Strong opinion: Dress Codes Needed

justadub

Rattling corners nightly
Silver Member
And for continuity my take on that was reacting to this earlier response from Justadub.

And also for continuity sake, I was meaning everyone playing in a streamed event, or an event that is trying to attract sponsors, especially sponsors from outside the pool industry. That was the primary focus of my point, attracting sponsors.

Decent pants and polos certainly aren't necessary for hanging out in the pool room, I don't wear that when I go to shoot pool. But it wouldn't be difficult for me to wear a polo to shoot in, were it an appropriate event for that. I do not understand how it could be construed as uncomfortable. Not suggesting dress shirts, or anything fancier. Decent pants don't have to be "slacks", a decent pair of black jeans would very likely pass most any dress code scenario. Aren't jeans considered comfortable by most?
And yes, get off my lawn :)
 

Cuedup

Well-known member
I
Make that one of two ;)
I dont whine about it but Id like to see pros make more, more people want to emulate them and more people want to play pool.

I'm sitting in a nine table room in a highly populated area on a Friday afternoon hoping someone comes in and wants to shoot some pool.
 

rexus31

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I’m in the mindset that judging that someone should dress their age is preceded by the assumption that there’s a universal standard of how people should look. I think it comes down to a difference between those that value tradition and those that value novelty. I think the only reason Dennis gets to dress the way he does is because of the pool player lifestyle. He doesn’t have a boss and an office and certain funnel of expectations many of us get shoved down. I embrace the choices of self expression he gets to make in that setting.

Either way. I do think there is probably more common ground in this discussion that not. And I do see that you’ve been emphasizing that. I’ve likely been a bit more combative in my responses due to the fact I am taking the more defiant stance. At this point I’m recognizing there’s no need for that on my end.
Very good point and I believe here eenlies the root of the issue. True, Dennis is an independent contractor and can make his own choices as are pro golfers and pro tennis players. The big difference? Golf and tennis have player's associations (bosses, so to speak) that were formed (by the players) for many reasons and one of the outcomes was certain standards when it comes to appearance. Pool players have fought (or royally screwed up) this type of collaboration for decades. I don't understand the mentality of not wanting to band together and hold one another accountable for their betterment, financial and otherwise. This goes beyond attire. IMO, for pool to be "mainstream" and enter into relationships with sponsors equaling millions of dollars, there has to be a governing player's association of some type in place to set the standards and its members be accountable to those standards. Until this happens, we're just spinning our wheels.
 

The_JV

'AZB_Combat Certified'
This goes beyond attire. IMO, for pool to be "mainstream" and enter into relationships with sponsors equaling millions of dollars, there has to be a governing player's association of some type in place to set the standards and its members be accountable to those standards. Until this happens, we're just spinning our wheels.
Without question... I'm not in the pro loop so I have zero idea if a player's association is something that's even on white board in the grand schemes of things.

Again though, I'll roll back to the low hanging fruit that really shouldn't require an 'association' mandate to improve the image of the pro game. A style of dress indicative of what the masses would consider "professional".
 

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
If you walk into a pool hall one after noon, you are free to wear whatever you like.
.
.
Most of your post was excellent, but I really don't agree here. When a pro walks in to a poolroom, whether they are a teaching or touring pro, it is an extension of their place of business, and they should present themselves tastefully, because the image of the poolroom quickly translates to the image of the sport.
 

MitchAlsup

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Most of your post was excellent, but I really don't agree here. When a pro walks in to a poolroom, whether they are a teaching or touring pro, it is an extension of their place of business, and they should present themselves tastefully, because the image of the poolroom quickly translates to the image of the sport.
I have to agree with you here, but my response was targeted towards the person who started this thread, rather than a professional who is ALWAYS representing pool where ever they may be. Sorry.
 
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justnum

Billiards Improvement Research Projects Associate
Silver Member
How about creating a pool style guidelines.
Many bar patrons can use tips for how to up their style game as well as their billiard game.

For some the pool room is a place right after work, meaning no time to change.
While for others they are there all day.

Pool rooms should be clear about the type of establishment they want to be. The style guidelines should be promoted by pool rooms.

FillerFashion.png
 

Bob Jewett

AZB Osmium Member
Staff member
Gold Member
Silver Member
... Again, this isn't the World Pool Masters by Matchroom. ...
And just for the record this is what that is like:

The players are all wearing specially designed shirts mostly shaded dark to light diagonally but some are solid. They have their name on the left collar, their country's flag on the right collar and their last name in big letters up their back. They have up to four sponsor logos on the front including Dafabet, the title sponsor. It looks like the players have two or three of the front logo locations for their personal sponsors. Everyone has an "OnBoard" logo on the right shoulder, whatever that is.

The refs have similar shirts with Predator and Dafabet logos.
 
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CJ Wiley

ESPN WORLD OPEN CHAMPION
Gold Member
Silver Member
Men should wear suits when they play with an optional tie if we are ever going to get noticed by the mainstream public. Snooker players have been successful since I can remember and have ALWAYS had a stellar dress code......we should take notice and learn from what really works well!
 

CocoboloCowboy

Cowboys are my hero's
Silver Member
Men should wear suits when they play with an optional tie if we are ever going to get noticed by the mainstream public. Snooker players have been successful since I can remember and have ALWAYS had a stellar dress code......we should take notice and learn from what really works well!

Sorry CJ you are preaching to those who do not want change.

Dress in a suit is like speaking in Greek to most pool players.
 

straightline

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
How about creating a pool style guidelines.
Many bar patrons can use tips for how to up their style game as well as their billiard game.

For some the pool room is a place right after work, meaning no time to change.
While for others they are there all day.

Pool rooms should be clear about the type of establishment they want to be. The style guidelines should be promoted by pool rooms.

View attachment 596179
This is what happened to pool sticks. Please stop the madness.
 

logical

Loose Rack
Silver Member
Men should wear suits when they play with an optional tie if we are ever going to get noticed by the mainstream public. Snooker players have been successful since I can remember and have ALWAYS had a stellar dress code......we should take notice and learn from what really works well!
I'm not sure that's realistic or even desirable. That brand of pool is long gone and the time gap, where pool disappeared from the eyes of the general is large. It needs a fresh start. It needs to be a product packaged for visual media.

Pool obviously isn't golf but that's the look it should strive for.



Sent from my SM-T830 using Tapatalk
 

jokrswylde

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Men should wear suits when they play with an optional tie if we are ever going to get noticed by the mainstream public. Snooker players have been successful since I can remember and have ALWAYS had a stellar dress code......we should take notice and learn from what really works well!

Didn't you play on a stream against Efren in jeans, a t-shirt, cowboy hat, and snakeskin boots?

No suit, bit looked perfectly acceptable to me...:)
 

MattPoland

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Men should wear suits when they play with an optional tie if we are ever going to get noticed by the mainstream public. Snooker players have been successful since I can remember and have ALWAYS had a stellar dress code......we should take notice and learn from what really works well!
Just clarifying. Would you keep the Matchroom events in stylish jerseys with sponsor logos like we are now? Would you switch them to suits? Or would you say that brand of event doesn’t have a place in pool.
 

CJ Wiley

ESPN WORLD OPEN CHAMPION
Gold Member
Silver Member
Sorry CJ you are preaching to those who do not want change.

Dress in a suit is like speaking in Greek to most pool players.
I'll bet anyone $1000-$10,000 the game will be played in suits before the end of the year. Not just played, but for more money than is presently being offered for major tournaments for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place.

I showed some people that have private planes and helicopters how we used to dress in the 90s, with suits and they LOVED IT!!
We did research and found the only people that get more respect and admiration than men in suits is men in Police uniforms.

The Game is the Teacher
 

CJ Wiley

ESPN WORLD OPEN CHAMPION
Gold Member
Silver Member
Just clarifying. Would you keep the Matchroom events in stylish jerseys with sponsor logos like we are now? Would you switch them to suits? Or would you say that brand of event doesn’t have a place in pool.
Matchroom has a niche, I wouldn't expect them to change anything in the near future.
 

HawaiianEye

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I'll bet anyone $1000-$10,000 the game will be played in suits before the end of the year. Not just played, but for more money than is presently being offered for major tournaments for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place.

I showed some people that have private planes and helicopters how we used to dress in the 90s, with suits and they LOVED IT!!
We did research and found the only people that get more respect and admiration than men in suits is men in Police uniforms.

The Game is the Teacher
I wouldn’t suggest they wore police uniforms.

The players may be defunded worse than they are now! :)
 
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