Pool Is Dropping In Popularity in Gremany

Fatboy

Fatboy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I went into a billiard supply store in Munich yesterday- I have been going there for a year, and know the owner-nice guy, they do tip work for players(he did tips once for me a a few months ago,good work) and sell cloth etc to pool rooms, bars. Yesterday they sold 14 meters of 860 to a guy that has a small room and is a cue maker-I dont remember his name, after he left I sterated talking to the owner of the shop about how business is for the pool industry, cue market, home billiards for bangers etc, os in America and its the same story here in Germany-sucks. For example $200 cues are selling ok and anything over $2000 is selling, but in the middle to many cues not enough players, pool rooms are slow, he said he thought it was internet poker and just a change in society and peoples tastes are changing thus leaving pool for other interests, I said thats about the same story in America. This is just one mans opinion but he is smart and grew up in the business so I believe him.

It sucks.
 
Fatboy said:
I went into a billiard supply store in Munich yesterday- I have been going there for a year, and know the owner-nice guy, they do tip work for players(he did tips once for me a a few months ago,good work) and sell cloth etc to pool rooms, bars. Yesterday they sold 14 meters of 860 to a guy that has a small room and is a cue maker-I dont remember his name, after he left I sterated talking to the owner of the shop about how business is for the pool industry, cue market, home billiards for bangers etc, os in America and its the same story here in Germany-sucks. For example $200 cues are selling ok and anything over $2000 is selling, but in the middle to many cues not enough players, pool rooms are slow, he said he thought it was internet poker and just a change in society and peoples tastes are changing thus leaving pool for other interests, I said thats about the same story in America. This is just one mans opinion but he is smart and grew up in the business so I believe him.

It sucks.
Click to expand...

The one good thing about pool in Germany is the class & quality of the German pros.
Oliver Ortmann, Thomas Engert, Ralf Souquet, Thorsten Hohmann, Nic Otterman, etc. These are classy gentleman players who represent pro pool very nicely.
 
Not to offend anyone but its like that everywhere except Asia. Play pool everyday 6hrs a day for 4 yrs to be a world beater or go get a 4yr degree and a guaranteed job making $70k a year plus for the next 20 years or take the other option and stay broke for 20 yrs. I am glad I realized quickly that pool is what it is, a hobby. There is not as much drug money or rich business men supporting pool anymore.
 
yes, the cue market is saturated here in germany
and there only a few collectors, much much less than in the usa...

btw. fatboy, who is the guy you talk with. i live only 30 km away from munich.
 
Terry Ardeno said:
The one good thing about pool in Germany is the class & quality of the German pros.
Oliver Ortmann, Thomas Engert, Ralf Souquet, Thorsten Hohmann, Nic Otterman, etc. These are classy gentleman players who represent pro pool very nicely.
Click to expand...

If you and Fatboy are assumed to be correct, and there appears to be no good reason why you wouldn't be.......it can be concluded that the undeniably positive aspects of quality, class, character and record of Germany's professional pool players all seem to have no significant effect upon the level of popularity of pool amongst the general public.

With the possible exception of several Asian countries, does this hold true in respect of the effect the professional pool players of all nations have on the popularity of pool within the general public of their countries?
 
The popularity of Pool has always been cyclical as long as I have been around. It will be in the doldrums for awhile and then something happens and it comes back strong. I witnessed this in the 60's after The Hustler came out and again in the 80's following The Color Of Money.

I'm not saying we do or we don't need another big Pool movie. I personally believe something will happen and the popularity of Pool will have another resurgence. It's too great a game to die, and it won't! There will always be successful pool rooms and there will always be customers for home tables.

It remains a great source of family home entertainment, and a wonderful way to get out of the house and socialize.
 
DonFelix said:
yes, the cue market is saturated here in germany
and there only a few collectors, much much less than in the usa...

btw. fatboy, who is the guy you talk with. i live only 30 km away from munich.
Click to expand...


i cant spell in english so my german will be worse, on marionplatz on the corner there is a little store that sells wood bowls(good stuff) cutlery and down stairs they sell cues, do tip work and sell board games, top quality leather backgammon, chess, etc. I cant remember his name or the store I know him for one year now they have had the store in the fmily for over 100 years. nice family.
 
the German pro's are great for pool they are first class people, I have spent about 5/13 months here until last year i had never been to Germany and my favorite thing here are the people, not everyone is a winner but over all the people here are like people in America were along time ago, polite, respectful etc. You dont notice how sloppy Americans have became until you leave for a few months and come back to the states. People here also have a sence of pride and a good work ethic, I'm not knocking america but things have slipped there a bit,
 
There has never never never been a real market for high dollar cues here in Germany..European players hardly ever spend the dough, they seem to get the fact that it doesnt really make you better.. but that's a whole diffrerent thread...

Germany has a wonderful league system in place and a wealth of players...but it is very cultish...the is NO mainstream coverage..NONE.. bu tthey still have players, they might not have 2K dollar cues but they have high end game......
 
Fatboy said:
the German pro's are great for pool they are first class people, I have spent about 5/13 months here until last year i had never been to Germany and my favorite thing here are the people, not everyone is a winner but over all the people here are like people in America were along time ago, polite, respectful etc. You dont notice how sloppy Americans have became until you leave for a few months and come back to the states. People here also have a sence of pride and a good work ethic, I'm not knocking america but things have slipped there a bit,
Click to expand...


everything is relative fatman....remember that...wait till you have a staff full of Germans working for you..the qualtiy of their work has taken a hit over the last few decades...

But is sure is nice to see people give a damn about their appreance ...you dont see folks walking around in lounge wear and slippers in the stores...very nice change form the States....and the women are HOT..:D
 
memikey said:
With the possible exception of several Asian countries, does this hold true in respect of the effect the professional pool players of all nations have on the popularity of pool within the general public of their countries?
Click to expand...

Thats's a good question and I'm only going to venture a guess, but it seems that no matter how professional or un-professional the pros are, pool popularity in the general public remains the same.
 
Thats's a good question and I'm only going to venture a guess, but it seems that no matter how professional or un-professional the pros are, pool popularity in the general public remains the same.
Click to expand...

very true. at the end of the day it doesn't matter how professional the players conduct themselves if the general public don't even know who they are.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top