by Dannyboy » 29 Jan 2023 Read
Second part of my post above. The logistics involved and how it would be implemented...
The current tour is worth £11M - the below is a total prize fund of £15M, which with the re-inclusion of Chinese events, this should be achiveable by 2025.
Events:
4 x Major Ranking Events: World Championship (16 direct to finals, 32 in finals, 128 in qualifying) - over £875,000, UK Championship (16D, 32F, 128Q), China Open (64F, 12 heldover, 128Q), China Championship (32F, 8H, 128Q)
4 x Major Invitationals - over £350,000: The Masters (16D), World Cup (32Fx2) played biannually, Tour Championship (16D), Champion of Champions (16D)
2 x Chinese Regular Ranking Events - £750,000: International Championship (64F, 12H, 128Q), Shanghai Masters (64F, 12H, 128Q)
9 x UK & Europe Ranking Events - pver £400,000: European Championships (128F), British Open (128F), NI Open (128F), England Open (128F), Scottish Open (128F), German Masters (128F), Welsh Open (128F), World Grand Prix (32F), Players Tour Championship (16F)
1 x Short-Form Ranking - £180,000: Shootout (128F)
4 x European Long Weekend Events - £200,000: Austria (128F), Latvia (128F), Germany (128F), Belgium (128F) - (examples only)
7 x Challenge Tour Events: 6 x regular events (96F) + finals (32F), total tour worth £300,000
2 x Other Invitationals: Hong Kong Masters (16F), World Seniors Championship (16F)
1 x Womens World Championship
1 x World Youth Championship for players under the age of 23.
So that is 36 events, giving a good mix of invitationals, big events, but also playing opportunities for those lower down the ranking list to get good match practice. All European ranking events bar the Worlds and UK would be direct to the venue, to save on travel costs. All Chinese events would be L64 to the venue bar the China Championship.
The International, Shanghai Masters and China Open would have a L96 round, whilst all other events would be flat knockouts bar the UK and Worlds which would be played in the same format as now.
Events encouraged to offer "hospitality" and ground transport where possible. Players to offer more time for media and sponsorship commitments in return.
First round losers money for all the major ranking events plus the Shootout. All Challenge Tour events would be 96 players, but can include all first year tour card holders and players outside the top 96 for additional earning opportunities (cannot qualify for CT Finals). Also offers a bit of an off-season for the busiest players.
Events Removed: Championship League(s), World Mixed Doubles
Proposed Calendar: based on 2023-24 dates
May
29 Apr-7 May - Q School UK, Asia & Europe (seperate events)
25-28 May - Euro Tour 1
June
2-4 Jun - Challenge Tour 1
15-18 Jun - Euro Tour 2
23-25 Jun - Challenge Tour 2
July
3-9 Jul - World Cup
20-23 Jul - Euro Tour 3
28-30 Jul - Challenge Tour 3
August
31 Jul-6 Aug - NI Open
14-20 Aug - European Championships (rebranded from Euro Masters)
22-27 Aug - Champion of Champions
29-31 Aug - International Championship Qualifiers
September
4-10 Sep - British Open
15-17 Sep - Challenge Tour 4
18-24 Sep - English Open
26 Sep-3 Oct - Shanghai Masters & China Championships Qualifiers
October
9-15 Oct - International Championship
19-22 Oct - Hong Kong Masters
23-29 Oct - Shanghai Masters
November
3-5 Nov - Challenge Tour 5
13-19 Nov - China Championship
22-29 Nov - UK Championship Qualifiers
December
2-10 Dec - UK Championship
17-23 Dec - Scottish Open
January
2-4 Jan - China Open Qualifiers
6-14 Jan - Masters
18-21 Jan - Euro Tour 4
25-27 Jan - Shootout
29 Jan-4 Feb - German Masters
February
9-11 Feb - Challenge Tour 6
14-18 Feb - World Grand Prix
27 Feb-2 Mar - Players Championship
March
4-10 Mar - Welsh Open
15-17 Mar - Challenge Tour Finals, QFs offered WCQ places
18-23 Mar - Six Reds World Championship
25-31 Mar - China Open
April
1-10 Apr - World Championship Qualifiers
10-14 Apr - Tour Championship
20 Apr-6 May - World Championship
26-28 Apr - World Youth Championship, final to be played morning of the Crucible Final
May
8-10 May - World Seniors Championship
8-12 May - Women's World Championship
Rankings:
A 2-year money list to be retained.
Not all ranking events countable - all major events, plus best result from 10 out of 16 of the remaining events. Encourages players to pick and choose events.
First year tour card holders retain their place for a minimum of a second year.
Players 97 and below able to enter CT events plus top-up players from Q Schools.
Tour Cards
Assigned as it is now, maybe a few tweaks to include more from the Challenge Tour and maybe more from overseas.
NGB wildcards removed, plus WST discretionary wildcards removed unless exceptional circumstances (travel restrictions, illness or injury).
64 Challenge Tour card holders assigned in a similar way to the Main Tour.