TV? Foget About It

.........................................................................
 
Last edited:
sjm said:
I think the entire argument is moot. I don't think it matters how pool is presented on TV, as long as it is on TV and doesn't present poolplayers as lowlife gamblers, because any telecast gives the sport recognition, and brings pool as a sport into the consciousness of viewers. Most viewers, including this one, could care less how long the races are, and don't much care what game is being played.

At least here in the USA, pool's biggest problem right now is the seedy image of the poolroom which, far too often, robs the pool scene of the youthful and the affluent, the two demographic groups that combine to hold the key to the future of the sport. Suggesting that TV has failed in its attempts to place pool in a positive light for viewers is, to me, very short-sighted, because until poolrooms follow suit and make their establishments a) the kind of place that the affluent will feel comfortable in, and b) the kind of place that parents will permit their kids to patronize, nothing TV can do will be enough to sell pool to those demographic groups.

One thing that helps poker's image a lot is the presence of so many well-educated, successful people in its highest ranks. Lawyers, CPA's, financiers, and stock/commodity/options traders, pop up on a regular basis on the poker telecasts I watch. Pool, still viewed by most as a game catering to the less affluent, does not enjoy this advantage.

In short, televised pool can be brought down to the level of the poolroom but I, personally, would hate to see that happen. My hope for the future is that the poolroom can stop negating the TV or internet message that pool is a game suitable for all, and not a game in which the gambling/hustler types will be far too numerous to steer clear of.

Just one man's opinion.
Click to expand...

the real problem with pool on tv is just the fact that as a spectator sport pool is just boring to watch unless you already love the game (even then sometimes...). there all these millions of recreational players that play weekly who dont have a clue who the professional players are and thats your fan base? you think i am wrong here just go to your poolhall and take a poll and you'll find out. i dont think pool will ever be popular on tv no matter what we do. internet streaming, now i think thats the future. even thought the technology isnt perfect yet you still get to see live matches.


"I have no explanation why races for TV are not longer. They already edit the shorter races for the one hour granted for a telecast, so what difference the race length makes to the network is beyond me. Why does it matter how long the race is, they will still only have time to show about the same number of complete games. So just show highlights and recap the games being edited out like they do already. I just don't get why the race length matters to television"

the production companies charge wbpa etc by the hour. the longer the race the more the cost to produce, even if its all edited down to an hour or whatever. short race=less money to produce

brian
 
pocketspeed said:
the real problem with pool on tv is just the fact that as a spectator sport pool is just boring to watch unless you already love the game (even then sometimes...). there all these millions of recreational players that play weekly who dont have a clue who the professional players are and thats your fan base? you think i am wrong here just go to your poolhall and take a poll and you'll find out. i dont think pool will ever be popular on tv no matter what we do. internet streaming, now i think thats the future. even thought the technology isnt perfect yet you still get to see live matches.


"I have no explanation why races for TV are not longer. They already edit the shorter races for the one hour granted for a telecast, so what difference the race length makes to the network is beyond me. Why does it matter how long the race is, they will still only have time to show about the same number of complete games. So just show highlights and recap the games being edited out like they do already. I just don't get why the race length matters to television"

the production companies charge wbpa etc by the hour. the longer the race the more the cost to produce, even if its all edited down to an hour or whatever. short race=less money to produce

brian
Click to expand...

How about this. Golf has a large audience, pros make lots of money, amateurs support the game and TV shows the events live. Maybe its because...... they are televising more than 1 hole and more than 2 Golfers playing at a time for the entire show and the game they are playing requires posting a score that the audience can relate to. When its over you can play and see how your game stacks up against the pros you just watched.

How do you do this in pool?
 
pocketspeed said:
the real problem with pool on tv is just the fact that as a spectator sport pool is just boring to watch unless you already love the game (even then sometimes...). there all these millions of recreational players that play weekly who dont have a clue who the professional players are and thats your fan base? you think i am wrong here just go to your poolhall and take a poll and you'll find out. i dont think pool will ever be popular on tv no matter what we do. internet streaming, now i think thats the future. even thought the technology isnt perfect yet you still get to see live matches.
Click to expand...

100% agree, though at SJM's poolhall, it might be a different story. Most at Amsterdam are fairly/very knowledgeable.

But I do disagree with SJM. Presentation is EVERYTHING. Just showing pool isnt enough to draw people/sponsors in.

I think Matchroom Sports does a pretty good job with their film work/quality. Though their graphics need an extreme makeover.
 
pocketspeed said:
the real problem with pool on tv is just the fact that as a spectator sport pool is just boring to watch unless you already love the game (even then sometimes...). there all these millions of recreational players that play weekly who dont have a clue who the professional players are and thats your fan base? you think i am wrong here just go to your poolhall and take a poll and you'll find out. i dont think pool will ever be popular on tv no matter what we do. internet streaming, now i think thats the future. even thought the technology isnt perfect yet you still get to see live matches.
Click to expand...

You might be right, but there's something I'm just not convinced about. Take golf for instance. It's even more boring to watch than pool. Sometimes it takes a guy over 5 minutes for one shot, and the rest of the footage is him walking to follow his ball around. It's really not a spectator sport either, and yet it's done fantastic on TV.

Is it's success due to the sports image, the large fan base, or the huge dollars behind it?
 
Good question. I play golf and I enjoy watching it on TV just because as a golfer it interests me to watch a professional swing a golf club. I'm not sure this translates into watching a pro pool player stroke the cue ball. It is also inherently more picturesque than most sports.

One other important factor is that golf is LIVE!

Also, most other sports that are televised are more interactive and dynamic, meaning that both competitors are involved at the same time. Even in golf, because they have cameras all over the course, what one leader is doing can immediately be followed by what the other leader is doing, even if he is on a different hole. But pool is naturally less dramatic. It is not dynamic between the competitors. No matter what one competitor is doing, the other is not doing anything while he is sitting in his chair.

Yes, I think the dollars have something to do with it. How golf evolved into such a big money sport is another question, but the fact remains that there is something more compelling about watching what many consider a boring sport on television, when there is $1,000,000 at stake.
 
Last edited:
DogsPlayingPool said:
Good question. I play golf and I enjoy watching it on TV just because as a golfer it interests me to watch a professional swing a golf club. I'm not sure this translates into watching a pro pool player stroke the cue ball. It is also inherently more picturesque than most sports.

One other important factor is that golf is LIVE!

Also, most other sports that are televised are more interactive and dynamic, meaning that both competitors are involved at the same time. Even in golf, because they have cameras all over the course, what one leader is doing can immediately be followed by what the other leader is doing, even if he is on a different hole. But pool is naturally less dramatic. It is not dynamic between the competitors. No matter what one competitor is doing, the other is not doing anything while he is sitting in his chair.
Click to expand...
What if they made pool a little more like Hockey?

BVal
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top