Good Idea, mix poker (Rounders) and pool (The Hustler) and you have a wider audience.
I can see it now, coming to a theater near you; The David Peat Story
It was simply amazing!
- Thread starter Roger Long
- Start date
I can see it now, coming to a theater near you; The David Peat Story
Pool matches in America attract an audience primarily adult male.
When you watch the snooker matches, you see adults and kids in the seats.
In a recent tournament in Germany, there were two women, twins, dressed identically, probably in their 80s, sitting in the front row behind one of the players chairs. They were there for every match that I happened to see.
Snooker has famous fans sitting in the seats, like, for example, a Rolling Stone.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUAVv7joxqA
This is probably the best "indicator post" in this thread. I myself am disappointed that the new pool halls, when they open up, opt more for the "designer pool hall" motif than anything else. Everything is modern, has to look like a night club, fancy-schmancy, etc. Almost like a bar/restaurant, and pool is an after-thought. There's absolutely no thought given to the history of the game, i.e. putting pictures up of past greats / current champions. The pro shops, if the establishment even chooses to have one, are barebones at best, offering only tip and shaft tools, maybe a book here and there, with the lion's share of the other merchandise being "branded" items that advertise the establishment itself (e.g. keychains, hats, T-shirts, knick-knacks).
To be fair, other "like" sports such as bowling and darts have the same problems. Walk into any new/modern bowling alley, and see if you can find *any* pictures or visible reminder of past or current champs. Take a look at their pro shop -- most often, among the bare necessities (e.g. rosin, towels, wrist braces, etc.), you'll find the majority of the items to be ones that are not evening bowling-related, but are there to advertise the establishment itself (e.g. the hats/T-shirts/knick-knacks things). Ask any of that establishment's bowling league participants to name their sport's current champs, and I guarantee you will get a blank stare. Or, they might "do the Minnesota Fats" thing by replying "Earl Anthony." I actually asked a leaguer this question, and you know what his reply was? "Mark Anthony." Yep, I'm not kidding. I think the guy was thinking of Earl Anthony and Mark Roth at the same time, but the point is, I asked him about his sport's *current* champs, and he replies with a mangled mix of two historic names of two greats that long, long ago retired. (Earl Anthony passed on in 2001, in fact.)
Getting back to pool, while the modern look really is the thing to do if the establishment wants any hope of staying in business, I think the history aspect of our sport is being lost.
What to do, what to do?
-Sean
Pop Quiz:
Who is the current US National Road Cycling Champion?
They know over at the bike forum
:deadhorse:
Who is the current US National Road Cycling Champion?
They know over at the bike forum
:deadhorse:
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Pop Quiz:
Who is the current US National Road Cycling Champion?
They know over at the bike forum
:deadhorse:
It's Smile'n Bob from the enzite commercial, no wait....thats not right is it?
Pop Quiz:
Who is the current US National Road Cycling Champion?
They know over at the bike forum
:deadhorse:
Is it Dougie Howser?
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Pop Quiz:
Who is the current US National Road Cycling Champion?
They know over at the bike forum
:deadhorse:
Very good point. I have recently been introduced to disc golf. I bet almost no one here can name the top 5 disc golf pro's. Most people who participate in the sport wouldn't know who they are either.
I was a sponsored skater when I was a teenager. This was right before the X Games became popular. There were many pro skaters and bikers who were amazing, but no one knows who they are.
Pool, like many other things, is a subculture. I don't believe it's going to change. In our current world, there are far more entertainment options than 50 years ago, and Americans for the most part have the attention span of a 4 year old.
BasementDweller has a good point. There is definitely a positive to doing what you love and still being anonymous for the most part. With large amounts of money comes recognition and hassle. I know I wouldn't want the life of a celebrity.
I would say the guys I play everyday with in AZ couldn't name 5 of todays pros if their life depended on it. They also really aren't into new equipment something like the magic rack would be alien to them. There is 1 exception and he's the best player there.
One day last year I had a trip to Mitchell SD. I drove an hour to Souix Fall to hit some balls around. While I was there the bar maid came up to me and said "you have a call". I'm like no one knows me here. She said "it's Shane".
Shane and I played 1P for three or four hours. It was great.
Shane and I played 1P for three or four hours. It was great.
and now we know how svb learned!!!!
Pop Quiz:
Who is the current US National Road Cycling Champion?
They know over at the bike forum
:deadhorse:
WTF do I know!? The guy in the pic, Ben King, was last year's champ!
Here is the 2011 Champ, Matthew Busche
:shrug:
uttahere:
I played disc golf for years and couldn't tell you who the pros were. I only know professional pool names because of this forum and accu-stats and you-tube videos. I might recognize one or two on the street, but probably not.
I had a similar experience when I went to Sioux Falls for a TDY while I was in the military in 2008. I had met Shane before, so I was comfortable enough to approach him for a game. We played a mixture of one pocket and 10 ball for about 4 or 5 hours on his table in the basement of his pool room. It wasn't a very "social" practice session, so we didn't talk much. His focus is amazing! When all was said and done I had donated $100 to him.
Shane is not only an amazing player, but very willing to give back to the fans. Shane is a great ambassador for the game.
Shane is not only an amazing player, but very willing to give back to the fans. Shane is a great ambassador for the game.
I think you hit the nail on the head with just this anecdote. Everybody knows who the black widow is, because she's hot and well-promoted. Most of the sports junkies I know can name at least one other female pool player, because women's 9 ball is on ESPN. Men's pool is never on US television, thus no one has a real chance to find out who the top players are unless they actively search online for professional pool tourneys, forums, etc.
It's not that amateur players don't care, it's that they don't even have the opportunity to find out that there is a professional pool community.
Walrus, I think you make a very good point here. The fact that a number of amateur players were curious enough to come around and ask questions about SVB shows that there is some interest there. But as I said in my original post, Shane showed up unannounced. Didn't somebody have to have prior knowledge the he was going to be in town and that he would be stopping in at Bull Shooters? And couldn't that somebody have tipped off the establishment so that the word could be spread that a special visitor might be dropping in that night? And wouldn't that have given those in the know one more opportunity to help educate those not in the know?
Unfortunately, none of that happened.
Roger
Roger, I get what you're saying, but, but... maybe he just wanted to hit some balls. You know: practice, work on something, be alone? Cameras, autographs, and people interrupting your practice can't be all it's cracked up to be.
Lou Figueroa
hates people
interrupting
his practice
Yesterday was definitely an interesting day. I was at work Early morning and got 3 texts in 5 minutes saying Shane's at Metro Sportz Bar looking for action. I made some legit inquiries to the right people who said he wasn't looking for action, but just here.
Then when I got to Stinger's, Mitch Ellerman was giving a lesson to a really nice lady in my league. I said to him, "So how many phone calls and text did you get today?" and laughed. He said about 90-100 today. And those were all from the people that actually know Shane and other pro's. Then when league started there were a bunch of good Arizona Players (8's and 9's) talking and the Shane conversation came up. Only about 1/2 of the players knew who he was.
One that blew my mind was Ray, a former Arizona State 8-Ball Champ, had absolutely NO Idea who Shane was, or any of the Pro's. And what's worse is he didn't care for more than the 2 second conversation.
People forget that Pool is just an activity for 99% of the population. People have Families, Work, Friends, Religion, Football, Baseball, etc. etc. on their brains and pool is just something to go out and compete in, much like playing in a Volleyball League or Softball League.
AZB is part of the 1% remaining.
Then when I got to Stinger's, Mitch Ellerman was giving a lesson to a really nice lady in my league. I said to him, "So how many phone calls and text did you get today?" and laughed. He said about 90-100 today. And those were all from the people that actually know Shane and other pro's. Then when league started there were a bunch of good Arizona Players (8's and 9's) talking and the Shane conversation came up. Only about 1/2 of the players knew who he was.
One that blew my mind was Ray, a former Arizona State 8-Ball Champ, had absolutely NO Idea who Shane was, or any of the Pro's. And what's worse is he didn't care for more than the 2 second conversation.
People forget that Pool is just an activity for 99% of the population. People have Families, Work, Friends, Religion, Football, Baseball, etc. etc. on their brains and pool is just something to go out and compete in, much like playing in a Volleyball League or Softball League.
AZB is part of the 1% remaining.
It wasn't until I found this site (both forum and main AZB site), and the Inside Pool site that I knew of *ANY* male professionals. I knew a bunch of the women though. Why? I watched pool on ESPN whenever I could find it. I knew the WPBA and the Trickshot guys. If someone at the pool room mentioned Effren to me, I just went along like I knew who he was talking about, because I probably should've known; but had no way to find out.
Thank god for Youtube back in those days!
So, yeah. "Pool being poorly promoted" is both a really dead horse here and still it's a massive understatement.
Thats a really good point. I've never thought about it. I've never seen a pro's poster in a pool room. Weird..