MATCHROOM WPM - BUMS IN SEATS

measureman said:
You couldn't get a crowd like that to watch pool even if you paid them.
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They do that and even more at Mosconi event. It's been sold out for years (both in England and Vegas).

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Nick B said:
They do that and even more at Mosconi event. It's been sold out for years (both in England and Vegas).

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Regarding diminished in-person spectating, there are obviously many, many factors involved, but certainly some percentage of folks here and abroad -- who won't publicly admit to it -- are fully aware that Covid and its ongoing permutation-generating processes still exist and those airborne droplets are vigorously aggressive and highly transmissible in congregate settings.

Arnaldo
 
JAM said:
I agree. In snooker, the audience interactions—polite applause after a good shot, cheers and applause on a win or a century, "oohs" and "aahs" when a ball scratches or misses the mark—is most definitely a part of the experience and adds excitement. The chanting of "Luca, Luca, "Luca" or "Come on, Ronnie" or "Mark, Mark, Mark" or "Come on, Judd," et cetera, is fun too.,

This recent World Pool Masters audience reminded me of the audience at the old U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship in Virginia when the audience was mainly made up of pool players and their friends and family, and even then, they had a much bigger audience than the recent World Pool Masters.

If tickets are not selling, give them away to local pool rooms or offer them to radio/TV stations as a prize. To the layman, seeing a sparse audience like this on TV isn't going to bring in new viewers.

Since snooker has a huge following in England, compared to USA, I do wonder if the World Pool Masters was in USA if they would have had a packed house.

On a positive note, though. the camera coverage, the commentary, and the art graphics for this WPM were first class all the way. I really enjoy Yates and McMullen providing the historical tidbits, and of course, Jeremy and Karl bring the strategy and analysis of the shots.

(When I first read "WPM," I immediately thought it was WordPerfect macro.) Hahahaha!
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More MR events in USA would generate more live fan attendance. How about Reno? SRO 2.0
 
From a fan/spectator point of view, I assume many would prefer if pool could be more like what they have in the dart world.

These folks just know how to have fun!! (Not for the Earls of the pool game!!!)
 
arnaldo said:
Regarding diminished in-person spectating, there are obviously many, many factors involved, but certainly some percentage of folks here and abroad -- who won't publicly admit to it -- are fully aware that Covid and its ongoing permutation-generating processes still exist and those airborne droplets are vigorously aggressive and highly transmissible in congregate settings.

Arnaldo
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deffo still being pretty cautious/picky about in-person events here re: covid
the percentage of such-minded folks seems fairly slim these days, generally speaking
but perhaps it's part of the decision-making process for population chunks
 
I understand the long running tradition of being silent prior to a pool player taking their shot. But imo that's half the problem. Just let the crowd choose to act how they want to within reason and kick anybody out who is caught being a complete idiot. Play music during the entire match and let that drown out half the crowd noise (it doesn't have to be blaring). A lot of people don't want to be completely silent for 1-5 hours while watching so they simply don't go; that's not a 'fun' time to most. IMO, that's half of why the Mosconi Cup has become so popular. Top players will adjust.

Quick: What's the first thing you think of about the Mosconi Cup? Personally, I immediately think of the crowd and the pressure it puts on the players.
 
TxShane said:
I understand the long running tradition of being silent prior to a pool player taking their shot. But imo that's half the problem. Just let the crowd choose to act how they want to within reason and kick anybody out who is caught being a complete idiot. Play music during the entire match and let that drown out half the crowd noise (it doesn't have to be blaring). A lot of people don't want to be completely silent for 1-5 hours while watching so they simply don't go; that's not a 'fun' time to most. IMO, that's half of why the Mosconi Cup has become so popular. Top players will adjust.

Quick: What's the first thing you think of about the Mosconi Cup? Personally, I immediately think of the crowd and the pressure it puts on the players.
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Been saying this on the forum for years now.

Pool is not snooker, but even snooker is more lively at times.
 
if you make the game fun to watch then the seats will be full and the game will grow.

presently neither is happening.
 
when in the poolroom and one or two characters are playing the crowd follows them.
and when the gambling is bigger more watch also.
get it.
 
Nick B said:
Lat me start by saying I'm a huge fan of what Matchroom is doing for pool (I can almost live with Purple 5) but they need to put more bums in seats. Look what the crowd adds to Mosconi Cup. Granted it took years to build that up (read decades) but somehow with all the money, effort, sweat and marketing they could go find a couple hundred people to fill up the stands a little. Maybe they are trying but alas it's not showing in attendance. For us the pool community you need to get in your car and support the game. Hell take a sick day. We are so, close here. To the casual fan who falls on the Youtube feed it matters. Hell it matters, matters, matter to all of us.

Production 10
Commentary 9.5
Arena 9.7
Table set up and rules 9.1
Referring 7.8 (Only the purist like me would notice)
Quality of Play = World Class
EF in a Power Suit = 9.892

Now all we need is a few more bums.

Not the final but you get the idea:

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The majority in the stands looked as if they were homeless. A lot has to do with the personality of the players.. there are few if any in pool today. Nothing like the road players of the past.
 
The arena in Saudi was something that any sport could be proud of. Now as I have always said. FILL THE PLACE.
 
maha said:
if you make the game fun to watch then the seats will be full and the game will grow.

presently neither is happening.
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I think the issue is what "fun" means. Can't get more subjective than that.

Probably a better way to look at it is.... "Make the game interactive, then the seats will be full."

The only real draw in pool audience right now is the Mosconi, and it remains the only event wherein crowd interaction is encouraged.
 
sjm said:
Inclined to agree. When I watch a Matchroom event on stream, poor fan attendance detracts from the excitement. The Premier League Pool, which has no audience, takes it to the logical extreme.

I'm hard pressed to blame the game's fans, for there are financial and logistical constraints that sometimes make live attendance difficult. It's not really Matchroom's fault, either, for they keep both event production costs and player lodging costs down by going to some of the less known cities, and I support this. For example, a) the World Championship was in Kielce, Poland, and used to be in Milton Keynes, England) b) the World Pool Masters was in Brentwood, England, c) the Premier League Pool was in Leicestershire, England, and d) the upcoming European Open is in Fulda, Germany.

Except for the most prestigious fights, boxing always had this issue when it came to filling the seats, but event producers often went the extra yard, giving out free tickets to the locals so that the venue would be full.

It seems to this not-very-marketing-savvy fan that Matchroom might consider giving out free event tickets in the style that boxing producers always have when attendance prospects look poor.

I recall watching the Mosconi Cup years ago before I had ever attended live and could sense the excitement in the crowd. I knew I wanted to be part of it, and I've now been to about nine of them. Excited fans in the stands make online viewers want to be part of it and it leads to greater attendance.
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Some NFL teams let people in for free after the first quarter. It helps fill the stands and improves the experience for those that buy tickets.

In pool, even for free often has trouble filling the stands.
 
fjk said:
Some NFL teams let people in for free after the first quarter. It helps fill the stands and improves the experience for those that buy tickets.

In pool, even for free often has trouble filling the stands.
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I heard a story that at the first Super Bowl only about 5000 showed up scattered around the stadium.
The NFL had them all sit near the field so it would look better for TV,my how times have changed.
 
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