Ohio Open, US PRO SERIES

[easy-e]

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.

I disagree about golf being more boring than pool to watch. Maybe it’s just me, but it’s amazing to me to see a guy hit a ball 200 yards into a tight pin location as accurately as they do. I know pool is difficult, but it doesn’t seem as impressive to me.

 

[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?

You don't have very high reading comprehension, do you?

Who in hell said it was easy??? I said it was way behind other major sports, like decades. It takes a concerted effort, know how, and industry willingness to build up a sport and make it commercially successful. Football in the 50's and 60's, golf, even baseball were all at some point in the same boat.

Jaden

 

[Jaden]

I disagree about golf being more boring than pool to watch. Maybe it’s just me, but it’s amazing to me to see a guy hit a ball 200 yards into a tight pin location as accurately as they do. I know pool is difficult, but it doesn’t seem as impressive to me.

I don't know, seeing someone hit a 65 degree back cut with three tips of outside draw and get within two inches of planned shape after traveling two or three rails is pretty damn impressive...

Jaden

 

[nicksaint26]

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?

This is coming from the guy who knocks all league players and says they are bad for the game. You know the same league players that probably play in his pool hall and keep his lights on. He knows everything because he owns a pool hall

 

[SBC]

This is coming from the guy who knocks all league players and says they are bad for the game. You know the same league players that probably play in his pool hall and keep his lights on. He knows everything because he owns a pool hall

Yes. There's no correlation between league mentality and pro pool.

No , I don't have league players in my room.
They are pretty much forbidden because it's a cult and they go to brand X.

 

[SBC]

You don't have very high reading comprehension, do you?

Who in hell said it was easy??? I said it was way behind other major sports, like decades. It takes a concerted effort, know how, and industry willingness to build up a sport and make it commercially successful. Football in the 50's and 60's, golf, even baseball were all at some point in the same boat.

Jaden

So what's gonna be better when SVB gets Michael Jordan money?

What's going to better if pool is on ESPN again?

Pool goes nowhere because there never is a concerted effort. It's a fringe sport and it's better that way.

 

[easy-e]

I don't know, seeing someone hit a 65 degree back cut with three tips of outside draw and get within two inches of planned shape after traveling two or three rails is pretty damn impressive...

Jaden

Maybe it’s the scale of the playing field that gets me. Pool just looks so much easier to me.

 

[Jaden]

Maybe it’s the scale of the playing field that gets me. Pool just looks so much easier to me.

That's because you play it at a relatively high level compared to what you do at golf would be my guess. I can make that same shot that I mentioned earlier regularly, but I understand what it took to get to being able to do that and I'm not dismissing the ability just because I can do it.

Jaden

p.s. the opposite is also true. People like to fantasize that they could've done that too had they dedicated themselves to it. Football players from high school or college, like to watch NFL and not realizing the size perspective imagine that they could do that too had they dedicated themselves to it.

With pool, the average recreational player can't do that watching pro pool players, especially the way they used to be shown on say ESPN... You can't edit out the mistakes, hell, you should HIGHLIGHT the mistakes and expect people to get interested in watching. I promise you, people watching golf (the average viewer) is much more interested in seeing the player who flubs it off into the woods than the player who pars every single hole.

 

[easy-e]

That's because you play it at a relatively high level compared to what you do at golf would be my guess. I can make that same shot that I mentioned earlier regularly, but I understand what it took to get to being able to do that and I'm not dismissing the ability just because I can do it.

Jaden

Maybe my smaller brain just thinks it looks easier.

I’ve been playing pool for a long time. I love it. I know how hard it can be. If two top pros were going to play a big match on a high quality stream for free, I’d STILL rather rewatch the 2005 final round broadcast of the Masters. To me (and apparently many other people) golf is way more interesting to watch.

 

[rexus31]

Maybe my smaller brain just thinks it looks easier.

I’ve been playing pool for a long time. I love it. I know how hard it can be. If two top pros were going to play a big match on a high quality stream for free, I’d STILL rather rewatch the 2005 final round broadcast of the Masters. To me (and apparently many other people) golf is way more interesting to watch.

I don't think golf is the least bit interesting to watch. I appreciate the difficulty and skillset involved but I don't care to watch it.

 

[Cameron Smith]

Maybe my smaller brain just thinks it looks easier.

I’ve been playing pool for a long time. I love it. I know how hard it can be. If two top pros were going to play a big match on a high quality stream for free, I’d STILL rather rewatch the 2005 final round broadcast of the Masters. To me (and apparently many other people) golf is way more interesting to watch.

Obviously I can’t speak for you, but the thing about that final that makes it exciting is the history and importance of that tournament along with the story of Tigers march towards Jack Nicklaus’ record. Then of course there are the high production values of professional golf.

Pool doesn’t really have any of those things. The US Open 9 ball is the only pool tournament with any real history. And we don’t know who has won the most majors or pro tournaments because no one really agrees on what defines those. It’s left up to the fans to find the stories in each tournament because the broadcasters certainly don’t do that for us.

The thing that makes pool dull is the lack of stakes in any given tournament. I don’t just mean the prize money. I’m watching the Northern Ireland Open and John Higgins is fighting to get closer to Stephen Hendrys ranking event tally and Mark Allen is trying to get his 6th ranking event and do so at home in Belfast. That’s the type of stuff that makes me want to tune in or at the very least check who won. In pool though, I feel like, every pro claims to have several dozen pro tournament wins which diminishes the achievement.

Without the context, the production values and all that, it’s just two guys playing in the final of another tournament often for less money than many people make in a month from their normal job. I feel like as fans we need a reason to root for one player or another, otherwise it’s just more pool.

 

[easy-e]

Obviously I can’t speak for you, but the thing about that final that makes it exciting is the history and importance of that tournament along with the story of Tigers march towards Jack Nicklaus’ record. Then of course there are the high production values of professional golf.

Pool doesn’t really have any of those things. The US Open 9 ball is the only pool tournament with any real history. And we don’t know who has won the most majors or pro tournaments because no one really agrees on what defines those. It’s left up to the fans to find the stories in each tournament because the broadcasters certainly don’t do that for us.

The thing that makes pool dull is the lack of stakes in any given tournament. I don’t just mean the prize money. I’m watching the Northern Ireland Open and John Higgins is fighting to get closer to Stephen Hendrys ranking event tally and Mark Allen is trying to get his 6th ranking event and do so at home in Belfast. That’s the type of stuff that makes me want to tune in or at the very least check who won. In pool though, I feel like, every pro claims to have several dozen pro tournament wins which diminishes the achievement.

Without the context, the production values and all that, it’s just two guys playing in the final of another tournament often for less money than many people make in a month from their normal job. I feel like as fans we need a reason to root for one player or another, otherwise it’s just more pool.

I don’t mean that year specifically. Any major golf tournament is more interesting to me. I’m no psychologist, but I’d bet the beauty and openness of the golf course has something to do with its appeal to me. Two dudes playing on a pool table doesn’t do it for me. Maybe I’m not a real pool fan. I’m ok with that. I do enjoy playing at times though.

 

[Cameron Smith]

I don’t mean that year specifically. Any major golf tournament is more interesting to me. I’m no psychologist, but I’d bet the beauty and openness of the golf course has something to do with its appeal to me. Two dudes playing on a pool table doesn’t do it for me. Maybe I’m not a real pool fan. I’m ok with that. I do enjoy playing at times though.

That’s certainly part of it. But pool needs to find its own presentation style that’s interesting. That said, if the things I mentioned weren’t important, you wouldn’t see the viewership dip on the smaller golf events and tours. Or even when the top players aren’t present at a PGA event.

 

[Kiwicheese]

No low 700 Fargo player can win people say it’s a coin flip anyone can win race to 4 and win the shootout but always a 800ish Fargo player wins players love to cry I would have won in a race to 11 bla bla the best player on the day will win and is usually a euro or Asian player lol

 

[buckshotshoey]

No low 700 Fargo player can win people say it’s a coin flip anyone can win race to 4 and win the shootout but always a 800ish Fargo player wins players love to cry I would have won in a race to 11 bla bla the best player on the day will win and is usually a euro or Asian player lol

If the 800 player isn't on his A-game, it's possible. But that just means he didn't deserve to win to begin with.

 

[garczar]

If the 800 player isn't on his A-game, it's possible. But that just means he didn't deserve to win to begin with.

Biden having a cogent thought is possible too. Both have about the same chances of happening.

 

[onthesnap8004]

Hell, i started because of all that stuff.

and you're exactly the reason why pools image has suffered and why parents don't want their kids playing this game. you perpetuate this terrible image. its not funny, its not cool, its not profitable.

 

[FeelDaShot]

and you're exactly the reason why pools image has suffered and why parents don't want their kids playing this game. you perpetuate this terrible image. its not funny, its not cool, its not profitable.

Stop crying. There's nothing wrong with a little booze and gambling. This is America god dammit. I wouldn't have it any other way.

 

[onthesnap8004]

Stop crying. There's nothing wrong with a little booze and gambling. This is America god dammit. I wouldn't have it any other way

Fighting and getting drunk is a great way to attract youth and sponsorships! There is a reason that pool isn't in schools and its YOU.

 

[buckshotshoey]

Fighting and getting drunk is a great way to attract youth and sponsorships! There is a reason that pool isn't in schools and its YOU.

I've said the same thing. But it's more than that. We do need to Market to younger kids. That's the only way there's going to be a future for pool. I don't agree with a lot of people, but I try to follow the adage of Live and Let Live. I'm not always successful. But I try.