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Topic: What should we be doing?

What do you think we could and/or should be doing to take our sport to the next level?

As with any sport the future lies with the youngster! I can't think of any schemes that introduces children into the game. I.e pro's going into schools or local pool halls coaching, also kids don't have the money, so there should be schemes to reduce the cost.

Attract more players and then get to them. A sport grows from the base up. English pool has many many times the American pool circuit and that has failed miserably too.

Opening up a can of worms here Big Dave

But heres my theory...

Any sport needs TV exposure to succeed, the reason why american pool doesnt get any TV coverage is because of the lack of respect the general public have for the game. Switch on the TV, see the pro's never miss, balls going in after hitting half way up the rail and instantly think "Well thats easy, any idiot could pot on them bags".

We all know thats not true. But how are you ever going to educate the general public viewers and make them want to take the game up if they don't even respect the game?

Example, golf. People admire how good those guys are, how accurate, how far they hit it and how difficult the game is. Same with snooker, people look upto the players because they know the game is so difficult.

2 solutions

1) Educate the general public, explain to them why the game is so difficult and that its not just about potting balls. This is pretty impossible.

2) Make the game more respectable to viewers. IMO the 10ft Diamonds are the way forward if the sport is ever going to be big. Bigger table, tighter bags = more respect from viewers when they actually see how good the pros are.

9 ball itself makes perfect viewing, fast, easy to understand. The table is the issue IMO. There'll always be traditionalists that will never want the game to change and saying that its not the same game on bigger tables/tighter bags. They're right, but thats the only way I can see it succeeding to be honest....

Everyone I speak to says its easy because the pockets are so big, which they are in most pool halls. If they make the pockets a standard size (say 4 1/2 inches) they may appreciate that the game is harder than they think.

I think cost is a factor, £5-6 per hour for practise, as much as £10/hr in more expensive areas, to take it seriously and improve you would be into at least 10 hours a week or ~£2500/year... Add on equipment and tournament expenses you could easily be into £4000 for a season.

On 2013-10-08 18:39 , andystoke Wrote:

I think maybe clubs should make an annual membership fee available for the serious player whereas a fee is paid upfront or monthly and then the table is free for that year, regardless of how much you use it.

They would still make money on food and drink etc plus the annual membership fee.

I have asked my local club many times regarding this but the manager just seems to dodge the question each time. Maybe it's because they only have 2 American tables but it would help my game massively if i could do it this way.

Even if the membership was £500 a year it would still be a lot cheaper than paying by the hour. The club could still have an hourly rate for the casual player..........


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If you wanna make it more appealing its got to be presented well to a young / family audience.
The kids see it, they wanna replicate it, so the parents buy it - Theyre should be programme which promotes the game which is easy to understand - I think the bonus ball concept is fine but its too complicated for youngsters. To get the ratings I believe it would need a mixture of pool pros and snooker pros in a number teams - perhaps having non related billiard sportsman or celebrities taking part. Before the comp they learn from theyre high profile team captain and then play a match, races each week, as scotch doubles - ...Ha Now..Its starting to sound like "Strictly Come Cueing" And look how well thats doing

Make sure kids/casual players know the rules. I see loads of people playing English pool on American tables. I agree with table prices. Also I think if it's on the TV more, more people want to play it E.G you see a lot more people playing tennis when Wimbledon is on, and more people playing snooker when the World Championship is on.

I'm not sure how many people in the UK have Sky Sports, but I wonder how many watch the Mosconi Cup/World Cup of Pool it would be interesting to find out.

Also not everywhere has American tables. I live in Doncaster, and we have a club that's downstairs, so I've been practising at Escape in Barnsley since I took the game seriously. Apart from that though I think there's tables in Keighley, Bradford and Leeds but I don't know of anywhere else.

Also a national league system like the APA would be good


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Matt Lester
www.matthew-lester.com

Get celebs involved. A sure way to attract Tv sponsors and the like. Big break, for example, but with pool. Why not? Remember where you heard it first!

I'm pretty sure if you purchase a set of low grade pool balls from Argos or Toys R Us (suitable for a 6x3 table) there are no rules enclosed for 9 ball, straight pool and the like. Realistically the way most kids play pool and snooker on a regular basis is on these Pot Black or BCE tables but they only know English 8 ball so they stick with it. I only found out about 9 ball by watching Colour of Money in the mid 90's, not because my Xmas present pool table told me the rules.

I didn't really hear or learn about 9 ball until around 2001 / 2002 when i was watching the World 9 Ball Championships on Sky Sports when it was held in Newport.

I was hooked after those 2 weeks or so and have been playing ever since.

Since then i have ventured out into American 8 Ball, 10 Ball and 14.1 and also introduced many people and taught them the rules of all 4 disciplines.

Bring the World Championships back to the UK and get more people involved especially youngsters!


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