While I don’t discount video games having an impact on young persons habits. I’m no expert but I have owned a poolhall and I’m also a millenial (barely), so here’s my 2 cents:
I think image is one thing, and it affects the culture and growth of any given entity. Also, I think image does affect pool here in the U.S. The problem I see with it is not the video games though, much more issues with the members of the community’s general attitudes regarding the sport and their interaction with it. Economic competition is a much bigger factor though.
1. Commercially everything is price per foot. Pool tables take up massive amounts of space. If you include the 58” each direction on top of the space of the table, a restaurant can put at least six 4 person tables in it’s place. Three guys play pool for two hours at $10 a head, not accounting for wear/tear costs of the table owner pockets 60 bucks. A CHEAP restaurant seats 50$ per table twice in that same space and time doing $600 in business. Add in, that in the commercial competition, restaurants are not even necessarily high performers. So what you get is establishment owners buying pool tables as a side show to bring in people to eat and drink. Obviously this is much more prevelant across america than billiard halls and the like for this reason.
So now you are that bar/restaurant owner, unless you yourself are the enthusiast it’s extremely unlikely that diamond tables, simonis, red ring cue balls, or any of that stuff that makes the physics of the game exacting based on the cost of these items and the mixing of booze and food with the equation. So what the broad public gets to play with are crappy tables and crappy equipment made to satisfy the economics of the situation. Hard for a know nothing to appreciate the beauty of the physics in play when they are being presented a single gear bicycle to judge the experience with. As far as bars and restaurants go, restaurants for the most part do not want people to stay... they want people to show up, eat, and LEAVE. So a pool table is counter to most restaurant owners goals.
So what you end up with is youth who rarely ever even see a pool table until they are 21, and then they get a crappy table to play with. Not exactly a recipe for bringing in millions of followers.
So then we flip the coin and talk about the community and the image of the community from the outsiders perspective.
If we are going to attract youth and the rest of the community we have to get the tables out of the bars. Not saying that is what needs to happen, but if the goal is to attract millions it needs to stand on it’s own, outside of the bars. Otherwise, pool is not competing with golf, it’s competing for it’s place in the world with foosball, pinball, darts, and shuffleboard.
2. I truly admire those that love the game so much and continue to put their hearts into supporting pool as a whole.... because the community they are shopping to has relatively low interest in supporting them. The 9 ball open is a great example.. regardless of the disclosures debate.. The underlying fact is that a lot of pool players EXPECT that events like this should be put on pro bono on the organizers side. Hard to imagine that growing into ANYTHING more than what it is today with that as a baseline.
Whether it’s league players, pros, or common joes, most pool players (by nature or nurture, who knows...) are only focused on what they can GET from pool.
For any given league that has payouts... How about we propose %20 of the winnings at the end go to the local charities of the top 3 teams choice. Post the winnings online so the charities in the hunt can follow along week to week and root for them. Better yet, have a league rep that get’s 10% of the haul for writing blog stuff and emails the charity groups with pics and stuff. Have the teams sport shirts representing these charities so they get the exposure every week. Even better, invite sponsors to buy the shirts and slap their names on ‘em too. your team wins, the money donated by team & the sponsors. Invite both groups to come watch, this will bring business to the establishments... If pool brings more people, bar owners will see more value in backing pool events or buy nicer equipment, who knows, maybe they pay the 20% to charities and make out like bandits at the same time.
I can only imagine the outrage at this proposition for MOST leagues.
None of these comments directed at anyone in particular, I gave building pool my best efforts and failed, frustrated. My biggest frustration at that time was the other poolhalls in town were more interested in protecting their regulars than they were in collaborating (leagues/tourneys etc) with me to make a more collective effort to grow the game. I wish I had more savvy at the time, I was young and bright eyed but lacking.
My hat goes off and heart goes out to to the mainstays that keep organizing events and keeping the sport going. I’m in love with it and appreciate their efforts immensely
As long as the mentality of the majority of players in america is along the lines “I’ve got my stick, my wallet, and I’m alone vs everyone and not putting any money in unless the odds are “worth it” financially”, there is no underlying organic support from the pool community or vis a vis the rest of the community.
2018 thriving businesses focus their public relations identities more on what they have to GIVE then to GET. It’s a virtual guarantee that if you watch any of the major sports that we so wish billiards would rise to, They will mention at least 2 charities or foundations. With an NFL or NBA game it’s practically half the broadcast.
As far as image goes, the biggest thing there imo is that pool is perceived as a broke man’s sport ruled by experts... What incentive does a casual joe have to come down to the poolhall and gamble... knowing he is likely the only guy in room with any money, and also that he is likely not as good as half the people there. I don’t think this is necessarily reality, but I think it’s the perception of outsiders as far as I can tell. How about we get some black tie events going with corporate sponsors donating to different things with modest payouts for the players.
I realize there are efforts along these lines already, none of my comments meant to diminish those. Just general thoughts about pool and pool players in the US.
You can use charities as a placeholder for any number of things for this convo, the point is about bringing in people from outside the poolhall and giving them a reason to care about who wins. The more people that see talent on display, the more people will want to give it a try.