SWSA no longer to stage pro ranking events after this season

When we opened the South West Snooker Academy, just over two years ago, we had ambitions to work with as many organisations as possible to help develop the sport of snooker at all levels

One of our aims was to provide promoters and external organisations the opportunity to host events within a purpose-built facility, finished and equipped to the highest possible standards, ensuring high quality and enjoyable tournaments. We are convinced, by the majority of the feedback that we have received, that we have achieved this goal and now it is important we make the right decisions to ensure the SWSA is used appropriately to achieve the maximum benefits for snooker.

It has become apparent that for some events this season our facilities are not being utilised to their full potential and we are no longer prepared to host mediocre tournaments, due to decisions made by external promoters, when the possibility of top class tournaments is achievable.

We pride ourselves on working in a professional manner and believe that integrity, trust and honesty are vital to any working relationship. Over the past couple of years, we have found ourselves in positions where our trust has been broken, at times resulting in the complete breakdown of relationships. When this has occurred, we have had no option but to end those relationships to ensure we are only working with people and organisations that we have 100% faith in.

Bearing all of this in mind, we are today announcing that we no longer wish to hold professional ranking tournaments at the South West Snooker Academy, but will now concentrate on developing grass roots snooker, holding high quality amateur events and providing coaching to students from within and outside the UK. We will honour our current contract with World Snooker and host the remaining PTC events for this season as contracted. PTC4 will therefore be our last professional tournament.

It is with disappointment that we feel the need to make this decision as we have always made it known that we wanted to work with as many people and organisations as possible to help grow the sport for the good of it's long term future. We have always worked hard to assist where possible, with the greatest of intentions, however we feel that we have not always been afforded the same level of respect and courtesy and we are no longer prepared to accept the way in which we are and have been treated.

We will now return our attentions to grass roots snooker and ways in which we can help develop the sport and participation levels amongst young players both in the UK and internationally. We are looking forward to working more closely with nations that we have already built a strong bond with and making bonds with new countries too. We are looking to work with people and organisations who represent and strive for the same level of excellence as we do at the South West Snooker Academy.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank everybody who has supported us during our professional events over the past couple of years including the players, officials, media guests, bloggers, academy staff and everyone who has come to watch our events. We are sorry to those who may be disappointed by this decision

Sonny wrote:World Snooker's loss. Personally I'm gutted so will be making the most of PTCs 3 and 4 when I'm down there.

Obviously "sour grapes" is a wind up comment.

gallantrabbit wrote:If this isn't sorted out the I can see the end of the PTCs in Britain. You can't keep taking them to a venue like Sheffield where no-one wants to play and you have to have some space for a gallery.
Shame there hasn't been a bit more sit down time here as the place was the best option by a mile.
However to just start saying that BH should never have been control is poppycock.

Monique wrote:

Sonny wrote:World Snooker's loss. Personally I'm gutted so will be making the most of PTCs 3 and 4 when I'm down there.

Obviously "sour grapes" is a wind up comment.

Not sure about that. Witz was on twitter yesterday branding Paul Mount a "drama queen".
Wild as usual was throwing the book at the players and the "idiots" from WSA but, of course, BH is God.
Very curious about what happened.

Uaintseenmeright wrote:Monique, I know whats happened. Anyone who knows the SWSA knows whats happened.

Its all about a World Governing body that is now controlled and run by a man that quite frankly couldnt care less about snooker or certainly the grass roots of it. All he cares about, and the minions he controls, (like Jason Ferguson) is making as much money out of the game as possible.

Their (thats WPBSA/WS) attitude is disgustingly arrogant. They are rude, un responsive, they steal other peoples ideas and sell them as their own, they expect everything for free from many people yet pay themselves massive salaries and this is all back up by a band of equally arrogant, twittering snooker pro's that quite frankly know which side their bread is buttered and do what they are told, when they are told.

Those same players were the ones that voted to give Hearn snooker, the likes of Steve Davis, a close personal friend of Hearn. Anyway, its about time someone had the guts and quite frankly the mussle to challenge Hearn and his mates and the SWSA has the backing that such a challenge required.

If you havent been there, then go and you will see why REAL SNOOKER FANS think its one of the World best venues - even though Janie Watkins is a little gobby and slightly mad (love u really Janie )

I wish I personally could give Hearn, Ferguson and all the rest of them a bloody nose for the way they treated me but Im nobody - the SWSA has the respect and the clout to do it, they have done it and maximum respect to them for doing it.

Wild WC wrote:NO Monique

He Runs the Promotional side of the Game then when Deals are Struck up he Hands it over to others within the organization to Run it.

That how it works in Business

Do you honestly think the Overall Boss of MacDonalds or Big Supermarket Chains Knows every detail that Happens in his Business ?

of course they don't.

Monique wrote:Wild, Barry can't do or control everything but he's the boss and he's the one with decision powers, and you can be sure he uses those powers. He bought the game precisely for that purpose, so that no one could go against him and start challenging his decisions. So it amuses me (mildly) that every "good" decision is his, in your eyes, and every cock-up or abusive decision is someone else fault.
Barry Hearn is human, as everyone, and not every decision he takes is good or right. Nobody does the right choices all the time, nobody knows it all better than everyone else, not him neither. He's very dynamic and very hard working, which is good, but he's also very arrogant and seems to believe he's "the man" and everyone not seeing thing with the same eye as him is stupid and has to be forced into submission, which isn't right or good. There is no such thing as the "single version of the truth". Life isn't black and white.

I don't know the facts here, or the reasons for the fall-out. Neither do you. So until we know you should refrain from judgements and stop putting the blame on the WSA staff or the players before you know the facts.

PLtheRef wrote:

Monique wrote:Wild, Barry can't do or control everything but he's the boss and he's the one with decision powers, and you can be sure he uses those powers. He bought the game precisely for that purpose, so that no one could go against him and start challenging his decisions. So it amuses me (mildly) that every "good" decision is his, in your eyes, and every cock-up or abusive decision is someone else fault.
Barry Hearn is human, as everyone, and not every decision he takes is good or right. Nobody does the right choices all the time, nobody knows it all better than everyone else, not him neither. He's very dynamic and very hard working, which is good, but he's also very arrogant and seems to believe he's "the man" and everyone not seeing thing with the same eye as him is stupid and has to be forced into submission, which isn't right or good. There is no such thing as the "single version of the truth". Life isn't black and white.

I don't know the facts here, or the reasons for the fall-out. Neither do you. So until we know you should refrain from judgements and stop putting the blame on the WSA staff or the players before you know the facts.

I can get what you are saying about BH running things but if he is taking each decision and exercising each decision then what need is there for JF'?

Wild WC wrote:Monique just what informed Opinion have you got ?

Sod bloody all but you are Ready to defend useless morons and at every opportunity but the Boot in to Barry Hearn without any SAID FACTS.

Wild WC wrote:ive forgotten more about this sport than you will ever Know

Wild WC wrote:Barry Hearn needs Snooker like a hole in the Head he could make Money elsewhere and without half the Hazzle and Childish behavior from the Current World Champion and some pre madonas.

One reason and one Reason only why Barry Hearn came back to Snooker he was Begged by Players because of the useless way the sport had been Run for Generations.

Who ever you are you have a Agenda of Barry Slagging and with all due respect without the Brains to Work out how things truly work.