It's easy to see that over the last few decades pool in America has been on the decline. I personally can think of several places where I have played pool that are now closed. You don't see pool on tv anymore. I used to faithfully check the tv listings to see when pool was going to be on ESPN or ESPN2 and even record them on VHS. A media format that has gained steam since broadband internet, live streaming over the web, seems to be the future of pool events, but TAR closed it's production, due to presumably lack of viewers. Apparently snooker is broadcast on tv in Europe and people watch it. So what has caused the decline in the US?
In the 40's, 50's, and 60's, pool was thriving. Large cities had (and probably still have a few) famous pool halls where the greats such as Ralph Greenleaf, Willie Mosconi, Eddie Taylor, and Willie Hoppe played. Pool seemed to be classy back then. All the old photographs you see show these great pool players in suits, sure, that's how they dressed back then, but it gave pool a more elegant feel. After the movie, The Hustler, pool was probably at it's peak. Towards the 70's, 80's, and 90's, I feel that pool halls became places where the gamblers, criminal types, and seedier people hung out and they lost the elegance and nostalgia. Not all the pool halls had these types of people, but I believe the perception was there. Pool halls weren't somewhere you would go to take the kids or a date for an entertaining afternoon of pool. They were to be avoided.
Also, I believe part of the decline has been technology. Before cell phones and the internet, guys that traveled around playing pool, like most of the greats did, could walk into a place and if nobody knew them either win the tournament or clean the place out playing for money. There are several books out now that chronicle the life of some of these great pool players. I'm currently reading a book about Danny Diliberto and his life on the road. It's interesting reading about this age of pool that will never be again.
Good pool players today can't walk into a pool hall without being recognized or recorded and put on YouTube. Going on a road trip like they used to do back in the golden age of pool is tough. Everything is more expensive. Food, gas, hotel not to mention if you are recognized, not many people will play you for massive amounts of money. Makes it hard to make a living playing pool on the road these days. So where does that leave the guys that play pool really well? How do they make money? They either play in tournaments, challenge matches that are set up by folks like TAR, which is now shut down, Accu Stats, or they give up a lot of weight because everybody now knows them thanks to the internet age. You might ask, how has that added to the decline in pool in America? Well, why would you want to go on the road if you can't make any money? So I believe there has been a decline in the non-pro great pool players due to the fact they can't go on the road and make lots of money. They are relegated to playing locally or going to a few large tournaments if they can afford the entry, trip there, and hotel.
Can pool make a comeback? I think it can, but it's going to take a lot of work. Organizations like the American Pool Players Association and the BCA are making it happen. Mike Sigel is trying to start a pool league that looks interesting. I see pictures from the big amateur tournaments and it looks like there are literally thousands of people at those events, so the amateur side seems pretty well off. I think the professional side needs help. The men need a professional billiard association that regularly holds events that pay well. The women professional players (and men) need to have more events and more live streaming via the internet so people can watch.
There also needs to be more interest in watching pool. I think the Mosconi Cup event could be a way to do this. USA vs. Europe, I mean, what better way to get behind pool in America than watching YOUR team of the best American players compete against Europe's best. Marketing needs to happen to pump up this match and have it broadcast, if nothing else on a pay-per-view cable or satellite channel. I'm hoping to be able to watch some of this year's Mosconi Cup online.
Pool can make a comeback, so get out there and play some pool!!
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