All it takes is a couple years of TV. What was the opinion of professional poker players five years ago? Perception is easy to change. Whats hard is getting the money to change it.
$$$$$ in pool
- Thread starter trustyrusty
- Start date
Just as likely to get fired for beating the bos by 10 strokes as to get that corner office.......:wink:
you won't get fired or promoted, you will get asked to join him for scrambles, but you will be required to use vacation days to do so
I agree. I enjoy a career in education. Not much pay, but generally well respected as an educated professional.
Pool is my 'dirty little secret' and I have had the conversation below many times. When you say you play pool, there is a poor reaction and a tendency to cover their wallet.
We just need more TAR!:thumbup:
We also need a single governing body who 'rules the roost', similar to NASCAR as other sports. USGA / PGA are also good examples. There is no clear hirearchy to ascension to pro ranks. Part of the appeal of anyone can be/play/gamble with a pro; is that there is no clearly defined way of deciding that you are a 'pro'.
Que Sera Sera:sorry:
Internet sales can sell to only so many eyeballs. It is limited in scope and growth, at least for now.
If you think about pool as a programmer, you're going to be thinking about your content hitting different kinds of audiences at the same time and how you might alter the content, so that you can appeal to different groups of audiences. Instead of breaking it down into units, like the Internet audience, pool needs to be on broadcast, cable, Internet, iPhone or iPad.
The first thing that needs to happen to get diversity would be to alter the format, so that it's a little more like a magazine. "60 Minutes" as an example of news does very well in the ratings because it's storytelling *and* content.
Pool content can't grow on the Internet alone. It's got to add value. It has to have its own style, much like poker. Pool needs to have its own brand, and it must be able to provide value in terms of background and information to prospective sponsors.
If pool can differentiate its content and add more packages per show on the Internet, for instance, it can play with the format in that regard. There are certain advantages to going with changes in the technologies.
If you think about pool as a programmer, you're going to be thinking about your content hitting different kinds of audiences at the same time and how you might alter the content, so that you can appeal to different groups of audiences. Instead of breaking it down into units, like the Internet audience, pool needs to be on broadcast, cable, Internet, iPhone or iPad.
The first thing that needs to happen to get diversity would be to alter the format, so that it's a little more like a magazine. "60 Minutes" as an example of news does very well in the ratings because it's storytelling *and* content.
Pool content can't grow on the Internet alone. It's got to add value. It has to have its own style, much like poker. Pool needs to have its own brand, and it must be able to provide value in terms of background and information to prospective sponsors.
If pool can differentiate its content and add more packages per show on the Internet, for instance, it can play with the format in that regard. There are certain advantages to going with changes in the technologies.
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Some of the issues about the major tournaments I've noticed after many years.
Mostly Stats related; The announcers have to have something to speak of during the times they and the listners are waiting for the players to shoot.
-What is Johnny Archer's record against Charlie Williams?
-How many times did Earl Strickland finish out of the money in the US Open 9 Ball event?
-Who has the best record of tournament play in the last 10, 20 or 30 years.
-Who are the top 10 players, by games won? by matches won?
- no way of telling who is leading the tournament. Only the players left on the winners side of the brackets is one indication, but they are just two losses from being out of the tournament.
- scores. they really don't mean that much, they are only important in the last match.
- Who's won the most tournaments in the last 10 years?
No where can you easily go to get the answers to these questions.
There isn't a national organization to even send these stats to if someone took the time to find the data. Oh... btw, there isn't that much data available.
How can someone become a fan if there isn't even a single place to go to see where all the tournaments are played?
AZBilliards is a good start, but even AZ has its limits of getting NEW info out. Updates and results are good, but the scheduling future events is like a moving target.
So much room for improvement before NEW supporters and sponsors come on board.
Mostly Stats related; The announcers have to have something to speak of during the times they and the listners are waiting for the players to shoot.
-What is Johnny Archer's record against Charlie Williams?
-How many times did Earl Strickland finish out of the money in the US Open 9 Ball event?
-Who has the best record of tournament play in the last 10, 20 or 30 years.
-Who are the top 10 players, by games won? by matches won?
- no way of telling who is leading the tournament. Only the players left on the winners side of the brackets is one indication, but they are just two losses from being out of the tournament.
- scores. they really don't mean that much, they are only important in the last match.
- Who's won the most tournaments in the last 10 years?
No where can you easily go to get the answers to these questions.
There isn't a national organization to even send these stats to if someone took the time to find the data. Oh... btw, there isn't that much data available.
How can someone become a fan if there isn't even a single place to go to see where all the tournaments are played?
AZBilliards is a good start, but even AZ has its limits of getting NEW info out. Updates and results are good, but the scheduling future events is like a moving target.
So much room for improvement before NEW supporters and sponsors come on board.
azbluemach1
Member
I agree to a point.
Why is poker gynormous? Moneymaker. The world got to see an accountant qualify for a 10k poker event from a 40$ satellite (or something like that) and come out on top over a field of all of the top pros, and make MILLIONS doing it. and his name was Chris freaking MONEYMAKER. You can't script this stuff.
Whats the pool equivalent? Earl and Archer, two grizzeled vets of the game trading insults in a tiny room in an irrelevant location for ~ 1 wsop main event seat? (no offense to the irrelevant location, but it isn't the glitz and glamour of LVBD and on ESPN primetime).
The sad truth is I would MUCH rather play Phil Ivey a 24 hour match HU4Rollz than play any pro pool player a race to 9 for the equivalent stakes, and I feel I am equally skilled in both in relation to the best at either game.
Maybe pool needs to come up with a way to add some more parity? Might I suggest the Arizona ratings system? LLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLL
Pool just doesn't have the david vs Goliath aspect that poker or anything else does. It is a tremendously technical game, and the road to proficiency is typically completely divergent than the road the rest of society treads.
Cocobolocowboy,
I just wanted to make sure that there is no misunderstanding about the PGA, or LPGA, when comparing Golf to Pool when it comes to one Governing body. The Governing body for Golf for amatuers in the United States and Mexico is the USGA and the governing body for Professional golfers is the PGA so there are two different governing bodies within the world of golf, but the work closely together.
What is the difference between the USGA and the PGA or the LPGA? The USGA is the not-for-profit governing body of the game of golf. Existing to preserve and protect golf's tradition, this organization monitors the rules of golf and equipment standards in an effort to ensure that skill rather than technology represents the essence of the game. The USGA also conducts turfgrass and environmental research, maintains a National Handicap and Course Rating System and preserves an extensive collection of golf memorabilia at its museum and library. On behalf of all golfers, both amateur and professional, the USGA conducts three Open championships each year -- Men's, Senior Men's and Women's - and 10 Amateur championships.
The PGA (the Professional Golfers Association of America) and the LPGA (the Ladies Professional Golf Association of America) are organizations of individual professional golfers. Both the PGA and LPGA conduct tournaments for their members. Also, members of these associations provide expert golf instruction and are involved in a number of other local activities. The USGA has a close working relationship with these organizations.
I do agree with you you and Jam pointing the fingers in the right direction, but in my opinion, the difference between pool and golf is that there was a USGA before a PGA which proved to TV and large companies that golf as a professional sport can be a marketable product. The people in the industry wants to start a PGA before the USGA has proven to be a marketable product. Hold on, I do have to exclude one group from that because after looking at the way the PGA and USGA are set up, it sorta reminds me a little bit on how the BCAPL and CSI are working together by combining events with the pros and the BCAPL, but I may be reading into it a bit too much.
Pool is lacking a LOT more than exposure. For starters we could use a lot more integrity/good character in its players. I won't go on any further and step on toes because too many people get their undies all in a wad if they think they are being "called out".
Maniac
I don't know if that is true. Even though Trudeau was slimy he put a lot of money and funded a huge venue with the IPT. in 2005 in Orlando Fl. He had the greatest players assembled in the world. I would say there was maybe 500 people there to see it, i don't think that many showed. Jam and Keith were there ask her.
Anyway i don't think anything is wrong with pool. AZ is for those of us that really love the sport but we are a small segment of the core players.
It is looked at with scorn because the hard core players want to hustle and couldn't care less about the sport or the place he is playing. looking to take down the cash and that's it. Comparing pool to golf or tennis is not a good comparison because a lot of us can be good at pool. It is easier then the other to reach a level where you can play well. There is a big difference between playing well and pro level though.
Recently i was at my local hall and a chair broke. Guy fell but not hurt, instead of walking over and telling the owner who was right there, he went off and was carrying on cursing and making a scene. The owner should of tossed him out.
This guy wasn't playing and wasn't going to. He bought nothing while he was there. When there was no action for him he left. to many like this around.
Recently there was an owner on A.Z. talking about his pool hall where he had a dress code. He got some flack for his code but he has also been in business like 30 years and making money. We need more like him and less like the previous guy i mentioned. Sorry if i ran long.
So that is an idea, "all it takes is a couple years of TV." Who is putting up the money for commercials to pay for that time on TV?
$ In Pool
People that can afford to play golf, do so, to not have to deal, with the people who frequent pool rooms.
It is one of the few perks of upper middle class.
I myself regret that I have only played the game a couple of times.
People that can afford to play golf, do so, to not have to deal, with the people who frequent pool rooms.
It is one of the few perks of upper middle class.
I myself regret that I have only played the game a couple of times.