What's up with the WPBA?

pooltchr said:
The only way to get those sponsors is to figure out a way to get fans into the stands. Why would any corporation invest a dime in a pool tournament that has the potential to reach, at best, a couple of hundred people?

There has to be something to offer those companies in return for their sponsorship, and the only thing that will get their attention is the potential to get their message to a large number of people.

Steve
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Steve,

You're wrong but you're right! Filling the stands is not what is needed. No professional sport makes it's profit from the people in the stands. It's the TV, cable and internet exposure where the real profit is. The major sponsors suggested elsewhere on this post could hardly care about the hundred or so people watching a pool event in person. Only when the numbers get into the interesting tens of thousands do they care.

Watching million dollar sponsors run from Tiger Woods is our problem many times multiplied. Camel, Budweiser, Tide et al would be short term sponsors in our world of sleezy dealings. Cut up backers, thrown matches, forfeits in front of the cameras. Wait, that already happened!!!!! And they left. Wish I had an workable answer. The best minds in American pool have not been able to figure it out. How have the Asians and Europeans made it work? Maybe we aren't so smart after all!

Lyn
 
This is how I see it and there are ways to change it.

thebighurt said:
The problem with pool in this country is simple. This country isnt like England, Phillipines, etc. where pool is one of the only major sports. In this country all the sponorship money and t.v. coverage is and has been tied up already. You are competing against football, baseball, basketball, golf, Nascar, hockey, where the hell are you going to put pool? there is no room for it. Look at how much and fast poker has exploded. everyone is playing it but one of the only places you really see it is on the gameshow network on Sunday nights and on reruns of the World series of Poker. Pool is huge in the Phillipines because Boxing and pool are the 2 big sports. they are not competing against all the major sports we have in this country. People always say its because pool is boring is the reason is does poor...what does it look better and more exciting on Phillipine t.v.'s or England t.v.'s? All the major sponsorship dollars and time slots on t.v. are already tied up and they are making great money. Why the hell would they take a chance on pool?
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In those other countries, the populace knows the players. They have seen the players been exposed to them on a more personal level. They can associate with them.

There are several things that contribute to sports like football, basketball, baseball, and even golf being accepted in America while pool hasn't been.

The main thing is always getting behind someone or a team. You personalize it and people become more interested. You get southern california people interested in supporting the Chargers, you get philadelphia people behind the eagles etc....

Plus there is the easy capability for the average person to convince themselves that if they had stuck with the sport out of high school, it might have been possible for them to play like they do on TV.

Even in golf, some of the scratch golfers out there can think to themselves that on a good day they MIGHT be able to compete.

There can be no such illusion for your average pool player.

No one who's not at a high level of pool can watch a match between busty and Earl and think, on a good day I might be able to run seven racks and have a chance....

Now as far as how you get more people interested in watching pool.

It's easy. What is the most successful and watched pool event???

the mosconi cup....

Why????

because people like to root for their side.

People say pool is boring, but is it boring for those of us who know the story behind the individuals???

I'd like to put together some city based teams and a small tour to see what kind of interest I can get, but I have to work on some other projects first to have the capital to do it.

I really think that with the right advertising in the correct markets that a regionally team based tour can succeed and get the people interested and then from there once you have interest, the individuals can be known and rooted for on a more personal level, which will lead to more interest in the outcomes which will lead to less boredom when watching pool on tv.

Jaden
 
Other venues outside the U.S. DO have all the things this thread has brought up...the biggest is T.V. coverage. But most of the BIG tournaments outside the U.S., (except every other year Mosconi Cup in Las Vegas), have something in common....GAMBLING !!! The Philippinos LOVE pool.....The Philippinos LOVE to gamble on pool! The Derby Classic is THE BIG gambling tournament, both on the tables and on the side bets! I would be willing to bet, (pardon the pun), that if there was a major pool tournament in Las Vegas, NV every week (similar to a big $$$ league), that alone would attract the big names, T.V. coverage and GAMBLING !!! Even though the IPT (International Pool Tour) ultimately folded (due the the major backer who made his fortune in, you guessed it, internet GAMBLING, lost his right to do business in the U.S.), had to pull out, that WAS the right formula to attract sponsors, T.V. and the rest!



cardiac kid said:
Steve,

You're wrong but you're right! Filling the stands is not what is needed. No professional sport makes it's profit from the people in the stands. It's the TV, cable and internet exposure where the real profit is. The major sponsors suggested elsewhere on this post could hardly care about the hundred or so people watching a pool event in person. Only when the numbers get into the interesting tens of thousands do they care.

Watching million dollar sponsors run from Tiger Woods is our problem many times multiplied. Camel, Budweiser, Tide et al would be short term sponsors in our world of sleezy dealings. Cut up backers, thrown matches, forfeits in front of the cameras. Wait, that already happened!!!!! And they left. Wish I had an workable answer. The best minds in American pool have not been able to figure it out. How have the Asians and Europeans made it work? Maybe we aren't so smart after all!

Lyn
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I'm surprised no one has mentioned the rise of the UFC.

It gained its popularity through the Ultimate Fighter reality series. A lot of the fighters from that series fight in the UFC and have instant recognition when they fight (someone for the fans to relate to).

The UFC funded the first series entirely on their own when they were on the verge of collapse. Now they have more sponsors than they can shake a stick at.


Pool needs a few strong personalities and a clever vehicle to demonstrate the personal aspect of the game.

Heck, maybe Joe Rogan can talk to Dana White. He has big time network (not just ESPN) connections now.
 
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Filipinos are interested in pool I agree. I do not understand what a "Phillippino" is. If you mean to write Filipino please write that and not "Philippino".

The WPBA fails to operate its regular amount of events. Pro players lose prize opportunity and sponsors aren't able to get their name out there. Without these events players don't have the opportunity to showcase their skills publicly and in a high level competitive field.

How can players still establish themselves at a high level of competition without the tour events?

A person would have to beat an established player on camera and in front of an audience. I would pay to enter a tournament for that opportunity. The tournament winner gets that chance. The tournament would filter through all the hopefuls and determine a suitable candidate. And then a live stream broadcast with a local audience would watch the final match.

As a player I would only have to train for a local event and not prepare for a full-scale pro event. It would be a small pond to a medium pond to a large pond transition for the players. As opposed to what it is today where you go from small pond to ocean overnight, I've seen several players suffer because the effects of those changes.
 
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nancewayne said:
Other venues outside the U.S. DO have all the things this thread has brought up...the biggest is T.V. coverage. But most of the BIG tournaments outside the U.S., (except every other year Mosconi Cup in Las Vegas), have something in common....GAMBLING !!!
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Were you aware the MGM in which the Mosconi was held not only did not have a betting line on the event but did not even know the event was being held? Ask the folks who stopped by the front desk!

nancewayne said:
I would be willing to bet, (pardon the pun), that if there was a major pool tournament in Las Vegas, NV every week (similar to a big $$$ league), that alone would attract the big names, T.V. coverage and GAMBLING !!!
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Isn't gambling the main reason pro pool fails now? Most every sport has a ban on participants betting on the outcome of that event. Look no further than Pete Rose. Time for some fresh thinking.

nancewayne said:
Even though the IPT (International Pool Tour) ultimately folded (due the the major backer who made his fortune in, you guessed it, internet GAMBLING, lost his right to do business in the U.S.), had to pull out, that WAS the right formula to attract sponsors, T.V. and the rest!
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Could have sworn Kevin Trudeau made his money hawking "Natural Cures They Don't Want You To Know About". Regardless, even he was unwilling to fund the IPT out of his own very deep pockets. I do agree if internet gambling on IPT matches was allowed, the Tour would have been modestly successful. Sad state of affairs.

Lyn
 
IPT financial backer was Stanley Ho, billionaire internet gambling magnate. Trudeau was mainly "the mouthpiece" and promoter for the IPT.


Could have sworn Kevin Trudeau made his money hawking "Natural Cures They Don't Want You To Know About". Regardless, even he was unwilling to fund the IPT out of his own very deep pockets. I do agree if internet gambling on IPT matches was allowed, the Tour would have been modestly successful. Sad state of affairs.

Lyn[/QUOTE]
 
don't compare pool's success in the usa to other parts of the world.

if you free up the zillions of dollars that goes in the industries of pro football, pro baseball, pro basketball,pro hockey, and more. then how would pool be doing ?

well thats what goes on in other continents imho !:cool:

i think !
 
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