Pros losing Sponsorship

JB Cases said:
Two factors:

Less income

Less visisbility


Right now the billiard industry is facing less overall income which is shared by more suppliers than have ever been in the industry.

So, with more suppliers and more of the type who will sell at little above cost it leaves very little room for profits to be invested in marketing, which sponsorship falls under.

And currently pool has less consistent visibility than ever before. Where are the pros playing? In what events? TV? Format? Game? Edited? Who is "invited"? What rank list are they using? Who is boycotting whom this week?

Which means that sponsoring an individual player is a tricky proposition when it comes to figuring ROI (return on investment).

Far better to sponsor an event and see to it that some money gets distributed in the form of prize money.

Aside from looking at it altruisticly and trying to write it off as a charitable donation it makes very little sense to sponsor any players but the most consistently visible ones in this economic climate.

It's a catch-22 - no tour means no sponsorship - no sponsorship means no tour.

I predict that if Mark Griffin is successful that we will see a return to happy days when companies are making money and willing to spend some of it on promising sponsorships.

I can tell you this - EVERY player who desires sponsorship, you MUST be prepared to work for it. Become an evangelist for the products you represent. Call your sponsors with leads, preach the virtues of the products to room owners. Become a salesperson for the stuff that you want to provide you with some part of your income. If you aren't willing to put in that effort then you will be not be on the short list of people conisdered for a sponsorship by the people who still want to sponsor a player. You are the ones that are on the front line. Every chance you get you need to be talking about the support you get and mentioning the sponsor's names.

I can tell you as a sponsor that this is what we look for. Everytime we see you in an interview we are let down when you fail to mention us. Whenever you give an exhibition or go to a tournament we are disappointed that no one calls us to tell us you reccomended our products. And especially when you commit the cardinal sin of using a competitor's products while getting paid by us we are turned off from sponsoring individuals.

So my advice is to get more diligent and professional about your business and become a good business partner to those you wish to do business with.
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I am sure JS will point out your ignorance a little later. He did mine after I posted similar problems. Yours is just more detailed. You must be really ignorant to the workings of sponsorship.
 
I think a sponsor would be better off picking up someone here with tons of great rep and post count. The poster would have more impact on someone buying one cue over the other than a player that isn't seen often on TV or in rooms around the country.

Look at the polls for tips, cues, cases etc. I believe AZ has more of an affect on product sales than a pro would. If a few posters stated their shafts split, hit bad etc... I would say sales would be affected.
 
Nostroke said:
Is the industry giving up on Pro Pool?
Did anyone think that pro players would get less respect than
the sad state they were already in?
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It's called doing good business. It's not about whether players get respect from sponsors. Sponsors put their money where it'll do the most good, and that fact is pool players have no pull. Who do pool players speak to? You gonna get a certain table because Jeanette Lee is their cover girl? You buying a cuetec because Fisher is THEIR cover girl? What about any of the other useless gimmic gizmo accessories.


Pool does not generate business where it counts, not to mention there is pro pool, poolroom pool, and home pool, and neither has anything to do with the success(or lack thereof) of the others. The three are very distinct and independent industries.
 
NoBull9 said:
Brunswick picked up Johnny Archer.Don't know $$$ details but he did get a new Gold Crown.
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the deal isnt final but is real close, it would be a brilliant for B-Wick to pick him up, he has had the GC5 for 6 months, its a great box.

A player like Archer who is on time for his obligations, professional everytime he ha to be, is clelbraited as he is, has a 20 plus year track record of winning. Should have sponsership deals to pick from but for some reason he dosent. Alot of that is on the manufactors they dropped alot of players because biz is bad, its a shame no one outside of pool knows who these guys are, Jordan had a Hains underwear commercial. I dont want to see Archer like that but for all he has done he is like a persident with no country. Sad.
 
Fatboy said:
the deal isnt final but is real close, it would be a brilliant for B-Wick to pick him up, he has had the GC5 for 6 months, its a great box.

A player like Archer who is on time for his obligations, professional everytime he ha to be, is clelbraited as he is, has a 20 plus year track record of winning. Should have sponsership deals to pick from but for some reason he dosent. Alot of that is on the manufactors they dropped alot of players because biz is bad, its a shame no one outside of pool knows who these guys are, Jordan had a Hains underwear commercial. I dont want to see Archer like that but for all he has done he is like a persident with no country. Sad.
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lol, are you personal friends with Bruns Wizzle or was it simply a lot easier typing this than the couple of extra letters in the full BRUNSWICK?
 
Fatboy said:
the deal isnt final but is real close, it would be a brilliant for B-Wick to pick him up, he has had the GC5 for 6 months, its a great box.

A player like Archer who is on time for his obligations, professional everytime he ha to be, is clelbraited as he is, has a 20 plus year track record of winning. Should have sponsership deals to pick from but for some reason he dosent. Alot of that is on the manufactors they dropped alot of players because biz is bad, its a shame no one outside of pool knows who these guys are, Jordan had a Hains underwear commercial. I dont want to see Archer like that but for all he has done he is like a persident with no country. Sad.
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Man alive Eric, Johnny in a underwear commercial???? I threw up a little in my mouth. You are right though on the fact that B,wick would be getting a hell of a deal having JA on their side. If I was selling anything related to pool, knowing the commitment he has to the sponsors and the sport I would have no problem signing him tomorrow.
Eric I was just talking about you to Blackjack, we both believe that you are about the funniest looking man we have ever seen and that your 12fter needs to get done so we can come over.
 
Fatboy said:
the deal isnt final but is real close, it would be a brilliant for B-Wick to pick him up, he has had the GC5 for 6 months, its a great box.

A player like Archer who is on time for his obligations, professional everytime he ha to be, is clelbraited as he is, has a 20 plus year track record of winning. Should have sponsership deals to pick from but for some reason he dosent. Alot of that is on the manufactors they dropped alot of players because biz is bad, its a shame no one outside of pool knows who these guys are, Jordan had a Hains underwear commercial. I dont want to see Archer like that but for all he has done he is like a persident with no country. Sad.
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My father told me never to let anyone know you got a raise or a new job til your cashed the first check. I didnt really think much of the advice til i saw guys who talked too soon have the $$ or job yanked out from under them and in some cases given to less capable but connected individuals. Any deal can be queered- Be careful.
 
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