If you won a big lottery, would you....

[chefjeff]

This question came up in another thread and I thought it deserved a thread of its own...


If you won the lottery (say, $100 million net payout or as much as you can dream about), would you

Create a top-down pro circuit with good prize funds, etc

or

Buy a pool table for every school in America?

??




Or what else might you do for pool with the money?


Is a top-down system a better buy for you or would you spread out the monies and help build pool from the bottom up? Etc. etc.



Jeff Livingston

 

[Fast Lenny]

I would promote billiard youth programs which I believe would help the game grow. I would reach out to every poolroom for them to offer up free table time on a Saturday or Sunday during the day for kids under 18 to play and learn the game.

 

[BeiberLvr]

There's a lot of schools in America. If you bought for high schools and up, and didn't buy cheap tables, you'd be broke in no time.

 

[AlexandruM]

I had such a dream

I'll make a huge One Pocket tournament with 128-256 players from all world, and with only one prize, 1st place - 1 million $. No second place, not 3-rd place prize. All players will receive 1-2k $ for trip expenses.
The name of tournament should be "One pocket, One player, One million"

Before that I'll build a pool hall with 100 tables and free table time for kids. Everyone who run a 9-ball rack receive couple $.

 

[chefjeff]

There's a lot of schools in America. If you bought for high schools and up, and didn't buy cheap tables, you'd be broke in no time.

At $1,000 per table, you could buy 100,000 tables. There are 98,817 high schools, according to my quick search.

Then there are the cues, the room for the table, instruction or a program to best utilize the tables, etc.

Thanks,

Jeff Livingston

 

[Ken_4fun]

I would promote billiard youth programs which I believe would help the game grow. I would reach out to every poolroom for them to offer up free table time on a Saturday or Sunday during the day for kids under 18 to play and learn the game.

Lenny -

Thats a great idea. (Wish I had thought of it).

I thought I would try to put together some kind of youth tour and tournements.

I was thinking if we had a Pro tour with something like the Poker deal that might be good too.

Ken

 

[Tramp Steamer]

Well, let's see. First, I'd put and end to hunger in America
After that I'd like to get my own apartment.

 

[BeiberLvr]

At $1,000 per table, you could buy 100,000 tables. There are 98,817 high schools, according to my quick search.

Then there are the cues, the room for the table, instruction or a program to best utilize the tables, etc.

Thanks,

Jeff Livingston

Yep, that's 100 mill on tables alone. I'm all for giving to the pool community and charity. However, if I was fortunate enough to win a big lottery, the majority of money is going to family and close friends.

 

[chefjeff]

Yep, that's 100 mill on tables alone. I'm all for giving to the pool community and charity. However, if I was fortunate enough to win a big lottery, the majority of money is going to family and close friends.

OK, so spend $98,000,.000 and give your family "only" 2 million.

Up the amount to anything you think pool could use...$200 million or a billion, I don't care.

What would you do FOR POOL with the money?


Jeff Livingston

 

[Icon of Sin]

If i did anything directly for pool with the money it would be run a tournament or something like that. Something big and classy tht I might possibly get a return on that could fund itself through the future.

But I more then likely wouldnt do anything for pool with the money other then spend it on pool stuff for myself (cues, table time, tournament trips, actions, etc...).

Edit to add... good topic. Original idea.

 

[MVPCues]

Create Billiards World. Three or four different pool halls with different styles/flavors/tables. Weekly tournaments, some handicapped, some not, some open, some local only, with added money so they are all worth it.

A pro on staff for scheduled and walk in lessons.

A resident cuemaker on staff with show and tells while he makes cues.

A pro shop for repairwork.

Plenty of exhibitions, including guys like Sayginer.

A pool and billiards museum, with guest appearances of the old time greats.

A youth program with another pro on staff to work with them. There would be different age groups and rankings/tiers for encouragement of advancement. Winners of competitions would win college scholarships.

Several hotels, some nice restaurants, and plenty of shopping.

24 hour security for the entire area. Strict. Family friendly and safe.

Six big tournaments a year with huge guaranteed money. Players and their immediate family pay a greatly reduced rate at the hotel.

A full time person on staff who's only job is to promote the tournaments and try and bring in crowds and advertising dollars.

A full time person on staff who's only job is to promote the idea of pool and billiards as college courses and to start intercollegiate competition. This person would work with the top certified instructions in areas where colleges exist in order to create a network of courses across the country as a stepping stone to the competition. The course would require classroom instruction on the history of pool and billiards, the theoretical fundamentals, and actual play on a table purchased solely for classroom instruction. A good opportunity here for a table manufacturer to get involved. Winners of collegiate competitions would have free entry in some of the big open tournaments.

I have thought of this exact thing...what if I won 100 million...quite often.

 

[CreeDo]

You can't just buy tables and dump them on the high school front lawns like the pool table fairy lol.
You need to convince the school that a pool table is a good thing and not an evil influence.
Then you need to justify it with some sort of class and a trusted instructor
who is gonna be vetted by the school. Out of 98,000 high schools I'd be thrilled with
getting 5% to agree to it.

I'd probably spend a chunk to let a few interested people realize their dream of starting a pool room
from the ground up. I'd try to keep the focus on the pool and make sure it doesn't turn into a bar.
They can run at a small loss but I'd like to think they'd make a buck with the right employees.
If any of them take off, maybe use that one as the template for a chain of pool rooms.

To help kids I'd pay current pros to set up regular classes in whatever pool rooms
they frequent most, they'd accept anyone 18 and under and you just need to sign up.
Maybe charge a minimal amount to weed out people who just take anything free,
and to ensure the kid is serious about pool. Say, 20 bucks.

There's enough money to do several things, really, especially if only 5% of high schools participate.
You could use the leftover money to start a decent pro tour.
Now the question is... a tour with many stops, and decent money?
Or a massive event once a year with, say, a cool million to the winner?
Maybe even winner takes all?

 

[Cdryden]

I always thought it would be a neat idea to start a Jansco type tournament again. A annual event with a nice large prize purse that would attract the best in the world but at the same time promote a gambling atmosphere like Jansco's had. There would be a special prize like the Louie Roberts award for most action.

I would have to find a venue that would allow it, probably somewhere in Nevada but not Reno or Las Vegas. I would want some small one horse town on the fringes of a bigger city so that it has that same feel.

You would have to attract gambling players to make it interesting. I would want a sign that reads "If your playing on a table there better be money on the light!" If a tournament player wont gamble than they wont be welcome the next year. (there's plenty of regular types of tournaments for those types)

 

[se10player]

Open up 24 pool halls around the US with one big tournament a year at each set in an order that would allow 2 total a month in locations that would allow the pros to have an established tour. Allow anyone under 18 to play for free and have free lessons from our house pro. Have at least 2 private rooms in each hall for lessons or 1 on 1 playing when you don't want to be disturbed. Have 1 tournament a year that the top 64 on the tour get to play in for free with all 64 getting paid for coming win or lose.

 

[Pete]

I would do something like the IPT. I would make a tour that pays not only the players, but the room owners too. And I would do a Mosconi Challenge, $200,000 for anyone beating the 526 (filmed at a room of my choice), and for anyone doubling it a clean $1,000,000.

Would also look into opening a room like Country Club USA from Chelmsford MA...

 

[Tommy-D]

I'd start up a tour,with 4 tournaments each in 8,9,and 10 ball,14.1 and 1-P,all with a points system. The tournaments would be based on a 64 player field,but 96,128,or 256 could be used based on player response.

Each tournament would be a GUARANTEED 100k first place. The money from entry fees would go 100% back into the prize fund,and with the added money even the bottom spots "in the money" would be a 2000 dollar payout.

After the first year,the top 64 in points would be guaranteed a tour card for the following year,and the overall winner would be World Champion,with a cool million bonus. Even the #64 ranked spot would be worth 50k a year.

The tables would be either GC-V or Diamond Pro.

In several ways,the overall model would be a lot like the PBA bowling tour. I'd also make sure the WPBA tour was back up and running,and funded properly.

There would be several other perks,but this is the general idea. Tommy D.

 

[bdorman]

First I would pay $50,000,000 to the government(s) in taxes. Depending on the state you reside in, it might be more.

If I did anything for pool, I'd promote the Mosconi Cup by buying the required amount of TV time and lots of advertising to support it.

 

[smokey]

the outlook is bleak...

okay, let's say it happened and i won 100 mil...

bd above has a point - taxes!

then there would be obamacare what would be left? here is how i see it:

win: 100,000,000
taxes: 90,000,000
obamacare: 5,000,000 [hopefully not more]
for me: 5,000,000 you think? - BUT...

relatives/x-wives;
begging: 10,000,000

leaving me: 5,000,000 in the hole
then i couldn't even afford $5 8-ball anymore

now after thinking about - i'm not going to be buying anymore lottery tickets! i'm done!

[think about it - look how so many "winners" ended up...]

all the best,
smokey

This question came up in another thread and I thought it deserved a thread of its own...


If you won the lottery (say, $100 million net payout or as much as you can dream about), would you

Create a top-down pro circuit with good prize funds, etc

or

Buy a pool table for every school in America?

??




Or what else might you do for pool with the money?


Is a top-down system a better buy for you or would you spread out the monies and help build pool from the bottom up? Etc. etc.



Jeff Livingston

 

[Tramp Steamer]

I can't believe you people. You wouldn't want to end hunger in America, and get your own apartment? Good grief. :smile:

 

[iusedtoberich]

All fantasy of course, lol:

I'd go with the top down approach. With that kind of funding, there could be a high paying tour for many years. The high profile tour would breed new interest in the local rooms and bring the kids back to the game. I'd limit it to 16, or possibly 32 players. This way only the cream of the crop play, and there would be plenty of players ready to play if the original group was problematic.

I'd also cut out all the drugs. Mandatory piss tests at every tournament. Anyone fails, they are barred for 2 years.

I'd also make a mandatory pro interaction with their local pool clubs to bring more interest to the local level. If they don't meet the required hours, they are barred until they make them up.