I am one of the people who supports pro pool any way I can. I go to at lead one big event each year, and I go to and even enter regional events. I dont plan to win although I enjoy the experience, but truly I am dead money in these. I try to do my part.
I hope someday the top 100 players can make $75k or more per year from tournies and that we can get to a point where paid stay tournies and sponsors are more common.
BUT you have to be reasonable. Pool is a talent, but so is playing Badminton sewing a shirt etc. Just being something done by lots of people wont make it big. Think about it.... Most events that make truly big money are an exception and they are things we dont do everyday (golf as the exception). We dont play hockey and football everyday, we grew up playing it.
Pool is mostly an adult game because of its place in society, bar room, gambling halls etc. You HAVE to get kids playing. I remember going to an event that had a youth division and it had the same 4-8 kids that enter every single one (and that was it). NO TURNOUT.
if you want pool to get big, it wont happen in 3-5 years it will take 15 years. Vendors can help... Start by finding a way to provide pool tables to high schools middle schools and have "pool clubs" just like you have "chess clubs". Give them to the local YMCAs, give them to places like Chuckie cheese (not in the adult beer drinking part either). Have town junior leagues just like soccer and tee-ball.
In my opinion that is the only way pool will get bigger. By the time someone plays, they are in college over 50% of the time. By that point they may enjoy it, but not many are going to start loving it. They will associate it with getting drunk and trying to get laid, not as something that brings back fond memories or has much to offer on its own.
Last point from my ramble.... I tried to get some guys to go shoot pool at lunch the other day since I go shoot at lunch a few times a week.... They said "No, I cant have any beers this early.".... My point is, people dont associate pool as a pass-time usually, they associate it like darts, something to do while drinking. That has to change or at least be augmented before more than a handful of people will make a living at it.
I hope someday the top 100 players can make $75k or more per year from tournies and that we can get to a point where paid stay tournies and sponsors are more common.
BUT you have to be reasonable. Pool is a talent, but so is playing Badminton sewing a shirt etc. Just being something done by lots of people wont make it big. Think about it.... Most events that make truly big money are an exception and they are things we dont do everyday (golf as the exception). We dont play hockey and football everyday, we grew up playing it.
Pool is mostly an adult game because of its place in society, bar room, gambling halls etc. You HAVE to get kids playing. I remember going to an event that had a youth division and it had the same 4-8 kids that enter every single one (and that was it). NO TURNOUT.
if you want pool to get big, it wont happen in 3-5 years it will take 15 years. Vendors can help... Start by finding a way to provide pool tables to high schools middle schools and have "pool clubs" just like you have "chess clubs". Give them to the local YMCAs, give them to places like Chuckie cheese (not in the adult beer drinking part either). Have town junior leagues just like soccer and tee-ball.
In my opinion that is the only way pool will get bigger. By the time someone plays, they are in college over 50% of the time. By that point they may enjoy it, but not many are going to start loving it. They will associate it with getting drunk and trying to get laid, not as something that brings back fond memories or has much to offer on its own.
Last point from my ramble.... I tried to get some guys to go shoot pool at lunch the other day since I go shoot at lunch a few times a week.... They said "No, I cant have any beers this early.".... My point is, people dont associate pool as a pass-time usually, they associate it like darts, something to do while drinking. That has to change or at least be augmented before more than a handful of people will make a living at it.