New Tournaments

[kev]

I was just checking the calender for this year and there seemed to be alot more gaps than there use to be. Then i came across some quotes from Rodney Walker saying that tobacco sponsorship legislation had affected sponsorship within the support and that this season was one of transition. Is the embassy world championship likely to be affected soon?? Plus with more tournaments likely to be added next season where do people think they should be held??? Any idea how many tournaments there will be next year? And will the new integrated snooker school affect this? I know thats alot of questions but im interested in what people think. thx

[Templeton Peck]

This upcoming Embassy world championship will be the last

Well and truly the end of an era. I'd be slightly more convinced if the 'crackdown' on smoking wasn't so half-hearted. Ireland also have banned tobacco sponsorhip, but they have also banned smoking in enclosed public spaces so at least the ban is a part of a determined effort to reduce smoking. Whether you agree with it or not, at least the measures in Ireland don't seem so cynical. I doubt a sponsorship ban will have any discernable impact unless it is followed up with similar practical measures like in Ireland so it is just a hollow gesture in my book. The government can say they are taking action to reduce smoking while they still get their grubby mitts on the extortionate tax revenue!

[kev]

So what's going to happen the world championship from next year onwards? will it continue as usual just with a new sponsor?

[snazzydevil]

Surely some brewery would love to sponsor such an event?

And just a remark on the tobacco sponsorship ban. Banning tobacco sponsorship is a fantastic idea. It's not going to do anything for the people who have been smoking for 20 years, but it's a good way to stop children being exposed to tobacco advertising and taking up the habit. Especially since children are picking up cues at such an early age. I've recently quit smoking and I think it is a vile habit and it really bugs me to see young children smoking.

[kev]

I agree with you about the smoking Snazzy. The irish masters use to be sponsored by benson and hedges and is now sponsored by the health promotion unit- aimed at getting people to "kick the habit". i think this is the right image for the sport and i'd prefer not to see snooker sponsored by an alcohol brand if possible also. Remember some years ago when the players would be playing away enjoying a pint? I just hope that the prospective sponsors can be attracted to snooker- don't want a repeat of "the masters" like earlier this year!

[snazzydevil]

No, i agree, i'd prefer no alcohol or tobacco sponsorship, it was just a joke But it wouldn't surprise me if a brewery got a big smile on there faces when b&h was ditched as a sponsor.
With the irish masters, was b&h the only sponsor, or was there other smaller sponsers?
Ideally I would like to see companies like Aramith and Schon to sponsor snooker events. Who makes the tables for the masters and other tournaments? They should also put their hand up for sponsoring events. Makes sense to me.
If I was filthy rich, i'd sponsor an event!
Wouldn't it be nice to see an event sponsored by WorldSnookerForums.com ? Everyone would want to be a member and you could charge for it .
I'm just greedy.

[JanieWatkins]

Tobacco and Beyond

I also agree that it is a good thing to get rid of tobacco sponsorship across the board, not just in snooker.

the smoking ban in Ireland seems to be working okay and people have got used to it. I spent three weeks in Ireland in the summer, and as a smoker, spent most of it shivering outside a midnight trying to have a crafty drag while my non smoking friends stayed nice and cosy and warm in the bar!

Regarding the future of the "Embassy" world champs etc - 2005 is the last year of the Embassy sponsorship so in 2006 the sponsorship is up for grabs and let's hope there are plenty of sponsors out there who realise what a great product snooker is, what tremendous media coverage it gets etc etc

Nothing has been announced yet but ideas have been mooted which include keeping it permanently at the Crucible, if the Crucible is agreeable, thus making that always the home of the event. On the other hand suggestions have been made to take the event around the world, possibly staging the event in china, europe etc... there seems to be resistance to that idea from a uk tv based audience who might have to sit up at 3am to watch the snooker (little different from the late late late night highlights these days!)

But forgetting the cossetted uk audience who'll see plenty of snooker still, it could create a huge benefit to other countries around the world such as Australia if the world champs were to be staged there... Perhaps eventually Australia, or Canada or wherever would once agian be able to raise the profile of the game in those countries and get some decen tv coverage.

And yes this season is the season of transition. At the start of next season there will be just 64 Main Tour professionals, no challenge tour, no other "professional" players. All the other players go back to their amateur governing bodies and play through from there to qualify for the WSA qualifying school to try and gain one of 8 place in the 2006-7 seasons.

There will also be in 2005-6 the WSA Open series to be played in Pontin's Prestatyn, open to all bar the elite Top 64, and that will gain places into the qualifying school as well.

At the moment the calendars for next season haven't been announced, but from the statements made so far by WSA it seems highly likely that there will be a wider variety of events, maybe some ranking and some restricted invite, taking more events on the road into more countries - and that would be a very good thing indeed.

Well I think it would be a good idea, what do the rest of you reckon would be good ideas for the future structure of the game? After all the fans are the people who turn up to watch the games, either in the arenas or on tv...

it's rare that anyone ever asks "us", the consumer, what we'd like to watch and where and who, but these forums provide a great outlet for us to chuck our ideas in the arena, and I know that the forums are being read (probably why Green Baize closed down!!) and views are taken on board.

So here's out chance for a bit of Vox Pox - or whatever the expression is....

...insert... loads of happy smilies so Simon doesn't think I'm grumpy!!

[Templeton Peck]

The Green Baize landed itself in some deep water with the commentators topic didn't it? Fat lot of good the moderators did there... last I heard Frantic was collecting letters from solicitors.

Snooker needs to stamp its authority overseas more so if there isn't enough money to stage whole tournaments maybe they could do challenge matches between the top players and that sort of thing.

And as for the ranking tournaments I really hate this hideous concept of just letting the 'main tour' play in them. I much preferred the open format they used to have when anyone could enter a tournament.

I'd also execute the person who has stolen John Higgins' mojo!

[kaybebaby]

I'd also execute the person who has stolen John Higgins' mojo!

Cool!! May I watch and make suggestions on torture techniques?

[Q-Tip]

Anyone watch Michael Palin's Himalaya prog last night? There were a couple of shots showing outdoor snooker tables in Lhasa, Tibet. Time for the tour to saddle up their yaks and head East.

Anyway I like the idea of bringing Canada, Australia and other places into the tour, it would be great to have a sport where we play with Commonwealth & also Asian countries. It would be a refreshing change from European football etc.

Plus team type snooker would enable people to see the characters of the players more, I think (just from having watched pool on telly) and get viewers more involved in cheering for their country.