On the subject of Business Models
- Thread starter Roadie
- Start date
I typed it innocently and just caught the reference and had to smile.Roadie said:Like I said - packaging. Somebody get in touch with Steve Lipscomb and tell him there's another sport with characters, heart, and history that's begging to be taken mainstream.
Of course there's that whole "skill" thing to overcome.
Ironman, I am sorry. I didn't mean to sound chastising. I just didn't want this thread to turn into a rehash of what we all know about the IPT foibles to date.
No problem. It's my old corporate training. Thing. ID problems and then solutions. Your point is valid.
Roadie...<<I submit however that if curling, spelling bees, FISHING, and poker can make it to television and have viewership enough to sell advertising then pool certainly can as well.>>
Pool already has a viewership AT LEAST as large as the activities you mentioned (except poker) and has had for decades.
<<I take the view that given the right stage, that pool can indeed be something that a fan base can appreciate the skill it takes to play at a level where the shots are easy and so also to come to understand the game enough to see the tough shots as well.>>
I totally agree but I personally have no clue what that stage might be. A LOT of people have tried a LOT of "stages"...such as Ball Breakers (which you mentioned ) and which I thought was kind of fun to watch...but so far, we do NOT have ignition, let alone lift off.
Here is my idea for a TV oriented pool program. (I'll just all it Jim's Crazy Idea # 922 since I think I am up to that number at this point.)
Have a tournament that pits TRUE AMATEURS...those who, through thorough due diligence are not known as true "Roadies" and who..at MOST...are regular league players. In fact, in an effort to get APA or BCA support...probably the amateurs MUST be registered in the sponsoring league.
The pro gives the amatuer WEIGHT...starting with the 7 Ball an progressing down to maximum weight of the 5 and the last two. Weight is added after every game the pro wins.
Alternate break and BIG prize money. Not STUPID prize money like the IPT but maybe $100k WINNER TAKE ALL.
To avoid an all-out slaughter, the league player would have to have say, an 8 rating...and those folks can run some racks.
Such a David vs. Goliath format might create buzz and help the audience IDENTIFY with a "rags to riches" story unfolding before their very eyes.
WHY ELSE OTHER THAN RAGS TO RICHES would anyone watch such insipid shows like the various "millionaire" quiz shows over the years.
Clearly, NO ONE CARES what the answers to the questions are....all they care about is watching some "regular Joe...or Jill get rich overnight and to live vicariously through those people
Or, say, American Idol wherein..."bless their hearts" as we say down south...only one or two of the FINALISTS could get steady work as professional singers???? (I KNOW that. I am in that business.)
It MUST be the rags to riches thing. There is no other explanation.
Regards,
Jim
Pool already has a viewership AT LEAST as large as the activities you mentioned (except poker) and has had for decades.
<<I take the view that given the right stage, that pool can indeed be something that a fan base can appreciate the skill it takes to play at a level where the shots are easy and so also to come to understand the game enough to see the tough shots as well.>>
I totally agree but I personally have no clue what that stage might be. A LOT of people have tried a LOT of "stages"...such as Ball Breakers (which you mentioned ) and which I thought was kind of fun to watch...but so far, we do NOT have ignition, let alone lift off.
Here is my idea for a TV oriented pool program. (I'll just all it Jim's Crazy Idea # 922 since I think I am up to that number at this point.)
Have a tournament that pits TRUE AMATEURS...those who, through thorough due diligence are not known as true "Roadies" and who..at MOST...are regular league players. In fact, in an effort to get APA or BCA support...probably the amateurs MUST be registered in the sponsoring league.
The pro gives the amatuer WEIGHT...starting with the 7 Ball an progressing down to maximum weight of the 5 and the last two. Weight is added after every game the pro wins.
Alternate break and BIG prize money. Not STUPID prize money like the IPT but maybe $100k WINNER TAKE ALL.
To avoid an all-out slaughter, the league player would have to have say, an 8 rating...and those folks can run some racks.
Such a David vs. Goliath format might create buzz and help the audience IDENTIFY with a "rags to riches" story unfolding before their very eyes.
WHY ELSE OTHER THAN RAGS TO RICHES would anyone watch such insipid shows like the various "millionaire" quiz shows over the years.
Clearly, NO ONE CARES what the answers to the questions are....all they care about is watching some "regular Joe...or Jill get rich overnight and to live vicariously through those people
Or, say, American Idol wherein..."bless their hearts" as we say down south...only one or two of the FINALISTS could get steady work as professional singers???? (I KNOW that. I am in that business.)
It MUST be the rags to riches thing. There is no other explanation.
Regards,
Jim
The Natural Progression of Sport
While in the waiting room at a hospital a few days ago, I picked up a magazine and found the following article. It was interesting to me because, I could see how pool could use this model. See what you think.
This article appeared on pg. 8 of BASSMASTER PRO GUIDE 2006.
Written by: James Hall, Editor
“…
Thankfully, BASS has developed a fan-friendly, understandable format for following all levels of competitive bass angling.
At the bottom of the competitive food chain resides the ESPN Weekend Series. This is a tournament trail designed for the weekend warrior who probably has little aspiration to compete against the national legion of anglers. The regional events are held in close proximity to each other, so anglers can fish every event without the expense of travel and lodging. For anglers who find success on the Weekend trail, divisional and national competitions follow, with one lucky angler qualifying for the Classic.
A step up on the Tournament Trail ladder takes you to the BASS Federation Nation. When an angler becomes part of this grassroots angling brotherhood, fishing has become more than just a pastime. The Federation Nation competes on a similar scale as the Weekend Series, but focuses on youth initiatives and conservation projects that help develop and define the future of bass fishing. Successful Federation Nation anglers move on to the regional and national competition, with one angler from each Federation division (6 divisions) qualifying for the Classic.
When a bass fisherman begins winning most of his club events and consistently places well in the regional and national Federation events, he might want to test his tackle against a seriously competitive crowd. Enter the Northern and Southern Tours. These tours are designed to pit anglers of the local pro level against seasoned veterans of the pro ranks. Each Tour consists of five events that span several states in an effort to offer anglers diverse fisheries with different fishing landscapes. The top 3 pros from each Tour will qualify for the Classic. Perhaps even more importantly, The Northern and Southern Tours are the only roads to qualification (each Tour qualifies 10 anglers) for bash fishing’s summit of professional angling: The Elite Series.
The Elite Series is home to the 110 best anglers in the world. This is the NFL of bass fishing, with the nearest competitive circuit being equivalent to the Canadian Football League. When a professional bass angler receives his Elite Series card, he knows that he has truly become a star in the sport. The Elite Series fishes 11 events between March and September, traveling from the southern depths of Texas near the Mexico border to as far north as New York and Washington, D. C. These guys are competing for serious money – 11 million throughout the season. And if an angler fishes well enough in the Elite Series, he will qualify for one of three “Majors” held throughout the season. These Majors are no-entry-fee competitions for the Top 50 guys in the Elite Series based on career earnings and Angler-of-the-Year standings. The winners of each Major will score a $250,000 payday. At the end of the season, 36 Elite Series anglers will qualify for the CITGO Bassmaster Classic, rounding out the field of 50.
So in my mind, bass fishing is as easy to follow as most mainstream sports. You start with the Weekend Series, move up to the Federation Nation, qualify into the Elite Series and, if you are good enough on all levels, fish the world Championship of bass fishing at the Bassmaster Classic, which has a $500,000 prize for the winner.
And by the way, BASS also has competitive fishing for junior Bassmasters that leads all the way up to a Junior World Championship… which reminds me, my boy has recently shown great promise with a rod and reel!”
While in the waiting room at a hospital a few days ago, I picked up a magazine and found the following article. It was interesting to me because, I could see how pool could use this model. See what you think.
This article appeared on pg. 8 of BASSMASTER PRO GUIDE 2006.
Written by: James Hall, Editor
“…
Thankfully, BASS has developed a fan-friendly, understandable format for following all levels of competitive bass angling.
At the bottom of the competitive food chain resides the ESPN Weekend Series. This is a tournament trail designed for the weekend warrior who probably has little aspiration to compete against the national legion of anglers. The regional events are held in close proximity to each other, so anglers can fish every event without the expense of travel and lodging. For anglers who find success on the Weekend trail, divisional and national competitions follow, with one lucky angler qualifying for the Classic.
A step up on the Tournament Trail ladder takes you to the BASS Federation Nation. When an angler becomes part of this grassroots angling brotherhood, fishing has become more than just a pastime. The Federation Nation competes on a similar scale as the Weekend Series, but focuses on youth initiatives and conservation projects that help develop and define the future of bass fishing. Successful Federation Nation anglers move on to the regional and national competition, with one angler from each Federation division (6 divisions) qualifying for the Classic.
When a bass fisherman begins winning most of his club events and consistently places well in the regional and national Federation events, he might want to test his tackle against a seriously competitive crowd. Enter the Northern and Southern Tours. These tours are designed to pit anglers of the local pro level against seasoned veterans of the pro ranks. Each Tour consists of five events that span several states in an effort to offer anglers diverse fisheries with different fishing landscapes. The top 3 pros from each Tour will qualify for the Classic. Perhaps even more importantly, The Northern and Southern Tours are the only roads to qualification (each Tour qualifies 10 anglers) for bash fishing’s summit of professional angling: The Elite Series.
The Elite Series is home to the 110 best anglers in the world. This is the NFL of bass fishing, with the nearest competitive circuit being equivalent to the Canadian Football League. When a professional bass angler receives his Elite Series card, he knows that he has truly become a star in the sport. The Elite Series fishes 11 events between March and September, traveling from the southern depths of Texas near the Mexico border to as far north as New York and Washington, D. C. These guys are competing for serious money – 11 million throughout the season. And if an angler fishes well enough in the Elite Series, he will qualify for one of three “Majors” held throughout the season. These Majors are no-entry-fee competitions for the Top 50 guys in the Elite Series based on career earnings and Angler-of-the-Year standings. The winners of each Major will score a $250,000 payday. At the end of the season, 36 Elite Series anglers will qualify for the CITGO Bassmaster Classic, rounding out the field of 50.
So in my mind, bass fishing is as easy to follow as most mainstream sports. You start with the Weekend Series, move up to the Federation Nation, qualify into the Elite Series and, if you are good enough on all levels, fish the world Championship of bass fishing at the Bassmaster Classic, which has a $500,000 prize for the winner.
And by the way, BASS also has competitive fishing for junior Bassmasters that leads all the way up to a Junior World Championship… which reminds me, my boy has recently shown great promise with a rod and reel!”
Pool has no draw. It takes too long to play a match let alone a tournament. The 12 hour days of the IPT were ridiculous. There is no excitement or suspense. People just have no desire to watch it.
There are many surveys asking how many hours a week a person spends playing pool. It might be interesting to have a survey to see how much time a person spends watching a pool match.
In the last three months I doubt I spent an hour total watching pool.
Jake
There are many surveys asking how many hours a week a person spends playing pool. It might be interesting to have a survey to see how much time a person spends watching a pool match.
In the last three months I doubt I spent an hour total watching pool.
Jake
jjinfla...<< Pool has no draw. It takes too long to play a match let alone a tournament. The 12 hour days of the IPT were ridiculous. There is no excitement or suspense. People just have no desire to watch it.>>
That's not the issue at all as is obvious when such sports as golf and tennis are compared. It takes WAY longer to play a tennis MATCH than the typical race to 7 or 9 in televised pool matches. In addition, tennis tournaments are often played over a span of WEEKS. Golf, like most pool tournaments, are 4 day events played ALL DAY.
That just isn't the issue. The issue is what I said it was. Shooting the little balls into the little pockets that are only a few feet away LOOKS too easy and the typical TV viewer just doesn't get it.
Even VERY experience pool players don't get it which is EXACTLY why so many Roadies make a living robbing the bangers by giving them enough weight...when in fact there is almost NO WEIGHT big enough to save the banger from a TOP player...especially in a winner breaks format.
The oldest hustle in the book is to give the ONE BALL (or lowest ball) to the mark. Some have been known to give ANY LEGAL HIT wins. Why? Because you can't win sitting on your A$$ and that is where the banger is going to be while the top gun is putting a six or eight pack on him in a race to 7 or a 7 ahead match.
Jim
That's not the issue at all as is obvious when such sports as golf and tennis are compared. It takes WAY longer to play a tennis MATCH than the typical race to 7 or 9 in televised pool matches. In addition, tennis tournaments are often played over a span of WEEKS. Golf, like most pool tournaments, are 4 day events played ALL DAY.
That just isn't the issue. The issue is what I said it was. Shooting the little balls into the little pockets that are only a few feet away LOOKS too easy and the typical TV viewer just doesn't get it.
Even VERY experience pool players don't get it which is EXACTLY why so many Roadies make a living robbing the bangers by giving them enough weight...when in fact there is almost NO WEIGHT big enough to save the banger from a TOP player...especially in a winner breaks format.
The oldest hustle in the book is to give the ONE BALL (or lowest ball) to the mark. Some have been known to give ANY LEGAL HIT wins. Why? Because you can't win sitting on your A$$ and that is where the banger is going to be while the top gun is putting a six or eight pack on him in a race to 7 or a 7 ahead match.
Jim