In response to the recent thread about having a new tour, it gets me thinking about what does pool really need?
I think most people would agree that pool players are not making enough money doing what they are good at, and they are the ones putting on the show. So, there is no question in my mind that our pros need to get paid much more than they do now.
In order to make pool popular, what else do pool need?
Other than paying pool players more, what else do we need to do, to create the popularity that pool/snooker has in Asia, and in the UK.
I would think some government sponsorship would help a great deal. But I also know that the chance of that happening is very slim.
I know in China now snooker players get paid a monthy salary so they can focus on practising and playing tournaments. I also know that XiaoTing Pan gets paid all her expenses, including that for a coach, by the Chinese government, and she gets to keep all her winnings. Ding is now a top snooker player in the world, and Pan is the World Champion.
Pool can be an interesting sports, look at all the live TV coverage in Asia and the UK of pool tournaments. People are all the same all over the world, so, it can be a very interesting sport to watch in the US as well.
My question is what, realistically, can the rest of us do, to promote pool, and make things hapen?
Thank you.
Richard
I think most people would agree that pool players are not making enough money doing what they are good at, and they are the ones putting on the show. So, there is no question in my mind that our pros need to get paid much more than they do now.
In order to make pool popular, what else do pool need?
Other than paying pool players more, what else do we need to do, to create the popularity that pool/snooker has in Asia, and in the UK.
I would think some government sponsorship would help a great deal. But I also know that the chance of that happening is very slim.
I know in China now snooker players get paid a monthy salary so they can focus on practising and playing tournaments. I also know that XiaoTing Pan gets paid all her expenses, including that for a coach, by the Chinese government, and she gets to keep all her winnings. Ding is now a top snooker player in the world, and Pan is the World Champion.
Pool can be an interesting sports, look at all the live TV coverage in Asia and the UK of pool tournaments. People are all the same all over the world, so, it can be a very interesting sport to watch in the US as well.
My question is what, realistically, can the rest of us do, to promote pool, and make things hapen?
Thank you.
Richard