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Re: O'Sullivan pulls out of British Open; no reason given.

Postby Prop

Running side wrote:Hope he doesn't do TV work at the tournament, if you're going to be there why not play.


Pretty sure it’s being covered by ITV, in which case he won’t be doing punditry. He only does Eurosport as far as I know.

Re: O'Sullivan pulls out of British Open; no reason given.

Postby SnookerFan

Yeah, it's on ITV4.

Which, if I'd guess, is at least partly the reason for the format. As ITV aren't used to showing tournaments with 128 players in them. It wouldn't amaze me if they'd asked for it that way to find a way to fit it into their television schedules.

Also, the best of 11 final could well be because ITV4 are showing something else on the Sunday afternoon.

Re: O'Sullivan pulls out of British Open; no reason given.

Postby lhpirnie

SnookerFan wrote:Yeah, it's on ITV4.

Which, if I'd guess, is at least partly the reason for the format. As ITV aren't used to showing tournaments with 128 players in them. It wouldn't amaze me if they'd asked for it that way to find a way to fit it into their television schedules.

Also, the best of 11 final could well be because ITV4 are showing something else on the Sunday afternoon.

Yes you're almost certainly right about the Sunday afternoon schedule. The reason for best-of-5 matches is (paradoxically) because players like Ronnie hate playing in 8-table venues (such as Crawley). With only 4 tables from now on, there just isn't the capacity to have best-of-7 matches in a week-long tournament.

Re: O'Sullivan pulls out of British Open; no reason given.

Postby SnookerFan

lhpirnie wrote:
SnookerFan wrote:Yeah, it's on ITV4.

Which, if I'd guess, is at least partly the reason for the format. As ITV aren't used to showing tournaments with 128 players in them. It wouldn't amaze me if they'd asked for it that way to find a way to fit it into their television schedules.

Also, the best of 11 final could well be because ITV4 are showing something else on the Sunday afternoon.

Yes you're almost certainly right about the Sunday afternoon schedule. The reason for best-of-5 matches is (paradoxically) because players like Ronnie hate playing in 8-table venues (such as Crawley). With only 4 tables from now on, there just isn't the capacity to have best-of-7 matches in a week-long tournament.


I hope that doesn't become the norm, because that's just cack.

I noticed the other day that this season the Home Nation tournaments all have qualifying tournaments. Wonder what that's about.

Re: O'Sullivan pulls out of British Open; no reason given.

Postby Dan-cat

SnookerFan wrote:
lhpirnie wrote:
SnookerFan wrote:Yeah, it's on ITV4.

Which, if I'd guess, is at least partly the reason for the format. As ITV aren't used to showing tournaments with 128 players in them. It wouldn't amaze me if they'd asked for it that way to find a way to fit it into their television schedules.

Also, the best of 11 final could well be because ITV4 are showing something else on the Sunday afternoon.

Yes you're almost certainly right about the Sunday afternoon schedule. The reason for best-of-5 matches is (paradoxically) because players like Ronnie hate playing in 8-table venues (such as Crawley). With only 4 tables from now on, there just isn't the capacity to have best-of-7 matches in a week-long tournament.


I hope that doesn't become the norm, because that's just cack.

I noticed the other day that this season the Home Nation tournaments all have qualifying tournaments. Wonder what that's about.


Won't miss the early rounds being televised - some numpty getting beat 6-nil by a top 16er

Re: O'Sullivan pulls out of British Open; no reason given.

Postby HappyCamper

Dan-cat wrote:
SnookerFan wrote:
lhpirnie wrote:
SnookerFan wrote:Yeah, it's on ITV4.

Which, if I'd guess, is at least partly the reason for the format. As ITV aren't used to showing tournaments with 128 players in them. It wouldn't amaze me if they'd asked for it that way to find a way to fit it into their television schedules.

Also, the best of 11 final could well be because ITV4 are showing something else on the Sunday afternoon.

Yes you're almost certainly right about the Sunday afternoon schedule. The reason for best-of-5 matches is (paradoxically) because players like Ronnie hate playing in 8-table venues (such as Crawley). With only 4 tables from now on, there just isn't the capacity to have best-of-7 matches in a week-long tournament.


I hope that doesn't become the norm, because that's just cack.

I noticed the other day that this season the Home Nation tournaments all have qualifying tournaments. Wonder what that's about.


Won't miss the early rounds being televised - some numpty getting beat 6-nil by a top 16er


There are plenty of good matches they could show in the early rounds on the outside tables. No good reason to insist on the uneven matches they do.

Re: O'Sullivan pulls out of British Open; no reason given.

Postby Iranu

SnookerFan wrote:Yeah, it's on ITV4.

Which, if I'd guess, is at least partly the reason for the format. As ITV aren't used to showing tournaments with 128 players in them. It wouldn't amaze me if they'd asked for it that way to find a way to fit it into their television schedules.

Also, the best of 11 final could well be because ITV4 are showing something else on the Sunday afternoon.

Hendon confirmed on Snooker Scene that the format was finalised before ITV decided to air the tournament and the decision had nothing to do with them.

Re: O'Sullivan pulls out of British Open; no reason given.

Postby SnookerFan

HappyCamper wrote:
Dan-cat wrote:
SnookerFan wrote:
lhpirnie wrote:
SnookerFan wrote:Yeah, it's on ITV4.

Which, if I'd guess, is at least partly the reason for the format. As ITV aren't used to showing tournaments with 128 players in them. It wouldn't amaze me if they'd asked for it that way to find a way to fit it into their television schedules.

Also, the best of 11 final could well be because ITV4 are showing something else on the Sunday afternoon.

Yes you're almost certainly right about the Sunday afternoon schedule. The reason for best-of-5 matches is (paradoxically) because players like Ronnie hate playing in 8-table venues (such as Crawley). With only 4 tables from now on, there just isn't the capacity to have best-of-7 matches in a week-long tournament.


I hope that doesn't become the norm, because that's just cack.

I noticed the other day that this season the Home Nation tournaments all have qualifying tournaments. Wonder what that's about.


Won't miss the early rounds being televised - some numpty getting beat 6-nil by a top 16er


There are plenty of good matches they could show in the early rounds on the outside tables. No good reason to insist on the uneven matches they do.


Star power namely.

The bigger stars bring in the viewership, which is what the television companies/streaming services care about. Even if it's a top player laying the smack down on somebody ranked 120.

Re: O'Sullivan pulls out of British Open; no reason given.

Postby SnookerFan

Iranu wrote:
SnookerFan wrote:Yeah, it's on ITV4.

Which, if I'd guess, is at least partly the reason for the format. As ITV aren't used to showing tournaments with 128 players in them. It wouldn't amaze me if they'd asked for it that way to find a way to fit it into their television schedules.

Also, the best of 11 final could well be because ITV4 are showing something else on the Sunday afternoon.

Hendon confirmed on Snooker Scene that the format was finalised before ITV decided to air the tournament and the decision had nothing to do with them.


Really?

I literally cannot think of any other reason why they would create a format like this.

Re: O'Sullivan pulls out of British Open; no reason given.

Postby lhpirnie

SnookerFan wrote:
Iranu wrote:
SnookerFan wrote:Yeah, it's on ITV4.

Which, if I'd guess, is at least partly the reason for the format. As ITV aren't used to showing tournaments with 128 players in them. It wouldn't amaze me if they'd asked for it that way to find a way to fit it into their television schedules.

Also, the best of 11 final could well be because ITV4 are showing something else on the Sunday afternoon.

Hendon confirmed on Snooker Scene that the format was finalised before ITV decided to air the tournament and the decision had nothing to do with them.


Really?

I literally cannot think of any other reason why they would create a format like this.

It may be true that ITV only confirmed after the format was announced, but there will have been discussions behind the scenes long before that. Most likely WST were hoping for the ITV deal, produced a format that they would accept, and let the negotiations play out.

Re: O'Sullivan pulls out of British Open; no reason given.

Postby Iranu

lhpirnie wrote:It may be true that ITV only confirmed after the format was announced, but there will have been discussions behind the scenes long before that. Most likely WST were hoping for the ITV deal, produced a format that they would accept, and let the negotiations play out.

I don’t think ITV waited until the format was announced, did they? And yeah WST may have devised the format with ITV in mind but we can hardly lay the blame at ITV’s door for that.

Hendon also said, which I didn’t realise, the format never was actually announced. Tickets were released and the format was shown as part of the buying process.

Personally, I think the most likely thing is that WST had this tournament format in mind for a while and wanted to do it, and ‘pasted’ a British Open revival announcement on top of it to give it credibility. It probably also helped persuade ITV to show it because they’ve shown the British Open in the past. As well as hopefully persuading top players to play in an August tournament with a short format.

Re: O'Sullivan pulls out of British Open; no reason given.

Postby Prop

Raziel wrote:Sorry, I'm a bit behind.

What is the format of the british Open.

Best of fives, was it?


Correct. Bit crap, but hopefully the new guy taking over from Hearn recognises the fact it should be an exception, not the norm.

Re: O'Sullivan pulls out of British Open; no reason given.

Postby Raziel

Prop wrote:
Raziel wrote:Sorry, I'm a bit behind.

What is the format of the british Open.

Best of fives, was it?


Correct. Bit crap, but hopefully the new guy taking over from Hearn recognises the fact it should be an exception, not the norm.


Thanks pal. <ok>

Re: O'Sullivan pulls out of British Open; no reason given.

Postby Wildey

SnookerFan wrote:Yeah, it's on ITV4.

Which, if I'd guess, is at least partly the reason for the format. As ITV aren't used to showing tournaments with 128 players in them. It wouldn't amaze me if they'd asked for it that way to find a way to fit it into their television schedules.

Also, the best of 11 final could well be because ITV4 are showing something else on the Sunday afternoon.

According to Hendon WST went to ITV with this format.

they could have tried having more confident in ITV than that

Re: O'Sullivan pulls out of British Open; no reason given.

Postby Iranu

Wildey wrote:
SnookerFan wrote:Yeah, it's on ITV4.

Which, if I'd guess, is at least partly the reason for the format. As ITV aren't used to showing tournaments with 128 players in them. It wouldn't amaze me if they'd asked for it that way to find a way to fit it into their television schedules.

Also, the best of 11 final could well be because ITV4 are showing something else on the Sunday afternoon.

According to Hendon WST went to ITV with this format.

they could have tried having more confident in ITV than that

Not that ITV’s given them much reason to be <laugh>