Pool is dying as is, why make it worse by turning it private?

[DynoDan]

Now if we could get the 5 back to its proper color, the universe will be in alignment…..

And the 4-ball (and the cloth).
Go figure. Ralph Greenleaf made six figures in the 20s by giving live demonstrations (under a mirror) to mixed concert hall audiences. But then, that was back when there was a poolhall on every block (that likely didn‘t admit women or children). They probably were only too happy to go along and see what it was that kept their men from coming home at night,

 

[GentlemanJames]

It is true, america does think pretty highly of itself... ethnocentrism.

It's interesting we used to have the popularly promoted phase: "The American Way".

In the late 50s, even the old Superman TV show would state: "Truth, Justice, and, The American Way!", which was later pointedly changed by Hollyweird in the mid/late-60s Viet Nam-era Saturday morning cartoon to: "Truth, Justice, and Freedom."

As a kid, what struck me as funny about all that was while the show now stressed the word "Freedom", yet all Superman did was fly around, beat-up people and toss them in jail - a place of total Non-Freedom.

Yeah, I was a hardcore cynic even as an eight-year old kid... now, I'm a Seasoned Pro. - GJ

 

[WilliamK]

Nobody will pay to watch pool. Anyway, why should they when friends of players are live streaming via their mobile phone through Facebook and YouTube for free?

I have been live streaming for years and can tell you that not many people watch live streams mainly because they are usually busy elsewhere. They may watch the recording later... but who wants to pay for old video footage?

 

[kling&allen]

Some of you may think that I am cheap but I really ain't. I pay loads online for various things but I feel pretty bad about the state of pool and how the viewership keeps declining year after year.

There's no ads from big companies, no sponsors, which in return makes less money for the pro's. I know pro's who are very poor-- I don't blame the companies, why? Because there isn't enough people watching pool, hell even Nintendo games get more views than pool online, yes kids games getting more views. Its really in a bad state.

Which means we need more exposure and more interesting fun games. But what's the solution to accomplish this? Do you think the people who run pool will find a solution? Nop, they instead will make it more private by changing most streams/games into PPV. Yes I think the people who run PPV are contributing to killing pool, they may want money and are satisfied by the 40 ppl viewing their streams, but in the big picture, they are killing pool.

Mosconi cup is now private and probably watched by less than 200 or 300 people, are you stream PPV guys happy with this? Ok get your 12 bucks from 200 people but please know that you're killing pool by reducing exposure from the people who don't usually watch pool.

Even in the stream area here in azbilliards, I keep watching more and more ppl doing these PPVs & I firmly believe it is one of the killers of pool. And don't tell me about "Hey where is your support for this guy who brought equipment & cameras to stream pool for you" -- no I ain't supporting a guy who wants to make a few bucks from a few individuals and on the process, he's making pool private and killing exposure if you can't do it, then don't stream it. I don't want you to bring cameras and then make pool private, sorry.

Pool is more public than ever. Thousands and thousands of hours of pro content on Youtube and Facebook. All for free. Most of the streamed content winds up there after a day or two.

 

[smoochie]

2-300?? WTF. Where do you get your #'s?? Thin air?? Your entire train of thought(????) needs work. BTW, pool is far from dying. More pro-level pool now than in the last 25yrs. PPV streams is one of the things that has kept pool viable/visible. Big difference in private and PAY UP.

you're not only delusional but apparently sleeping as well! I cannot believe it.. Its easy where I get my numbers... there are ways when you know how to use PHP and HTML to see how many are viewing the content I am viewing. Some PPV (the good ones) get around 200-300 PPV buyers tops....some others get only up to (get ready for this) ONLY 15 PPV paying viewers, YES 15. Thats how pathetic the pool scene has became, stay sleeping dude.

 

[smoochie]

Pool is more public than ever. Thousands and thousands of hours of pro content on Youtube and Facebook. All for free. Most of the streamed content winds up there after a day or two.

LIVE is whats important....other past matches are not as important.

 

[CaptainBly]

In a lot of places not knowing Douche-aine is considered a plus.

Fair enough, just indicating he is a pro and lived in our area.

 

[kling&allen]

LIVE is whats important....other past matches are not as important.

Agreed. Predator/CSI are free of course (including the recent 8-ball championship). I think pool is so niche the viewership numbers are low regardless of the age of the content. Looks like around 100k watched the last few rounds of that event. Matchroom's replays of the 2022 US Open had up to 350k views. I've read that 1 million views on Youtube nets around $5k - $15k, so pool is a few 0000s from making real money on Youtube.

 

[smoochie]

Mario kids game gets around 13mil views. I'm proud of the game that I love, I saw an old shane vs shaw match which should be the top nutch, it had 88k views meanwhile some kid playing racing Mario gets 10 to 15 million views.

Agreed. Predator/CSI are free of course (including the recent 8-ball championship). I think pool is so niche the viewership numbers are low regardless of the age of the content. Looks like around 100k watched the last few rounds of that event. Matchroom's replays of the 2022 US Open had up to 350k views. I've read that 1 million views on Youtube nets around $5k - $15k, so pool is a few 0000s from making real money on Youtube.

 

[jasonlaus]

Well my events are at a 100% loss that i stream but I'm ok with it because im not ever looking to profit.I buy all the PPV streams I can to support them. It's a ton of work to set up all the equipment and travel to different venues.

Hopefully we can have beers again at turningstone. I'm working about an hr SE of DC right now

 

[MitchAlsup]

This is spot-on. If more pool events were like the Mosconi Cup, then pool would attract a lot more interest.

Only if the shot clock does not start until the stadium is silent.

 

[Boxcar]

More pro-level pool now than in the last 25yrs.

That's very true.....But! There are also more TV viewers now, and a lot more computer games, and a lot more viewing and programming options, and a lot more competition with sports which have plenty of nuances of their own, but are played outdoors with lots of fresh air and tons of good looking soccer moms in flimsy sun dresses. Sadly, pool doesn't offer the same kinds of incentives that the competition offers. A starting pro golfer can earn more in a year than pool pros can earn in a career. Though only a small percentage of youth football players will ever make it to the NFL, the discipline they learn and the camaraderie they develop will follow them throughout their early years into business and beyond.

Pool is wonderful. I have always loved it. But I would never try to pay a mortgage and raise a family, and buy a new SUV off of it. I just wish pool could be happy with itself as it finds itself from day to day. I just seems to me that many people agonize over it unnecessarily.

 

[white1]

I absolutely agree with boxcar

 

[mista335]

Here’s where there is NO paywall for Mcup in most cases

Are you kidding?

All those cable networks charge for subscriptions.

EVERYONE OF THEM.

And as far as pool dying,

Matchroom's TV audience around the world is measured in the 100,000s. Althougn cable networks don't usually release audience figures the 2019 World Pool Masters had a total of over half a million viewers.

I have a suspicion this year's Mosconi Cup might better that since their social media subscribers surpassed a million.

 

[Fatboy]

Are you kidding?

All those cable networks charge for subscriptions.

EVERYONE OF THEM.

And as far as pool dying,

Matchroom's TV audience around the world is measured in the 100,000s. Althougn cable networks don't usually release audience figures in 2019 World Pool Masters had a total of over half a million viewers.

I have a suspicion this year's Mosconi Cup might better that since their social media subscribers surpassed a million.

Charging for cable or network is different than a paywall for a single event.

Best
Fatboy<——-marketing is my biz

 

[mista335]

Charging for cable or network is different than a paywall for a single event.

Best
Fatboy<——-marketing is my biz

Well yeah.

There are some events on cable that are extra pay-per-view for special events on top of your monthly subscription.. Can't imagine Matchroom events are one of them.

It's just your post made it sound like there were people in the world that get to see the Mosconi Cup for free

 

[trob]

Another thread to remind me why I play golf and stopped hanging with pool players. Your all cheap winey assholes Lol you want everyone to support the game except your cheap ass

you think only 150 people are tuning into to watch the mosconi cup? Seriously? Lol we have that many people and more watching in my little town.

 

[rexus31]

Charging for cable or network is different than a paywall for a single event.

Best
Fatboy<——-marketing is my biz

I think the point is, it's not "free" to those viewers. Sky Sports is raking in $3-$5 per subscriber across all outlets; whether that subscriber watches or not. That equates to millions of dollars in monthly revenue not to mention the ad revenue they generate. If channels like Sky Sports went 100% PPV, "subscribers" would drop to more realistic "viewership" numbers and the cost of entry for those viewers would be $20-$30 a month. As subscribers drop, advertisers will not pay as much as they did for time slots, hence the increased monthly fee. The pay TV space is a racket. It's not about viewership, it's about how many subscribers a given TV platform has that have access to the channel.

 

[garczar]

you're not only delusional but apparently sleeping as well! I cannot believe it.. Its easy where I get my numbers... there are ways when you know how to use PHP and HTML to see how many are viewing the content I am viewing. Some PPV (the good ones) get around 200-300 PPV buyers tops....some others get only up to (get ready for this) ONLY 15 PPV paying viewers, YES 15. Thats how pathetic the pool scene has became, stay sleeping dude.

You said the MC is probably watched by 2-300. Or do you not recall your first post in the thread?????? I've never watched a stream that had fifteen viewers. I've watched regional barbox streams that have had 2,000+. Must be your choice of streams is lacking.

 

[Boxcar]

The problem with pool is not the size of the viewing audience they have, but the size of the viewing audience they don't have. Think of an average Sunday at the Masters or any Sunday with the NFL. In order to financially sustain any endeavor, you've got to have REAL big numbers. A couple of hundred thousand here and a couple of hundred thousand there just aren't enough. It takes millions!

Why can't Big Pool acquire the kind of sponsors that one Nascar team can? Why doesn't Big Pool attract glamorous spokesmen? One of the many problems with Big Pool is that it's just not very pretty. Do you want to watch the sun-tanned gladiators on the fairways and greens of Pebble Beach, or a dark room full of fat guys with tattoos? If you are an upwardly mobile family, do you want your kids playing on the golf team at Wake Forest, or downstairs at Nick's Pool and Pizza?

The investors and sponsors of this world like Pretty People out in the Sun. That's where the money is.

So, what's the solution? How do we change a dark, often foreboding image that has had a hundred years to manifest and nurture itself? I don't know the answer to that. I just know that what we have now isn't working. But Big Pool knows that, too. They're not dumb. They're just like the rest of us poor suckers, trying to scratch out a living in a cold, hard world. Sadly, it's just a very small world. Just very small.