Turn back now if you're not in the mood for a long post!
I just watched the superb TAR interview of Mark Griffin by Justin (JCIN). It dealt with: a) upcoming American pool events, b) the ABP mess and problems, c) bonus ball, its potential positives and some of its illogic, d) the decline of American men's pro pool and reasons for it, e) the scarcity of youth programs to steer American kids to pool, f) the fact that men's pool events rarely turn a profit for American promoters, and g) relocation of BCAPL events to the Rio in 2013. Justin and Mark chatted about these topics, and I agreed with most of what they said. I'd like to review and comment on their chat as it pertained to the state of men's pro pool in America.
The Decline of American Men's Pro Pool - Background
Outside of Shane, male American pros are in a slump. They achieved little in the past year in overseas events (in large part, due to reduced participation). More notably, they came up short in American-based events with big fields and significant participation from foreign players. The last eleven such events, in which eight foreigners won, were: 1) 2010 US Open 9-ball (Appleton), 2) 2011 DCC Banks (Pagulayan), 3) 2011 DCC One Pocket (Van Boening), 4) 2011 DCC 9-ball (Orcullo), 5) 2011 DCC 14.1 (Appleton), 6) 2011 Super Billiards Expo 10-ball (Souquet), 7) 2011 US Open One Pocket (Reyes), 8) 2011 US Open 10-ball (Van Boening), 9) 2011 Straight Pool Championship (Hohmann), 10) 2011 Turning Stone XVII (Morris), 11) 2011 US Open 9-ball (Appleton). Yes, American pros not named Shane are rarely the ones to beat on American soil, and there's no reason to think that this will change anytime soon.
The State of American Men's Pro Pool and Pool's Tough Business Model - Mark and Justin's Analysis
Where has it gone wrong, Mark and Justin pondered? Mark spoke of the fact that, Shane aside, few American players have the work ethic found among top foreign stars, and concluded it was due to insufficient financial incentive. The American pool pro, he observed, can earn more performing menial jobs such as pumping gas, while Filipino and Chinese pros can earn amounts that are substantial in the context of the economies of their homelands. Mark added that lack of US Olympic funding is another difference, explaining that pool as an Olympic sport is improbable, and is impossible until 2020, so no such funds will be available to American pros in the short-term.
How then, Mark and Justin pondered together, will the economy of men's pool be fueled in America? As they saw it, it would come from either a) the appearance of an angel, meaning a Trudeau type who would invest heavily in pool without much substantiation of income prospects, b) a grassroots effort to grow the game, or c) the passion of those who produce events (like the two of them) despite insubstantial profit potential. Mark joked that, despite being 65 years old, he's in this business for the long run! That's comforting.
Mark and Justin dismissed the angel idea as improbable as a long-term solution. If an angel were to emerge, they noted, the hard economic facts of the game would cause them to walk away in short order, much as Kevin Trudeau did. Mark noted the scarcity of youth programs to introduce kids to pool, and Justin added something here that I thought very important. He noted that many parents don't let their kids go to poolrooms because of pool's image and this hinders the growth of the sport. I think it will take both youth programs and a more kid-friendly atmosphere in America's poolrooms to jumpstart what Justin referred to as a grassroots effort to grow the game. Justin, quite correctly pointed out, and Mark agreed, that such a grassroots effort might take a decade. Hence, they concluded that the persistence of promoters that produce American events despite the sobering profit potential is, in all probability, a key to the immediate future. Mark spoke of how he is raising money, through his BCA pool leagues, to help fund pro events and, ultimately, to help finance the participation of American pros in overseas events. This is very admirable, but also quite remarkable, given that ABP continues to exclude promoters like him from the task of mapping out a strategy to sustain men's pro pool in America.
Mark, finally, shared his plans for producing some new pro events to coincide with the BCAPL tournaments in Vegas starting in 2013.
Summing it Up
Piecing it all together, then, the state of pro pool in America is this:
a) Aside from Van Boening, American pros are gradually falling off the world's pool map.
b) The economics of the game continue to make a career in pro pool less attractive to Americans.
c) Although there are some, America needs far more youth programs for pool to grow.
d) The fact that poolrooms in America are not seen as kid-friendly deters parents from introducing kids to pool.
e) Promoters that invest in pool despite poor income prospects in the short-term are vital to sustaining American pro pool.
f) American professional players are trying to steer pro pool's ship alone, leaving promoters out of the decision loop.
I'm glad to see that Mark and Justin, two key figures in pool, have such a solid grasp of the realities of men's pro pool in America. I admire them for not being deterred by the tough challenges the sport faces.
Nobody in recent times has done more than Mark Griffin to keep pro pool alive in America, and his persistence in producing events and diverting funds from his leagues to support the pros is remarkable. To my delight, Mark shared his hopes to produce a) US Open Ten Ball, b) US Open One-Pocket, c) US Open 14.1, and d) US Open 8-ball, in Vegas in 2013, to be played during the BCAPL events. I hope American pros will work with rather than against him to make his dream a reality.
Conclusion
Thanks you Justin and Mark Griffin for this wonderful, enlightening interview. Well done, gentlemen.
