The Streaming Wars Come for the Baize
Cue sports were once broadcast's afterthought. Now the platforms are bidding against each other — and the sport is still deciding what it wants to be.
For decades, pool coverage meant a grainy feed for the faithful. Then came the platforms: production values quadrupled, audiences followed, and suddenly the rights that nobody wanted became the rights everybody bids on.
The Money Question
Better production costs real money. The question facing every tour is the same: chase the big cheque behind a paywall, or stay free-to-watch and grow the audience the sponsors actually pay for?
What the Players Think
Privately, professionals are split. The veterans remember when exposure was the only currency; the younger guard, raised on streaming metrics, wants the cheque now. Both are right, which is the problem.
