The Key to Making Pool Mainstream

[BeiberLvr]

So I'm sitting here watching an old match between Strickland and Drago, and who should show up in the crowd, but the greatest most hilarious comedian to ever grace this great chunk of rock floating around in space.

That's right ladies and gentlemen...the one...the only...the "Original Ginger", CARROT TOP!!

It's what this sport has been lacking for so long now. Too many people have been trying to make pool players into celebrities, but nobody outside of pool cares who SVB is.

We need to get more high profile celebrities to show interest in the sport, and then their fans will gain interest, AND THEN SVB will become well known outside of the pool community.

I mean the biggest wedding of our generation just happened, and it was a perfect opportunity to gain mass exposure. Imagine if at the wedding, Kanye played Ray J a race to 100 one pocket, and the winner got to keep Kim Khardashian. Oh my, how the masses would have flocked to see that.

We mustn't let these opportunities pass us by, else we stand to lose everything we believe in.

 

[Allen Brown]

Thats not carrot top.

 

[spartan]

So I'm sitting here watching an old match between Strickland and Drago, and who should show up in the crowd, but the greatest most hilarious comedian to ever grace this great chunk of rock floating around in space.

That's right ladies and gentlemen...the one...the only...the "Original Ginger", CARROT TOP!!

It's what this sport has been lacking for so long now. Too many people have been trying to make pool players into celebrities, but nobody outside of pool cares who SVB is.

We need to get more high profile celebrities to show interest in the sport, and then their fans will gain interest, AND THEN SVB will become well known outside of the pool community.

I mean the biggest wedding of our generation just happened, and it was a perfect opportunity to gain mass exposure. Imagine if at the wedding, Kanye played Ray J a race to 100 one pocket, and the winner got to keep Kim Khardashian. Oh my, how the masses would have flocked to see that.

We mustn't let these opportunities pass us by, else we stand to lose everything we believe in.

OMG, pool is already at low point and you want to bring in KimKanye?
While pool stars are desperadoes and will go for freebies like buy 1 get 1 free, I am sure they will reject this offer. Or I may be mistaken

 

[Ty-Tanic]

I think celebrities wouldn't help the game of pool. If anything it might damage it even more. There is way to much drama and BS that circles celebrities to have a positive influence on the game. Now if celebrities were to just attend say the Mosconi Cup it might bring awareness to the game which would help get people more interested in the game. I have been thinking of a good way to try to get billiards out into the world more. I want to try talking to some schools in my area and see if they would be interested in setting up some kind of afterschool program/club.

 

[lost]

I think celebrities wouldn't help the game of pool. If anything it might damage it even more. There is way to much drama and BS that circles celebrities to have a positive influence on the game. Now if celebrities were to just attend say the Mosconi Cup it might bring awareness to the game which would help get people more interested in the game. I have been thinking of a good way to try to get billiards out into the world more. I want to try talking to some schools in my area and see if they would be interested in setting up some kind of afterschool program/club.

For disabled kids I'm assuming? Otherwise it will go over like a lead balloon. Why would you want kids taking up a sedentary indoor game before they have to? You'd have a better chance suggesting badminton or horse shoes.

 

[Ty-Tanic]

For disabled kids I'm assuming? Otherwise it will go over like a lead balloon. Why would you want kids taking up a sedentary indoor game before they have to? You'd have a better chance suggesting badminton or horse shoes.

I was thinking that it could appeal to both men and women. It would also give kids the opportunity to play a sport that isn't contact based like football ect. It is also a very mental game so it can help in different areas of life. I know that if my high school would have offered something like this I would have been all over it. It can't hurt to try. Doing nothing isn't going to do anything for the game. The worse that could happen is I get shot down. You really don't see any benefit for high school students?

 

[ROB.M]

Post

What ever happened to the " big thing " that was supposed to be happening for pool......?
I recall some time ago on the forums that there was supposed be some " big " announcement....did I miss it or did "it" crash along with BB....?


Rob.M

 

[Allen Brown]

It crashed and never happened.

 

[spartan]

What ever happened to the " big thing " that was supposed to be happening for pool......?
I recall some time ago on the forums that there way supposed be some " big " announcement....did I miss it or did "it" crash along with BB....?


Rob.M

"Big Thing" ? That Steve Ballmer would pump in millions to fund all tournaments LOL
He would rather grossly overpaid for a basketball team than throw good money after bad in pool :grin:

 

[lost]

I was thinking that it could appeal to both men and women. It would also give kids the opportunity to play a sport that isn't contact based like football ect. It is also a very mental game so it can help in different areas of life. I know that if my high school would have offered something like this I would have been all over it. It can't hurt to try. Doing nothing isn't going to do anything for the game. The worse that could happen is I get shot down. You really don't see any benefit for high school students?

You're obviously a good sport, and I apologize for the somewhat rude wording of my 1st post....but very few parents are going to embrace efforts to get kids to play pool after school. Realistically most parents want their kids to stay away from the pool hall period. Now if you mean kids that have nowhere else to go after school, and they have ping pong and pool tables, etc....your idea might fly. Anyway I'm an oldtimer so what do I know. But I can tell you for sure....if I could have the hours I spent in my youth hanging around pool halls, bowling alleys, and bars back I would do it in an instant. At my age now....I can play pool all I want :wink:

 

[Ty-Tanic]

You're obviously a good sport, and I apologize for the somewhat rude wording of my 1st post....but very few parents are going to embrace efforts to get kids to play pool after school. Realistically most parents want their kids to stay away from the pool hall period. Now if you mean kids that have nowhere else to go after school, and they have ping pong and pool tables, etc....your idea might fly. Anyway I'm an oldtimer so what do I know. But I can tell you for sure....if I could have the hours I spent in my youth hanging around pool halls, bowling alleys, and bars back I would do it in an instant. At my age now....I can play pool all I want :wink:

You do make a very good point I must say and apology accepted . I just want so badly to do something for the game of pool that could help it get recognized more or give it respect. I talk to my friends about it and get them to come out and shoot with me but I want to be able to do something big. It just seems like pool isn't taken seriously anymore when it should be. It is one of the hardest sports in my opinion to master, but unfortunately it seems more like a bar game now. But I am not going to give up on the game. Cheers

 

[Lucky_Lew66]

I posted about the getting some stars involved in the game and getting it in the schools also about a year ago. If we could get guys like Jordan playing pool or some hot female star, people might notice the game more and follow it maybe. Kind of like dancing with the stars. Have Earl and Kim Kardasheon team up against SVB and Halle Berry or something. Actually they did try this type of pro am deal with some of the pro football players i think and it didnt fly, Probably because it wasnt done for long enough. We need to make Micheal Jordan as good as SVB then it would sell. lol

 

[lost]

I posted about the getting some stars involved in the game and getting it in the schools also about a year ago. If we could get guys like Jordan playing pool or some hot female star, people might notice the game more and follow it maybe. Kind of like dancing with the stars. Have Earl and Kim Kardasheon team up against SVB and Halle Berry or something. Actually they did try this type of pro am deal with some of the pro football players i think and it didnt fly, Probably because it wasnt done for long enough. We need to make Micheal Jordan as good as SVB then it would sell. lol

You got me. At first I thought you were serious. :grin:

 

[frigopie]

I will tell you what does not: the wide T-shirts players use in bonus ball, looks like a melt between NFL and circus

 

[Bella Don't Cry]

What wedding did I miss? :thumb up:

 

[jay helfert]

The "next big thing" was a pool reality show or maybe even more than one. Unfortunately it's not that easy to sell a new show to a television network. That does not mean it isn't going to happen though. Stay tuned. :wink:

 

[Sedog]

Let me state that I do not know the answer but, I think the problem is the image most people have of pool. As I see it, people see pool as follows:
Pool tables are located in dark smokey bars with spittoons in every corner.
Players are always bragging about hustling some dude out of $ xx bucks.
Most pool rooms still allow smoking.
Dads remember their youth, hanging out in bars and pool halls smoking, drinking and hustling or being hustled.
Earl the Pearl throwing tantrums on tv. (Great player but,....)

Most parents want their kids to have a better life than theirs and will not accept or encourage them to be expose to smoking, drinking and gambling. This is the image some parents have of pool. As most of us know it isn't entirely true but, some of it is.

 

[336Robin]

Gain Local Interest

I haven't read all of the other replys but I think the key to Making Pool Mainstream is first make it local stream by creating local interest.

The best way that I can think of how to do this is get more people involved.

One way of doing that is promoting Doubles Events. Doubles Events get 4 people per table involved and there is an air of suspense at Doubles Events which makes them more watchable.

Also Ring Game Type Tournaments.

Lastly but this is something Room Owners would have to do and that is invite groups in to play a day for free but loosely organize their play so they have fun.

 

[Johnnyt]

For a start, why don't promoters that swear there is no money at the gate for tournaments send out invitations to known stars from other sports, movies, TV, and just plain famous people that play pool as a hobby? Have someone like the "Black Widow" do a short interview with some of them. Give the stars a lot of camera time in the beginning and see how fast mainstream will tune in to hear and watch the hobby of their favorite stars. Johnnyt

 

[JoeW]

I tend to agree with 336 Robin. Over the years the teams with two or three people seemed to draw more people and they seemed to have the most fun. It is easy enough to have two or more flights with lower handicapped in one flight and better players in a second flight.

The key is advertising. When you get around league players I found it surprising how many of them held good jobs where they could ask their company or provide sales leads for advertising. It is essential that these venues have sales people who solicit advertisers. Pool will grow when local advertisers support us.

To grow the sport we have to go where the players are now.