If several pool rooms setup a few webcams each to view their "action" tables... would you pay to view? Say if it were something small like $5 a month just to cover the cost of the website and bandwidth?
-Back2good1
-Back2good1
Would you pay to view?
- Thread starter back2good1
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Just being realistic... I don't think room owners would have the resources available to be updating a website with every single thing that happens on these tables. So, unfortunatly you may have to watch Joe Blow practice short rail banks for an hour before you see Scott Frost play Efren Reyes some 1-hole.
-Back2good1
-Back2good1
back2good1 said:
With no notice?
You expect people to wait around and hope Efren shows up at 2AM?
No description of the game? How would anyone
know if it was 4 ahead, race to 3, 9-7, even up, table time?
There might be some audience there. Shut-ins possibly.
Im all for ya but i don't think the present business plan is viable.
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It is not a business plan as much as just a thought on how sponsors might get additional incentive to get involved in pool. If I owned a room that participated in say the Joss tour... and got every pool hall on the tour to put camera's up to view not only the tournaments but everyday action on those tables... would there be an audience? (an audience willing to pay)
I am not even sure I would pay... but just thought I would throw it out there.
-Back2good1
I am not even sure I would pay... but just thought I would throw it out there.
-Back2good1
pharaoh68
Banned
Realistically speaking, the idea is far too basic to be worth much.
As it is, you're basically saying that people would be paying a flat-rate for the ability to click on a link and watch a live feed of a pool table. That means that for a minimum of 8 hrs. of any given day, the camera would be down as the room would be closed.
Aside from that, pool is not the type of game where certain things are scheduled well in advance. The good match-ups that people would want to see generally just sort of happen. A known player or a road agent walks into a room one night and no one had any clue they were coming. Plain and simple.
If there were a way to schedule matches, it might be a different story. But let's face it. This is pool. Scheduling matches ahead of time and giving advance notice to the outside world ain't gonna happen anytime soon. Not to mention, gambling is illegal in most areas so, you'd be advertising your illegal activities to the cops. Genrally, they don't care much but I've known a room or two that was shut down by the cops when they found out about the money changing hands over the table.
In the meantime, there is going to be a lot of wasted hours watching two idiots match up for $10. Or even dead air. Not worth $5 a month.
As it is, you're basically saying that people would be paying a flat-rate for the ability to click on a link and watch a live feed of a pool table. That means that for a minimum of 8 hrs. of any given day, the camera would be down as the room would be closed.
Aside from that, pool is not the type of game where certain things are scheduled well in advance. The good match-ups that people would want to see generally just sort of happen. A known player or a road agent walks into a room one night and no one had any clue they were coming. Plain and simple.
If there were a way to schedule matches, it might be a different story. But let's face it. This is pool. Scheduling matches ahead of time and giving advance notice to the outside world ain't gonna happen anytime soon. Not to mention, gambling is illegal in most areas so, you'd be advertising your illegal activities to the cops. Genrally, they don't care much but I've known a room or two that was shut down by the cops when they found out about the money changing hands over the table.
In the meantime, there is going to be a lot of wasted hours watching two idiots match up for $10. Or even dead air. Not worth $5 a month.
back2good1 said:
I think you're better off invensting that money in a different project, like refelting tables more often or buying new house cues.
I probably would not subscribe to such an idea at this point in time simply because I have yet to see a WebCam broadcast that was remotely watchable. Pool is simply a poor webcam subject with the grainy images, inconsistent timing and lack of audio. With broadband now the norm and video-production taking leaps and bounds each day, I expect this to change very quickly but until webcams begin to produce a more television-like production, I'm not paying a red cent.
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it would be tough to make that work........would there be audio? I mean the only way id pay for video without audio would be if it was big name pool players playin all the time, then id prob pay to get to watch them if the quality webcast was there. If you had audio with it, id prob pay 5 a month just to watch whoever play.......you could know whats going on, and youd probably hear some pretty funny stuff.
I agree on the felt and cues.... that just doesnt give my potential sponsors any more incentive to get involved in the tournaments or tours I might have.
-Back2good1
-Back2good1
No offense, but I would subscribe to some fine honey's webcam first...
There are already a few rooms that do this without charging a fee.....Good thing they dont b/c it pretty much sucks....dont think anybody would be paying for that type off thing
On the other hand ......
If one of the tours got together with the rooms they were making stops at and advertised/scheduled... and provide sometyp of hosting.. i.e.. on screen text or audio... plus top grade hardware... then it might be something worth spending money on..... along with your "pay per view" events you get to check in and watch the rooms on "normal night" for free if you wanted to...
Shane
might be on to something here
On the other hand ......
If one of the tours got together with the rooms they were making stops at and advertised/scheduled... and provide sometyp of hosting.. i.e.. on screen text or audio... plus top grade hardware... then it might be something worth spending money on..... along with your "pay per view" events you get to check in and watch the rooms on "normal night" for free if you wanted to...
Shane
might be on to something here
I like the idea about scheduling big money matches for TV.... They do it on "High Stakes Poker".. .why not "High Stakes Pool"!!!???
-Back2good1
-Back2good1
back2good1 said:
I could a see a duplication of the BCn coverage concept (but with much greater feed consistency) wherein regional tours and events, or even stuff like the regular Hard Times tournament could offer online coverage for a fee. Spectators will see great pool at a low price, and players from around the country who don't get around much will love the opportunity to clock players in other regions.
VIProfessor said:
That's an interesting point - See, I can't afford to be clocked. It's not a huge sum of money I'm talking about but I'd say a decent percentage of my winnings come from people who under-rate me. I'd hate to think people can get an accurate gauge of my ability just by going to youtube.
Jude Rosenstock said:
I know exactly what you mean! But isn't that the risk you take when you play in tournaments? I would expect that most of the players who would participate in a regional event would already be players of some repute in their area, but as you've noted, a webcam would extend the scope of their notoriety exponentially. I'd be interested to see whether the implementation of this idea would have any negative impact on player participation.
BTW, Happy New Year, Jude! It's nice to see you posting again!
Peace,
VIProfessor
You know, even $5 a month is still $60 for the year. That's a month of cable with a fraction of the quality of cable. Maybe a $20 annual subscription or something like that.
I do think that if the typical webcam quality of picture and audio became close to regular video, something like this could work. I don't agree that you always need consistent entertainment. That webcam at the watering hole in Africa is a good example. If folks think something cool might happen, they'll stick around to check it out.
But it would have to be worth the wait.
I do think that if the typical webcam quality of picture and audio became close to regular video, something like this could work. I don't agree that you always need consistent entertainment. That webcam at the watering hole in Africa is a good example. If folks think something cool might happen, they'll stick around to check it out.
But it would have to be worth the wait.
Smart business expense
Although $5 a month isn't a lot of money to view a regional or pro tour via a half way decent web cam, to view just anyone is just plain silly.
If I recall correctly, Carom Cafe in Flushing had one set up a few years ago. I was fun, but I don't think too many people would have actually paid for it.
Besides, room owners that want to promote their rooms should probably just apply the cost to the "advertising and promotion" portion of their budgets. I believe that there would be a revenue return on any monies spent here. JMHO
Jim
Although $5 a month isn't a lot of money to view a regional or pro tour via a half way decent web cam, to view just anyone is just plain silly.
If I recall correctly, Carom Cafe in Flushing had one set up a few years ago. I was fun, but I don't think too many people would have actually paid for it.
Besides, room owners that want to promote their rooms should probably just apply the cost to the "advertising and promotion" portion of their budgets. I believe that there would be a revenue return on any monies spent here. JMHO
Jim
A couple of things come to mind. It would have to be of equal quality to that African water hole web cam. That will cost. Also, the number of hits any site gets determines revenue from advertisers. Build a large enough traffic base and the advertisers will pay.
I wonder how many players would just not like the idea of that much daylight on them when they are matching up/playing, or maybe it could be a good way to lay down a very large lemon. ha
I wonder how many players would just not like the idea of that much daylight on them when they are matching up/playing, or maybe it could be a good way to lay down a very large lemon. ha