Opening ceremony controversies aside, the 2024 Paris Olympics were filled with customary excitement and drama. Relatively unknown athletes from nations we didn’t even know existed became household names and internet sensations. Sports that you see exactly once every four years popped up for their quadrennial appearance.

And, not surprisingly, billiard fans spent ample time on social media berating many of the sports being contested (breakdancing at the top of the list!) and bemoaning the absence of their beloved cue sports.

The irony here is that pool’s inclusion in the Olympics is largely dependent on every pool fan’s whipping boy, the World Pool Association. Support from the pool community will come grudgingly!

But should cue sports be in the Olympics? Based purely on global participation, of course it should. There isn’t a country in the world in which some form of cue sports isn’t a popular recreation, if not a competitive sport.

The question for cue sports fans is, “Would cue sports’ inclusion in the Olympics significantly alter the sports’ future?”

Obviously, that’s unanswerable until it happens, but for the most part, big-money, high-profile sports go into the Olympics that way to start with. And sports that have no real support or following come into and depart the Olympics in the same position. Every Winter Games loves to boost attention to curling, the everyman sport. But I’ve yet to see Professional Curling in primetime on ESPN with million-dollar athletes and high-profile sponsors. The thought that inclusion in the Olympics would suddenly make cue sports a hot property among potential sponsors is hard to believe.

That said, I truly believe inclusion in the Olympics would have a significant impact on increased government support for cue sports in many countries around the world. Money would be spent to build programs, support athletes, and develop champions. Why? Because medals on the Olympics stage brings notoriety and honor to countries, especially those that aren’t competitive in the high-profile sports like basketball, track and field or swimming.

And, so, many countries pay off for medals. Some, like the U.S., are somewhat miserly. U.S. athletes who win gold medals earn a $37,000 bonus. (Given that the U.S. won 40 gold medals and 126 overall, the frugality is probably not all that surprising.) German gold medal winners get a paltry $21,000.

On the other hand, win a gold medal for Singapore or Chinese Taipei and you receive more than $700,000. You don’t think Aloysius Yapp and the Ko brothers wouldn’t like a crack at that? I’ll guarantee you our pool-playing friends from the Philippines took notice when it was reported that double gold medal gymnast Carlos Yulo picked up more than $200,000 in cash, a furnished condo, a lifetime of free colonoscopies (seriously!) and ramen for life.

For those reasons, cue sports’ inclusion in the Olympics would help secure a future for the competitive side of the sport by building and supporting more players who, in turn, would help make the professional level of the sport even more competitive and attractive.

Those are also the reasons I’ve long contended that the WPA, for all its clumsiness and lack of vision, is a necessary entity in the sport. (It just needs drastic overhauling!)

Should we be bitter that cue sports are not included? I don’t think so. In addition to Billiards Digest, I’m still heavily involved in the bowling industry with Bowlers Journal magazine. Bowling is another sport that, by all indicators, should absolutely be in the Olympics, but it fights the same stigma that cue sports do — aging demographic, not hip, not a big advertising draw.

Tom Clark, Commissioner of the Professional Bowlers Association Tour, was quick to point out in a recent post that most of the 45 sports in Paris would kill to get the national exposure the PBA Tour receives.

“Olympic sports, such as Archery … Badminton, Canoe, Diving, Equestrian, Fencing, Field Hockey, Handball, Judo, Rowing, Sailing, Shooting, Table Tennis, Climbing, Weightlifting, Water Polo and so many more, would love to be on FOX Sports (and CBS Sports Network) for 70 original hours of programming each year,” he wrote.

And he’s right. What’s more, the vast majority of athletes in these other Olympic sports have full-time jobs and simply train when they have time. Very few are traveling the world competing. There is no Pro Rowing Tour played throughout the year with $40,000, $50,000 or $250,000 top prizes and high-production live coverage on legitimate television platforms. Do pro pool players make great livings in the sport? Not yet. But there aren’t many at the top who have to rely on a nine-to-five to make ends meet.

As for each sport’s vast fanbase, what will judo fans and fencing fans and canoeing fans do between now and 2028?

With the growth of the World Nineball Tour, Predator Pro Billiard Series and various other independent events around the world, pool’s fans and players have a better chance seeing the sport grow through these efforts than pouring all our time and resources into the Olympic dream. If it happens, all the better.

But, for now, I’m fine not having to wait another four years to be relevant.