True but some place on this Earth you are not Welcome Unless you fit the DRESS CODE!
Haha! damn...the guy on the left looks like he's a really good golfer.
Pool Will Never Be Big Like Golf
- Thread starter Johnnyt
- Start date
Haha! damn...the guy on the left looks like he's a really good golfer.
Don't go deflecting on me. The topic is pool not baseball, or any other sport. Your kind of reasoning is why people excuse the game and turn a blind eye to it's core problem.
There is but it is not work to attraqct sposnors, or advertisers.
Asia:
pro football teams? Nada.
pro hockey teams? Nada.
pro baseball teams (a few)
pro basketball teams? (a few)
badminton is pretty popular (I wish it was more popular here)
Pool has less competition in Asia. In some Asian countries (Philippines, for example) the socioeconomics and demographics are just right for pool. They are now somewhat similar to the US in the 30's, 40's, and early 50's. R.A. Dyer advanced this concept in his book "Hustler Days". I think it's valid.
Why do you think Luther Lassiter quit the road and started playing tournaments? Because pool changed as the society changed.
You can call highlighting the invalidity of your opinion a deflection if you want but it's not going to be very convincing to anyone who hasn't drunk the Kool-Aid.
There is probably more wagering in golf than there is in pool. Explain why Golf isn't in "decline" because of gambling.
i'm old enough to remember the rise of golf via TV (and more importantly, Arnold Palmer) in the 60's. and thus old enough to remember that pool Was Bigger than golf until then. golf was a tiny, no, Microscopic world, practiced by a few elites, when i took it up at 12 years old, a few years before i started sneaking into pool halls.
so why was pool bigger than golf then and not now?
maybe it has something to do with a more interesting game -- if you're not gambling -- that has virtually disappeared: a game that people ask me in just about every hall i go into today "what's that you're playing?". a game that Every serious pool player played up 'til then.
some marketing types decided decades ago that 9-ball was better TV fodder than 14.1. and then dumbed-down 9-ball to make it even faster. this despite ~4 hour golf games. maybe they weren't so smart...
so why was pool bigger than golf then and not now?
maybe it has something to do with a more interesting game -- if you're not gambling -- that has virtually disappeared: a game that people ask me in just about every hall i go into today "what's that you're playing?". a game that Every serious pool player played up 'til then.
some marketing types decided decades ago that 9-ball was better TV fodder than 14.1. and then dumbed-down 9-ball to make it even faster. this despite ~4 hour golf games. maybe they weren't so smart...
Interesting
I found this through a google search......
TOP 25 MOST POPULAR SPORTS/RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES IN THE U.S.
(For calendar year 2005; 6 years of age or older; participated at least once per year)
Sport/Activity
Bowling – 53.5 million
Treadmill Exercise – 48.0 million
Stretching – 42.3 million
Freshwater Fishing – 42.1 million
Tent Camping – 38.6 million
Horseback Riding – 38.0 million
Running/Jogging – 37.8 million
Overnight Hiking – 36.6 million
Fitness Walking – 36.3 million
Billiards/Pool – 35.2 million
Basketball – 32.0 million
Hand Weights – 31.4 million
Weight/Resistance Machines – 29.0 million
Dumbells – 28.4 million
Golf – 25.7 million
Calisthenics – 24.9 million
Barbells – 23.0 million
Darts – 18.8 million
Tennis – 18.3 million
RV Camping – 18.2 million
Hunting (Shotgun/Rifle) – 18.0 million
Elliptical Motion Trainer – 16.7 million
Abdominal Machine/ Exercise – 16.5 million
Inline Skating – 16.5 million
Outdoor Soccer – 15.8 million
I found this through a google search......
TOP 25 MOST POPULAR SPORTS/RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES IN THE U.S.
(For calendar year 2005; 6 years of age or older; participated at least once per year)
Sport/Activity
Bowling – 53.5 million
Treadmill Exercise – 48.0 million
Stretching – 42.3 million
Freshwater Fishing – 42.1 million
Tent Camping – 38.6 million
Horseback Riding – 38.0 million
Running/Jogging – 37.8 million
Overnight Hiking – 36.6 million
Fitness Walking – 36.3 million
Billiards/Pool – 35.2 million
Basketball – 32.0 million
Hand Weights – 31.4 million
Weight/Resistance Machines – 29.0 million
Dumbells – 28.4 million
Golf – 25.7 million
Calisthenics – 24.9 million
Barbells – 23.0 million
Darts – 18.8 million
Tennis – 18.3 million
RV Camping – 18.2 million
Hunting (Shotgun/Rifle) – 18.0 million
Elliptical Motion Trainer – 16.7 million
Abdominal Machine/ Exercise – 16.5 million
Inline Skating – 16.5 million
Outdoor Soccer – 15.8 million
Pool does not have less competition in Asia. Philippines has some fine players. Taiwan especially has a lot of players that can all beat each other on any given day. The amount of talent is ridiculous there because players are trained by real coaches at a young age. Starting in maybe the early 2000s or late 90s, there are special pool curriculum developed in some high schools to train these young players. Also Taiwan has a professional pool league for both the men and the women that is going on for the whole year.
i think golfers have it kinda easy too.... nobody really has to see what they are truly made of..... good for some, bad for others. i have a feeling if these guys had to match up to survive like pool players do, half of them would dog their brains out. golf tournaments are good tests, 72 holes, but we really arent finding out what theses guys are truly made of in my estimation, except in rare instances.
Why do we keep comparing golf to pool?I mean we are talking about a sport where the LAST place prize money earns MORE than the 1st place prize money in pool.
Right
Golf has no relation to Pool at all, except they are played with a ball and use a 'stick'. As far as a sport, I relate Pool more to a sport like Archery. Both are sort of on the outer fringes of society, and usually have a very loyal following of those involved in the sports. Both sports graduate similiar in the equipment that is used in relation to costs involved.
Tournament Archery is similiar to Pool tournaments, although money is not won in Archery. I have played Pool for 49 years, and I can almost guarantee you that Pool will never be like Golf, ever.
Pool is a long way from developing more as a sport. We have to have a National Governing Body for Pool, it has to get into the Olympics, we have to get Pool into High Schools as a competitive sport, etc..
Golf has no relation to Pool at all, except they are played with a ball and use a 'stick'. As far as a sport, I relate Pool more to a sport like Archery. Both are sort of on the outer fringes of society, and usually have a very loyal following of those involved in the sports. Both sports graduate similiar in the equipment that is used in relation to costs involved.
Tournament Archery is similiar to Pool tournaments, although money is not won in Archery. I have played Pool for 49 years, and I can almost guarantee you that Pool will never be like Golf, ever.
Pool is a long way from developing more as a sport. We have to have a National Governing Body for Pool, it has to get into the Olympics, we have to get Pool into High Schools as a competitive sport, etc..
Why isn't cricket as big as pride parades?
Somewhere people who do curling have a forum where they are wondering why curling isn't as popular as pool, and why there is more pool on tv than curling. We are the elite my friends. If you like pool, then refer to my thread known as "ain't a damn thing wrong with pool".... here is an example why:
I like to watch golf, and hat's off to Rory McIlroy, but I play pool. Last week, I played a one-armed little lady who breaks harder than you do, and then I played Brandon Shuff. All for a $10 entry in a chip tournament. Can you do that in golf? By the way, Shuff left himself a hang-ten which he cheesed with the two. I never even got to shoot. I won my entry back at third. Kick-A$$!
Somewhere people who do curling have a forum where they are wondering why curling isn't as popular as pool, and why there is more pool on tv than curling. We are the elite my friends. If you like pool, then refer to my thread known as "ain't a damn thing wrong with pool".... here is an example why:
I like to watch golf, and hat's off to Rory McIlroy, but I play pool. Last week, I played a one-armed little lady who breaks harder than you do, and then I played Brandon Shuff. All for a $10 entry in a chip tournament. Can you do that in golf? By the way, Shuff left himself a hang-ten which he cheesed with the two. I never even got to shoot. I won my entry back at third. Kick-A$$!
Quote:
Originally Posted by risky biz
Asia:
pro football teams? Nada.
pro hockey teams? Nada.
pro baseball teams (a few)
pro basketball teams? (a few)
badminton is pretty popular (I wish it was more popular here)
Pool has less competition in Asia. In some Asian countries (Philippines, for example) the socioeconomics and demographics are just right for pool. They are now somewhat similar to the US in the 30's, 40's, and early 50's. R.A. Dyer advanced this concept in his book "Hustler Days". I think it's valid.
Why do you think Luther Lassiter quit the road and started playing tournaments? Because pool changed as the society changed.
When I said pool has less competition in Asia I meant that the sport of pool has less competition from other sports. I thought that was clear from the context but maybe it wasn't.
Originally Posted by risky biz
Asia:
pro football teams? Nada.
pro hockey teams? Nada.
pro baseball teams (a few)
pro basketball teams? (a few)
badminton is pretty popular (I wish it was more popular here)
Pool has less competition in Asia. In some Asian countries (Philippines, for example) the socioeconomics and demographics are just right for pool. They are now somewhat similar to the US in the 30's, 40's, and early 50's. R.A. Dyer advanced this concept in his book "Hustler Days". I think it's valid.
Why do you think Luther Lassiter quit the road and started playing tournaments? Because pool changed as the society changed.
When I said pool has less competition in Asia I meant that the sport of pool has less competition from other sports. I thought that was clear from the context but maybe it wasn't.
Wow. Five gold stars for a post with more facts than anecdotes, attitude, and prejudice.
What is the cause of the unpopularity of Golf? I think it's primarily due to two causes: when groups of friends go golfing on a weekend they gamble among themselves. This makes the rest of society look on all golfers as lowlife degenerates. The second cause of it's unpopularity is that golfers dress funny.
(note for those who can't tell: I'm just making fun of some opinions I've seen here in regards to pool.)
Sorry, I misread your post! I agree with you. There just isn't much other sports to put on TV so pool is always on TV whether people like it or not. However I also think that the easy accessibility to playing and learning pool in Asian countries especially in Taiwan has a lot to do with the popularity of the sport. From my house there, there are 4 pool halls that I could walk to within 15 minutes and in any of those room, there will be some very strong players playing. Pool is actually pretty popular here in America and a lot of people have played it, just that there are way too many "casual" players who know nothing about the cue ball and basic positioning play.
I won't be surprised if the percentage of American that has "played" pool within the last year to be higher than it is in Taiwan. However, in Taiwan, the general public is pretty well informed about pool and I think that just has to do with the TV showings as well as the density of pool halls there. Despite the high number of good players there, the market there is struggling too, and I'm sure the market is probably smaller than it is here.. at least here on AZ, most people have purchased some sort of pool products. Maybe GOOD players in Taiwan still play with house cues just because people make less there and living expense is cheaper as well, however, a 500 dollar cue would be more than half the salary of college graduates.
It's 4:45am here, and I don't really knwo what I just typed lol or what this topic is about
But I think here in the US, there needs to be more exposure of "real pool" to the general public.
I won't be surprised if the percentage of American that has "played" pool within the last year to be higher than it is in Taiwan. However, in Taiwan, the general public is pretty well informed about pool and I think that just has to do with the TV showings as well as the density of pool halls there. Despite the high number of good players there, the market there is struggling too, and I'm sure the market is probably smaller than it is here.. at least here on AZ, most people have purchased some sort of pool products. Maybe GOOD players in Taiwan still play with house cues just because people make less there and living expense is cheaper as well, however, a 500 dollar cue would be more than half the salary of college graduates.
It's 4:45am here, and I don't really knwo what I just typed lol or what this topic is about
But I think here in the US, there needs to be more exposure of "real pool" to the general public.
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It is a very limited list. It is highly unlikely more people Horse back ride then swim yet swimming is not on the list. It also doesn't take into account how many times a year they only require once a year for it to get a vote. In other words, someone who likes weight lifting may work out 250 times a year while the person who does tent camping may camp 10 times a year. To a marketer this would be have significant meaning. In fact, I would not call someone who plays pool once a year a pool player or even remotely a perspective customer for any kind of billiard industry product.
That is a pretty weird poll they did there, I wonder what they were trying to find?