Ohio Open, US PRO SERIES

easy-e

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
It's good then to make the distinction between marketing it to non-pool players and marketing it to regular, casual players. That's what pool is missing in order to get the bigger money and fame which is what will draw in the non-player.

Yeah, the whole, hey if you become top 20 player in your country as a pro, you can make what you might make as a secretary, just doesn't do it for most people.

Time will tell if this format helps to bring interest to the more casual player.

Jaden
Do you think there is anything that will make it so pool players make the same as golfers? I can’t see that ever happening. Let’s not even get started in NBA money!😬
 

easy-e

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Perhaps I'm misinformed and if I am, apologies. Does Fargo only track games won to determine a rating or do they also count match wins?
Just games won and lost. I played Yapp at a tournament last year and lost 7-6. I went up like 5 points or so. Performance versus expectations is how you go up and down.
 

rexus31

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Just games won and lost. I played Yapp at a tournament last year and lost 7-6. I went up like 5 points or so. Performance versus expectations is how you go up and down.
Cool. Thanks for clarifying it for me.
 

ctyhntr

RIP Kelly
Silver Member
Everyone loves a trick shots even more so when they are strung together like that. People who don't know pool will think he's the greatest player to ever play because of the relatively lucky out. Just like people who don't know basketball think the Globetrotters are the best basketball team. That's the inherit problem with pool. When it is played at its highest level, it looks easy. Those of us who play know it isn't and appreciate the skill needed to make it look easy. A non pool playing coworker asked me who the best pool player is in the country. I sent him a couple videos of Shane playing. He came back with, "What's so great about this guy? All he does is shoot easy shots. I could do that." I explained to him the difficulty in the game isn't necessarily pocketing the balls but controlling the cue ball in order to get easy shots. EVERYTIME. If you don't play it, you cannot appreciate it for what it is.
Exactly! This can occur among low level players, who have been playing for many years. I had a D+ Captain for Team 9-ball. He wanted me to bring my higher skilled friend (B+ or SL 7 in APA :). My friend thought it was more important to spend summer with his growing kids (gasp) than play pool. He did recommend an up and coming player, rated as D+. After watching 15 minutes, my team Captain quipped what's so great about this guy? All he does is shoot easy shots. That D+ shot up B within 1 1/2 year..
It's harder to run a 150 in 14.1 than a rack in 9-ball. Yet, 9-ball overtook 14.1 as the choice format in tournaments since the 1970's.
 
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rexus31

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Exactly! This can occur among low level players, who have been playing for many years. I had a D+ Captain for Team 9-ball. He wanted me to bring my higher skilled friend (B+ or SL 7 in APA :). My friend thought it was more important to spend summer with his growing kids (gasp) than play pool. He did recommend an up and coming player, rated as D+. After watching 15 minutes, my team Captain quipped what's so great about this guy? All he does is shoot easy shots. That D+ shot up B within 1 1/2.

It's harder to run a 150 in 14.1 than a rack in 9-ball. Yet, 9-ball overtook 14.1 as the choice format in tournaments since the 1970's.
I guess my point was just because that rack garnered 22 million views doesn't necessarily translate to more people watching pool. Once they see every rack wasn't perceived as difficult (in their eyes) they will lose interest rather quickly.
 

Jaden

"no buds chill"
Silver Member
Do you think there is anything that will make it so pool players make the same as golfers? I can’t see that ever happening. Let’s not even get started in NBA money!😬
Pool is way behind any of the big sports. There's no reason they can't eventually though. Golf is MUCH more boring to watch than pool. It's the people aspect that drew people to golf. The game does lend itself a little better to people's short attention spans and it allows the networks to jump back and forth more readily between players which keeps the attention of the fans of the different players.

That's less workable in a way for pool that's enjoyable to both the casual player/watcher and the more serious enthusiastic player/watcher.

I still think the true way forward for pro pool is the mosconi type format, not the races mind you, but the team aspect.

Bonus ball had it right in that regards, I think it was just foolish to try and bring in a non-established game.

It could work with like an alternating game set, 8 ball, tenball, nineball type thing, or hometeam gets choice of game, etc...

I'm not sure and I'm a ways away from being able to put something together myself to test out.

Jaden

One other thing to consider is that as it stands, the casual player (average casual player anyways) doesn't spend a minimum of $500 up to multiple thousands of dollars on equipment from corporations in order to play. So it's harder to get big corporate sponsors from within the sport and it's impossible to get big outside corporate sponsorship without the viewership. There's just nothing in it for them.
 
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sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
OH that's not entirely what I meant or said. Throwing money at it isn't the answer. You have to market it to generate an audience, namely market it correctly to the casual player. Once you get a decent audience, the money will come and it's the money that will draw in the complete NON-PLAYER... Remember, I didn't say just the money, I said that the non-player will be drawn to pool when becoming a pro player gets you both rich AND famous...

Jaden
Well said!
 

SBC

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Pool is way behind any of the big sports. There's no reason they can't eventually though. Golf is MUCH more boring to watch than pool. It's the people aspect that drew people to golf. The game does lend itself a little better to people's short attention spans and it allows the networks to jump back and forth more readily between players which keeps the attention of the fans of the different players.

That's less workable in a way for pool that's enjoyable to both the casual player/watcher and the more serious enthusiastic player/watcher.

I still think the true way forward for pro pool is the mosconi type format, not the races mind you, but the team aspect.

Bonus ball had it right in that regards, I think it was just foolish to try and bring in a non-established game.

It could work with like an alternating game set, 8 ball, tenball, nineball type thing, or hometeam gets choice of game, etc...

I'm not sure and I'm a ways away from being able to put something together myself to test out.

Jaden

One other thing to consider is that as it stands, the casual player (average casual player anyways) doesn't spend a minimum of $500 up to multiple thousands of dollars on equipment from corporations in order to play. So it's harder to get big corporate sponsors from within the sport and it's impossible to get big outside corporate sponsorship without the viewership. There's just nothing in it for them.
There's no way pool is ever a big draw again in the US. That's fine really.

I can jump in a pro tourney for 500 or less.

Last Super Billiards I had Roberto Gomez call a foul in my money game, with 2 other pros watching. Over the years seen pros playing all sorts of games with people for the cash and see young players advance in pool. We hosted multiple pros in events in my pool hall for very reasonable arrangements, put it up for free for people to watch in person and online.

You aren't going to get that from other sports.

That said big table pool is shrinking...it's a fringe sport and that's not going to change.
 

Jaden

"no buds chill"
Silver Member
There's no way pool is ever a big draw again in the US. That's fine really.

I can jump in a pro tourney for 500 or less.

Last Super Billiards I had Roberto Gomez call a foul in my money game, with 2 other pros watching. Over the years seen pros playing all sorts of games with people for the cash and see young players advance in pool. We hosted multiple pros in events in my pool hall for very reasonable arrangements, put it up for free for people to watch in person and online.

You aren't going to get that from other sports.

That said big table pool is shrinking...it's a fringe sport and that's not going to change.
The less declarative statements one makes, the less foolish one looks in retrospect...

Jaden
 

CaleAYS

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Mario and Gomez in the finals. Mario made the the 10 on the break the first two racks. Third game has a 2-10 combo first shot after break. 3-0 lead after 4 strokes. Next game dry break. Safety followed by a 2-10 combo by Roberto. Not a lot of pool being played yet. 🙄
 

Joe_Jaguar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Mario and Gomez in the finals. Mario made the the 10 on the break the first two racks. Third game has a 2-10 combo first shot after break. 3-0 lead after 4 strokes. Next game dry break. Safety followed by a 2-10 combo by Roberto. Not a lot of pool being played yet. 🙄
Nobody is watching the tourny, everyone is just pontificating. :D
 

Joe_Jaguar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Mario rolled. "I don't think I've ever seen Mario move so fast" - JJ. LMAO

I see their Puerto Rico event was canceled.
 

SBC

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The less declarative statements one makes, the less foolish one looks in retrospect...

Jaden
Says the guy who doesn't own a pool hall and has never hosted any pro pool players....

If saving pool is so easy, why haven't you done it hero?
 

skogstokig

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
congratulations to mario. super nice guy and very talented player. and even so i would argue that he is not in 2017-2018 form when he plowing through eurotour fields, but maybe getting there.
 

u12armresl

One Pocket back cutter
Silver Member
None of those are massive upsets, those guys all run out so good. What’s wrong with underdogs winning some of the matches? I swear some people just want to have all the players lineup, and then hand out prize money based on Fargo ratings.
Seamen is an upset. He must just be playing really well right now. Fort ain't no joke.
 
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