Sir Barry Hearn

[sjm]

Barry Hearn is a fine man and his story is a fascinating one. Lesser men than him have been knighted. I'd offer Bradley Wiggins, winner of the Tour de France, as a recent example. Hopefully, Queen Elizabeth II will read this post.

Barry's remarks at the HOF induction dinner, which I attended, were very interesting, but, in my view, the most interesting observation he made was, to paraphrase, that the biggest mistake in American pool is that it is marketed as blue collar. I must admit that I'm still thinking about this comment, doing my best to understand it, and trying to figure out how American pool can change this.

 

[Pathetic Shark]

Barry Hearn is a fine man and his story is a fascinating one. Lesser men than him have been knighted. I'd offer Bradley Wiggins, winner of the Tour de France, as a recent example. Hopefully, Queen Elizabeth II will read this post.

Can't agree with that. If it's a straight choice between Bazza and Bradders, Bradders all day long.

Barry's remarks at the HOF induction dinner, which I attended, were very interesting, but, in my view, the most interesting observation he made was, to paraphrase, that the biggest mistake in American pool is that it is marketed as blue collar. I must admit that I'm still thinking about this comment, doing my best to understand it, and trying to figure out how American pool can change this.

You know what? My hall has just put its prices up by 50%, pitching more for the corporate market than low rate slobs like me. Place is now full. Whether this is sustainable in the long run is open to debate, however.

Slobs can play but won't pay. Corporates types can pay but not play. The novelty of playing pool will wear off for them and they'll go do something else.

 

[Celtic]

You know what? My hall has just put its prices up by 50%, pitching more for the corporate market than low rate slobs like me. Place is now full. Whether this is sustainable in the long run is open to debate, however.

Slobs can play but won't pay. Corporates types can pay but not play. The novelty of playing pool will wear off for them and they'll go do something else.

The thing is people are starting to get to a point where their free time and how they spend it has value, A LOT of value. Spending a few hours of time in a crappy "family" style pool hall with a menu that consists of day old hotdogs going around in a hot dog machine and vacuum sealed nachos with heated "cheese" type prudct squirted overtop of it while playing pool on a 30 year old dirty table with worn cloth and old cheap worn mismatched balls and sitting on some rickety old stained stool drinking a bottle of coke simply has no value to people. Sure it can be a cheap place to play pool, but the experience sucks and your investment of your "time" is too expensive.

On the other hand in a high end establishment with a full menu and kitchen that makes steaks, freshly made pasta dishes, rotisserie chicken meals, wood fired pizzas, and a bar that serves a huge selection of beers on tap and mixed drinks, served by attractive and attentive waitresses, while sitting in a comfy raised booth with leather seats that overlook a new Diamond table in perfect shape with polished Aramith super pros, you have a quality place to invest your time in, yes you will spend extra money for the experience, but the enjoyment of the free time you are spending makes it worth while.

Pool needs to cater to the latter, the guy who wants to play in the former and hack away on a table paying $2 an hour for the table and drinking bottomless $1.50 coffee all day and hems and haws if he really wants to spend $2 on a hot dog or save the money is a dead end for a pool hall and it is certainly a dead end to cater to that mentality for this sport.

That is certainly NOT the image of the pastime that we are going to be able to sell to the public. We need to make pool and the places we play it look like awesome places to be, the whole cheap family billiards types of places that were marketed to the public as "pool" did nothing more then make people want to do something else.

 

[AtLarge]

... Hopefully, queen elizabeth ii will read this post. ...

:grin:........

 

[Nostroke]

Unfortunately or fortunately, depending on how you look at it, your sources are partially correct, Nostroke. Checks were issued, but some may have been docked for behavioral problems.

If ALL checks were issued, i got bad info from a normally great source.

 

[Blue Hog ridr]

If he likes fishing and he can do that in his back yard, hes Ok by me.

 

[JAM]

Barry Hearn is a fine man and his story is a fascinating one. Lesser men than him have been knighted. I'd offer Bradley Wiggins, winner of the Tour de France, as a recent example. Hopefully, Queen Elizabeth II will read this post.

Barry's remarks at the HOF induction dinner, which I attended, were very interesting, but, in my view, the most interesting observation he made was, to paraphrase, that the biggest mistake in American pool is that it is marketed as blue collar. I must admit that I'm still thinking about this comment, doing my best to understand it, and trying to figure out how American pool can change this.

That is very interesting. Thanks for sharing that. THESE are the kinds of tidbits that I enjoy reading on AzBilliards about pool events.

Barry Hearn is a wise man and is a successful wise man. When Barry Hearn speaks, I listen. He turned the dart industry around and made it a thriving sport. Not sure if he can do the same for pool.

I am guessing that ESPN's disdain for pool in American TV is part of the problem. With the new cable channels popping up more and more, this may change. When I grew up as a child, we only had four TV channels to watch, which provided the news, entertainment, et cetera. Today, there's hundreds of channels. Pool just needs to get lucky and find the right vehicle, but first, it needs someone who knows how to drive that vehicle. Barry Hearn would be the Dale Earnhardt of pool if he could pull this one off. The only thing needed is a track to drive on, i.e., TV channel.

 

[JAM]

the thing is people are starting to get to a point where their free time and how they spend it has value, a lot of value. Spending a few hours of time in a crappy "family" style pool hall with a menu that consists of day old hotdogs going around in a hot dog machine and vacuum sealed nachos with heated "cheese" type prudct squirted overtop of it while playing pool on a 30 year old dirty table with worn cloth and old cheap worn mismatched balls and sitting on some rickety old stained stool drinking a bottle of coke simply has no value to people. Sure it can be a cheap place to play pool, but the experience sucks and your investment of your "time" is too expensive.

On the other hand in a high end establishment with a full menu and kitchen that makes steaks, freshly made pasta dishes, rotisserie chicken meals, wood fired pizzas, and a bar that serves a huge selection of beers on tap and mixed drinks, served by attractive and attentive waitresses, while sitting in a comfy raised booth with leather seats that overlook a new diamond table in perfect shape with polished aramith super pros, you have a quality place to invest your time in, yes you will spend extra money for the experience, but the enjoyment of the free time you are spending makes it worth while.

Pool needs to cater to the latter, the guy who wants to play in the former and hack away on a table paying $2 an hour for the table and drinking bottomless $1.50 coffee all day and hems and haws if he really wants to spend $2 on a hot dog or save the money is a dead end for a pool hall and it is certainly a dead end to cater to that mentality for this sport.

That is certainly not the image of the pastime that we are going to be able to sell to the public. We need to make pool and the places we play it look like awesome places to be, the whole cheap family billiards types of places that were marketed to the public as "pool" did nothing more then make people want to do something else.

^^^^^excellent^^^^^

 

[JAM]

If ALL checks were issued, i got bad info from a normally great source.

Truth be told, Nostroke, I have heard *several* different accounts of what happened with payment to Team USA and Team Europe players.

If the the MC players want to share with the pool public the nitty-gritty details, they should. Otherwise, it should remain a dead herring.

I wrote what I did on the infamous "Post No. 17," as it's referred to in the "other" MC payment thread, because I did not want anyone to get the impression that Barry Hearn refrained from paying because of reasons similar to the U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship in times gone by. IOW, I was deflating that rumor, because that would be false. I did not want a good man to have his reputation tarnished by American pool scuttlebutt. :shakehead:

Barry Hearn, as far as I'm concerned, is the best thing that ever happened to American pool. When you think about it, American ranking points were valuable to players because of one thing: the opportunity to compete in the once-a-year Mosconi Cup. Otherwise, those American ranking points don't mean squat. :embarrassed2:

With only three pro-caliber tournaments on the horizon, this may be the end of professional pool in this country. We'll have a few players representing us overseas from time to time, but that's it.

In sum, Barry Hearn ain't no crawfish, and I salute him for everything he does for American pool. I hope he doesn't give up on us because of a few bad apples.

 

[Nostroke]

Truth be told, Nostroke, I have heard *several* different accounts of what happened with payment to Team USA and Team Europe players.

If the the MC players want to share with the pool public the nitty-gritty details, they should. Otherwise, it should remain a dead herring.

I wrote what I did on the infamous "Post No. 17," as it's referred to in the "other" MC payment thread, because I did not want anyone to get the impression that Barry Hearn refrained from paying because of reasons similar to the U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship in times gone by. IOW, I was deflating that rumor, because that would be false. I did not want a good man to have his reputation tarnished by American pool scuttlebutt. :shakehead:

Barry Hearn, as far as I'm concerned, is the best thing that ever happened to American pool. When you think about it, American ranking points were valuable to players because of one thing: the opportunity to compete in the once-a-year Mosconi Cup. Otherwise, those American ranking points don't mean squat. :embarrassed2:

With only three pro-caliber tournaments on the horizon, this may be the end of professional pool in this country. We'll have a few players representing us overseas from time to time, but that's it.

In sum, Barry Hearn ain't no crawfish, and I salute him for everything he does for American pool. I hope he doesn't give up on us because of a few bad apples.

Barry is great and i wish he'd get his hands back in the WPC-Since it left Cardiff, it just hasnt been the same.

 

[JCIN]

The thing is people are starting to get to a point where their free time and how they spend it has value, A LOT of value. Spending a few hours of time in a crappy "family" style pool hall with a menu that consists of day old hotdogs going around in a hot dog machine and vacuum sealed nachos with heated "cheese" type prudct squirted overtop of it while playing pool on a 30 year old dirty table with worn cloth and old cheap worn mismatched balls and sitting on some rickety old stained stool drinking a bottle of coke simply has no value to people. Sure it can be a cheap place to play pool, but the experience sucks and your investment of your "time" is too expensive.

On the other hand in a high end establishment with a full menu and kitchen that makes steaks, freshly made pasta dishes, rotisserie chicken meals, wood fired pizzas, and a bar that serves a huge selection of beers on tap and mixed drinks, served by attractive and attentive waitresses, while sitting in a comfy raised booth with leather seats that overlook a new Diamond table in perfect shape with polished Aramith super pros, you have a quality place to invest your time in, yes you will spend extra money for the experience, but the enjoyment of the free time you are spending makes it worth while.

Pool needs to cater to the latter, the guy who wants to play in the former and hack away on a table paying $2 an hour for the table and drinking bottomless $1.50 coffee all day and hems and haws if he really wants to spend $2 on a hot dog or save the money is a dead end for a pool hall and it is certainly a dead end to cater to that mentality for this sport.

That is certainly NOT the image of the pastime that we are going to be able to sell to the public. We need to make pool and the places we play it look like awesome places to be, the whole cheap family billiards types of places that were marketed to the public as "pool" did nothing more then make people want to do something else.

Amen brother.

 

[spanky79]

The thing is people are starting to get to a point where their free time and how they spend it has value, A LOT of value. Spending a few hours of time in a crappy "family" style pool hall with a menu that consists of day old hotdogs going around in a hot dog machine and vacuum sealed nachos with heated "cheese" type prudct squirted overtop of it while playing pool on a 30 year old dirty table with worn cloth and old cheap worn mismatched balls and sitting on some rickety old stained stool drinking a bottle of coke simply has no value to people. Sure it can be a cheap place to play pool, but the experience sucks and your investment of your "time" is too expensive.

On the other hand in a high end establishment with a full menu and kitchen that makes steaks, freshly made pasta dishes, rotisserie chicken meals, wood fired pizzas, and a bar that serves a huge selection of beers on tap and mixed drinks, served by attractive and attentive waitresses, while sitting in a comfy raised booth with leather seats that overlook a new Diamond table in perfect shape with polished Aramith super pros, you have a quality place to invest your time in, yes you will spend extra money for the experience, but the enjoyment of the free time you are spending makes it worth while.

Pool needs to cater to the latter, the guy who wants to play in the former and hack away on a table paying $2 an hour for the table and drinking bottomless $1.50 coffee all day and hems and haws if he really wants to spend $2 on a hot dog or save the money is a dead end for a pool hall and it is certainly a dead end to cater to that mentality for this sport.

That is certainly NOT the image of the pastime that we are going to be able to sell to the public. We need to make pool and the places we play it look like awesome places to be, the whole cheap family billiards types of places that were marketed to the public as "pool" did nothing more then make people want to do something else.

Could not of said it better. We have waited over 2 and a half year for one to open in this area. I know the owners and they did it right. Big, clean, full bar, full kitchen, and pretty ladies. If you are ever in Southern California come check out Shooter, Hemet.
https://www.facebook.com/ShootersHemet

 

[vagabond]

Barry is great and i wish he'd get his hands back in the WPC-Since it left Cardiff, it just hasnt been the same.

Barry has contibuted a lot to the pool world.
If Barry starts getting involved in American pool he may be infected by the self destructive behavior of American pool culture.
He better run away from American pool before he is eaten and spit out by the American Pool Culture.

 

[sjm]

Barry Hearn, as far as I'm concerned, is the best thing that ever happened to American pool. When you think about it, American ranking points were valuable to players because of one thing: the opportunity to compete in the once-a-year Mosconi Cup. Otherwise, those American ranking points don't mean squat.

Actually, just three of the last ten Team USA spots were awarded based on competitive performance in major US events. This year, the entire Team USA was selected by Matchroom. Removal of the carrot that is a Team USA Mosconi Cup spot had the unintended result of reducing participation in some of the most prominent US events in 2013. We can only hope that the 2014 team will be chosen on merit, which would resurrect the benefits to which you have alluded.

Barry's contribution to world pool has been huge and his HOF spot was well deserved, but his contribution to American pool has been far less significant. In fact, in his HOF induction speech, Barry lamented over some of the reasons he's been unable to transact pool-related business in the US and some of the cultural impediments that have made his few attempts at selling pro pool in the US largely fruitless.

Calling him the best thing that ever happened to American pool is, in my view, uninformed. Nonetheless, he is better positioned than anyone in the game to try to make something of American pool, and one day, maybe he will. If he does, maybe one day I'll agree with you concerning his contribution to American pool.

 

[JAM]

Actually, just three of the last ten Team USA spots were awarded based on competitive performance in major US events. This year, the entire Team USA was selected by Matchroom. Removal of the carrot that is a Team USA Mosconi Cup spot had the unintended result of reducing participation in some of the most prominent US events in 2013. We can only hope that the 2014 team will be chosen on merit, which would resurrect the benefits to which you have alluded.

Barry's contribution to world pool has been huge and his HOF spot was well deserved, but his contribution to American pool has been far less significant. In fact, in his HOF induction speech, Barry lamented over some of the reasons he's been unable to transact pool-related business in the US and some of the cultural impediments that have made his few attempts at selling pro pool in the US largely fruitless.

Calling him the best thing that ever happened to American pool is, in my view, uninformed. Nonetheless, he is better positioned than anyone in the game to try to make something of American pool, and one day, maybe he will. If he does, maybe one day I'll agree with you concerning his contribution to American pool.

Maybe I should, once again, be careful of how I choose my words on a pool forum. :grin-square:

My thoughts are this. I think the Mosconi Cup is the biggest pool production in the world. The fact that half of it consists of Americans is key to my line of thinking. There is no other pool exhibition, competition, venue, whatever word you want to choose, as big as this Mosconi Cup. I do wish the he would be involved in the world championship again.

I probably know more than I should know about some topics, but I ain't uninformed, far from it.

I do wish America had a Barry Hearn. Instead, it seems like we have a bunch of big egos battling each other for the top spot on the industry ladder, with professional pool not even on the bottom rung.

 

[Nostroke]

Barry has contibuted a lot to the pool world.
If Barry starts getting involved in American pool he may be infected by the self destructive behavior of American pool culture.
He better run away from American pool before he is eaten and spit out by the American Pool Culture.

Do not fear that! More likely he will drop the MC than get involved in American Pool. I mean he never was gonna get involved receently and this last show certainly assures that imho

 

[JAM]

Barry has contibuted a lot to the pool world.
If Barry starts getting involved in American pool he may be infected by the self destructive behavior of American pool culture.
He better run away from American pool before he is eaten and spit out by the American Pool Culture.

Well, I'm elated that somebody out there gets it. Pool is cruel to its own in the United States. There is also a conflict, in particular, in American pool due to the pool purists v. action enthusiasts as to which direction the pool industry should move forward in.

Each year, Matchroom Sport has had to change the rules for the selection criteria for Americans due to the fractured professional pool machine here. This year was considered the 20th anniversary legend exhibition, so, once again, the selection criteria was different, this time not choosing the best track record but rather choosing the legendary status of the player.

From the grumbles and mumbles on this forum in recent times about this Mosconi Cup, I am anticipating a change for 2014 Mosconi Cup. I can hardly wait.

 

[sjm]

Maybe I should, once again, be careful of how I choose my words on a pool forum. :grin-square:

My thoughts are this. I think the Mosconi Cup is the biggest pool production in the world. The fact that half of it consists of Americans is key to my line of thinking. There is no other pool exhibition, competition, venue, whatever word you want to choose, as big as this Mosconi Cup. I do wish the he would be involved in the world championship again.

Yes, as elite Americans not named Shane have discretionarily dealt themselves out of the international competitive pool scene, the Mosconi Cup is American pool's only chance to make its pro pool product internationally visible. Hence, the real value of the Mosconi Cup to America is that it offers that opportunity.

I'm with you on having Matchroom involved again with the World 9-ball Championships, which probably hit bottom this year in Qatar.

 

[jay helfert]

Barry has contibuted a lot to the pool world.
If Barry starts getting involved in American pool he may be infected by the self destructive behavior of American pool culture.
He better run away from American pool before he is eaten and spit out by the American Pool Culture.

I wouldn't worry too much about Mr. Barry Hearn. He's a big boy and can take care of himself. I seriously doubt that petty pool politics or bad boy behavior will deter him from his chosen path. He is a man that doesn't let mere obstacles get in his way or stop him.

I also was at the HOF dinner and listened intently to Barry's acceptance speech. This is a man who has a passion for the game of pool and the skills required to excel at it. His enthusiasm for the game has not waned and he is committed to creating the best showcases for the sport that he possibly can.

The Mosconi Cup is a wonderful event, that has tipped from American domination to European domination. Like Barry, I believe this will all balance out in time. There are some excellent young players in this country who deserve a chance to show their game, and I for one would like to see this happen. Barry Hearn is a valued member of the worldwide pool community and we are fortunate to have him. He knows how to get things done!

 

[spanky79]

I wouldn't worry too much about Mr. Barry Hearn. He's a big boy and can take care of himself. I seriously doubt that petty pool politics or bad boy behavior will deter him from his chosen path. He is a man that doesn't let mere obstacles get in his way or stop him.

I also was at the HOF dinner and listened intently to Barry's acceptance speech. This is a man who has a passion for the game of pool and the skills required to excel at it. His enthusiasm for the game has not waned and he is committed to creating the best showcases for the sport that he possibly can.

The Mosconi Cup is a wonderful event, that has tipped from American domination to European domination. Like Barry, I believe this will all balance out in time. There are some excellent young players in this country who deserve a chance to show their game, and I for one would like to see this happen. Barry Hearn is a valued member of the worldwide pool community and we are fortunate to have him. He knows how to get things done!

The only reason the US dominated for so long was we where playing snooker players. Once the Euros started playing 9 ball and equaled the ability scale, the US has been dominated. I dont see that changing any time soon. The Euros practice as a team and want to win for each other. The US players just want a pay check.