With the prices of entry fees, travel, hotel/motels, and food and drink at an all time high, I can see a lot of the top unsponsored players staying home and just matching up.
The only way to get most top players to tournaments is have them in spot bars like White Diamonds and a few others that have player auctions. Having them in casinos, convention centers, and hotels, put on by promoters, just don't work anymore. Johnnyt
Good post, Johnny.
Yes, more and more players are skipping events for the reason(s) you stated.
Another post states it's the fans--well yes, to a point.
Let's provide an example:
one of the reasons for high salaries in the NBA and PGA
is because fans purchase tickets, gear, and other industry-related items.
Those transactions help to drive the industry as a whole, which aids to create higher payrolls.
However, in pool, you can't just expect fans to start going to more events
(door sales) and buying more pool tables. That's not enough.
Sponsors have to create a marketing scheme in order to expose all the different pool-potential items.
No, it's not up to the pool fans here. The industry as a whole needs to get a boost.
Another post, claims that "American players drop out, and others drop in." So true.
It's not a complete zero-sum game, but like energy that's never lost,
pool is simply finding other areas to "strike."
I've mentioned this before, the pool industry is
not dying,
the market is simply moving (geographically).
Further, the pool industry is changing as technology puts a stamp on the game and how pools processes are run--
just like other endeavors that technology has its hold on.
Again, good post, Johnny.
More people need to realize what's really going on in the world of pool
and quit complaining about what needs to be done to resurrect U.S. pool.
What you see is what you're getting. A decline in the U.S. of pool participation among the pros.
Again, for the reason(s) you stated above.
