Pool Losing some really good players

[Lonestar_jim]

Portable roller skating rinks. Before my time for sure, but they may have them attached to some carnivals still?

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[thewhiffer]

Have spent a few yrs working in office @ the BCA, my perspective is a little different. Working side by side with John Lewis during that time, we had 6 employee that worked directly with ''Player Programs''. Since the initial move from IA to Colorado Spgs. the Ex Director (via the board) ended all BCA player programs, and the junior scholarship funds went away (lack of usage) Looking back, something went on behind closed doors that caused this to happen, and it didn't feel like the board president at the time was steering the ship. The ex director worked for the military running sports of some kind for decades, he didn't even know how to hold a cue. Something caused this, if I were to guess, the ex director saw ways of building up the bank account during his tenure by cutting back on programs and employess all the while making himself and the biz model look great. He had no long term plans to hang with our game.
Ironically, years ago when the USTA (tennis assoc) saw their player numbers dropping off they immediately addressed this. But since pool is still perceived as a ''game'' the BCA saw no reason to do much more than embrace the Instructor program. Ironically, we've have an academy board member that has his own academy for yrs in Rockford IL, wonder why?????

Thanks for the insight.

 

[JolietJames]

Blame the dark side of pool halls and hustling that have kept the younger generation from entering a pool hall..........

The next time your in a pool hall and you see someone who appears new to the sport instead of being a hustling thug.... Embrace them and teach them the beauty of the game, get your respect by sharing your knowledge with them. Be positive and don't try to take them for the only $20 they have.....
This is why the sport has declined, because of the selfish hustling ... Makes me sad

This is a load of BS. Having been in the halls for years (until they closed), I can tell you this isn't even a contributing factor to the death of pool. If anything, hustling generated more players in my area. Who doesn't want to win their money back? I frequented three different halls over the years and never saw anyone come in, lose money, and never come back. We didn't hound anyone to play, the owners wouldn't stand for that. People gamble when they want to gamble. Blaming hustling for the death of pool is completely baseless.

 

[Island Drive]

The Billiard Congress of America is supposed to be the governmental organization for North American professional pool, which includes the United States.

The WPA is above them.

The WPA doesn't give a damn about industry members, yet the BCA seems to center their entire existence around its membership consisting of industry members.

The once-a-year BCA Open, which really wasn't an open since it was an invitational, with half of its player roster coming from abroad, outside of the BCA jurisdiction, folded like a lawn chair a few years ago. That was the little bone with not much meat on it that the BCA "gave" to professional pool. They decided that wasn't worth it anymore.

If the BCA wants to look out for its membership consisting of industry members, then they should relinquish their position representing North America. I say give it to Mark Griffin or some other entity that really does care about pool players. Industry members care about industry members getting fat while professional pool players go to two, three, and four tournaments a month and cannot ever break even.

The BCA with its fat industry members should have created a pro tour with funds coming from the fat industry members. If there were a pro tour, pool might have a chance in mainstream America on TV.

Instead, we have American dancing monkeys for pro players who sell their services like prostitutes to the highest bidder. The pool player ends up with a sliver of pie.

The industry members aka BCA in this regard have created the demise of professional pool with their shameful disregard to the players themselves. That's my story, and I'm sticking with it.

They actually should of created an amateur tour, like the McDermott tour but better. With ranking and feeder systems that would supply players for the pro events for years to come. It was a simple idea but all player programs were pulled. With the Directors brand new Lincoln continental and a six figure income, there was plenty in the bank back then. But it got milked, and NOT by pool players. The BCA is a non profit 501 C3 corporation I think. It represents mfg and distributors, NOT players and that was taken advantage of I think. There was over a million in the bank in the early years of its move to Colorado, they then kept downsizing and fiddling with the trade show, that wasn't broke, the game itself was. It's difficult to understand, but over 95% of all billiard products/tables/cues were sold to homeowners and that's where they chose to focus their attention.
To put it in simple terms in relation to the perspective of the BCA and the sport of pool. The BCA Board is full of foxes, the game is the henhouse.

 

[Nostroke]

You show some poignant insight, make some valid points and give some good advice. I cannot, however, follow your line of reasoning in respect of saying that the BCA organization creating this mess. I would appreciate if you could back this statement up with sound argument. I have a reason to want to understand their, the BCA, role.

It would be nice to see Keith compete from time to time. I feel that our sport is lacking in terms of players with “star power”.

To elaborate, my background is the music business. Over the years I met and worked with numerous talented people. I know of many that had the talent, the voice the music ability but did not have the “presence” or star power if you will to get the major label publicity machine behind them. This is true today more than ever in that industry.

The golden days of pool were fueled by larger than life characters. The original Hustler movie spawned the character of Minnesota Fats and Rudolf Wanderone Jr. took on that role and played it larger than life in real life. It is interesting to note that he never won a major pool tournament. One might also ask the question if Willie Mosconi would have gained the widespread fame that he did without having Fats as a foil. The Color of Money added to the cache and mystique of the road player. Pool had a brief moment in the spotlight and then the spotlight dimmed again.

I would argue that we have the most talented and skilled practioners of the art today than ever before. What we do not have, with rare exception, is true star power. Fans want STARS! Without stars, and the publicity machine of a major organization behind them, the fan base remains a small, knowledgeable, eclectic group of purists.

The IPT wanted to create stars and showcase them in a showbiz style setting. Whatever money was there in the beginning it was too little and too impatient, looking to fuel itself with the proceeds gathered from a house of cards built on selling the dream of the qualifier. It was not sustainable. What the IPT had right was to use both the legends along with the current best players, both male and female to create the buzz they were looking for. They clearly underestimated the reception that they would receive from mainstream broadcasters and sponsors.

I have watched, with interest, as some of the current top tier players have taken to social media in an attempt to garner a wider audience; in particular Earl Strickland.

Earl, along with Dennis Hatch, Mike Dechaine and Shane Van Boening all have the potential to reach a wider audience. The battles between Earl and Shane have already generated more interest than almost any other match up. With all due respect there are great players who no one, other than the niche market of pool purists, would pay to watch.

Pool needs characters and we should be celebrating and promoting them. They are the key to a larger, more mainstream market. It will take organizations such as the BCA to get behind a few of these potential stars and use them to create a larger market.

I know that there will be push back from the status quo group of pool snobs in respect of my comments but I would point out that I have written is merely my opinion based on a lifetime of experience in the music industry and a love of pool that was found later in life.

Once more, please elaborate on your comments about the BCA.

even money Earl has never turned on a computer.