Serious question for everyone. How is it that people that can't run a rack of balls in 9 or 10 ball, get to decide just exactly how a pool table should play for the Pros? How do they even determine how the pockets should accept or reject balls, in order to create what they call FAIR pockets?? No one seems to be able to agree on shit, let alone which cloth is the best for the Pros to play on, yet, their OPINION seems to put them in charge of this sport! What are the best balls, best chalk, best of anything for the Pros, if it's the NON PROS doing all the deciding??? Sales, THAT’S how its all determined, SALES!!!
I mean, who is really in charge of this games future growth? Who gave these people the power to decide on what the VIEWING fans want to see, or NOT want to see????
Who has the power to decide what's the best for the Professional players? I'd like to know!
Whoever risks their investment to put on a tournament or series are those who can make the decisions. They reap the rewards if it goes well; they lose their investment if it goes poorly. They get to decide.
That said, I suspect anyone putting up $ will not go into it with bad intentions. I suspect they made measured decisions to the best of their abilities with again, the goal of having success. I suspect they consulted with whomever they thought were the best advisors. They may have been misguided in some of their decisions, but I cannot believe anyone investing $ goes into it with the idea of screwing it up.
Sometimes the ideas work. Sometimes they don't.
RKC, maybe your post would not have received such a strong reaction if you were less accusatory, and more cooperative and empathetic. Your premise, in the form of an almost rhetorical question, right out of the gate, has an implied "they're dumbasses" built right in. So I don't think your question was really serious. It was more a position statement since we know you know the answer. You're railing against tournament and series organizers, or at least that's how I (and I believe most of those who responded here) read it.
I've reworded your original concern. See if this might have garnered a more healthy debate:
Everyone: I disagree with some of the decisions made by recent tournament organizers. Here's why:
1. (list your reasoning here, like "The pocket specs could have been better had they been <xyz>. These specs would still be challenging yet fair, and would showcase the pro's talents while not slowing down the play.
2. The cloth colors might be better as <abc> because <explain why>.
3. ditto ball designs, tournament format, table specs, etc., etc.
4. Ask a question "which pros were consulted?" rather than "No one can agree on . . . what is best for the Pros (sic) to play on". You stating non-pros were deciding might not be true. Do you know for a fact that no pro players were consulted?
5. Ask a question "what surveys were done with fans and viewers on what they like".
And finally, yes, it's SALES that drives decisions. Get real. Those that work make $. Bad decisions lose $. It's economic Darwinism at its best and worst, most lethal, blatantly objective.
See if you can rally like-minded investors and start a series. I'm sure your background as a table "pro" (you do it for a living, right?) would guarantee a successful series. Or maybe not, because such a venture requires more than technical skills; it requires viewership analysis, marketing, distribution channels, sales, logistics, project management, accounting, human resources, legal expertise, food management, etc. ad nauseum. Do you have such non-technical skills? If so, then you can be so critical.
