Pool, IPT, Mr. Ho

[Da Poet]

I honestly don't know or care that much about Mr. Ho and his whole gambling world thing, however I think there is a plain fact about pool that I think we need to come to grips with.

Live pool will never, ever, grow as it is, or even remotely take off, especially as a televised spectator sport in these United States. Don't even waste time dreaming about it. For starters, there are no opportunities, none, for commercials and for someone who doesn't play, aye chihuahua, it's worse than watching paint dry. Keep in mind, I'm talking about live pool. Even taped pool is a little dry at best for most viewers.

The only possible reason more people, especially non players, would be interested in watching anything close to live pool is if they have a little action going!

What is the single biggest possible revenue stream for the IPT?

Worldwide online betting. This is obviously where Mr. Ho comes into the picture.

Why Mr. Ho? Unfortunately because online betting IS, and will ALWAYS be, illegal in the United States in large part, as a chicken $hit protectionist measure for government run lotteries and casinos. KT's selling ownership to a foreign "owned" company, however it was structured, in my view, was a completely neccessary and practical move to legally avoid these laws. Money can now be drawn towards the players from all over the world. Ownership by any entity not based in the US is the only way this online money could possibly get back to the players. It's pretty fricken shrewd to me.

The biggest casualty to the pool world from a successful IPT might be tour players making enough money to not have to waste time teaching lessons to players who don't really practice, listen, or show up.

If your completely anti gambling in pool, then take up knitting. This is pool.

On another side note, for those worried about foreign influence, and if your really afraid that the Chinese, are going to take over the game because of Mr. Ho, then either go home and cry, or chaulk up and practice.

I'm not really asking a question here so much as making a statement. I'm tired of the IPT naysayers here on this forum looking a gift horse in the mouth and I welcome any and all rebuttals. I strongly suspect there are those here with ties to competing pool organizations threatened by the IPT that would love nothing more than the IPT to fail.

 

[catscradle]

...
I'm not really asking a question here so much as making a statement. I'm tired of the IPT naysayers here on this forum looking a gift horse in the mouth and I welcome any and all rebuttals. I strongly suspect there are those here with ties to competing pool organizations threatened by the IPT that would love nothing more than the IPT to fail.

Personally I don't care if the IPT succeeds or fails to prosper. Though I think it already has failed at one of it purported goals, improving the stature of pool in the USA. No big deal, I'll still play.
I think the vast amount of American poolplayers will not prosper under the IPT if the majority of events wind up outside the USA. Even if it meets it payout guarantees for the most of the participants the payout will be the minimum, a couple of thousand bucks. That will hardly pay for a plane flight overseas, lodging, and food. The IPT may or may not succeed and as I say I don't care one way or the other, but I honestly think anybody who think it will do a lot for pool players or the game of pool in the USA is really fooling themselves.
JMHO.

 

[jjinfla]

The one player who has an interest in outside organizations is good old Charlie Williams.

He has adapted well. Kept a low profile. Kept his mouth shut. (I watched him play Earl a few months ago and he refused to be baited by Earl - just kept right on smiling and shooting the balls in).

He now has a very good chance for the big prize of $500,000 and is surely guaranteed a tour card for 2007.

So he has the best of all worlds. Could be a millionaire very soon. If not one already.

I sure wouldn't be surprised to hear that Charlie is in talks with Ho to sell him the rights to the UPA. Of course I have no idea what rights CW might possess at the present. Surely they are significant though.

Jake

 

[jjinfla]

just heard this on the radio:

"The crying, whining complainers will never be happy. So don't waste your time on them".

A lot of truth in that.

Jake

 

[Da Poet]

Though I think it already has failed at one of it purported goals, improving the stature of pool in the USA.

The IPT may or may not succeed and as I say I don't care one way or the other, but I honestly think anybody who think it will do a lot for pool players or the game of pool in the USA is really fooling themselves.
JMHO.

I don't know if I can disagree with you more. The stature of pool is immediately improved with the larger prize money. Last year, 2005, according to AZ's own stats, only the top eight players in the world made over $100,000 in prize money. Reyes was at the top with around $260,000 or something like that. Please! Am I wrong or is the winner in Reno about to get $500,000! How do you define stature?

 

[catscradle]

I don't know if I can disagree with you more. The stature of pool is immediately improved with the larger prize money. Last year, 2005, according to AZ's own stats, only the top eight players in the world made over $100,000 in prize money. Reyes was at the top with around $260,000 or something like that. Please! Am I wrong or is the winner in Reno about to get $500,000! How do you define stature?

I define stature of pool as it receiving greater interest amongst the general public and for the game to be reinvigorated on all levels. If leagues start growing, the number of walk-in players grow, attendance at all events including local tours grows, and more people are interested in watching televised events; then I will say pool's stature has grown. The average poolplayers income growing (and I think this is a temporary condition btw) does not constitute an increase in stature of pool.

 

[Da Poet]

I define stature of pool as it receiving greater interest amongst the general public and for the game to be reinvigorated on all levels. If leagues start growing, the number of walk-in players grow, attendance at all events including local tours grows, and more people are interested in watching televised events; then I will say pool's stature has grown. The average poolplayers income growing (and I think this is a temporary condition btw) does not constitute an increase in stature of pool.

Everyone would like to see greater interest in the public, I completely agree with everything you are saying up until the pool players income. You can't put the cart before the horse.

It stuns me sometimes how people don't see this.

 

[jjinfla]

I was watching some kind of challege of champions or something a year or maybe two years ago and when they were introducing the players they announced their winnings totals. So and so has $36,000; so and so has $27,000; so and so has $19,000. No real big earnings. But the kicker was when they announced that was their total earnings were for the past TWO years.

The prize winnings were so paultry that they had to go back two years. And these were all top players.

Now these same players can win a lot more than that in one singe IPT tournament.

Jake

 

[Da Poet]

I was watching some kind of challege of champions or something a year or maybe two years ago and when they were introducing the players they announced their winnings totals. So and so has $36,000; so and so has $27,000; so and so has $19,000. No real big earnings. But the kicker was when they announced that was their total earnings were for the past TWO years.

The prize winnings were so paultry that they had to go back two years. And these were all top players.

Now these same players can win a lot more than that in one singe IPT tournament.

Jake

Tap, tap, tap!