Should top players feel a greater obligation to enter?

Looking at the Paul Hunter Classic, Peter Ebdon and Luca Brecel are probably the biggest names there.

Surely the tournament will not continue long because nobody will cares about it and this stems from the likes of Selby, Trump, Williams etc not entering. They don't need to enter as they are earning well but players near 50 and below could probably do with the tournament continuing.

So should top players be obliged to support these events by entering?

Badsnookerplayer wrote:Looking at the Paul Hunter Classic, Peter Ebdon and Luca Brecel are probably the biggest names there.

Surely the tournament will not continue long because nobody will cares about it and this stems from the likes of Selby, Trump, Williams etc not entering. They don't need to enter as they are earning well but players near 50 and below could probably do with the tournament continuing.

So should top players be obliged to support these events by entering?

Its a shame they dont but there shouldnt be a obligation.


The idea of a World Tour consisting of 20 plus ranking events is you have the right to pick and chose other sports have done it for years its taken for ever to get snooker in to that situation.

It's funny that Selby has won this tournament three times and the only one that counts as a ranking win is the least important one. The addition of the English, Irish & Scottish Opens plus the Euro Masters has really hurt the PHC.

KrazeeEyezKilla wrote:It's funny that Selby has won this tournament three times and the only one that counts as a ranking win is the least important one. The addition of the English, Irish & Scottish Opens plus the Euro Masters has really hurt the PHC.

World Snooker/Eurosport has hurt the tournament its not evolving they not making it atractive for sponsors or players.

£20,000 to the winner it the poor relation on tour yea great amount of money to the Winner you proberbly have to reach the semis to make it worth it. How many players from germany? 2 its a long way to go for £1000 for a last 32 spot that meant 96 pros will earn £600 or less.

So why no bigger sponsor? well its stuck on eurosport player so who the hell will want to sponsor that.

you got to make tournaments atractive for sponsors they failing miserably with the PHC.

Not even players ranked below 50 are participating that enthusiastically, 22 of the top 50 players and 57/78 ranked below 50 are in. Last year there were 97 tour players and now only 79. Worst ever for a full ranking event? Doesn't seem like it's going to be held for many more years at this rate.

Top players have earned the right to pick and choose which events they enter.

It's not their fault that WS have made the Paul Hunter Classic into a pathetic tournament.

It's an insult to his memory to be honest. He was a quality player and should be associated with a quality tournament.

Wildey wrote:

KrazeeEyezKilla wrote:It's funny that Selby has won this tournament three times and the only one that counts as a ranking win is the least important one. The addition of the English, Irish & Scottish Opens plus the Euro Masters has really hurt the PHC.

World Snooker/Eurosport has hurt the tournament its not evolving they not making it atractive for sponsors or players.

£20,000 to the winner it the poor relation on tour yea great amount of money to the Winner you proberbly have to reach the semis to make it worth it. How many players from germany? 2 its a long way to go for £1000 for a last 32 spot that meant 96 pros will earn £600 or less.

So why no bigger sponsor? well its stuck on eurosport player so who the hell will want to sponsor that.

you got to make tournaments atractive for sponsors they failing miserably with the PHC.

It’s the other way around, If it had a bigger sponsor with bigger money and therefore the top players would enter it would be upgraded to main eurosport.

Iranu wrote:Top players have earned the right to pick and choose which events they enter.

It's not their fault that WS have made the Paul Hunter Classic into a pathetic tournament.

It's an insult to his memory to be honest. He was a quality player and should be associated with a quality tournament.

Totally agree. This is a blemish on Bazza’s excellent work

Dan-cat wrote:

Wildey wrote:

KrazeeEyezKilla wrote:It's funny that Selby has won this tournament three times and the only one that counts as a ranking win is the least important one. The addition of the English, Irish & Scottish Opens plus the Euro Masters has really hurt the PHC.

World Snooker/Eurosport has hurt the tournament its not evolving they not making it atractive for sponsors or players.

£20,000 to the winner it the poor relation on tour yea great amount of money to the Winner you proberbly have to reach the semis to make it worth it. How many players from germany? 2 its a long way to go for £1000 for a last 32 spot that meant 96 pros will earn £600 or less.

So why no bigger sponsor? well its stuck on eurosport player so who the hell will want to sponsor that.

you got to make tournaments atractive for sponsors they failing miserably with the PHC.

It’s the other way around, If it had a bigger sponsor with bigger money and therefore the top players would enter it would be upgraded to main eurosport.

it was on Main Eurosport as a PTC but then they couldnt give it more money because it had a structure of 12 events all worth same amount of points.

Then as soon as it became a full ranking event first season it was not on main eurosport makes no sense. you had Higgins, Williams, Selby and Trump there the last year of PTC even Ronnie had played in it and won it so why drop it from TV and yet Gibraltar Open which was also part of the PTC has also been kept and retained it TV place with nowhere like the history the PHC had.

Dan-cat wrote:

Iranu wrote:Top players have earned the right to pick and choose which events they enter.

It's not their fault that WS have made the Paul Hunter Classic into a pathetic tournament.

It's an insult to his memory to be honest. He was a quality player and should be associated with a quality tournament.

Totally agree. This is a blemish on Bazza’s excellent work

There are a few more blemish than that its not been faultless not by a long chalk.