Pool: Recreation or entertainment?

chefjeff

chefjeff

If not now...
Silver Member
The threads on breaking and another on Matchroom's ways and other promoters' tournies, etc., it occurred to me that there needs to be a distinction in pool between being a recreational game vs. being an entertaining game from watching it.

When playing the game for recreation, it seems the rules and formats desired are different from those who watch it for entertainment. Alternating vs winner breaks, color of balls and a cloth, pocket sizes, etc. A player has different desires than a watcher, for some things.

I like both playing and watching, so my ideas about it are based on both. But, if more money is desired in the game, entertainment has to become paramount, imho.

A guy can still play as he wants for recreation, but if "we" want more money and popularity in the game, entertainment has to become paramount for tournies and such.

For example, we had our state tourney in town last weekend. Yesterday, I looked up who won what. Nothing on the web site. Nothing. Not only was there no climax to ANY of the categories of play for anyone interested in it to watch, there is no posting of who won. When did they win? Probably at 2 am on MONDAY morning. Not entertaining for anyone. Entry fees being the main source of income has its limits.

Can I get some shout outs for distinguishing between entertainment and recreation in pool?



Jeff Livingston
 
You bring up a valid point.

I’m a full time rail bird now, something I said I’d never be. Never say never.

However I played 10’s of thousands of hours of pool in my life and have a deep understanding of both sides.

The 5 ball must be orange. In anycase.

Seems to me pool is doing pretty good the last year. With MR getting involved, leagues appear to be doing well, lots of content for rail birds. I was at the pool room in Vegas last week for 3 nights til 4am, like I never missed a day. Saw a zillion people I know, some I hadn’t seen is several years. Was a great time socially and pool was being played (at all levels).

Sadly some markets like where I’m living in LA pool is a distant memory. But Not dead everywhere and good things are happening for all involved in pool, no matter what their roll. Player, pro, rail bird, stream audience. It’s all happening.

Best
Fatboy
 
Can I get some shout outs for distinguishing...?

absolutely,
It was close on points last night, 5 lead changes, I just couldn't get to the yellow ball.
lost 4 - 2 on the yellow, won 104 - 99, split pot, the crowds were getting a little rowdy...

4.13.22dbls.JPG


...oh, no issues with numbered colors, just red, black and yellow with measle ball
 
Other sports have platitudes.

The problem with pool is the multicultural and multigenerational cross section of the econony.

Everyone should know Predator Cue wipes preserve and maintain cues best.

Aside from the sport, others can enjoy organizing leagues or refereeing. Helping new generations visibly see different role models is a win for all.

Imagine future players being their own custom bags, 3d printed cues or classic cue, and new ways to use magic.

Players should start knowing when to sandbag and when not to sandbag.

Only miss when you think they think you cant miss.
 
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chefjeff said:
sigh...

Was the question too difficult?

Thanks, Fats for a thoughtful response.



Jeff Livingston
Click to expand...
Your post finally tackles the issue.
Pool as entertainment or as ‘pure’.

It has its place in both and both must be catered to.
There’s a place for both.

The best comparison I can make is to professional wrestling and WWE.
Pro wrestling is not Greco/Roman wrestling.
It’s a knockoff for entertainment.

One is not the other, yet the entertainment wing keeps people engaged and keeps wrestling at the forefront and keeps the wrestlers paid and the fans engaged.

It’s what Barry Hearn did for Darts.
He got fans engaged by providing a gimmick- dress in costume(fancy dress) and attend the darts, give the crowd a whiteboard to write messages so they have a chance to get themselves & their whiteboard message on tv.

It fills the darts hall with crowds!

So, there will always be two factions- one for the purists and one for the “get as many eyes on the sport as you can” crowd.
 
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The latest BD had some photos in Shamos' section that showed spectator seating very similar to how Matchroom does it now, long and lower in the rear. 12 deep or so, all around the table. From about 100 years ago.

He also reiterated his judgment of how popular pool was for watching (and reading about) by the number of articles/words in the NYT.

Pool is entertaining to enough folks, it seems, but where would they ever go to watch it? At leagues, there's no room for any spectators, most times, so wives and friends who would like to watch sometimes, stay away, even if a bar might have some room to sit and watch without being in the way.

How about a combination of both, rec and entertaining? Too much?


Jeff Livingston
 
I remember my first exposure to Pool. It was in 1950’s at Boys Club in Miami, Fl.

Tables were junk by todays standards, Cue were junk, we did have Chalk.

The only game was 8 Ball, and if you won the rule was you got to play next kid who was on line to play.

Pool was popular at the Boys Club, why I do not know.

But I wanted to play the game, so did many of the other Boy.

No one complains about the crappy tables, we just accepted what we were lucky to have, guess it was recreation.
 
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