Pool reality show idea. Paging Fatboy or dippy?

geocheren said:
I agree, if they were to make a reality show, they should focus more on the players, and the road to their successes.

One factor that makes reality shows a success is the drama that is involved and the characters and how or if they change over time. If a reality series were to be made, they need to make it interesting by showing the dramatic side of the players/game.

For example, a player like Johnny and his struggles (if any) to make ends meet to support a family, through prizes won from tournament play, his decisions in the process, what happens if he cant/doesnt win, or what happens if he cant attend an event because its on the other side of the world.

Or Earl's journey to regain his old glory days, or his journey to gain enough points to get to the Mosconi Cup, and in the process explains what the Cup is, how he thinks the game is flawed, how he practices, his daily routine, his thought process, his history and the sacrifices, divorces, any habit forming issues hes overcoming if any etc.

Or Shane overcoming his handicap to become a champion, his crazy traveling to world events, his two person tournaments. How he handles a loss, like against earl on the 10 ft-er, and moves on to his next challenge.

It doesnt even have to be Johnny or Earl, it could be joe schmoe, and the sacrifices they make to try to make it to the pro level. And the side jobs they take to support playing pool, like dennis orcullo and fishing. Or players leaving their previous jobs for pool and their reasons for why. bring in drama, characters and obstacles and how the characters overcome them over time, and it might work.
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The problem is, the success of shows like the Pawn shop thing and American Chopper is it is easy to film. It takes place is a small controlled environment. Even the guys who are the pickers they just have a truck and one camera guy. You could put together their show on a home computer. The cost of running all over the world taping pool players would be unrealistic. Even with the seeming popularity of the pawn shop show they only just now ordered a few more episodes. They seem to be ordering them like 4 at a time still testing the waters. What ever someone would try to do with pool it would have to be cost effective, like "REAL" cost effective.
 
nathandumoulin said:
Ack. You missed my point entirely. :(

Trying to hit a specific target demographic is where pool has always made its mistake. The industry markets towards pool players, hoping pool will grow. It makes no sense.

The industry then wonders why they've made no headway. The same strategy is implemented time and time again...always with the same lack of result. They fail to learn from their mistakes.

The idea is to aim at the exact opposite demographic...and that's the general mainstream who doesn't play pool.

Focus on creating a reality show with pool players that anyone and everyone will watch. Use other forms of competition, other activities, and other gimmicks to make the show entertaining, and then slowly implement more and more pool into it as the series progresses. :)
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I think you may have missed my point, but that's okay. I understood what you were conveying, even though you think I did not. :)

My point is you can't make any headway in the year 2011 trying to target the exact opposite demographic with a reality TV show, even with non-pool-related things thrown in the mix.

To produce a successful reality show requires expertise, i.e., marketing, videography, production, screenwriter, producer, director, et cetera, et cetera.

Kevin Trudeau hired a stable of people to produce his IPT events, but it didn't work because the opposite demographic didn't show interest. There were special interest interviews, et cetera, and he tired to incorporate other aspects into the mix, aside from straight pool playing.

Pool needs a Chris Moneymaker, someone/something to put it on the map. Then and only then will the other things fall into place.
 
A thought on the idea of a reality show.

I am going to combine 2 shows that my wife watches (and I get roped in on vary rare occasions).

1) The Biggest Loser. When it first started, no one had a clue who the "coaches" were. Now they are household names to anyone who has watched the show (I think they are Bob and Gillian).

2) Dancing with the Stars (or dancing with the B-list celebrities as I like to call it) People will watch anything - as long as they have star power. No one watches the dancing but they tuned in to see Bristol Palin or Jerry Rice.

Combine the 2 and you have a reality show.

Take 10 celebrities (who know noting about pool) and 10 pro's. Each celebrity gets a pro coach to teach them. Each week, the audience viewers vote on the match up that they want to see, celebrity plays celebrity to see who goes home, pro plays pro for cash (short race only as celbs are what we are tuning in to see. Throw in some pool immunity challeges and celebrities can't be voted on for that week.

Loser in the celebrity match goes home and then you are on to the next week.

People would tune in to watch celebrities, and learn who the pro pool players are. The game of pool would get moved to the forefront of american culture.

News and sports people would then start to cover those pro's who are now household names.

Anyone think this would fly. I do.

Leagueguy.
 
nathandumoulin said:
Ack. You missed my point entirely. :(

Trying to hit a specific target demographic is where pool has always made its mistake. The industry markets towards pool players, hoping pool will grow. It makes no sense.

The industry then wonders why they've made no headway. The same strategy is implemented time and time again...always with the same lack of result. They fail to learn from their mistakes.

The idea is to aim at the exact opposite demographic...and that's the general mainstream who doesn't play pool.

Focus on creating a reality show with pool players that anyone and everyone will watch. Use other forms of competition, other activities, and other gimmicks to make the show entertaining, and then slowly implement more and more pool into it as the series progresses. :)
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Are you saying that Pawn Stars is NOT marketing to a target audience of future pawn shop owners? :wink:

J
 
LeagueGuy said:
A thought on the idea of a reality show.

I am going to combine 2 shows that my wife watches (and I get roped in on vary rare occasions).

1) The Biggest Loser. When it first started, no one had a clue who the "coaches" were. Now they are household names to anyone who has watched the show (I think they are Bob and Gillian).

2) Dancing with the Stars (or dancing with the B-list celebrities as I like to call it) People will watch anything - as long as they have star power. No one watches the dancing but they tuned in to see Bristol Palin or Jerry Rice.

Combine the 2 and you have a reality show.

Take 10 celebrities (who know noting about pool) and 10 pro's. Each celebrity gets a pro coach to teach them. Each week, the audience viewers vote on the match up that they want to see, celebrity plays celebrity to see who goes home, pro plays pro for cash (short race only as celbs are what we are tuning in to see. Throw in some pool immunity challeges and celebrities can't be voted on for that week.

Loser in the celebrity match goes home and then you are on to the next week.

People would tune in to watch celebrities, and learn who the pro pool players are. The game of pool would get moved to the forefront of american culture.

News and sports people would then start to cover those pro's who are now household names.

Anyone think this would fly. I do.

Leagueguy.
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This has the best potential of any of the suggestions so far.

The biggest trick would be the actual competition itself. How would you show a match that goes long enough to get a true winner, and not tune out mainstream America?

I like it though.
 
justadub said:
This has the best potential of any of the suggestions so far.

The biggest trick would be the actual competition itself. How would you show a match that goes long enough to get a true winner, and not tune out mainstream America?

I like it though.
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The celbs would play a race to 2 in 8-ball (the game most people know and can follow. The pro's would play a race to 4 shown mostly with clips. Remember, people will watch weigh-ins for an hour or more. They could stand for 30 minutes of really bad pool played by charlie Sheen and Will Smith for ex.
 
nathandumoulin said:
I'm just going to go ahead and say that I strongly disagree. We'll just leave it at that. :)
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Okay, Grasshopper! :p

My work hooks me up with a few TV show producers, which is basically how I formed my opinion about pool, TV viewership, and mainstream America, i.e., what sells and what doesn't.

I strongly disagree as well, but I enjoy reading your forward-thinking ideas on the topic. :)
 
LeagueGuy said:
The celbs would play a race to 2 in 8-ball (the game most people know and can follow. The pro's would play a race to 4 shown mostly with clips. Remember, people will watch weigh-ins for an hour or more. They could stand for 30 minutes of really bad pool played by charlie Sheen and Will Smith for ex.
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I think you'd be surprised at how many celebs might be pretty decent shots. You gotta remember, the people who show up on those celeb-reality shows are usually out of work, or changing professions (singer to acting/athlete to actor/etc) so they've got lots of free time, and we've all seen cribs, it's not a real crib unless they've got a $9k pool table lol.

That being said, instead of having the pros play (anyone can see the pros play real pool on ESPN or the net), give the celebs a couple of 'lifeline' type options, a couple of coaches and a couple of 'coach shots' (not allowed on the 8 ball) where the pro can come up and shoot something ridiculous after the celeb hooks themselves. I'd rather see that, than see the pros flip a coin, then run out 7 tables in alt. break format.

I like your idea though. I don't think mixing this, with the real world type filming style would work. But picking the best idea possible, then allowing the popularity to give opportunities to branch out would be more beneficial than trying to throw everything into one show and make it convoluted and cramped.
 
They had a pool game show on a few years back with pool celebrities and stars. Jeanette Lee and Joe Rogan was on one. I think Ewa Mataya was on another. Both game shows did not do well and were canceled.

Here is the description of the one Ewa was on, on Wikipedia: Ballbreakers on GSN.

Here's a description of the one Jeanette Lee and Joe Rogan were on: Celebrity Pool.
 
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lastminutepanic said:
That being said, instead of having the pros play (anyone can see the pros play real pool on ESPN or the net), give the celebs a couple of 'lifeline' type options, a couple of coaches and a couple of 'coach shots' (not allowed on the 8 ball) where the pro can come up and shoot something ridiculous after the celeb hooks themselves. I'd rather see that, than see the pros flip a coin, then run out 7 tables in alt. break format.
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This is also good...
 
JAM said:
They had a pool game show on a few years back with pool celebrities and stars. Jeanette Lee and Joe Rogan was on one. I think Ewa Mataya was on another. Both game shows did not do well and were canceled.
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Yeah Ewa co hosted one of them. There was also 'the big break' in england, where they'd have contestants draw a snooker player, who would then run out balls on a snooker table for prizes. That show actually lasted a little longer, but england's a little more snooker mad, and they actually had a funny (and slightly creepy) host.

Maybe having a celebrity pool tournament series started, with footage recorded throughout a couple of months in LA, maybe have 8 tournaments, once someone has won, they have a place on 'shooting with the stars' (soon to be trademarked), where they are coached by their pro through the week, then they have a showdown, prop shots, whatever it takes to have a 7 week showdown until one remains.

I just keep reminding myself that the chances of this ever happening are rather slim, and if it did ever happen, it would be on something like GSN or some other lower tier channel, so... no big budget network cash, if NBC is the US open, this gameshow is playing with $10 weekly last pocket tournament money.
 
The american public does not want to watch pool on tv. They don't want to watch pool league on tv. They don't want to watch some hotshot kid play 2 games vs a pro on tv for 500$.

The american public was intrigue, drama, strong personalities, and a glimpse into a lifestyle they are unfamiliar with.

I just don't see the hidden camera thing being that big of a problem. Each episode would probably run like a host and co-host reviewing footage from each contestant's exploits that week. The hidden camera footage would probably make up 1/2 of the show. Besides it wouldn't be that big of deal for the producers to get some cameras in well known locations where the contestants were planning to hit before the contestants got there.

Sorry guys - Everyone here loves pool, but the US public just is NOT going to watch anything remotely close to the way it is currently on TV.
 
How about a format like The Ultimate Fighter with two "pro" coaches selecting teams from a group of "amateurs" who play head-to-head matches and get eliminated after losing, to ultimately end up with a "winner".?

What kind of matches they play and what they eventually win is what needs to be determined.
 
Hmmmmm!!!

Lets play the devils advocate here for just a minute. I love your concept but look at it from the players/producers perspective. Your gonna take a player that subsidizes his income with a bit of gambling and give him national exposure, that's sure to increase his odds of making money hustling.... right.
Then there is the issue of video recording an illegal activity in virtually every jurisdiction they would play in.....now he is gonna be real popular with the local gestapo.....and the IRS......Don't seem like such a great deal to me.....But hey.....I still like the idea.....Dan
 
TV scripts

I am familiaar with the idea Nathan was talking about - it has potential and could create soem interest.

But years ago I wrote a 1 page concept. I have run it by a couple of camera/hollywood people I have bumped into. Everyone liked the idea.

I need to find a screen writer - someone that can put this concept on paper.

It is a good idea. But everyone thinks theie idea is good. But mine is REALLY good - seriously. :thumbup:

But all of this talk is making me think about making another run at it.

Mark Griffin
 
Mark Griffin said:
I am familiaar with the idea Nathan was talking about - it has potential and could create soem interest.

But years ago I wrote a 1 page concept. I have run it by a couple of camera/hollywood people I have bumped into. Everyone liked the idea.

I need to find a screen writer - someone that can put this concept on paper.

It is a good idea. But everyone thinks theie idea is good. But mine is REALLY good - seriously. :thumbup:

But all of this talk is making me think about making another run at it.

Mark Griffin
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Mark you told me the idea. Calm down. I think i said at the time that I thought you were a very optimistic guy and that's always to be commended.

I'm looking forward to your one pocket mega event.
 
if some one can pitch the idea of "ice road trucker"s or "deadliest catch" i don't think a reality tv show about pool players if sold in the right way couldnt take of.... (or achive a cult following) why not film a pool team on their quest for tournament glory (apa, vnea, cpa, bca, doesn't mattter) sort of like that KOD thing that was on nyc grind awhile back just fill it out a bit more add more content to fill out a 22ish tv slot and ship it to the networks and see what they say

(for crying out loud there's a show about pest control guys on tv and a week ago i saw one about repo men)

and now sleep
 
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