Would you have paid for a live stream for the Straight Pool World Championships?

Blackjack

Blackjack

Illuminati Blacksmack
Silver Member
(I posted this in the SP Forum as well)

I would have definitely purchased a live stream that was designed just like the Euro Championships (which was just awesome)...

I figured that Charlie could have charged $20 - $30 for people to watch - or even $10 a day. DP would have easily had a nice return on the investment.

David did a fantastic job with the updates, but its just not the same. I think that live streaming is the wave of the future, and if the smaller tours can provide this for the fans, why can't Dragon Promotions?

It just seems a bit odd that a live stream wasn't planned. Not everybody can take a week off and travel to NJ to watch the matches - but most everybody all over the world (perhaps hundreds of people) would pay $20-$30 to watch online. I believe that it would have been a smart move to take advantage of the interest fans have in this event. I believe DP could have made $10K easily by providing a live stream for the fans.

If you agree, respond here and let them know. If Charlie sees that there is an interest in it, perhaps he will consider it next year.
 
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Blackjack said:
(I posted this in the SP Forum as well)

I would have definitely purchased a live stream that was designed just like the Euro Championships (which was just awesome)...

I figured that Charlie could have charged $20 - $30 for people to watch - or even $10 a day. DP would have easily had a nice return on the investment.

David did a fantastic job with the updates, but its just not the same. I think that live streaming is the wave of the future, and if the smaller tours can provide this for the fans, why can't Dragon Promotions?

It just seems a bit odd that a live stream wasn't planned. Not everybody can take a week off and travel to NJ to watch the matches - but most everybody all over the world (perhaps hundreds of people) would pay $20-$30 to watch online. I believe that it would have been a smart move to take advantage of the interest fans have in this event. I believe DP could have made $10K easily by providing a live stream for the fans.

If you agree, respond here and let them know. If Charlie sees that there is an interest in it, perhaps he will consider it next year.
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Hey Dave,
I would have went and did it for nothing as long as my airfare,hotel and expenses were paid for,no charge for my time.It is too bad and I said that awhile ago that it was not broadcast unless they plan on recording these matches and selling DVDs. :cool:
 
Fast Lenny said:
Hey Dave,
I would have went and did it for nothing as long as my airfare,hotel and expenses were paid for,no charge for my time.It is too bad and I said that awhile ago that it was not broadcast unless they plan on recording these matches and selling DVDs. :cool:
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I've offered that too, Lenny.

I offered to do the commentary for free last year. I was told by Charlie that he was not going to record it - then he had Pro Pool Video record them. I was supposed to get with Jorge Torres to complete the commentary for last year's tournament - I'm not sure of the status of that. The commentary that had been done by Jorge Torres, John DiToro and Grady was awesome - especially the Hohmann-Hopkins match.

IMO, there is an interest in 14.1 all over the world, and that worldwide interest should be taken advantage of.
 
There should absolutely be some coverage of a WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

The brackets are updated just now and then, and it's real painful for us fans to keep us up with the latest info.

Dragon Promotions have done a real bad job when it comes to making this tournament available for the fans who can't travel to the event.

I saw that one other members asked "how does DP promote these events?" and I have to ask the same.

I can't see any story about this tournament on for example the Norwegian, Danish or Swedish websites. Dragon should be sending daily press-releases about this tournament to all federations etc during such a tournament...

I would definitely buy a live-stream to get updates and watch some pool from a World Championship.

IMO, the way the European Championship was broadcasted, with 8 tables + rack-by-rack update on ALL tables, is the way of the future.
 
I would have bought it. I remember when I went to Rome they had the Snooker world championships on and it was great.
 
Blackjack said:
I've offered that too, Lenny.

I offered to do the commentary for free last year. I was told by Charlie that he was not going to record it - then he had Pro Pool Video record them. I was supposed to get with Jorge Torres to complete the commentary for last year's tournament - I'm not sure of the status of that. The commentary that had been done by Jorge Torres, John DiToro and Grady was awesome - especially the Hohmann-Hopkins match.

IMO, there is an interest in 14.1 all over the world, and that worldwide interest should be taken advantage of.
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I wish I could have went and did it,I could have flown out there with the stuff I have on a plane and setup and broadcast some great 14.1,what a flatliner. :(
 
duhu! live stream rules. Next to that you can sell dvd's after the tournament.... $$
 
MOST DEFINATLY !
I buy almost all of the TAR matches and watch most of Lenny's boardcasts
too.

Doc
 
Definitely. I am new to 14.1 but the bug has bitten me hard. I'll be competing in my first 14.1 League starting in October and would love to see these top flight players go at it...

PS. The critiques you have been posting up on Veoh are fantastic Blackjack!
 
I would be glued to my computer with a live stream. I posted this before in the SP forum, that I got in touch with them a month ago and offered to sponsor the live stream and pay for TAR expenses to be there (if TAR were willing), DP declined the offer.
 
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selftaut said:
I would be glued to my computer with a live stream. I posted this before in the SP forum, that I got in touch with them a month ago and offered to sponsor the live stream and pay for TAR expenses to be there, they declined.
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Why the hell would they not take you up on that?:confused:
 
Fast Lenny said:
Why the hell would they not take you up on that?:confused:
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Well, from what I gather from the response, is that the video taping was out to bid between 2 companies, these companies had to pay them xxxx amount to tape, thats the way I took it anyhow but don't quote me on that..
 
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Blackjack said:
I believe DP could have made $10K easily by providing a live stream for the fans.

.
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I can say that we have never come close to that on any of our events. Be it Derby, Reno, Hopkins event or any of our challenge matches. We have streamed two days of PPV featuring two of the best 14.1 players in the world (Schmidt and Harriman) and the response was very underwhelming.

If you figure in the cost of internet access at a level required for a quality stream (We have paid between $500 and $2000 depending on the venue, hotels and convention centers are the WORST) the cost of PPV bandwith which is not cheap, travel and hotel it adds up very fast. This is all taking for granted that you have the gear to do the stream in the first place. If you do it on a partner basis with Charlie the pie is just too small for either party to make money.

The best thing for something like this is for Charlie to find a sponsor for the coverage and then pay for a volunteers expenses to stream it free. That would be the only way I could see to get an event like this some level of streaming coverage. The problem is, as he learned with the World 10 Ball I am sure, is that if the coverage is problematic no matter what the reason it can piss as many people off as it brings in.

The setup Charlie had at the World 10 Ball was first class all the way, big money, and the hotel gremlins still drilled them just like they did us the first night. Streaming is not too tough when everything is perfect but it rarely is in a hotel. As soon as legitimate affordable mobile broadband is a reality it will change things significantly. Until then the cost and tech issues are major hurdles.

We have a standing offer to cover events for expenses as long as our schedule permits but as soon as people hear what it really costs the conversation ends.

Basically, everyone wants coverage but no one can afford it. Even if it is only one guys expenses for a 4 day event it is $1000 (Flight $400 Hotel 4x$150 at this venue) before any internet access fees. It's tough.

The way I figure it it takes at minimum a crew of 5 people to cover a tournament right:

One to run the stream.
One for getting all of info and putting it in a format for distribution.
One for running the website with brackets and updates and myriad other things
Two for commentary.

This is for static camera coverage of up to 4 tables, live updates of brackets, live player interviews, press releases and media liason. It would be the nuts but.......

Now you have 5 people working 10-12 hours a day. The result would be outstanding and people would go nuts for it but the question is........who is going to pay for it? Volunteers are great but 40-50 hours is a lot to ask of anyone. One of these day we are going to cover a big tournament the right way just to see what the response is.

The crew Charlie had at the World 10 Ball had a good start on it but even with 6 or 7 guys and $100K+ in gear it is hard. As a side note I heard a rumor about the bill the hotel gave to the streaming company for all of crap they charged them for. It almost made my heart stop.

Thus ends my rambling thoughts on the black art of pool streaming. :D
 
selftaut said:
I would be glued to my computer with a live stream. I posted this before in the SP forum, that I got in touch with them a month ago and offered to sponsor the live stream and pay for TAR expenses to be there (if TAR were willing), DP declined the offer.
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That sucks because we would have done it and on the cheap too. It was a hell of a gesture on your part. We appreciate your confidence in us.
 
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