The Best Way To Make Pool Popular

[THE SILENCER]

have allison fisher play top male players, live on t.v. this will kill two birds with one stone. first, it will prove my point, fisher can beat the men. secondly, it will make pool popular with the masses over night!

 

[Joseph Cues]

That wouldn't be good for Allison's pride.
Pool will never be popular. I just want a men's pro-tour.
This is the plan. ALL top male players get together. Form an organization.
Hire lawyers and business managers/marketers.
Go to ESPN or Fox Sports. Present a tour package.

 

[Troy]

Bernie, bernie, bernie..... I opened your post 'cuz I erroneously thought you may have an idea worth reading. Sadly, I was mistaken. "The best way to make pool popular" ??? I just might agree with you if you suggested it as one of many ways to make pool popular. But to suggest it as the ONLY WAY is simply rediculous.

Obviously you missed the entire "How would the women rank among the men" thread. Try reading it, you just may learn a thing or two.

Troy...~~~ Putting "burned out" bernie back on my ignore list...

have allison fisher play top male players, live on t.v. this will kill two birds with one stone. first, it will prove my point, fisher can beat the men. secondly, it will make pool popular with the masses over night!

 

[Michael Webb]

The sad part about the networks is they don't realize that pool is in the top five family sports. Not as spectators but actual participation. In todays society where family values are low, that is a tremendous kick in a positive direction.

 

[Frank_Glenn]

That wouldn't be good for Allison's pride.
Pool will never be popular. I just want a men's pro-tour.
This is the plan. ALL top male players get together. Form an organization.
Hire lawyers and business managers/marketers.
Go to ESPN or Fox Sports. Present a tour package.

The WPBA pays ESPN to show their tour. At least, that's my impression. I think they then sell comercial time, or some of it. I agree the men need an organized tour, and need someone with a business head to run it. I think some entity other than ESPN would be better. Someone who will just show it and not dictate as to format and rules. Unfortunately, no one is stepping up, and I haven't won the powerball (yet).

 

[BazookaJoe]

GET RID OF THE "POCKET CAM"!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously..........Is the pocket cam not the most ridiculous thing you've ever heard of?
Let's not watch what the player is doing..................NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO..........Let's watch a ball drop in a pocket, and not see how it got there.

 

[hustlefinger]

Unfortunately, no one is stepping up, and I haven't won the powerball (yet).

That’s probably what it will take too. Some pool fanatic to win mega bucks, air match ups on their own station, for their own personal enjoyment. In a sense, a fool with a lot of money and loves pool, …pretty hard to find.

Rick

 

[hustlefinger]

Actually, I’ve always thought pool would be much more popular if the human/personal aspect was present better on TV. For example, look at NFL Films (I believe that’s the name of the company) that film all the highlights of games. And then show them in slow motion with all the sweat and tears. Add a professional announcer with strong voice characteristics and you’ve got drama. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I get goose bumps just listening.

Rick

 

[bruin70]

pool is unpopular because it is boring to watch on tv, and looks easy compared to other sports. not to mention its image.

allison versus whomever will not change this.

 

[bruin70]

The sad part about the networks is they don't realize that pool is in the top five family sports. Not as spectators but actual participation. In todays society where family values are low, that is a tremendous kick in a positive direction.

family recreation(i think it's more family recreation than family sport) is much different than the pro sport, and the demographics involved with either are totally different. the family can buy a 6' table and stick it in their den like they do their dart board set.

if you are trying to draw that family unit into watching the pro game on tv, you still are left with the obstacle of the pro game's inability to entertain for tv.....because the family that has a table in their den is no more interested in the pro game than the family that doesn't.

and no advertizer is going to take a chance on a sport that is splintered and has as bad an image as pool. the women have the best package to offer tv, and they're barely hanging on.

there's no point in ruminating over this old issue. the negatives are too deep and we're in the era of the big sports, which is why a game like pool will flourish in asia and europe long before the USA gets a piece of the pie.

 

[jjinfla]

The sad part about the networks is they don't realize that pool is in the top five family sports. Not as spectators but actual participation. In todays society where family values are low, that is a tremendous kick in a positive direction.

Michael I think you have stated the problem with pool. It is a participation sport. Most people would rather play the game rather than watch someone else play. And paying to watch someone else play is ridiculous to them.

This fact is not missed by the Networks. If people don't watch the telecast then sponsors will not buy time from the networks. If the networks can't sell time then they lose money.

But the pros have no one to blame but themselves because they play in tournaments and very seldom require spectators to pay an admission fee. And of course if people get something for free then they don't think too much of the product. Conversely, if they pay for a product then they give it greater value, respect.

My suggestions from observing pool over the last 5 1/2 years:

Charge admission to anyone entering the pool hall to watch the tournaments. Charge a minimum of $5 for standing room, more for seats. Issue plastic bracelets and only allow people wearing the bracelets near the tournament area.

Produce a program that can be sold at each tournament. Then produce inserts that would have pictures of the players along with their bio. Each insert would have two top ranked players along with 4 lower ranked players. The inserts can then be sold separately to go with the program. With today's technology once the pictures and bio are fed into a computer it would be simple to print out the sheets.

Have a digital camera and printer at the tournaments where the fans can pay to have their picture taken with a pro of their choice. I was in Tampa a couple years ago and they were selling polaroid pictures for $10 a pop. The people were lined up to get them but the person taking the pictures really didn't know how to operate it and the pictures really came out bad. But no one complained.

But from what I have read, the pool industry has been doing the same thing over and over for the past 50 - 75 years and still can't understand why nothing changes.

I myself have recently become burned out with pool and don't watch it on TV much anymore. My game has improved to the point where I am an odds on favorite to come in the money in the tournaments I play in so I basically play for free. And even then I don't bother to compete in too many tournaments.

Jake

 

[drivermaker]

I think in order to make pool more popular you have to be able to draw individuals that don't play the game, into at least TV viewing and eventually into participation of the sport. How? I think it all starts with pro personalities such as the Tiger Woods phenomenon. He's good looking, well dresses, and trancends all races and nationalities. He's well spoken and professional, he's dashing and exciting to watch, although he has been hammered for on screen cursing at times when the microphones have been on, but that's part of the fire that burns within him to win and be a perfectionist. He's also on TV doing multiple commercials for numerous products and gets face recognition, plus he's just damn good. Who are the personalities and faces that anyone outside the pool scene tunes in to watch if they happen to be channel surfing? #1 would be Jeanette Lee...that's it!

In addition to that, professional golf really places an emphasis on 4 major tournaments, maybe 5 if you include the TPC, and again people who don't even play golf tune in to watch those events in tremendously high numbers. What pool tournament is recognized as the #1 tournament that everyone wants to win and covets the most? (there would probably be a lot of controversy within the ranks on any of these) What's #2, #3, or #4. How much hype do ANY of those events get outside the world of pool? Who knows about them besides pool players?

I also think that some TV tournaments preceeded with a lot of hype between the sexes WOULD draw individuals in. It did it with Bobby Riggs and Billie Jean King, it did it with Annika Sorenstam and the PGA tour, and it even pulled big ratings when Joey Buttafuco boxed that female wrestler on TV.
But it starts with the personalities. In golf, there are a lot more names known to the public than just Tiger Woods and they try to create rivalries that draw interest. John McEnroe was probably the best thing that ever happened to tennis because he was so volatile and everyone was a rival. Then Anna Kournikova and the rest of them. Where does any of this occur within pool besides Earl?

 

[blud]

pool

One thing that might make pool popular, is for Bernie to clean up his act, [ cussing and so many meaning less post]and take a break for a spell.Give us a break, bernie....Please....
blud

 

[drivermaker]

One thing that might make pool popular, is for Bernie to clean up his act, [ cussing and so many meaning less post]and take a break for a spell.Give us a break, bernie....Please....
blud

You know Blud, I really respect you for your knowledge, skills, and craftmanship in building cues. You and I have never had cross words or been at odds with each other and I don't want to start. But I am seeing a trend here, just like with Fast Larry, when you get your dander up and have a hard on for someone, you seem to get your radar locked and go on a witchhunt for those individuals at every opportunity you can find. (I'm currently switching onto Stealth mode, radar won't detect)

 

[sjm]

Theatricality Missing from Pool

have allison fisher play top male players, live on t.v. this will kill two birds with one stone. first, it will prove my point, fisher can beat the men. secondly, it will make pool popular with the masses over night!

Silencer, I won't wate more words on your inexplicable hypothesis that Fisher could beat the top men, but you may be on to something here.

In the 70's ABC Wide world of Sports did two pool features, each involving Willie Mosconi.

The first, in 1975 (I think) had Mosconi against Balukas, in what was called "The Challenge of the Sexes", a made for TV event surely conceived in the immeidate aftermath of the immensely successful Bobby Riggs vs Billie Jean King extravaganza that put inter-gender competition in vogue. I remember watching it and yet remember virtually nothing from it. It was, I hate to say, just pool.

The second, in 1978 (I think), had Mosconi vs Minnesota Fats, and though Mosconi, predictably, drilled him, Fats, with his trash talking and story telling and generally dynamic personality, stole the show and turned it into a memorable TV event.

Pool as a game has failed to gain a big TV following, but in part it's because it hasn't had nearly enough great personalities to capture potential viewers' imagintion.

The only truly great personality that women's pool has produced in recent years is Jeanette Lee, who also has the attribute of having been voted the third sexiest female athlete in the world by ESPN. Lee, and only Lee, has become a "name" outside the world of pool. She's also the third ranked player right now. Still, when it comes to the second and third tier sports, the viewing public wants dynamic personalities that transcend their sport, and only Jeanette qualifies.

Televised challenge matches between Lee and the best men might make for great TV. Yes, Jeanette might have less chance of beating the best men than Fisher or Corr, but, as Minnesota Fats demonstrated so well, you can offer great theater even if you lose, just as long as you have enough personality. Still, which men you pick would also be critical. Efren may well be the greatest player the game of pool has ever known, but he lacks charisma, and never looks very excited even after the most remarkable shots or matches. Strickland, despite his antics, would be the best choice. He's talented, handsome and theatrical.

Though it wasn't my favorite pool telecast, one thing I thought the Mosconi Cup had (that other pool events have only occasionally) was very demonstrative behavior by the participants. They got exicted, devastated, and very emotional during the play, and often wore their emotions on their sleeves. The TV production needs to improve, but the Mosconi Cup has a chance to become something big, because the players allow their personalities to come out in an exciting, and theatrical, way.

To sum, the viewing public wants great theater far more than it wants great pool. Until pool can deliver great theater, it will live under the telvision radar.

The greatest example of all this is the once-obscure sport of professional wrestling. In the 70's, rather than worrying
why more people didn't find wrestling interesting as a competitive discipline, the promoters focused on how to make it more theatrical. By doing so, the turned a second, perhaps even third tier sport into something so theatrical that the networks and pay-per-view just had to pay attention.

Message to pool: get theatrical and you'll get attention!

 

[yobagua]

a continuing discussion

As someone who has worked inthe Motion Picture and TV industry for the past 37 years I can tell you that besides all the flashy ideas and crazy innovations you must trust the sport and the people who understand and love it. "Build it and they will come." You dont need stupid gimmicks like the embarrasing cheerleaders vs pro poolplayers or Man vs Woman or Man vs beast bullshit. Like the British have learned with snooker. Show the game at its finest and dig down into the heart of the drama of the game with quality sports journalist.
I cannot tell you how man shows that are tv staples today because it did not get great ratings or public response in the first 15 minutes. 60 minutes, Law and Order, Mash, NYPD Blue, The Tonight Show, etc. Would not have been alive if someone did not stand by its product. Some Junior TV Exec twit with an ADD problem of a 12 year old would have cancelled all these shows in its infant stage. I believe and this is my opinion, that you show the game and the people that make the game great. The players, the cue makers, the coaches, the big gamblers and backers, etc. with honesty. People will learn to understand and feel the game. It takes time and money but it will have a long life. Look at Carom in Europe and its popularity.

Part of the problem is that we underestimate the public. In this fast profit day and age a quick gimmick like Bachelor or Survivor will make big bucks fast. But when a new hip thing comes along that will be in the waste basket. In order for pool to survive I believe it has to work with why you and I fell in love with it in the first place. It is a GREAT game. Lets not underestimate it.

 

[Rickw]

Yobagua,

When you say, "dig down into the heart of the drama of the game with quality sports journalist" do you mean doing in depth interviews? Something like HBO Sports' "Up Close and Personal"? I think something like that would be pretty cool. Some of these players have some interesting personal lives. Look at Jeanette for instance, all the back surgeries she's had. If people realized how much she goes through to be able to play the game, I think they'd be amazed and would tune in more. There are some others that have great stories too, not just the physical problems but how they had to pay their dues.

I also think Grady and the professor's ideas about ring games would be successful on TV as well. I'd certainly like to see them try it at least once or twice to see if it good catch hold. I loved watching it at the DCC tournament on my pc.

Great post Yobagua!

As someone who has worked inthe Motion Picture and TV industry for the past 37 years I can tell you that besides all the flashy ideas and crazy innovations you must trust the sport and the people who understand and love it. "Build it and they will come." You dont need stupid gimmicks like the embarrasing cheerleaders vs pro poolplayers or Man vs Woman or Man vs beast bullshit. Like the British have learned with snooker. Show the game at its finest and dig down into the heart of the drama of the game with quality sports journalist.
I cannot tell you how man shows that are tv staples today because it did not get great ratings or public response in the first 15 minutes. 60 minutes, Law and Order, Mash, NYPD Blue, The Tonight Show, etc. Would not have been alive if someone did not stand by its product. Some Junior TV Exec twit with an ADD problem of a 12 year old would have cancelled all these shows in its infant stage. I believe and this is my opinion, that you show the game and the people that make the game great. The players, the cue makers, the coaches, the big gamblers and backers, etc. with honesty. People will learn to understand and feel the game. It takes time and money but it will have a long life. Look at Carom in Europe and its popularity.

Part of the problem is that we underestimate the public. In this fast profit day and age a quick gimmick like Bachelor or Survivor will make big bucks fast. But when a new hip thing comes along that will be in the waste basket. In order for pool to survive I believe it has to work with why you and I fell in love with it in the first place. It is a GREAT game. Lets not underestimate it.

 

[blud]

opinions

You know Blud, I really respect you for your knowledge, skills, and craftmanship in building cues. You and I have never had cross words or been at odds with each other and I don't want to start. But I am seeing a trend here, just like with Fast Larry, when you get your dander up and have a hard on for someone, you seem to get your radar locked and go on a witchhunt for those individuals at every opportunity you can find. (I'm currently switching onto Stealth mode, radar won't detect)

Hey driver,

My statement was as a joke, to start with.

FUSSIN,

It appears that your doing your best to not make me mad. You have not..Thanks for that. I too do not wish to fuss with anyone.........

I really did mean what I had written, even though it was in a meaningfull manor, and joke at the same time.

Truthfull facts,

Sir,were all intitled to our opinion's. If Bernie would write things with substance, and not use, MF, & FU's, I would not say a word.

There's no trend here. Nor is there a which hunt, as I don't have radar, and an erection for anyone.

This opportunity as you say, this topic needs to be addressed. Some of the other members, sit back and grip about what is said by me, but never go to the source of the problem [bernie] and try to help stop it.You sit back and complain to me, about me..This gives him new fuel....

Fast Larry told lies about me, and it offened me. I put a stop to it, that's all.
Nothing wrong with defending ones reputation.....

As long as Az allows this to happen, it can only become very bad. In my opinion, AZ, seems not to care. Well I do.

If the members here don't complain, it will run as a wild-fire. Proff is in the puddin, as with fast-larry's mess that went on and on, because nothing was done about it.

I feel, [and many others feel the same] that bernie should write facts, and not mis-lead others. Nothing wrong with that. My dander is not up, one bit, as you say.....

What I wrote was honesty on my part.

If we can make pool more popular, bernie needs to curb his MF's and FU's and not tell us as he's done, were nuts or whatever his words were...... He sounds just like larry. A TREND.

Sorry if you don't like what I said about bernie. I could care less if he's offended by my writtings. His words or should I say, his choice of words are not good for the younger folks. I too have used a few bad words here, and from this day forward will refrain from doing so.

Clean it up bernie, if your really sincere about making pool more popular, just clean it up..

Driver, think about this for a few moments, fast/larry's gone, it's been good, peacefull for quite a long time, now we have bernie, who's stinking up the place, now that's a TREND, sir....

I will continue to complain, when he gets out of line. If your turned off by my complaining about his cussing and his lack of substance within his post and many post over and again, please by all means put me on your ignor list.

Think how nice it was, until he started cussing members and posting sometime 5 to 6 times per page?

Do you or anyone else here want there children or grandchildren reading all his MF'S and FU'S, ? I don't.....

This is a fun place and can be better if a lid was put on his mouth.....

I sir, do my best to help all members.

No offence to anyone.
blud

 

[yobagua]

Thanks Rick. I realize it is a general statement about the "dig down deep thing". But you can imagine if you think about it. The great stories that come out of pool. Keith's history as a young phenom. The Richie Florence story. The Louie Roberts story. Rodney Morris' comeback. The Phillipino invasion. Etc, Etc, Etc. These would make great stories as part of the package that comes along with the match. We need real sports journalist. Above and beyond the kind we are getting now. The people on ESPN at the present time dont know the history and meaning of pool and the crew of pool players turned announcers like Incardona just dont do enough homework. I love Billy and Danny and Grady but I think more could be done here. Listen to a guy like Bob Costas and the Bryant Gumbel crew on HBO. All I can say is that they take you to the heart of the game.

 

[dkingofnmkt]

pool IS growing rapidly !!!

The sad part about the networks is they don't realize that pool is in the top five family sports. Not as spectators but actual participation. In todays society where family values are low, that is a tremendous kick in a positive direction.

just to reinforce your statement Michael i belong to an 8-ball league baseed in a town of 70,000 just north of toronto. just last week the mon. night 'b' league started their summer session with a record number of teams.this inhouse league only a few short years ran on 2 nights only, now the room hosts a mon. night 'c' league.a tues night BCA league,a wed night 'b' league and a thurs night draft league durring the regular season.the caliber of play ranges fom beginners to masters and the total membership over those nights is approx. 300.what's really amazing about the tues night summer league is, at best a few yrs back when the league ran on 2 nights there was only 18 teams now there is 22 on 1 night. don't forget this is the off season in canada and there are 2 more league nights just starting. it is also amazing to see the growth of ability as individual players. YES POOL IS GROWING !!!!!