What Pool Really Needs

[JAM]

I just feel with the right promotion (money) coming from a reputable company, where everyone knows they will get paid, the men would take the "tour" more seriously. There would be stipulations on playing in unsanctioned events, also. This would promote wanting to be labeled a "pro." The money would have to be there, though. Let's say a field of only 120 designated pros, based on performance. Just like golf. They'd have to make the cut for an event. Double elimination cutting the field to 64? At the end of the year, the following year's field would be chosen (120). There would have to be an "end of the year" payout, thus promoting playing in all of the events, kind of like in NASCAR. This would take a lot of moolah and organization. But, it would work. All of this would make the "tour" a serious "pro" tour. These mini self invited events would cease, if the big sponsor stipulated to play in only aka "Nextel" events. But the money would have to be there. People would work to be in the 120 designated pros. It could finally be respected. To enter the field of 120, how about a qualifying event at the end of each year for the bottom 30% finishers, allowing new competitors, any and all to compete (with a pretty hefty entry fee) to keep the field serious.

The structure you have brilliantly laid out is almost the exact same structure as the Hilton Tour. Unfortunately, it wasn't advertised ahead of time I think, as well as lack of participation by spectators and pool players. The Hilton Hotels was going to invest a lot of bucks into pool until they realized there was not enough interest to attract spectators and players to the events.

I think the money would come, to include Nextel and others, if something would happen to put pool on the map. That "something" is what I am grappling with.

JAM

 

[Southpaw]

Bottom line is there needs to be a committee formed of trustworthy people who will do the hard work to promote the tour and get the sponsors. But the sponsors are gonna have to see hardwork and dedication from the committee before they will follow. And like it or not, random drug testing should be conducted, just like most other professional sports, and hopefully can help "clean up" the image of pool in most of Americas eyes. Once the tournies start and people see the payouts, kinda like the IPT (except players get paid) then the popularity will grow just as poker did.

Southpaw

 

[thrasher789]

I don't really understand why amateur leagues flourish here in the US while the
pros are left to fend for themselves. Amateur leagues are a dime a dozen while
professional tournaments, that offers chump change and bread crumbs are far
and few in between.

No wonder only a handful aspire to be pros, there's really nothing to look forward
to. Pool here in the US is on life support...

such a true statement, I'm 18 and in love with the game, if one aspired to be pro at a (relatively) young age like 18 would not be a bad idea to kick it into high gear and practice non stop, but for what? It's not even a good living if your one of the best let alone a lower ranked pro

 

[JAM]

such a true statement, I'm 18 and in love with the game, if one aspired to be pro at a (relatively) young age like 18 would not be a bad idea to kick it into high gear and practice non stop, but for what? It's not even a good living if your one of the best let alone a lower ranked pro

I love your avatar!

I used to really enjoy playing pool when I was your age, and I guess I was what you'd call a "social shooter" or "bar banger," but it is when I had the most fun with pool. Enjoy the game to its fullest. You have the best of all pool worlds, as far as I'm concerned.

JAM

 

[Koopa]

Great idea, but what do you play on? A 7ft table or a 9ft table?

This was my point in the other thread. Not trying to start an argument, but the APA players play on 7ft barboxs.

That depends on where you live and what the pool rooms in your area offer in terms of equipment. I know the APA players down here play on 9ft tables.

The pool rooms that I see that are successful and make money are the ones that are located near colleges and universities OR host league teams at their facilities.

This isn't necessarily true either. Sharpshooters in Miami, isn't all that close to a college campus nor does it host a league, but it does very well. I'm not sure what it takes for a poolhall to be successful, but I do know that they treat their regulars very well. And by regulars I don't mean the strong poolplayers, I also mean the faces I see there several times a week that go just to hang out, have drinks and maybe hit some balls.

 

[ceebee]

Maybe a cross section of the game's skill levels would be a good format. The show could be matches between males & females of equally rated skill levels (say a 4 speed), then the next match would be 6-7 speed & the final one 10 speed or above. Man against woman would add a bit to the pie.

Starting with the lesser skilled players, the audience would soon learn Pool is a difficult sport.

Maybe a different set of games too. One week is 15 Ball Rotation, next is Snooker, then 8 Ball. You could also include the sweater's & their comments, especially if there were some waging on the games played.

Maybe some of the matches played by the high school teams around the country, so that folks realize the sport is & can be part of a school's curriculum.

I say try anything & everything

 

[BlackDragon]

pool becomes more popular when just three balls are the thing. Three times as popular as nineball. What a great concept. Why not just put the nineball on the table and whoever pots it can sing and dance and whoever doesnt can get hit on the head with a pool cue. That way, people would love to see it. Dumbing down to meet an audience doesn't work.

 

[MisterBanker]

Pool vs. Poker

Once the tournies start and people see the payouts, kinda like the IPT (except players get paid) then the popularity will grow just as poker did. Southpaw

But it took the innovation of the camera that shows the hole cards before the television poker explosion took off. Watching the old pre pocket cam WSOP events is boring as hell. I don't think there is any technological innovation that could help televised pool reach the same level that poker has. Though it would be neat to see the Derby City Classic covered the way the WSOP is.

Maybe Pat Fleming could work out a deal with ESPN Classic to show some of his out of print videos so they don't repeat the same shows over and over and over again.