Making Pool Prosper

[The Machine]

I have been passionate about pool for 17 years. In that time I have resided in 7-8 fairly large centres, and have always played in tournaments and supported the game. I have played in over 350 tourneys, won masses of small ones, and have one $1000 win, as well as 2 $500 wins.

Today I read much of the postings regarding how to get the masses to follow pool, and to garner a TV audience.

I believe the answer to be simple. Create avid fans and players out of the MASSES that present themselves to the game. It is called networking.

I have seen literally thousands of results from tourneys. PAY MORE PLAYERS. More happy, bragging, proud players create goodwill, advertising, and new players, not to mention keeping those players themselves in the game.

Here is what I mean. Take your smallest "pub" tourney. 16 players...$10 each. This gives a prize fund of $160. Almost invariably, the payouts are $90, $50 and $20. So now you have 3 "happy and proud" players, and 13 losers. Many times the first 3 are always the same, which is why so many pub tourneys have gone by the wayside, cos Jo Blo never has a chance.

I see the same in major events. I just saw one yesterday where 1st place got over $1000, while 5th place got $75.(and was Earl Strickland). This is ridiculous.

If this tourney offered $250, $175, $100, $75, $50(2), $40(2), $30(4), $20(4), 16 players would be paid, excited, promoting, and KEEP COMING TO TOURNEYS. (and you add it up, is less than first place in the actual event)

Same with the pub tourney. By paying $40, $30, $20, $15, $10(2), $5(2), 8 of the 16 would be promoting and happy.

And, amazingly enough, the top guys would not be there nearly as often, for the potential prize is not enough. This is great! Now you have OTHER players getting a taste, promoting, being excited, bringing their friends, etc.

The same holds true back to the bigger events. You offer $1000 for first, I will drive a few hours, pay for a hotel and compete. As will other players. So now me, and the 4-5 other travelers, will take the money and leave all the locals not wanting to enter the next one, cos they have no chance at the money. And 2-3 of us "travelers" will still lose money on the venture.

But at $250 for first, I won't, and neither will a lot of "top" regional guys. This opens the door for NEW "champions", NEW "ambassadors". And these guys will be more local, guaranteed.

To make a long story short, in the basic and intermediate levels, the tourneys are geared to pay out big first place money. This cripples the game. Who cares if a marquee player comes? How about allowing all the bread and potatoes guys from the area to experience the thrill of winning.

We, as a sport, have the players...in droves. What we are not doing is cultivating those players and allowing them to blossom into "players"

Final note. I live in a city of 100,000 people. It has one pool room, and one tourney a week. It is $20 to enter, and 4-6 people get paid. There is not one bar or pub tourney and hasn't been for a few years.

 

[Celtic]

I was going to quote the things I disagreed with and reply to them, I found the whole post was getting quoted.

I could not disagree with it more. You want to actually change things so the top players don't even bother competing and noone traveling outside of their locality has any prayer of even breaking even if they win the event. This will regionalize the game even more then today, encouraging players not to bother traveling and playing against other top players in other areas.

In effect you want to destroy pro pool's dismal state even further by getting rid of the slim chance of actually making money in a out of town tournament all together.

Cripe, your post actually thought that getting the top players in the game to not even bother playing in events to be a positive, I could not disagree with this post more.

 

[The Machine]

This is my point exactly. The game doesn't need "top" players traveling to other regions. It needs these players to be able to grow within their region. And yes, as you put it, I DO WANT to destroy pro pool's dismal state. And allow it to prosper on a much more stable and viable foundation. I suspect that you are a "top regional" player. I see you are in Calgary, so, short of big airfare, you only have high intermediate level tourneys to play in. And every "top regional" player from the NorthWest will be at those ones, and nobody will make money. In disagreeing with my post, I submit that you are actually agreeing.

Calgary should have events once or twice a month, at the high intermediate level, but with extremely deep prize pools, as I have described. So should Edmonton, Vancouver, Saskatoon, Regina, and Winnipeg. Offering much less prize money for first, but much deeper payout of prizes. Then the few events you do see up there would be more regional, and more successful. The top 5 players from each centre would NOT be at ALL the events, and the lower caliber players could get in the cash, while the top players from the region could make a bit too.

I have met a fellow from Calgary. His name is Tyler Edey. He has been working hard and tirelessly to get to the marquee events. And he has eked out a foothold in MAJOR pool. But not everyone has the skill, drive, or resources to do that. But for most players trying to get to that level, there is no middle ground. And, might I add, that this particular gentleman benefited from two now "defunct" operations to launch himself to the level he wanted. The Canadian 9 Ball Tour, and the IPT Tour. Both had the right idea, but as I saw it, only catered to the top level of pool in their milieus. We need catering to the Jo Blo's of pool. Congrats to Tyler, however, on his success, but he was perhaps the ONLY lower level player that was able to get a leg up from these two ventures.

At the advanced level, the big prizes, and getting marquee players to travel is a must. The IPT was advanced level. The Canadian Pool Tour was high intermediate level.

But, at less than this level, in the basic and intermediate stages, is where this must happen. otherwise the top and marquee players just travel and hit these events, which cuts off the supply of new avid players.

The reason the pros cannot make money is the result of poor management at these lower levels. If the regional events had many more players, then there would be more players of all skill levels, more tourneys, and the pecking order would be established.

Right now, there are hundreds of thousands of players that are basic or intermediate. They are not continuing on with their game, because of these strategies.

Don't get me wrong, I am a pro caliber player, and wish there were more events to go to. But the sad and true reality is that for pool to prosper, the approach needs to be grassroots. The "senior" pros today will never make big money, fame and fortune. But where does the vicious cycle end? It is these same pros that have contributed greatly to the state pool is in today, whether consciously or not.

To change it, we must keep the players that start, and provide a tiered natural progression for talent vs reward. Pool has probably lost more players in the last 15 years than will pick up a cue in the next 10. This is my point. Yes, we see stats of players playing leagues,,,and I agree leagues are fantastic to get new players, and keep basic and intermediate ones. But the upper players from these systems are literally SQUASHED by a real player.

These up and comers need to be able to get more satisfaction from moving past the league level of play.

HAHAHA...I just checked. Jacoby Carolina Tour Stop...19 players...$1500 for first, then $750, $400, $150, $75(2). I think? entry was $200. So 3 guys made money the other 16 lost money, and almost nobody showed up. gee, i wonder why? I rest my case.

 

[pooltchr]

I tend to agree that if tournaments paid out half the field rather than 25%, you would probably have more repeat customers coming back again and again.
If I'm not mistaken, the US Open pays half, and they seem to do ok.

Steve