What Wrong With The Game We Love?

storke

storke

One Pocket Player
Silver Member
I ask this question because as i sit here i cant seem to come up with a good answer. I'm asking you all out there to help me get a better grasp on the situation. Why is it we cant have a successful men's pool tour? I mean in my view the BCA does a better job of marketing and promoting their product. And that's for a amateur league. In the past i felt there were just to many governing bodies. I'm not so sure that can take all the blame now. Do you feel that its just not appealing to a large media source? Well whatever your thoughts i look forward to hearing them.;)
 
I really do not think you want to hear my answer. Pool has a BAD IMAGE IMHO. The (2) Greatest Pool movies of all time Hustler, and Color of Money show the DARK SIDE of pool very well.

The Dark Side I referred to is the real side IMHO. Remove that factor, and Pool could become a great Amateur, and Pro sport with corporate sponsorship like NASCAR.
beatdeadhorse.gif
 
i think it is possible to market the game successfully, right now there is one answer to your question.... kevin treadow is what is wrong with the game. he raised skepticism and lowered hope to unrecoverable levels. i would say wait 10 years to even have a CHANCE at promoting a very good, successful tour at this point.

god, do i ever look forward to the day however when we are all watching two great players live on a sunday afternoon battle it out in a race to 6 one pocket match playing for a million for 1st, haha, doesn't it put a smile on your face just to think of it.
 
storke said:
I ask this question because as i sit here i cant seem to come up with a good answer. I'm asking you all out there to help me get a better grasp on the situation. Why is it we cant have a successful men's pool tour? I mean in my view the BCA does a better job of marketing and promoting their product. And that's for a amateur league. In the past i felt there were just to many governing bodies. I'm not so sure that can take all the blame now. Do you feel that its just not appealing to a large media source? Well whatever your thoughts i look forward to hearing them.;)
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Because there is no structure. 99.99% of pro players will not raise their children here in the states to be a pool player, WHY because its a dead end road financially...for now. It would be no different than going to school to build skyscrapers, getting a degree then moving to a remote island and expect to make a living, it ain't gonna happen, logic is difficult to refute, there's a herd of great players here in the states WORKIN'.
 
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storke said:
I ask this question because as i sit here i cant seem to come up with a good answer. I'm asking you all out there to help me get a better grasp on the situation. Why is it we cant have a successful men's pool tour? I mean in my view the BCA does a better job of marketing and promoting their product. And that's for a amateur league. In the past i felt there were just to many governing bodies. I'm not so sure that can take all the blame now. Do you feel that its just not appealing to a large media source? Well whatever your thoughts i look forward to hearing them.;)
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It is not a popular sport to watch on TV in this country where the "major" sports like football, basketball, baseball, hockey compete for and win the viewers' limited time.

The fan base or personal attendance at most pro tournaments is ULTRA small so that you see plenty of empty seats even at the BCA in Vegas where there are 8,000 ACTIVE pool players within a hundred yards of the pro tournaments.

I have no clue why that is.

But due to a lack of available TV money, no organization has ever been able to become a SINGLE governing body such as the NFL, NBA, NHL etc.

What we have had is a fragmented conglomeration of organizations...none of which have much power due to the lack of funding.

The exception is the WPBA. But the men have been pretty notorious in their inability to agree on a lot of things and no one central governing body has ever evolved.

If there was enough MONEY in it, then the entities would evolve. Start paying out $100k 1st place money and also pay proportionately down to 10-15th place and YOU can be the governing body of pro pool and every male player would join your organization exclusively...in a heartbeat.

But that has not happened (successfully) in the modern era and I doubt that it ever will...in America...for the reasons cited above. There just aren't enough people who care to buy tickets to the events or to watch on TV.

I think the highest ratings in recent years was the women's BCA last year that drew less than 600,000 households as viewers....out of what?...100 MILLION households?

I don't mean to suggest that pro pool is dead because it is not and never will be. But what it is...in America...is small niche sport that will get on TV in tape replay fashion and not make a ton of money for the producers of the events.

So, it is and will remain like bass fishing programming...here forever...modest profits...only a few pros making a living.

Just my $0.02

Regards,
Jim
 
Sorry, but once again I have to disagree with those who think that it's the image of the game that is holding it back. If the game was hugely popular and there was money to be made at the corporate level by sponsoring it, the image of the game wouldn't matter one iota.

There is no corporate sponsorship because there is no money to be made, and that is simply because the sport cannot compete with other sports that have fast-paced, constant action, and require little or no knowledge of the sport to follow the action. Pool is too subtle as a spectator sport to gain wide enough popularity, especially in the culture of the U.S., and that is the overriding reason why the game is not successful at the professional level, IMO.
 
The strange thing is, I have never met anyone that would rather watch the Pro women than the Pro men... It's not like there is a ton of sex appeal in the top 10 women... I hope someone finds a way to make a Mens tour happen
 
The bigger the playing field (literally), the bigger the interest! Pool is just too small an arena and a little boring to follow, if you are not a pool player, a gambler, enthuesiest or know someone who plays at a high level....
 
PoolBum said:
Sorry, but once again I have to disagree with those who think that it's the image of the game that is holding it back. If the game was hugely popular and there was money to be made at the corporate level by sponsoring it, the image of the game wouldn't matter one iota.

There is no corporate sponsorship because there is no money to be made, and that is simply because the sport cannot compete with other sports that have fast-paced, constant action, and require little or no knowledge of the sport to follow the action. Pool is too subtle as a spectator sport to gain wide enough popularity, especially in the culture of the U.S., and that is the overriding reason why the game is not successful at the professional level, IMO.
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I agree. And how many sports are there where even people who play semi-seriously have little interest in watching it?
 
JustPlay said:
The bigger the playing field (literally), the bigger the interest! Pool is just too small an arena and a little boring to follow, if you are not a pool player, a gambler, enthuesiest or know someone who plays at a high level....
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Yep- nobody cares about pool but a few. And, most of us who 'care about' it would rather play than watch...
 
Wpba

This is just a shame to me. Like afore mentioned i dont know anyone who would rather watch the women over the men. That said they have a functioning tour and signed contracts with ESPN. But i guess it all lies with money. And maybe there just isnt money to be made. Something else strikes me i look at all the tours we have and tournaments and how hard can it be to get it the top ones on one schedule and book events? I guess very because u dont see it happening. I look at the UPA and they had like 4 or 5 events thats sad.
 
I am a HUGE golf fanatic - hang with me here - and I hardly ever watch golf on tv. I will watch quite a bit of the majors, but weekly tourneys with a less than full field.....nah. Some sports are so subtle in regards to the pros talent that they are not exciting to watch on tv. I can hit a 330 yard drive...I can reach alot of par fives in two...I can make multiple birdies in a round... However, I cannot play nearly as consistant as the pros can. I can make 10 bogeys in a round, or a couple of doubles; they DON'T! I guess the only reason I even tune into majors is to see some of the top players in the world fold under pressure....really. I honestly can't tell you why their are tv contracts for non-major golf tourneys????? Maybe to ready you for that Sunday afternoon nap???

Pool is like golf in this way, unless you've faced a near impossible shot under big time pressure - you don't know just how tough it is. And, how often do you see those shots anyway? They are so consistant that they rarely have to pull off something spectacular. Add that to the fact that a gazillion amateurs play golf (something like 90% not even sniffing par, so they like to see GOOD golf), and 1/100 of that play any type of competitive pool, and you have your answer on why it's not on the tube (and why you probably won't see the Mercedes Championship ((of pool)), or the Honda Classic, etc...).


BTW, I'd rather play either than watch either on tv....
 
sex appeal

BPG24 said:
The strange thing is, I have never met anyone that would rather watch the Pro women than the Pro men... It's not like there is a ton of sex appeal in the top 10 women... I hope someone finds a way to make a Mens tour happen
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Why do they only show women playing 9-ball on TV? I think the issue is sexism. Most of the women wear tight black outfits like Jeanette Lee. I have even seen Jeanette play in heels.The producers obviously believe that sex rather than the beauty of the game sells. I will acknowledge that the commentary & camera angles appeal to serious players.
 
I have a feeling that a lot of what holds this sport back is a collection of everything that has been posted above. There is not enough money to attract attention, the game looks almost too easy when the pros play it, No one seems to want to take control or lead the group. Too often some things are better left for those that can appriciate them and not sent out to the public.

Try this idea on; Pool takes on the popularity of poker. Before you know it you are waiting an hour at a time to get on a table at your local room. The guys you are waiting on have no manners or common sense. Masse and jumps are the flavor of the night and when you get to the table the felt looks like it has been beaten, is filthy and full of tears. After you have been bumped into for the sixth time by the drunk next to you you pack up and head home. Only now you cant find your case you left sitting next to your table.

With popularity comes the consiquences. I say let me buy the DVD's and keep the game somewhat under wraps. I like my space and respect from those shooting around me. How many of you that just like to shoot will even avoid going to a room on a Saturday because you don't want to fight the crowd.

Don't get me wrong, not all of the attention would be bad. With attention comes money and with the money comes talent and passion. I just wish there was a way to do it and keep the game for the people who really appriciate it.

Finally, When I run 8 and out, I want the guy watching to know what has been accomplished and not look at me and say, "There's still a stripe on the table!"

Thanks for reading, sorry for the legnth and spelling.
 
Jallan said:
Try this idea on; Pool takes on the popularity of poker. Before you know it you are waiting an hour at a time to get on a table at your local room. The guys you are waiting on have no manners or common sense.
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Worse yet, the guys you are waiting on for a table are Phil Hellmuth and Havad Kahn!! :D
 
i would like to see more ten ball on tv. the game fo nine ball has now become the battle of breaks. whoever figures out the break first normally wins the match because they can sink in the wing ball most of the time. in ten ball there is no guarantee that a particular ball will go in. also saw a survey that a lot of pros play ten ball when they play cash games
 
This is something that isnt mentioned alot , but I think it is very close to the root of the issue.

There are too many games and to many variables at play. Table size, pocket size, rail type, cloth, shelf depth..... and that's just the table, now add the houndreds of games (if not thousands once you add "house rules") and the plate is just to full for the average joe to take in.

The different governing bodies all promote different "official" rules. Form the out side looking in pool is just a jumbled mess of to many chiefs and not enough indians.

There is massive amount of people that play the game.. the APA is proof of that. Pool is doing quite fine in many respects... how much money do you think the guys over at Joss/Meucci/Falcon/ any other mass production cue company are making? SW has a 8 year waiting list of people willing to drop 3K for a 58 inch piece of wood.

In order for pool to excel in the GP's eyes it first has to define what pool is.. there has to be "A GAME" played on "A Table" with "ONE SET OF RULES". Until the above is defined,pool will continue to be a niche sport and the people at the top of it will continue to be comfortable and not really need to change anything due to lack of competition.

JMO.... could be wrong
Shane Napier
 
BPG24 said:
The strange thing is, I have never met anyone that would rather watch the Pro women than the Pro men... It's not like there is a ton of sex appeal in the top 10 women... I hope someone finds a way to make a Mens tour happen
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I agree with your first statment when it comes to pool players. However, I have met many non players who would rather watch the women. They don't realize that the women don't play at the same level as the men. Ask people to name a pool player today, and most non players will say Jeanette Lee.
 
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