is snooker dying out in uk?

[robertmac]

In Canada snooker isnt being taken up by many young
people. I believe the comment stated previously is why
to a large degree. I am not sure what would draw the
younger crowd to the game unfortunately.

Snooker is quite a slow and extremely difficult sport, kids growing up nowadays want things fast, exciting and instantly accessible

[gazza147]

This would definately help i would say! i think somebody needs to have a few words with Barry and a few others involved in Todays Game.


Gaz.

I was thinking maybe bring back junior pot black on TV - get the next generation of players on TV - or bring back this show or something like it -

[Eracn]

Sorry for resurrecting a dead thread but I reckon I worked this out today.
It’s not interesting watching two robots take turns to mechanically pot balls with a stick.
Players are playing at a higher standard than ever, playing a very safety conscious game.
Snooker used to be exciting when you had nutters like Higgins and jimmy white trying to beat robots like Hendry/Davis . When they cleaned the sport up and kept out the booze/coke and banned smoking advertising snooker stopped being ‘cool’ and ‘sexy’
and ‘where the money was’ and the drama died along with that ‘high-life’ image. Sport is about living vicariously to some fans, perhaps more than you might think; who really sees snooker today on the tv and thinks wow that looks like fun, unless they watch o’sullivan or judd trump. ?

—Written from the point of view of someone young-ish.

[jonny66]

Sorry for resurrecting a dead thread but I reckon I worked this out today.
It’s not interesting watching two robots take turns to mechanically pot balls with a stick.
Players are playing at a higher standard than ever, playing a very safety conscious game.
Snooker used to be exciting when you had nutters like Higgins and jimmy white trying to beat robots like Hendry/Davis . When they cleaned the sport up and kept out the booze/coke and banned smoking advertising snooker stopped being ‘cool’ and ‘sexy’
and ‘where the money was’ and the drama died along with that ‘high-life’ image. Sport is about living vicariously to some fans, perhaps more than you might think; who really sees snooker today on the tv and thinks wow that looks like fun, unless they watch o’sullivan or judd trump. ?

—Written from the point of view of someone young-ish.

Agree completely. Snooker decided to clean up it's act and it's become incredibly dull for it. It's never going to be the first choice for 'clean living' types, they all prefer actual sports. There probably are plenty of characters left in the game, it's just that they're all sober.

[SnookerFan]

Agree completely. Snooker decided to clean up it's act and it's become incredibly dull for it. It's never going to be the first choice for 'clean living' types, they all prefer actual sports. There probably are plenty of characters left in the game, it's just that they're all sober.

I've never once played snooker, but find it to be the best spectator sport in the World.

I do also drink far too much than what is good for me, though.

I don't really have a point. Make of this what you will.

[philip in china]

No need to apologise for reopening this thread. It is about the most important one on the forum.

Johnny66 you might well be correct. Having said that I know many people who are what you describe as "clean living types" who enjoy the game.

I wish I knew how to put the game back where it was 30 to 40 years ago. I suspect there is no simple answer.

[Triedandtested]

Agree completely. Snooker decided to clean up it's act and it's become incredibly dull for it. It's never going to be the first choice for 'clean living' types, they all prefer actual sports. There probably are plenty of characters left in the game, it's just that they're all sober.

Whether we like it or not there's 2 sets of snooker fans that's the hardcore fans who'll stay up to watch a low ranked player playing against a qualifier, then the Ronnie fans who'll only watch when Ronnie plays.

Fortunately at the moment with Ronnie playing well & top of his game snooker will glide along as it is, unfortunately once again whether we like it or not the day Ronnie retires a massive chunk of the snooker audience will walk away.

[vmax]

I've never once played snooker, but find it to be the best spectator sport in the World.

I'm quite frankly dumbfounded by this
How can something be the best spectator sport in the world when you have no idea how difficult it is and what you're watching is really special ?

I agree with Eracn to a point, but snooker is seen on tv and does look like fun but when the kids have a go and can't do it they go back to the playstation where no one ever gets beaten by someone who's a real person doing something physically real.
There's a young lad where I work who cannot even sharpen a pencil with a stanley knife without putting the local A & E on alert, yet he's a wizard on his smartphone, got the beard for it as well; while I'm about it, what's the deal with so many young men trying to look like Grizzly Adams

[jonny66]

Another broken thread?

[DeanH]

test to view newer posts

I can view it now

took a few minutes but it did eventually appear

[jrc750]

Another broken thread?

Ehh ? What's wrong with it ?

[jonny66]

Ehh ? What's wrong with it ?

It's fixed now, but just kept taking me to page 14 when there was new posts showing

[tomwalker147]

"is snooker dying in the UK". No it isn't.

[mick745]

There was more snooker shown on Freeview last season than for many a year. The English Open, Ni Open and Scottish Open were on Quest, CoC, Players Championship and World Grand Prix on itv4, UK, Masters and World's on bbc (with some welsh open covrrage) so the problem is not exposure.
Even if often seen as a daytime filler rather than serious programming.

Is it seen as an honourable profession anymore? How do you get youngsters away from their screens.

Are enough young players at the top of the pro game anymore to prevent it being seen as a bit old fashioned? Is it young and trendy?

[Hello, Mr Big Shot]

I'm quite frankly dumbfounded by this
How can something be the best spectator sport in the world when you have no idea how difficult it is and what you're watching is really special ?

I agree with Eracn to a point, but snooker is seen on tv and does look like fun but when the kids have a go and can't do it they go back to the playstation where no one ever gets beaten by someone who's a real person doing something physically real.
There's a young lad where I work who cannot even sharpen a pencil with a stanley knife without putting the local A & E on alert, yet he's a wizard on his smartphone, got the beard for it as well; while I'm about it, what's the deal with so many young men trying to look like Grizzly Adams

Idleness. Not having to shave every day is great. And who sharpens a pencil with a Stanley knife?