The Best Thing to EVER happen to Pool!

Bigtruck

Capt Diff Lock
Gold Member
Silver Member
Many people thought that by attempting to make pool more mainstream that TV coverage would increase.Well it didn't! They thought that if we make the game faster and luckier that more people would watch, so 9 ball was promoted. They thought let's play 8ball (IPT). People will watch. Neither really worked. TV coverage remains behind and boring.

The greatest thing to happen to pool IMO is Live coverage with real time interaction with the Pros and people AT the event. It just doesn't get much better than a well done live stream!

With the introduction of Ustream and "outside the box" thinkers like the TAR guys, the face of pool is changing rapidly.

We still need sponsors and people that are willing to help to make it all happen, so when you have the chance.....support the guys that are making the streaming happen. Let the sponsors know that it's important to YOU!

Live streaming IS the TODAY and the FUTURE of pool...imo.

Ray
 
I agree Bigtruck... and live streaming is even better when a chat box is available for all the spectators to communicate with each other and with the commentators.

Live streaming is also better than TV as far as pool is concerned b/c otherwise people like me would not have the opportunity to watch tournaments that are being broadcast live in Asia/ Europe.
 
Many people thought that by attempting to make pool more mainstream that TV coverage would increase.Well it didn't! They thought that if we make the game faster and luckier that more people would watch, so 9 ball was promoted. They thought let's play 8ball (IPT). People will watch. Neither really worked. TV coverage remains behind and boring.

The greatest thing to happen to pool IMO is Live coverage with real time interaction with the Pros and people AT the event. It just doesn't get much better than a well done live stream!

With the introduction of Ustream and "outside the box" thinkers like the TAR guys, the face of pool is changing rapidly.

We still need sponsors and people that are willing to help to make it all happen, so when you have the chance.....support the guys that are making the streaming happen. Let the sponsors know that it's important to YOU!

Live streaming IS the TODAY and the FUTURE of pool...imo.

Ray

The coin operated table is the best contemporary thing to happen. Without the bar table we would not be here. Pool would have all but disappeared as pool rooms closed one after another. The pool room is still just hanging on by it's fingernails, the bar table is still the mainstay.
 
Last edited:
Many people thought that by attempting to make pool more mainstream that TV coverage would increase.Well it didn't! They thought that if we make the game faster and luckier that more people would watch, so 9 ball was promoted. They thought let's play 8ball (IPT). People will watch. Neither really worked. TV coverage remains behind and boring.

The greatest thing to happen to pool IMO is Live coverage with real time interaction with the Pros and people AT the event. It just doesn't get much better than a well done live stream!

With the introduction of Ustream and "outside the box" thinkers like the TAR guys, the face of pool is changing rapidly.

We still need sponsors and people that are willing to help to make it all happen, so when you have the chance.....support the guys that are making the streaming happen. Let the sponsors know that it's important to YOU!

Live streaming IS the TODAY and the FUTURE of pool...imo.

Ray
Agree 100%.
Long Live TAR!
 
Bos

I WAS CHATIN ON THE GAME SHOW WITH JIM AND STEVE AND THE ACCUSTATS BUNCH LAST NITE ABOUT ALLTHE STREAMIN WE WATCH AND AS I HAVE SAID BEFORE WE ARE STREAMAHOLICS. SO THEN I SAY WE ARE THE BROTHERHOOD OF STREAMAHOLICS. (BOS). FUNNY AT THE TIME. BUT IF YOU WANT TO USE IT TO START SOMETHIN GO AHEAD.I DON'T KNOW WHAT OR HAVE ANY IDEAS YET BUT MAYBE WE CAN COME UP WITH SOMETHIN HERE.

AKA POOLZILLA:thumbup:


O YEAH AND I AGREE TOTALLY WITH TRUCK !!!!
THIS HAS A BETTER CHANCE OF BEING THE FUTURE OF THE GAME THAN ANY OTHER THING I HAVE SEEN FOR 50 YEARS !!
 
Yes you are correct Ray, when I log on Fridays the first thing I do is scan the forums for anything streaming. Well done streams are amazing to watch and will keep me from being productive for a entire weekend;).
 
Streaming iis IMHO just in it infancy, I see it like an 8 TRACK Music Player, with only good things to come.
 
Many people thought that by attempting to make pool more mainstream that TV coverage would increase.Well it didn't! They thought that if we make the game faster and luckier that more people would watch, so 9 ball was promoted. They thought let's play 8ball (IPT). People will watch. Neither really worked. TV coverage remains behind and boring.

The greatest thing to happen to pool IMO is Live coverage with real time interaction with the Pros and people AT the event. It just doesn't get much better than a well done live stream!

With the introduction of Ustream and "outside the box" thinkers like the TAR guys, the face of pool is changing rapidly.

We still need sponsors and people that are willing to help to make it all happen, so when you have the chance.....support the guys that are making the streaming happen. Let the sponsors know that it's important to YOU!

Live streaming IS the TODAY and the FUTURE of pool...imo.

Ray

i think if they didn't sensor tv matches it might help. 8 ball was a really good idea. i'm betting it got more league players watching

Tar's great and i'd pay for matches more if there was a way i could watch it when wanted. with time differences and what not i'm never sure exactly when the matches are and sometimes it conflicts with work or other plans. maybe if i could buy the match and have access to it/recording of it for 24 hours or something
 
I agree Bigtruck... and live streaming is even better when a chat box is available for all the spectators to communicate with each other and with the commentators.

Live streaming is also better than TV as far as pool is concerned b/c otherwise people like me would not have the opportunity to watch tournaments that are being broadcast live in Asia/ Europe.

i love the chatbox too!
 
I have to agree with "Live Streaming" as being the best thing to happen
to Pool in a long time ... Prior to that would be The Hustler and The Color of Money ...
 
It is the reason that Pat Fleming is in the BCA Hall of Fame.

AccuStats is the best thing that has happened in pool in the last 20+ years.

Sure Streaming Video is what is HAPPENING now, but that is only possible because of the internet. Filming pool matches has been around since the late 80s and that is because of Pat Fleming.

Live streaming of the Pros is great, the commentary is still very amateurish and there is a lot of room for improvement.

The Chat window on the streams is annoying, how many times does it take someone to ask 'who's playing?' or 'what's the score'. Most of the time it is just a social chat.

Web cams in pool rooms have been around for almost 10 year (maybe more) and they still not all that popular.

Streaming is still in its infancy and with the commentary and chat features is a huge improvement over the Web Cams.

Watching pool matches against local short stops and B+ players isn't my idea of entertainment. Watching the same pros over and over will get you to search for something newer. Hearing the same commentators over and over whit their canned responses and consumption that the viewers are watching the match, but really want to be listening to them....
 
Has anyone ever thought about notching up live streaming to say "on the road" international coverage shows? I would love to see a day in the life of Reyes and Bustamante back home in PI be it practicing or just making the circuit to show up at some local action in Manila. Change of scenery to the far away lands and lives of some of today's greatest players on earth would serve the international community well and spike a lot of interest. Just an idea.
 
It is the reason that Pat Fleming is in the BCA Hall of Fame.

AccuStats is the best thing that has happened in pool in the last 20+ years.

Sure Streaming Video is what is HAPPENING now, but that is only possible because of the internet. Filming pool matches has been around since the late 80s and that is because of Pat Fleming.

Live streaming of the Pros is great, the commentary is still very amateurish and there is a lot of room for improvement.

The Chat window on the streams is annoying, how many times does it take someone to ask 'who's playing?' or 'what's the score'. Most of the time it is just a social chat.

Web cams in pool rooms have been around for almost 10 year (maybe more) and they still not all that popular.

Streaming is still in its infancy and with the commentary and chat features is a huge improvement over the Web Cams.

Watching pool matches against local short stops and B+ players isn't my idea of entertainment. Watching the same pros over and over will get you to search for something newer. Hearing the same commentators over and over whit their canned responses and consumption that the viewers are watching the match, but really want to be listening to them....

Tom,

You should add a few "IMO's" to your post! LOL.

The reason people keep asking for the score is because they either just joined the chat or the announcers aren't updating the info often enough.

Infancy for sure, but truly amazing.

No question Pat & Jim have made a major contribution and should be congratulated. They are also on the cutting edge of streaming too! Their commentary is top notch too.

Have a great day!

Ray
 
The score question will be settled when more streamers start to use adobe communicator and/or camtwist. This will happen soon enough. This technology is getting better and cheaper. This is just the beginning. Live streaming and youtube will be the death of pool dvds.
 
Let's see.................

The BEST thing(s) to ever happen to pool........INPO

Pockets.......
Pool halls....
2 piece cues.....
Tournaments....
Leagues......
Pretty girl players..........(my favorite)..... just kidding Dear;)
Bar tables.....
Live streams....
THE WEB!!!!!!......

JMNSHO.........:rolleyes:

td
 
Sorry, but i have to disagree about the bar box being a good thing . The bar box is good for the companies that make them and the room owners and tavern owners who put them in their bars . As far as the game of pool is cocerned they are a double edged sword . On one side you have the chance to play pool at many more locations outside of the '' pool room " than ever before . On the other hand i don't know of too many good players who started out and played mostly on a bar table . The learning curve on a 9-footer is alot higher and transferable to other tables . You can go from big table to bar box very easily . From bar box to 9 footer is a different story . Just mho .
 
Sorry, but i have to disagree about the bar box being a good thing . The bar box is good for the companies that make them and the room owners and tavern owners who put them in their bars . As far as the game of pool is cocerned they are a double edged sword . On one side you have the chance to play pool at many more locations outside of the '' pool room " than ever before . On the other hand i don't know of too many good players who started out and played mostly on a bar table . The learning curve on a 9-footer is alot higher and transferable to other tables . You can go from big table to bar box very easily . From bar box to 9 footer is a different story . Just mho .

I was there. Pool was over as dead as duck pins. Brunswick bowling alleys were taking out the tables and turning the rooms into banquet rooms. I bought out a bowling alley pool room with 12 Gold Crowns for $200.00 a table with the deal being I had to get them out as soon as possible. I put them in storage and it took like 2 years to get rid of them one at a time for an average of maybe $700.00 a table. They turned out to be almost worthless at the time. Most cities had zero places to play pool, none. Without the bar table there would be no pool today, period. It reintroduced the game back into the public and gave it a new foot hold it never would have had. I don't know your age but if you play pool today you owe it to the coin-op table.
 
Last edited:
Pool needs a Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Roger Federer, or the like.

A superstar with the abilty and charisma to break records and elevate the game is desperately needed.

This is what big sponsors want to invest in.
 
Last edited:
I was about 15 when I found out there was a bigger table then a bar box. I had been playing the game since I was 4 years old and I had no idea about the nine foot. Later I found out that it to is the little table. The original pocket billiard table that champions play on was a ten foot. The smaller the table the smaller the game...This means less shots this means less game.

The reason they keep shrinking the tables is cash. They think that by putting more tables per sq ft there is more money.

It is kind of like now, most pool halls feel that if they are off because of the depression they will just raise their prices, and tax the people they still have...lol Pool will die if they keep thinking this way. This is a pure example of bad business by shortsighted fools. They should be charging less to bring in more people. lol This is how you get people to buy the other things you sell. This is how you get the cash. Not by selling them air. (pooltime) Nobody will keep buying it. Soon as they find a cheaper way to entertain themselves they are gone...

The game is entertainment to most people that play. This being said, in order to get people in your place you must compete with the other entertainment out there...

I can get into the movies and take my wife out to a fine dinning experience for what it cost me alone to play the same amount of time...No contest, bye pool hall. Or how about my gym I can go swim for less than 50 dollars a month, bye pool hall. Or how about bowling I can bowl every day for a month and it cost's the same as what it cost me for one eight hour session at the pool hall again, bye pool hall.

Last time I went to play I played one hour and ate a plate of fries had one drink (soda),I got all this for 36 dollars.:rolleyes: No wonder his place is going to be closing. For twenty dollars I could take a bus across LA, go to the beach for eight hours, eat, and take a bus back across LA, and still have some change in my pocket. You really don't understand why people that are not in love with pool don't go play, really you can't figure it out really???

This is what is killing pool, nothing else. It's cause of all the idiots thinking that if they charge more they will make more. I will either see pool take off again, or die in my lifetime. It will be cause of the people that run the pool halls. They are the ones that have the control. Not the pros, not the retailers, or distibuters, or leagues, it's the overpriced pool halls that are in the spot to fix it. If they lower the prices down until they always have full tables, then they will in fact make more money from selling their inventory, but not only that grow/save pool at least that is the issue in the USA.
 
Back
Top