Long, but explains a lot
Yobagua, I understand where you are coming from. This is long, but it tells the story of why things in pool sometimes fail miserably, even though those providing the products have the best of intentions.
For many years I had a web site up that had a lot of free instructional material. I didn't mind doing that, as long as I was able to sell the material that I had for sale. I decided to do a little experiment, and I removed the web site completely. I had numerous requests for the free material...
(Dear Dave, where the hell did your web site go? Can ya e-mail me some of those drills ya had up there?) lol
I took down the website because nobody was buying anything. lol (what the hell else was I supposed to do?)
There were VERY FEW requests for the books that I was selling - and they didn't cost much at all - $25 - in fact I would make them myself - printed them out, and put them together with my own binding machine. I shipped them myself and charged $5 for shipping even though it actually costs $8.
Over time - RELUCTANTLY - I put up another site, a geocities site with minimal info - some articles, and a link to purchase my book Lessons in 9 Ball.
You have to understand... I play pool. I teach pool. I write books about pool. I coach players. I sponsor players. My pool related income supports all of my pool activities. I don't dip in one fund to cover another. My other income supports my children, and goes towards bills, car payment, etc. Teaching this game, selling books - this is how I support my playing, my travel, and my advertising. I try to keep everything affordable.
Now, please stay with me... this is gonna get a bit ugly, but it serves a purpose in this conversation.
In August of last year, I stopped making my own books and started publishing them through the Lulu.com website. I didn't want to bother with it any more. Going with this company increased the cost of the book, and also added additional costs due to the shipping. That's life. The book still costs around thirty bucks, if you want the hard cover, its more - that's because it costs more to make the hard cover.
IMO, the spiral bound book that is made by Lulu is by far a superior product than I had been making in my office. Additionally, there is also a download of that same book available, which if I had my way wouldn't be available. I believe that "the spiral bound book in print" is well worth the price. I don't make any more money from the print book than I do off of the download, which sells for $12.50 - I get ten bucks from each download sale. Believe me, I'm not getting rich.
When looking at the sales, the download outsells the print book 5 to one. I also know that some of the downloads have been reproduced and distributed to others, or printed out and reproduced. This doesn't help me out at all, and yes I know for a fact that it has happened and for those that have done that, you suck.
Also, I guarantee you that TAR has sold more in PPV pool than I have in book sales in that same time frame - they aren't getting rich either - and I know they realize what I will say in the next paragraph.
The reality is that A LOT of people aren't willing to pay for anything when it comes to pool. They have short arms and deep pockets and they snub their nose and grumble about anything that they have to pay for. A lot of people don't like hearing that, but it is the truth. There are those that genuinely cannot afford it. I can relate to that all too well.
This year, I had to CANCEL DCC because I had 6 class cancellations a few weeks before the event. All of those people went to DCC. Those classes were part of what was going to pay my way there and back, and feed me, etc. I won't be in VF this year either - wanna guess why? rotflmao!
Now, don't get me wrong, I am extremely appreciative to the people that HAVE supported my efforts, and what I am saying is not directed at those who understand that for me to continue, I have to make money at what I am doing. If I don't make money at it, I cannot continue.
Its the same with TAR.
All of us have a love for the game, but over time, your love of the game isn't going to cover the costs that it takes to keep things afloat when you are constantly operating in the red. I'm not independently wealthy, I don't make a whole lot of money doing what I do, and if I cannot afford to do something or go somewhere, I stay at home. If I have to drive 3 hours to give you a class, and 3 hours back, then I have to increase my instruction rates. I will not (under any circumstances) put myself in the hole ever again for anybody. That's reality. Took me a while to get to that reality, but its where I am at now.
My advice, is that if you like TAR, support it with more than just words on this forum. Kind words are appreciated, but those nice comments aren't what is needed to pay their production costs. If we don't support it, then sadly, there will come a time where we will sit back and wonder why it's not there anymore. Us pool folks do a lot that, don't we? Think about it.
Sincerely
A Pool Player With Good Intentions
