WPC Finals LIVE!!! What a waste for America

Celtic

AZB's own 8-ball jihadist
Silver Member
With the WPC just ended and a simply phenomenal finals with an amazing comeback and hugely emotional trophy presentation to a young phenom I feel great about being able to experiance it live but have to wonder how in gods green earth ESPN could throw away the possibility of showing the WPC live as pool should truly be shown. Never in my life have I seen pool on TV be so exciting, largely due to the fact it was happening as we watched it. I have tons of Accustats with tons of finals with tons of great pro's, they dont hold a candle to watching live pool in a major event like that. The WPC live could have been such an amazing chance to show the American general public how exciting the game can be when it is not an editted and taped monstrosity like they so often like to show. What a waste of such an amazing opportunity, and I can only imagine what was shown in its place.

Now we will get a editted chopped up version of the thing months from now that will be a small fraction of the excitement and tension and entertainment that it was live. And they will look at the numbers of people that watched the editted non-live version that is devoid of all the exitement due to their presentation of it and blame the sport and not the fact that they refused to show it as it should have been on Asian television.

The WPC is not the only event like this, the US Open is another event that could have such a phenomenal amount of excitement, the BCA and Derby City events would be a step behind but would still be worthy of being shown live. Pool shown live is hundreds of times more exciting and entertaining then taped matches from months past that are editted and chopped such that you dont even see the complete match. I blame ESPN for alot of the troubles this sport is having, and tonight is a glaring example of their keeping this sport back.
 
Ditto - there is no reason why ESPN can't do it. ESPN/STAR obviously carried the production in the WPC and it was PHENOMENAL as good or better than any sporting event I have ever seen. And the viewers got to see every ball and every game, TWICE as they would replay the previous rack while setting up for the next.

Pool telecasts in the USA - ESPN style look like PeeWee's amateur hour in comparison. The only thing that comes close is Accustats productions of the US Open and Derby City Classics which ESPN won't touch.

ESPN execs are fucking missing the boat when it comes to pool in the USA.

John
 
pbat2751 said:
Yea, you figure with 3 or 4 ESPN channels they would be able to do this.

ESPECIALLY considering the time of day this whole event took place. It isn't like it was prime-time hours here in the States, and the broadcast may have attracted a new audience to the sport/game.

I hope this story of the 16-year-old Wu captures the attention of the Olympic Committee. Maybe they will recognize the international presence of pool and give it a go. Now, that would really be the kick-start for better things to come. Hopefully, I'll be around long enough to see it happen. :p

Somebody at ESPN has a mental block when it comes to pool. Go to their website, and you'll be hard-pressed to even find a mere mention of the word "billiard" or "pool."

This year's WPC made history. Wake up, ESPN!

JAM
 
JAM said:
ESPECIALLY considering the time of day this whole event took place. It isn't like it was prime-time hours here in the States, and the broadcast may have attracted a new audience to the sport/game.

I hope this story of the 16-year-old Wu captures the attention of the Olympic Committee. Maybe they will recognize the international presence of pool and give it a go. Now, that would really be the kick-start for better things to come. Hopefully, I'll be around long enough to see it happen. :p

Somebody at ESPN has a mental block when it comes to pool. Go to their website, and you'll be hard-pressed to even find a mere mention of the word "billiard" or "pool."

This year's WPC made history. Wake up, ESPN!

JAM

ESPN is now showing a match - Fisher & Corr (rerun??? Sunday afternoon in the summer when everyone is golfing, swimming, golfing, quading, golfing, fishing, golfing). But you know the internet is getting to be a powerful tool. Suggestion - for all those who read and post here: take an extra few minutes and go to expn website and email them with a request to see some (dah, World Championship matches) current/live pool action (I am)- maybe if some of the stat people could tell them how many people play in leagues that would get some attention as to how incompassing this individual sport is. (heck espn has "rodeo" and there are many more pool players in Montana than rodeo participants - go figure)
Jack
www.johnmaddencues.com
 
onepocketchump said:
ESPN/STAR obviously carried the production in the WPC and it was PHENOMENAL as good or better than any sporting event I have ever seen. And the viewers got to see every ball and every game, TWICE as they would replay the previous rack while setting up for the next.

I strongly agree. The production was exceptional and the rack replays were great!
 
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