What I am trying to get a handle on is this--what makes pool an attractive sport for TV in Europe and Asia but not in the U.S.? I don't think it's the lack of other marketable sports, inasmuch as sports like soccer and cricket have long been established in terms of the more "physical" games. I also doubt that the issue is related to the number of people who play the game at least casually, since it has been established that more Americans play pool on a regular basis than basketball, football or baseball. I think what it comes down to is that as a nation, we have become addicted to the instant feedback, the immediate outcome, and frenetic action. Thus, baseball, the "national pastime" will continue to lose market share to basketball and football because, as the thinking man's game, it is somehow less exciting to the average American viewer than are the sports that feature more non-stop action.
It seems clear then, that in the United States it is fair to say that the major audience for billiard programming will, for the foreseeable future, be mostly limited to "hard-core" fans. If that is the case then, it is equally clear that the solution lies in increasing the base of hard-core fans. That can only come about from greater organization of the sport and greater attention to player development. The BCA must reverse its current direction and rededicate itself to grassroots development and to the nurturing of the next generation of players.
There are no shortcuts to this process, as we must remember that neither the Phillipines or Germany developed into pool powerhouses overnight. We must also remember that there are other nations, some of whom are only beginning to make their presence felt, that have been undergoing this process of organized player development for some time, and if we are not careful, we will have a lot more to worry about that just Germany, the Phillippines and Taiwan!
It seems clear then, that in the United States it is fair to say that the major audience for billiard programming will, for the foreseeable future, be mostly limited to "hard-core" fans. If that is the case then, it is equally clear that the solution lies in increasing the base of hard-core fans. That can only come about from greater organization of the sport and greater attention to player development. The BCA must reverse its current direction and rededicate itself to grassroots development and to the nurturing of the next generation of players.
There are no shortcuts to this process, as we must remember that neither the Phillipines or Germany developed into pool powerhouses overnight. We must also remember that there are other nations, some of whom are only beginning to make their presence felt, that have been undergoing this process of organized player development for some time, and if we are not careful, we will have a lot more to worry about that just Germany, the Phillippines and Taiwan!
