Yes he plays and loves pool, but of course he is not doing this for that alone, thank the lord. Every one who goes into something like this has an angle, it's called a challenge, lets make lots of money and become famous and have fun. Pool is like the distressed house in a good neighborhood, the upside potential for advertising and product sales for pool is fragmented and mostly untapped, just look at how much the APA makes and how many members pay yearly fees.
If his calculated risk is even remotely successful he will not only make lots of money, he will gain something he wants just as much, fame and power. This is not a small undertaking, this is huge and he is taking it very serious which is good, I wouldn't want him to think of this as just fun or a pool a handout.
All I can keep imagining is something akin to the USGA and have all pool players paying a yearly IPT membership that entitles them to enter all kinds of local and regional IPT tournaments, with a handicapping system for non professionals.
First the USA, but if he can really pull this off, your looking at a world wide membership that could approach a million players paying $10-30 a year, add in a few high profile advertisers and product sales and you could easily be looking at over 60+ million gross.
The reason pool has never got to this level is the lack of organization and a mis mash of promoters and the lack of a well defined tour of professionals. And of course nobody has had the billiard balls or money to try something like this
So yes he loves pool, but who wouldn't want to do what they love and make money and have a bit of celebrity as well? This is not just some fly by night opporation or ponzi scam. You don't hire William Morris or a top dollar production crew, and put up 20 million for a fly by night scam, much less expensive ways to do that. He's looking for legs on this one, and also sees a challenge to do something nobody else could do and many still say can't be done.
Some fame, some fortune, and something you love.
It's everyones dream to do something you love and make money doing it!