the Derby City Classic, ESPN, and the Majors of Pool

[Ih82luz]

What does it take for ESPN to pick up the Derby City Classic?

The Derby City Classic is a Major Pool Tournament.

The Majors of Pool Tournaments (?)

The Mosconi Cup=Ryder Cup
The U.S. Open=The US Open
The Derby City Classic=The Masters
The World Cup of Pool=The British Open

What say YOU!

 

[rhatten]

They'll need to check with Mr Goodmans schedule to see if he can work them in.

R

 

[dnixon]

sponsors and more sponsors major ones like beer/cars/stores/restaurants/toys./companies buying comercial time.thats all

 

[BeiberLvr]

Doesn't Accu-Stats own streaming rights for Derby and the Us Open?

If those tournaments get shown on ESPN or ESPN3, then Accu-Stats doesn't make money.

Unless they give a cut to ESPN. Does ESPN get a cut from Matchroom?

 

[rossaroni]

So, the World Championships are not one of pool's major?

 

[sjm]

The majors are:

World 9-Championships
All Japan Championships
China Open
US Open 9-ball

Next would be:

Derby City Classic 9-ball
World Team Championships
World Cup of Pool
World Pool Masters
CSI US Open 10-ball

Mosconi? Are you kidding? No event that excludes the Asians will ever be a major. The very first measure of a major is an elite feld in which all major pool playing continents are well represented.

 

[oldzilla]

Excuse me, I believe ESPN would want big bucks just to do it.

And probably want top billing over any left overs for another streamer !

Whats wrong with supporting a company that has been in exsistance for long time.

And prosper together. Together is stronger.

Zilla

 

[BeiberLvr]

Excuse me, I believe ESPN would want big bucks just to do it.

And probably want top billing over any left overs for another streamer !

Whats wrong with supporting a company that has been in exsistance for long time.

And prosper together. Together is stronger.

Zilla

ESPN has been around for a long time as well.

Plus they have a greater reach to the general population than Accu Stats.

I've purchased many DVDs and streams from Accu Stats, and will continue to do so, but they aren't helping the sport grow outside of people that are already pool fans.

If I were them I'd let ESPN show a tournament like the US Open in exchange for the rights to the DVDs and set up cost.

Money can still be made through DVD sales, but having a complete monopoly over who gets to see the live show doesn't get the game to the masses.

 

[bdorman]

Derby City Classic (and other tournaments) video production isn't up to ESPN standards. That means ESPN would have to pay the cost of a TV-quality production crew. The costs would far outweigh the revenue.

And as mentioned earlier, that leaves Accu-Stats no incentive to participate. (ESPN is only going to produce/air the Finals matches of each event; not the 5-matches-per-day that Accu-Stats does).

 

[krupa]

What does it take for ESPN to pick up the Derby City Classic?

The Derby City Classic is a Major Pool Tournament.

The Majors of Pool Tournaments (?)

The Mosconi Cup=Ryder Cup
The U.S. Open=The US Open
The Derby City Classic=The Masters
The World Cup of Pool=The British Open

What say YOU!

I agree that the DCC is a pool "major". However, I disagree with your overall list. In particular, the Ryder Cup in golf is not a "Major". It's an exhibition, just like the Mosconi Cup.

The four golf Majors are:
* The Masters
* The US Open
* The Open Championship
* The PGA Championship


As for getting on TV, I don't think regular pool tournaments are very compelling to watch. They are slow (long races), they are slow (rack inspectors), the rules are constantly variable, and there's no compelling reason to cheer for any particular player.

On the other hand, with the Mosconi Cup you're handed someone to cheer for (US or Europe) and the format (short races w/ alternate breaks) makes every shot matter. Last night, when I thought Corey was going to scratch, I was literally yelling at my computer. I'm never that invested during regular tournaments.

So to get on TV, I think someone needs to put together a traveling event similar to the MC.

 

[iusedtoberich]

I believe from reading some of the past WPBA threads, you actually have to PAY ESPN to be on their TV broadcasts. Something like 50 K I think it was, plus, you have to pay for the production of the program (cameramen, lighting, all that stuff, etc.).

All that is AFTER ESPN says its ok to show pool on their channel.

This is not first hand knowledge, just a weak memory of what I read on here over the years.

 

[StraightPoolIU]

The answer is that pool doesn't attract enough viewership in the right demographic to attract the right advertisers to make it profitable for ESPN. Pool is a niche sport with niche appeal and that's ok from my perspective because we have great companies like Accu-Stats to fill the void in the niche market that ESPN doesn't. Remember what an ESPN pool production looks like. It doesn't really appeal to pool players the way Accu-Stats does. ESPN has basic commentary, edited racks, tape delay etc. It's not on the Matchroom production level in my opinion. I'll be happy watching on Accu-Stats and paying their more than reasonable ppv prices. In the case of the Derby it's even better because I can attend in person.

 

[BJTyler]

The majors are:

World 9-Championships
All Japan Championships
China Open
US Open 9-ball

Next would be:

Derby City Classic 9-ball
World Team Championships
World Cup of Pool
World Pool Masters
CSI US Open 10-ball

Along with:

US Open 9 ball
Derby City Classic 9-ball
CSI US Open 10-ball

What you rate as the most elite pool tournaments held on American soil?

Turning Stone? SBE?

I think one would want to define "elite" by the field, prize money, etc...

 

[Bigdogbret]

It takes money. ESPN doesn't need pool, they have NFL, NBA, and MLB to satisfy much larger viewing audiences than pool ever could in this country. I have heard that The Derby City Classic is shown on ESPN Europe and ESPN Asia, but am not sure if that is the case or not.
Sadly, unless pool can find a way to attract the masses, like poker was able to do, we won't be seeing much of it on ESPN.

 

[bdorman]

I believe from reading some of the past WPBA threads, you actually have to PAY ESPN to be on their TV broadcasts. Something like 50 K I think it was, plus, you have to pay for the production of the program (cameramen, lighting, all that stuff, etc.).

All that is AFTER ESPN says its ok to show pool on their channel.

This is not first hand knowledge, just a weak memory of what I read on here over the years.

You can buy airtime on many cable channels; I'm not sure if ESPN is one of them. I doubt it, although of course, anything is available for a price.

The fishing/hunting shows are a good example. They are entirely independent productions. The producers does everything from film the event to sell the adtime to advertisers (the cable channel might keep a few ad spots; it's negotiable). He just buys the time from the cable company; most cable companies have a channel called "Outdoors Channel", etc. exactly for this purpose.

Obviously he makes a profit if the revenues exceed the expenses. But, as opposed to pool, the fishing/hunting segment has a large audience and many well-heeled advertisers looking for a dedicated audience (BassProShops, Cabella's, state Visitor's Bureas, etc.).