So, let's see if I've got this straight...

DogsPlayingPool

DogsPlayingPool

"What's in your wallet?"
Silver Member
The 2008 World Straight Pool Championship paid $14K to the winner, had some of the world's top players and there was no TV coverage.

and,

The 2008 International Speed Pool Championship paid $40M to the winner, and was televised on ESPN in HI-DEF.

I've been away from the sport for a while guys, so please indulge me. What gives?

EDIT: $40M = $40K = $40,000
 
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DogsPlayingPool said:
The 2008 World Straight Pool Championship paid $14K to the winner, had some of the world's top players and there was no TV coverage.

and,

The 2008 International Speed Pool Championship paid $40M to the winner, and was televised on ESPN in HI-DEF.

I've been away from the sport for a while guys, so please indulge me. What gives?
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ISPC paid out $40k to the winner. I really wish they would televise the WSPC. The only time I get to see it on the tube is when I download 14.1 videos off of Veoh and burn em to dvd.
 
DogsPlayingPool said:
The 2008 World Straight Pool Championship paid $14K to the winner, had some of the world's top players and there was no TV coverage.

and,

The 2008 International Speed Pool Championship paid $40M to the winner, and was televised on ESPN in HI-DEF.

I've been away from the sport for a while guys, so please indulge me. What gives?
Click to expand...


It is a joke, and the joke is on us!
 
Speed pool - what is it's purpose?

I would like to see Johhny Archer competing for the speed pool championships:eek:

I agree we should see more televised 14.1 on espn or otherwise. I think it is hard to compress the game for 1 hour time slots and still have it interest the people who have an interest.

Kevin
 
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One has money behind it , the other doesn't. It is dumber than a sack of cueballs but it is still the fact speed pool gets more support than 14.1.

Speed pool makes me want to stick my head in a wood chipper.

I guess I can at least be glad I am not a 3 cushion player. We all complain about pool being shorted on money and exposure. Those 3 cushion guys are just gluttons for punishment.

:D
 
DogsPlayingPool said:
The 2008 World Straight Pool Championship paid $14K to the winner, had some of the world's top players and there was no TV coverage.

and,

The 2008 International Speed Pool Championship paid $40M to the winner, and was televised on ESPN in HI-DEF.

I've been away from the sport for a while guys, so please indulge me. What gives?
Click to expand...

14K for the Worlds seems high, when nobody in particular is really dumping a ton of money into it. And I've been a spectator the last couple of years, and can tell you that people are not packing the bleachers so to speak.
 
I saw that Speed Pool got 40k for the winner and I almost puked. What's next?

I go to the SBE every year and the place is packed. Are pool players that cheap they cannot support the game?
 
metallicane said:
I..?

I go to the SBE every year and the place is packed. Are pool players that cheap they cannot support the game?
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The $upport has to come from somewhere other than the players.
 
It does suck that they show speed pool and the trick shot competition (although I do love that comp), but not straight pool. I guess it's because you'll get a lot more viewers who aren't regular players or don't play at all watching speed pool and the trick shots than straight pool.

Kind of like how ESPN used to only show the final table for the WSP because non-poker players were fascinated with someone putting down a million in chips on one hand like it was nothing.
 
Their is only one reason for that and it is money!

I would bet that 10 times more "non pool players" watched the speed pool than would have watched the straight pool.

Companies will pay for advertising during a program that has people watching it. More importantly, the right people watching it. Companies have learned by the school of hard knocks that pool players don't buy their products when they advertise to them. The trick shot shows, speed pool, the Mosconi cup are all events that "Non pool players" watch.

End of Story!
 
It speaks to the attention span of the average person in the age of video games.
 
I understand that the speed pool tournament had a bigger winner's purse largely because of the ESPN TV coverage. That I understand - that the TV coverage provides a lot of money. I get that. What I just don't get is why speed pool is more likely to attract TV money than the top players in the game playing straight pool, or even 9-ball. Even with 9-ball, which is certainly the biggest game right now for professional purses and the format is attractive to television, the winners don't make anything significantly more than the speed pool guys were playing for.

Perhaps Soonerfan has the answer, that "artistic" and speed pool attract many non-billiard playing fans. But my question is, is that just theory or is there some empirical or quantitative evidence that it is true, because I just don't see what the attraction would be for someone not really interested in the game. I get the attraction with the big poker tournaments, there is human drama & HUGE money. I can even see the interest from the non-player in the trick shot events. But I just don't get what attraction speed pool would have for the non-player.
 
I don't think speed pool pays better than regular pool.

Think of total competitions each year, not 1 event.

Or, if you wish to compare single events, pick the best of both.

How much did Dynamite win for the World's recently (orReyes for his IPT win)?
 
i was in the gym, working hard on killing my pool game when low and behold speed pool is being shown on espn. I stopped and moved to the cardio section of Ballys and sat and biked for a while to watch. At one point I looked around and found a bunch of folks were watching. As a lifelong pool player, I was disgusted with what I saw but at the same time I was intrigued that it could spark the interest in people who do not play pool. I personally hope it takes off and does well. Anything that can get more $$ into pool is good in my book.

btw I would like to play that red headed guy who was winning some 9ball. He looked beatable imo (and very sweaty).
 
Gregg said:
14K for the Worlds seems high, when nobody in particular is really dumping a ton of money into it. And I've been a spectator the last couple of years, and can tell you that people are not packing the bleachers so to speak.
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I WAS AT THE WORLD 14.1 CHAMPIONSHIPS IN JERSEY, AND THERE WAS LOTS OF EMPTY SEATS THERE AS WELL.......WHAT A SHAME.
 
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