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Steve Dawson's announcements

Postby gninnur karona

Steve Dawson's announcements on WPBSA

My immediate reaction. Is that it? Where's the vision? Where's the ambition?

Both by what has been said, and what hasn't been said (China, Saudi Arabia, everywhere outside the UK), snooker appears to be taking the direction of managed decline.

And yet snooker doesn't have to become a parochial tribute act wallowing in nostalgia, rigged to protect an ageing elite, pandering to the BBC.

The tragedy for the Crucible traditionalists is that the further WST proceed along this self-defeating path the easier it will become for an entrepreneur (Chinese?) to create a financially viable alternative structure.

And then what would the tour look like?

Re: Steve Dawson's announcements

Postby SteveJJ

My other reaction about the UK changes is, it doesnt appear that there has been any mention of change to match length with the fewer matches at the tv stages/last 32.

Assume we are looking at two tables and bo11, rather than more tables and two session matches?

I assume China will be a no go this side of Christmas at least, based on this and the provisional calendar. This is out of WST's control whilst China persues its zero covid policy.

Saudi Arabia is hosting sport again and Jason Ferguson always says that tournament will happen but it seems to have gone silent.

Re: Steve Dawson's announcements

Postby PLtheRef

SteveJJ wrote:My other reaction about the UK changes is, it doesnt appear that there has been any mention of change to match length with the fewer matches at the tv stages/last 32.

Assume we are looking at two tables and bo11, rather than more tables and two session matches?

I assume China will be a no go this side of Christmas at least, based on this and the provisional calendar. This is out of WST's control whilst China persues its zero covid policy.

Saudi Arabia is hosting sport again and Jason Ferguson always says that tournament will happen but it seems to have gone silent.


The WST website said that matches would remain Best of 11 Frames until the Final so I would assume its just the two tables with four matches being played each day for the First Round, Second Round and Quarter-Finals. A trick missed in my opinion as with the Barbican as a venue, you have an Arena which can comfortably accommodate four tables, which could have given the scope - had it been there to extend the Quarter-Finals and Semi-Finals at least back to 17.

The one positive I see from it is that the UK Championship now has a qualifying stage and a finals stage - something I had advocated previously to stop the need to use the 'Sports Hall Arena for Last 128 and Last 64 matches.' I wouldn't have necessarily suggested the Top 16 + 16 qualifiers format, but with no ranking money for seeded losers in events where seeds enter at a latter stage, I don't necessarily think 16 seeds + qualifiers. will offer as much protection as previously the ranking system did prior to 128.

I'm loathe to criticise - given we are still emerging from unprecedented times, but other than that and the positive news on the Jessie May front, those announcements leave me feeling rather underwhelmed.

Re: Steve Dawson's announcements

Postby HappyCamper

The tickets pages has two tables Wednesday through Friday, then one table Saturday and Sunday. With best of eleven until the final. So no lengthening of matches unfortunately.

Re: Steve Dawson's announcements

Postby gninnur karona

SteveJJ wrote:I assume China will be a no go this side of Christmas at least, based on this and the provisional calendar. This is out of WST's control whilst China persues its zero covid policy.


Completely agree. However there are other opportunities aren't there?

How about this as an alternative sustainable calendar for the opening eight weeks of the season?

Eight PTC-like events limited to 128 entries, followed by a two-week major featuring 128 players and best of 19s throughout.

Eight times €250000 prize money plus once €2M. Four million Euros in total. 39 days snooker over 55 days.

28-30 June Riga Open
3-5 July Gdynia Open
8-10 July Sofia Open
13-15 July Bucharest Open
18-20 July Mulheim Open
23-25 July Dornbirn Open
28-30 July Rotterdam Open
2-4 August Antwerp Open
7-21 August European Championship (Furth)

Fantasy or realistic?

Between them the venues above have staged more than 30 events awarding ranking points since the beginning of the Hearn era.

Why not then establish a genuine European leg of the WST to begin every season?

Wouldn't this be better for the future of snooker than 21 days Championship League, 12 days of qualifiers, and six days to conclude the European Masters?

Re: Steve Dawson's announcements

Postby KrazeeEyezKilla

The UK Championship changes have it's good and bad points. Going back to a two table set up gives it some of it's aura back and getting into the Top 16 for it will be important like with the Masters and World Championship. Qualifying for it will be the major target for many lower ranked players in the first half of the season.

The negatives are that it entrenches the top 16 even more. Is it a coincidence that the format change came after two players outside the top 16 made the final? I doubt if either Zhao Xintong or Luca Brecel would have even qualified if the new format was in place. It means now the biggest events have 32, 16 or 8 players. If the qualifiers go the same way as the World Championship than it will be mostly lower ranked players qualifying with most of the 17-32 players missing which ultimately benefits the top 16 more than any other.

Re: Steve Dawson's announcements

Postby Iranu

gninnur karona wrote:
SteveJJ wrote:I assume China will be a no go this side of Christmas at least, based on this and the provisional calendar. This is out of WST's control whilst China persues its zero covid policy.


Completely agree. However there are other opportunities aren't there?

How about this as an alternative sustainable calendar for the opening eight weeks of the season?

Eight PTC-like events limited to 128 entries, followed by a two-week major featuring 128 players and best of 19s throughout.

Eight times €250000 prize money plus once €2M. Four million Euros in total. 39 days snooker over 55 days.

28-30 June Riga Open
3-5 July Gdynia Open
8-10 July Sofia Open
13-15 July Bucharest Open
18-20 July Mulheim Open
23-25 July Dornbirn Open
28-30 July Rotterdam Open
2-4 August Antwerp Open
7-21 August European Championship (Furth)

Fantasy or realistic?

Between them the venues above have staged more than 30 events awarding ranking points since the beginning of the Hearn era.

Why not then establish a genuine European leg of the WST to begin every season?

Wouldn't this be better for the future of snooker than 21 days Championship League, 12 days of qualifiers, and six days to conclude the European Masters?

Fantasy.

Re: Steve Dawson's announcements

Postby Dannyboy

Really didn’t see the need to change the format. Was it not working? Didn’t necessarily agree with the sports hall format; maybe they could’ve done that for 1-2 qualifying rounds and the top 32 come in at the first “finals” stage.

Re: Steve Dawson's announcements

Postby Cloud Strife

I see Cazoo are sponsoring the UK Championship now as well.

Is snooker planning on going from relying one single industry for its sponsorship income to now relying on just one single company?

Re: Steve Dawson's announcements

Postby HappyCamper

McManusFan wrote:Not too bothered about the qualifiers for the UK, except are there now no tournaments where there's no qualifiers?


The shoot out!

Re: Steve Dawson's announcements

Postby McManusFan

HappyCamper wrote:
McManusFan wrote:Not too bothered about the qualifiers for the UK, except are there now no tournaments where there's no qualifiers?


The shoot out!


We're saved then!

Re: Steve Dawson's announcements

Postby SteveJJ

HappyCamper wrote:
McManusFan wrote:Not too bothered about the qualifiers for the UK, except are there now no tournaments where there's no qualifiers?


The shoot out!


And Gibraltar?