Pool after the IPT?

[PoolBum]

Sad to say but it looks like the IPT is history. Like so many other players and supporters of the game I had hoped that the IPT would flourish, but it looks like that dream is over.

My question is, in the wake of this shipwreck that held so much promise, and given all that has been lost in money, time, energy and hopes, what will the pool scene post-IPT look like?

Will it simply go back to the way it was, with smaller regional tourneys and tours here in the U.S., and what looks like a still burgeoning international scene in Europe and Asia, or will this fiasco usher in a new era of hopelessness for fans and for aspiring professional players that further thins the ranks of both?

 

[8-ball bernie]

good question, maybe some nice honest person will say, "hmmmm, if people wer'e willing to enter $2,000 for a scam that didn't pan out, perhaps a tournament that is on the level,and huge money with real plans,and payouts will work, meaning, hey, maybe players are willing to enter big dough to recieve big dough, maybe we could take the skeleton of the ipt and try and get exposure through big money with real payouts?

 

[Timberly]

will this fiasco usher in a new era of hopelessness for fans and for aspiring professional players that further thins the ranks of both?

No hopelessness here. I'm going to continue to support the regional tours and the pool rooms that sponsor them by going to them and spending money. I'm going to continue to go to Valley Forge, The US Open, The Derby City Classic, and any other pro or pro/am event I can afford to go to.

I think the players will feel betrayed (rightfully so) and some will grieve the loss of the chance to make life changing money doing what they love and do best.

IPT members that have jobs and had quit pool until the IPT came onto the scene will most likely go back to what they were doing before the IPT. Some will hopefully have a renewed interest in the game they once loved so dearly and might decide to support it and stay around by running regional events.

The IPT members that were hardcore pool players... the ones making their living some way or another playing pool will continue to do so.

The game might lose a few players to the "working world" due to them being completely disgusted but most will come back. They can't stay away...

 

[Da Poet]

Pool is a weed that will never die.

 

[cuetique]

Pool is a weed that will never die.

and they say weed isn't addictive. Ha!

 

[Timberly]

Pool is a weed that will never die.

LOL

A weed is to a flower what pool is to football... they're the same "species" (game/flower) but the flower & football get all the attention and all the accolades while the rest of the world snubs their nose at the weed & pool.

 

[PoolBum]

LOL

A weed is to a flower what pool is to football... they're the same "species" (game/flower) but the flower & football get all the attention and all the accolades while the rest of the world snubs their nose at the weed & pool.

I know a lot of football fans who smoke weed. That's gotta count for something!

 

[SlimShafty]

Pool is no worse if (when) the IPT fails, in fact it may be in a better position.

Many good ideas and other things can and should be taken from the IPT, and many bad ideas and mistakes can be learned from it. I would still like to see a Pro tour evolve with a strict number of pro players playing in set number of events with statistics being kept, and records. And the Players must form a players association.

The IPT was not evil, and had good intentions, but unreachable goals and false pie in the sky promises (too big too fast). But if the players are paid it will go out on semi good tone, if the players are not paid a bad taste and anger will always be around. Truly the problem was more of an image problem with KT, not so much the effort, it was good effort that had bad planning.

One thing that is almost cemented in stone now is, Pool will never be a highly covered 2nd tier sport, it will never make it to the sports page or have coverage on major sports networks, it will never come close to a PGA, it may come close to bowling as sport. (maybe)

 

[suckershot]

One thing that is almost cemented in stone now is, Pool will never be a highly covered 2nd tier sport, it will never make it to the sports page or have coverage on major sports networks, it will never come close to a PGA, it may come close to bowling as sport. (maybe)

As much as I hate to admit it, you're probably right. I always thought that if the IPT caught on, we (pool players) would be validated in the mainstream. Unfortunately, it looks as though we again will be pushed to the back of the bus. We can't get more pool on TV, specifically on sports channels, but we can sure as hell get Scrabble and the spelling bee and the hot dog eating contest.

 

[pooltchr]

Pool is going to survive this whole thing none the worse for the experience. The game has survived similar situations such as when the Camel Pro Tour folded. Pool didn't crumble then, and it won't crumble now. People are still going to play pool, not too many will watch pool, players will still want competition, there will still be weekly, regional, and pro tournaments. And (unfortunately, IMO) we will go back to discussing low deflection shafts, custom vs production cues, elbow dropping, and how good or bad our local league is.
We will be right back where we were before the pool world was before KT created a very big diversion for us.
I'm going to the pool room now.....
Steve

 

[jsp]

One thing that is almost cemented in stone now is, Pool will never be a highly covered 2nd tier sport, it will never make it to the sports page or have coverage on major sports networks, it will never come close to a PGA, it may come close to bowling as sport. (maybe)

I disagree that this is "cemented in stone".

I posted this before, but the IPT never gave pool a legitimate chance to be part of mainstream sports in America. The IPT had their golden opportunity when FSN aired the Sigel vs. LJJ match numerous times on their network. But because of the poor-quality broadcast of that match (and the KOTH series), the IPT was eventually relegated to an inferior network (OLN/Versus).

However, IF the IPT did present an entertaining and high-quality broadcast of that initial match, such that FSN (or ESPN2 or the Travel Channel) would have picked up the KOTH series, AND the IPT still failed like it has...THEN I would agree with you that pool is just not meant to be a "highly covered 2nd tier sport".

Unfortunately, the IPT never gave pool the chance to fail this way...so we still don't know if it would fail in the spotlight.