Darts is a huge sport in the Netherlands, and to some extent in the UK. The world champs get aired on national TV. The BBC show it here and it gets huge viewings. Pretty much every guy in the UK population has played some sort of pool, usually in a pub. Even though dart boards are in 99% of the traditional style pubs here very few actually bother to play a game. And yet, top darts players are multi-millionaires. Amazing what big sponsors and TV time can do, eh?
One reason I suspect is they target the right crowd. This may offend some but the target audience is mostly working class men, who then bring their wives along and make a party out of it. Beer is in abundance at the venues and its a real party atmosphere. Fans chanting, turning up in fancy dress and having a great time. The players interact with the crowd. They walk in to music like a boxer, they hit a 180 and fist pump and shout in the crowds direction and the crowd go crazy. They take the time after a match to sign autographs, throw some free merchandise into the crowd and some even go back to their dressing room, get cleaned up and go have a beer with the crowd. Why wouldn't you want to experience this? Everyone would. Darts have nailed it. Its a dull sport, and they've made it marketable and enjoyable for people watching both on TV and in person.
No reason pool can't do the same. Its a niche sport just like darts. Don't go the way of snooker for Gods sake. An 80 break only gets a mutter and a few claps now a days by the ageing crowd. Pool isn't a long drawn out affair, its a smash and grab kinda game like darts; over in the blink of an eye. The atmosphere should emulate that. Chanting, cheering beer spilled, crowds that aren't affraid to go nuts when a player makes a great shot, and most importantly players that show some form of emotion. No one can relate to a robot that doesn't hit the table now and then or shouts "come on!!!" and. fists pumps the crowd when they've stole a game from under their opponents nose.
They need a big sponsor, VERY big. The easiest big sponsors to get for pool IMO would be alcohol companies. Encourage a party atmosphere at events, cheap booze that's moderated so people don't start rioting. Even if people don't like pool they're going to turn up just for cheap beer and the chance to shout their heart out.
Most importantly the players need to take responsibility to make pool more appealing. As good as SVB is, I'd rather watch Earl go on a rant or Efren smile and interact with the crowd when he flukes a ball or messes up a simple shot. Not just go about their business like a machine, take a cheque at the end and disappear.
Darts turned their sh*t around pretty damn quick. Absolutely no reason pool can't reap the same rewards.
