Grow Up Mark Allen

[deant1982]

I must say, I've heard him and Ronnie moaning about the money situation for PTC events. What they don't seem to understand is, you can't get money off a money tree (well, you can if you're a central bank, but that's beside the point...), it has to be provided through sponsorship. It's obvious to me that Hearn is trying to create markets abroad for the game, and reach the point where you can have events as big as the UK Championships in numerous nations. This can't happen overnight, it takes time. You could be the world's best tiddlywinks player, and moan about the amount of money you get for winning the world championships, but the fact is, no-one wants to sponsor tiddlywinks. Snooker players are in a relatively privileged position, and if they want to make serious money they need to get out there and promote the game. Tennis players play an incredibly tough calendar in a much more physically demanding sport, but that's how the image and prominence of the game was built up. Tennis players get big money because when they play big events you see General Electric, BNP (bank, not the political party!), Heineken, Mercedes, Rolex, Barclays, etc. Not William Hill. And big TV stations want to pay big money for the sport. That's all there is to it. Whinging about it won't change anything.

Spot on comment. Mark Allen should be allowed to say what he wants, and as long as he shows respect in doing so, will continue to do so. It is one thing to say in a press conference that "in his opinion, he doesn't believe the game is headed in the right direction under Hearns leadership" or something like that, but if he came out with something like "Hearn is an infection only interested in lining his pockets" then he should be punished and punished hard. If I told my boss I thought he/she is a fool that only wants to get rich and then close us down, I'd be sacked on the spot. Mark Allen is a bright star that will only get brighter in the future no doubt, but why does he come across as having a massive sense of entitlement? Work hard, and the results will show in the end. Don't expect it to be handed to you on a silver platter.

Then we get the whole "not enough tournaments for us to earn a living", or "too many tournaments being held, I feel like a prostitute!"
Some of these guys need to realise that it is up to them to put the work in and promote the game. You do this, you get sponsors for the tournaments. Tournaments + Sponsors = Better money. Better money = More comfortable life.
Take the Brazillian masters held recently for example. New tournament, potentially HUGE market in South America, which could lead to more tournaments in the continent and big sponsors, and what happens? Hardly any of the top 16 go because "they don't want to leave the family again", or "think they're worth a few more quid than that".
Bunch of idiots!


Rant over

[wake_up_bomb]

Spot on comment. Mark Allen should be allowed to say what he wants, and as long as he shows respect in doing so, will continue to do so. It is one thing to say in a press conference that "in his opinion, he doesn't believe the game is headed in the right direction under Hearns leadership" or something like that, but if he came out with something like "Hearn is an infection only interested in lining his pockets" then he should be punished and punished hard. If I told my boss I thought he/she is a fool that only wants to get rich and then close us down, I'd be sacked on the spot. Mark Allen is a bright star that will only get brighter in the future no doubt, but why does he come across as having a massive sense of entitlement? Work hard, and the results will show in the end. Don't expect it to be handed to you on a silver platter.

Then we get the whole "not enough tournaments for us to earn a living", or "too many tournaments being held, I feel like a prostitute!"
Some of these guys need to realise that it is up to them to put the work in and promote the game. You do this, you get sponsors for the tournaments. Tournaments + Sponsors = Better money. Better money = More comfortable life.
Take the Brazillian masters held recently for example. New tournament, potentially HUGE market in South America, which could lead to more tournaments in the continent and big sponsors, and what happens? Hardly any of the top 16 go because "they don't want to leave the family again", or "think they're worth a few more quid than that".
Bunch of idiots!


Rant over

I agree with what you're saying here. I do sympathise with them having to leave their families frequently, but cricketers do it all the time. Don't like it, go and work in a factory, or start your own business, then you'll find out what work is! I would love to go out to Brazil to play snooker, and be paid to do it. I'd do it for the minimum wage, no problem at all. My best break is 45, though...