and I have not seen nor talked to him in like 3+ years. He never even made it to an IPT tourney.

What's he up to?
 
Johnnyt said:
We have been over and over this on AZ for years. The crashing economy just makes it worse for poolrooms to stay open and the top 30 players keeping their heads above water.

Pool was doing good the three other times the economy took the big dip since 1900. But it will hurt it this time around. Too many other thing/toys to play with right at home now.

I go along with Fatboy on this. I would say there are more like 15 player in the US that can make over $35,000 net from pool. The rest better treat it like a game and go find a job. Johnnyt
Click to expand...


well said sir! they better treat it like a game. Its a harsh reality and a shame but it is what it is. There are just too many other choices and video games are more instantly gratifying than pool so they are getting the young people, pool is alot of work before its fun. its gonna get worse and smaller and smaller were all gonna be a rare breed someday. It will never die but it will never be what it was either.
 
marlinhunter said:
I heard that the really good snooker players make alot of money. Is this true?
Maybe we should start promoting snooker here in America and try to challenge the snooker players in England in the future. Just a thought
Click to expand...

Snooker was huge, but sponserships pulled out and tv exposure dwindled. Women's snooker had the bottom fall out that is how we got; Allison, Karen, Kelly, Val, etc. In the laste 70's or early eighties a few top men's players tried there hand at snooker (Steve Mizerak, Jim Rempe, etc) and couldn't break through into the Europeon scene.
 
I have read through this thread with great interest. Here is my take on a few statements made. Alison journeyed across the pond because the money in pool for a woman was much more appealing in the States. The amount of money awarded to her for winning a snooker tournament was always a joke when compared to the men. Yes the $$ have shrunk in mens snooker since the tobacco companies were forced to withdraw. Let's not forget though, that for many years the high run for a tournament paid more than the total purse in a US tourney. This to some extent is still true today. Just think, for a perfect game(147), in this years Worlds there is a prize fund of 157000 pounds. That's give or take $274000 in US funds.

To help entertain men at war, pool tables were installed in most barracks. I could be wrong but I think that I've read that pool did not acquire it's poor reputation until after the second world war. One of the factors was, when the men returned home, shell shocked and scarred they retreated to a familiar surrounding, the pool room. The game was chastised because it drew the married man away from family responsibilities. Up until that point pool(billiard) was thought quite highly of. If you look back through memorabilia from the 17 and 1800's pool was anything but small business. If my memory serves me right, I've read that Greenleaf was earning approximately $1200 per week in the 1920s for his Vaudeville act. Pool has not always been on the down and out, just in our life time.

I think that the cure for the game we love is two fold. First we have to get it into our school system. The other is we need a child protege to come along and have the proper manager to market the kid. What better way to get the kids interested than to have one beating adults.

Thats my 2 cents worth. Lets hope that we live to see this beautiful game receive the recognition it deserves.

Mike
 
SmoothStroke said:
Pete Margo once said (There is no future in this game)Pete was fortunate, he saw opportunity, took it, and did well for himself. Not your typical players ending in life. Of the millions of players worldwide maybe a few squeak out a living. For the best of the best yearly earnings equal just about LUNCH MONEY in todays society. Unfortunate for such a wonderful game and the talent it takes to play at a high level. I would love to see the day where players (Not a few players but many) can afford to pay a mortgage, two cars,vacations, bills, support a few kids, clothing,.soccer,baseball, hockey,dance school, art school health insurance.etc.etc.etc. I don't see that day coming too soon.
You don't see Tiger Woods networking on a website offering lessons. You don't see Derek Jeter putting his own roof on his house. Even the less talented in their sports do very well for themselves.

I respect all for trying to bring pool to a different level. For every one good person there are a hundred scuzzballs, Do THE MATH and look at past history.

If it takes Jeanette Lee and Jennifer Barreta having sex on a pool table, with Jasmines pic in the background on a Harley while Earl is watching, holding his Cue in his hand, barking and doing some very weird stuff..SO BE IT. It's 2008

If it takes sex to sell then sell it.If it can put the game of pool where it belongs with all other sports,,,sell it. If it can pack a stadium with 50,000 people, nationally televised,,,,SELL IT. All the venues are small time, always have been compared to other sports.
I agree that pool and should be recognized for what it is,, it hasn't happened. Bless the players from past to present for playing a game they love for little or no reward.
History has proven there is no future in pool, and as of present there is still No Future in Pool.
Click to expand...



Phew... and there goes the pride...


This was one of the stupidest posts I've ever read on here. Hopefully I don't need to tell why...
 
Mike Porter said:
I have read through this thread with great interest. Here is my take on a few statements made. Alison journeyed across the pond because the money in pool for a woman was much more appealing in the States. The amount of money awarded to her for winning a snooker tournament was always a joke when compared to the men. Yes the $$ have shrunk in mens snooker since the tobacco companies were forced to withdraw. Let's not forget though, that for many years the high run for a tournament paid more than the total purse in a US tourney. This to some extent is still true today. Just think, for a perfect game(147), in this years Worlds there is a prize fund of 157000 pounds. That's give or take $274000 in US funds.

To help entertain men at war, pool tables were installed in most barracks. I could be wrong but I think that I've read that pool did not acquire it's poor reputation until after the second world war. One of the factors was, when the men returned home, shell shocked and scarred they retreated to a familiar surrounding, the pool room. The game was chastised because it drew the married man away from family responsibilities. Up until that point pool(billiard) was thought quite highly of. If you look back through memorabilia from the 17 and 1800's pool was anything but small business. If my memory serves me right, I've read that Greenleaf was earning approximately $1200 per week in the 1920s for his Vaudeville act. Pool has not always been on the down and out, just in our life time.

I think that the cure for the game we love is two fold. First we have to get it into our school system. The other is we need a child protege to come along and have the proper manager to market the kid. What better way to get the kids interested than to have one beating adults.

Thats my 2 cents worth. Lets hope that we live to see this beautiful game receive the recognition it deserves.

Mike
Click to expand...


Hey! There is sane people involved!

TAP TAP!
 
JoeyA said:
Unfortunately, I don't believe this.

When a person's productivity and usefulness are reduced, so are the benefactor's generosity.

Many people give their youth to companies that reward them after a life time of service with a thank you and a good by as new people stand at the helm of the company, with new agendas, goals and responsibilities to fulfill.

JoeyA
Click to expand...


Fortunately, you're wrong.


There is humanity and values over productivity and profit still in this world.

Firstly, the winnings from an IPT tourney alone could keep Efren covering his nuts for the rest of his life (in Ph.), but like someone else already pointed out, the way how it goes in Philippines is different from the western, and I'm sure there will be incomes for Efren for the rest of his life.
If not from anything else, then from the younger generation of his family (relatives), which he has generously supported during his legendary career.
He truly is 'god' there, and eventhough if his market value in TV would lessen during decades (let's hope he lives long still), his family and friends would never leave him in any kind of lack.
That's for sure.
 
Mike Porter said:
I have read through this thread with great interest. Here is my take on a few statements made. ...I think that I've read that pool did not acquire it's poor reputation until after the second world war. ...Mike
Click to expand...
Marvel said:
Fortunately, you're wrong...;)
That's for sure.
Click to expand...

Thomas Jefferson had a hidden pool table in his home, Monticello.
 
Black-Balled said:
Thomas Jefferson had a hidden pool table in his home, Monticello.
Click to expand...

Why was it hidden? Was he ashamed to be a banger?
JoeyA
 
Marvel said:
Phew... and there goes the pride...


This was one of the stupidest posts I've ever read on here. Hopefully I don't need to tell why...
Click to expand...
Thank you
How nice of you to voice your opinion.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top