Ok, I'm new to pool but that said, I'm completely enthrawled by it. Please some one explain to me why there isn't one pro tour. Here goes the rant...Why can't everyone put pride and egos aside and promote the sport? Why is it I have to pay top dollar for videos just to watch pros play? I appreciate everything people like accustats and the likes do for the sport but I just think it's sad I can't turn on espn or even a billiard exclusive pay chanel and watch pool.
I've heard this excuse, "Well, pool just doesn't show that well on T.V." I say to that, " would you rather watch Phil Ivey's blanken face on the wpt or watch a bunch of colorful balls whirling around a beautiful table with a surgeon's like precision. I've heard this one.." There just wouldn't be enough interest." Between pool, snooker, 3 cushion,etc. there's gotta be millions of people out there worldwide craving to see this and they just don't! It's a shame that you could be one of the best in the world at something and not make a great living at it.
Some random thoughts running through my head... What about a 3 week world billiard championship featuring 3 different disciplines(9-ball,snooker and 3 cushion as examples). $1 Mil first prize for each discipline. Points given for the top 100 and after three disciplines whoever has the most points is crowned world's greatest billiard player. Hell if someone is good enough to win the triple crown throw in a bonus million. No more " well, if strickland played snooker he wouldn't do good, or if Ronnie O'Sullivan played 9 ball he'd suck." This would end the debate once and for all. Tell me you couldn't promote the hell out of something like that. How about televising the amateur champioinships. Take APA as an example. They brag that there are over 250,000 apa players nationwide but when it comes championship time do they televise,no!! Instead you get to see some 2 minute spot from inside pool magazine interviewing the winnners. Do you think the other 240 something thousand amateurs in the country might want to watch? You bet your @ss! Sorry for the poor paragraph structure, I kinda went on a rant there. I'm just pissed:angry:. Can anyone shed some light on this for me?
