Learn a little from darts TV Coverage.

F

fxskater

Ryan The Salmon Arm Lynn
Silver Member
Okay i don't wanna rip on people that are into darts but its a stupid sport. I know, I know people say the same thing about pool, but i believe that every single shot in pool has strategy involved. With darts they just aim at the triple 20, triple 19, and triple 18 every damn time. WHO CARES???!?!? But anyways i noticed something when i watched darts on TV today. Every person that comes out to compete is walked out by a beautiful, beautiful model!! So i think they should do the same in pool. Also they had tonnes of flashing lights and played a intro song for these guys as they walked down the corridor. Almost like wrestling!!! Does anyone else think this might help pool out a little bit? For me im gonna watch pool on TV even if its in black and white with only an overhead view, at 4 frames a second. But do you think this might help sell it to companies like coca cola, pepsi or other Pop Culture companies? Just a though.

Ryan Lynn
 
Was Sid Waddell doing the darts commentary? I caught darts one night on BBC America and he was doing commentary. From what I understand, that is where he got his start. If you can make darts sound exciting on TV, you can make anything exciting on tv.

Mike
 
Hi, I haven't watched enough pool on TV yet to evaluate their methods of broadcast too much, but I absolutely agree that broadcasting methods have a HUGE impact on how people perceive a sport on TV. For example, you can watch some old poker championships on ESPN2 sometimes, and they are totally boring. Then, you watch the new championships on The Travel Channerl, and they are totally exciting to watch, and I think (based on adverts for them) already one of The Travel Channel's most popular series'! The only difference is the broadcasting style and presentation.

I think this is a major reason why soccer is not a bigger pro sport in the USA. I am a huge soccer fan, but I can hardly stand to watch the ESPN2 broadcasts of soccer. On the other hand, I love to watch soccer broadcasts from Europe if I ever get a chance! The only difference, again, is the broadcasting style and presentation. When the World Cup was on, I watched the Spanish language channel (instead of the US broadcasters who do a poor job) and I don't even speak Spanish!

People think that you can broadcast all sports the same way, and it's not true at all. Pro soccer in the US has never taken off, because the broadcasts are boring. Boxing is the same way: it is a sport that has had a huge resurgence in the public eye, but TV broadcasts are floundering because they try to present it in the same way as baseball or football. Each sport has to be presented in a diffent way to be shown in it's best light.

The broadcasts of pool that I have seen could really use some re-thinking, if only because they seem to just imitate other sports broadcasts instead of being carefully conceived to present pool in the best and most exciting light. To me the most interesting thing in pool is the human dynamic of 1 person versus another person, and (now that I think about it) that isn't conveyed very well on ESPN.
--Alistair
 
1) i think darts is an exciting game....same shit with pool/snooker but instead if hittin balls they throw darts....pool can sometimes be more boring than darts when certain players play....

2) presentation is the key to success and that's what pool lacks....i hate watchin espn pool, for some reason they make it look stupid and more of an arcade game, probably why some people don't even consider this a real sport. You got all sorts of backround sounds (arcade, people, etc..) looks soo unprofesional like. one wild idea pool should try is to have maybe a big entrance for the players in big tourneys....like wrestling...maybe without the fireworks but you know backround musics etc...escorts....again good presentation = popularity = success.
 
well as a matter of fact darts is the fastest growing indoor sport in the world.I take it some of you have never seen john part or paul lim throw a perfect nine dart 501 game with 50k plus on the
line.It is very intense.having been a beginner in both sports,darts and pool.I still have the burning desire to grow past my current state and evolve
into the best player i can be,thats the point isnt it?later,dennis
 
'Round here we have a saying:

Bowling is for people who can't play pool

Darts are for people who can't bowl...
 
Cardinal, The Mosconi Cup put on a pretty good show complete with smoke, noise and grand entrance. And a pretty good spy skit too. Jake
 
I've played darts sometime in the past.. It's a good game and yes it a bit easier compared to pool. You aim and you throw your pins at the target. But I guess the issue here is the commentators or the coverage presentation itself.

Pool is an exciting game, what pool needs is a good analyst who knows the game and how it is played. Ofcourse, we need experienced sports broadcaster to somehow excite the viewers. Not to mention, players aswell... :)
 
jjinfla said:
Cardinal, The Mosconi Cup put on a pretty good show complete with smoke, noise and grand entrance. And a pretty good spy skit too. Jake
Click to expand...
well i didn't know that cause they haven't shown it here yet, they'll prolly show it when they're showing the 2003 Mosconi......but that's probably one of the reasons why the Mosconi is a big hit, not just because of the rivalry that has grown over the years but it's well presented and very entertaining.
 
shark said:
I've played darts sometime in the past.. It's a good game and yes it a bit easier compared to pool. You aim and you throw your pins at the target. But I guess the issue here is the commentators or the coverage presentation itself.

Pool is an exciting game, what pool needs is a good analyst who knows the game and how it is played. Ofcourse, we need experienced sports broadcaster to somehow excite the viewers. Not to mention, players aswell... :)
Click to expand...

I grew up playing darts Pool and snooker.
I play lots of Pool now but the best thrill in team game is when you hit that all important double. More fun than potting the final ball in Pool.
I suppose that is because you don't know if you will hit it. Whereas you know you are potting that easy ball or can judge the chances of potting a more difficult one, so a clearance can be an anti climax.
The darts winning shot is therefore more exciting.
Watching darts is much more thrilling than mundane Pool.
I must say tho. The American commentators are brilliant and add to the atmosphere
 
larsonkl said:
'Round here we have a saying:

Bowling is for people who can't play pool

Darts are for people who can't bowl...
Click to expand...

Round here being??

Bowl?? As in ten-pin. Another game you defiled.

Anyway.. Kelsey Grammer plays darts :p
 
pool is like pro wrestling too much as it is. with all the silly nicknames and whatnot..

being MORE like a fake sport will never gain you credibility as a real sport.

its just not going to happen.

Pool is a 3D game you have to be there at the table to really see the angle. it simply does not translate well to a 2D medium like video.

pool is a players sport not a spectator sport. if you try to turn it into something its not. you destroy the game and end up with the best 9-ball player being crowned world champion. (if you can't run 9 balls you shouldn't even be allowed in the tournament)

we need to go back to making the game about the players ability under pressure. and less about TV ratings.

everyone seems so impressed with the big jump from 9 ball to 10 ball...why don't we just add the last 5 balls and be done with it. You claim to be a Pro? the best in the world? then run a whole rack before you claim to be champion.

your not going to get much TV coverage anyway. so make the pro's go back to playing the most difficult games to prove who's the best rather than selling our sport short just for the sake of fitting in between the commercial breaks..

we have tried for 40 years to make pool TV friendly...it's not going to happen move on and make it about skill once again ...no one will take you seriously until you take yourself seriously.
 
Holy NecroPost Batman!!! Almost 5 years. Wow.

LOL....maybe that is a good idea, dive into the archives and start responding to people who havent posted in 5 years. Chances are pretty good I will win the argument.

Me: "That post was the horrible and I am now dumber for having read it"

Them:.....................crickets..............

Me: "Ha! Victory is mine !"
 
Yeah, darts are fun....i like to throw when im to hammered to play pool.. Good thing because Im now a member of the "Moose lodge" my local hall is gone, so i signed up....:o yep, i better get use to throwing, its just a same they use those plastic tips.. the metal ones would be if anything, entertaining..:D THAWACK! OOOOOOOSOOOOSORRY....HEHE


SPINDOKTOR
 
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