Ticket sales. How come....?

How come World Snooker are so weird when it comes to selling tickets to some events?

It's less than four months until the English Open is on, and World Snooker haven't even released an estimate as to when tickets go on sale. (I've been e-mailing them to ask.)

It was something like the 8th July last year, and the English, Irish, Welsh and Scottish Open all went on sale on the same day.

Is it that surprising that the English Open did so rubbish ticket sales? Maybe this is something World Snooker want to look into? The 'Majors' go on sale a year in advance, and do much better sales.

I'm always hearing complaints that a lot of the smaller tournaments don't feel like a big deal. Is it a surprise if World Snooker don't treat them like a big deal? I'm literally sending them e-mails to ask them when I can buy tickets.

Saying that, just to make me look like a fanny, See Tickets are announcing they go on sale on Friday.

http://www.seetickets.com/tour/home-nat ... en-snooker

Who will claim the millon pounds?

Here's the story of my day so far.

I come on here, complain that tickets aren't on sale yet. E-mail World Snooker and Event City, Manchester asking why not. Go on SeeTickets, notice they go on sale on Friday, feel like a div.

Then notice that See Tickets say it's in Barnsley, World Snooker website say it's in Manchester. I e-mail Barnsley Metrodome, no reply. I ring Barnsley Metrodome, and they have no idea what snooker tournament I'm talking about, I ring the World Snooker head office. World Snooker say it hasn't been confirmed where it is yet, because tickets don't go on sale until Friday. However World Snooker confirm; "It's not in Manchester."

Barnsley finally e-mail me back, and confirm it IS in Barnsley. I complain about it to World Snooker on Twitter, SeeTickets take down any information as to where the tournament is being held. Last check, World Snooker still saying it's Manchester on their website.



It's like they don't want to sell tickets....

How dare you harrass those nice people at WS & Barnsley.

Go and stand in the corner, hang your head and think about what you've done wrong.

SnookerEd25 wrote:How dare you harrass those nice people at WS & Barnsley.

Go and stand in the corner, hang your head and think about what you've done wrong.

Harass them by asking them where a snooker tournament is, so I can buy tickets?

I hope the UK Championship ends up being in York, because that's where I've booked my hotel......

SnookerFan wrote:
I hope the UK Championship ends up being in York, because that's where I've booked my hotel......

Knowing your luck, it'll probably end up in the Fairfield Halls!

SnookerEd25 wrote:

SnookerFan wrote:
I hope the UK Championship ends up being in York, because that's where I've booked my hotel......

Knowing your luck, it'll probably end up in the Fairfield Halls!

That's closed for refurbishment for the next few years.

Shame. I could walk home.

Ah, it's been a while since I had the pleasure of frequenting Croydon. I was born in Mitcham (where my sister still lives) but divide most of my time between West London & High Wycombe now.

SnookerEd25 wrote:Ah, it's been a while since I had the pleasure of frequenting Croydon. I was born in Mitcham (where my sister still lives) but divide most of my time between West London & High Wycombe now.

My mate used to live near Mitcham Junction.


Ps. Croydon aint much of a pleasure.

SnookerFan wrote:

Ps. Croydon aint much of a pleasure.

Tell me about it!

On a more serious note, World Snooker don't do themselves any favours.

Since April, they've been saying that the English Open is in Manchester. When See Tickets announces tickets go on sale on Friday, they claim the venue is Barnsley. (Despite World Snooker's website saying Manchester still.) I contact World Snooker, World Snooker don't know where the tournament is going to be held. This is less than 48 hours before tickets go on sale. I tell them of the discrepancy between the WS and See Tickets websites. World Snooker changes their website to Venue TBA, See Tickets take down any mention of ticket sales, now there is no information on either as to where the tournament is taking place. (Or when tickets go on sale, come to that.)

Less than four months before the tournament begins, and they are still unable to give a clear answer as to where it's being held. And they wonder why some tournaments struggle to sell tickets.

Keeping it in Manchester for a couple of years surely would've been a better idea. At least people would've got used to where the tournament is being held, might've increased ticket sales. How does struggling to get a venue at such short notice help ticket sales?

Count yourself lucky that you get to watch top-level snooker.

This was the best (and only) snooker event that I went to watch: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billiards ... sian_Games

(even so I mainly appeared for the English billiards and the Phillipine 9-ball team)

Thankfully some Thai player scored a century break

gcjdavid wrote:Count yourself lucky that you get to watch top-level snooker.

This was the best (and only) snooker event that I went to watch: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billiards ... sian_Games

(even so I mainly appeared for the English billiards and the Phillipine 9-ball team)

Thankfully some Thai player scored a century break

True.

May end up going to Manchester instead, and bodding about up there anyway.

I'd promised my mate to take them to see the Trafford Centre and some snooker. Will see what they prefer, as it's now either or.

It's a ridiculous situation SF - seems without you chasing them they would still have the wrong info up there.
Hearn out - Snookerfan in!

Badsnookerplayer wrote:It's a ridiculous situation SF - seems without you chasing them they would still have the wrong info up there.
Hearn out - Snookerfan in!

From the man who also exposed Barry Hearn's ITV lies.

Would have gone if it was Manchester.

Events like this need to be played in bigger cities but it seems half the snooker season will now be played in Yorkshire

I still see this on World Snooker:

http://www.worldsnooker.com/tournaments ... open-2016/

although I notice the web address refers to 2016???

I also would have gone to this if it was held in Manchester again, maybe they'll keep the grand prix in the Guild hall.

Badsnookerplayer wrote:I still see this on World Snooker:

http://www.worldsnooker.com/tournaments ... open-2016/

although I notice the web address refers to 2016???

Indeed.

They haven't got a clue.

And here it is. The story is officially official;

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/sn ... -1-8623563

Interesting that Hearn bigs it up as being a natural decision to move it there, when according to their website it was being held in Manchester up until Wednesday afternoon.

Alex0paul wrote:Would have gone if it was Manchester.

Events like this need to be played in bigger cities but it seems half the snooker season will now be played in Yorkshire

Manchester was fantastic. I couldn't understand why so few people turned up to it. I guess it had just not been marketed as well.

Though to be fair, a lot of what was fantastic about it was the proximity to the excellent Trafford Centre, rather than because of Event City itself. Still, a shame it didn't work out.

SnookerFan wrote:And here it is. The story is officially official;

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/sn ... -1-8623563

Interesting that Hearn bigs it up as being a natural decision to move it there, when according to their website it was being held in Manchester up until Wednesday afternoon.

Yes, it does sound like a last-minute panic decision, dressed up as a preconceived idea. What is most interesting, from your posts, is that the staff at the Metrodome weren't even in the loop as to what was going on initially, by the sounds of things, making everybody involved look less than competent.

The sad thing is, I'd promised to take a friend who didn't usually come to snooker with me, based on the strength of the venue. (And wealth of things to do in Manchester, outside of the snooker.) Now we've got to decide whether to go to Barnsley to watch snooker, or go to Manchester and give the snooker a skip altogether. We had planned on going to Legoland.

Also, I've noticed that the Irish Open has been moved from away from the Titanic Centre.

That, at least, I can understand.

Tits or ass?

Legs.

World Snooker is currently in discussions with two different promoters in China about the ranking event to be staged from September 18 to 24.

The tournament, televised on CCTV, will either be the Shanghai Masters or the World Open in Yushan. Both proposals from promoters, currently under discussion, are based on a flat draw of 128 players. As ever, our intention is to secure the best outcome for our players and fans.

This is the current position and we will confirm the location once discussions are complete. We will also then be in position to confirm the prize money breakdown for the whole 2017/18 season.

The qualifying round for this ranking event will take place at the Guild Hall in Preston on August 6 to 9.

http://www.worldsnooker.com/china-ranki ... september/

So both promoters want to stage a ranking event, but they can't because World Snooker only allows 5 rankers in China? At least there is a ranking event in Barnsley...

kolompar wrote:So both promoters want to stage a ranking event, but they can't because World Snooker only allows 5 rankers in China? At least there is a ranking event in Barnsley...

Seems abit strange that. I'd allow China to have as many tournaments as they want. Let the players decide what they want to enter.