Qualifying Criteria

It is fairly clear to this traditionalist that in order to expand and survive, snooker seriously needs to go global.

With Eurosport showing a lot of snooker, and with strong interest in the Far East as well as countries as far a field as Brazil and Canada, it makes sense to exploit this market and allow the very best native players to test themselves against the best players in the top tournaments.

What I would like to see is an end to foreign players relying on producing their form in a cubicle at a holiday camp in Wales, and be allowed to play for spots in the ranking event venue by virtue of their own regional qualification events.

I’m sure I don’t need to expand on this idea as it speaks for itself but as an example, one suggestion could be as follows:

Venue – 64 players

Qualification
Top 32 on the rankings list
Top 16 players from UK qualification event
Top 4 players from Chinese qualification event
Top 4 players from Continental Europe qualification event
Top 2 players from Scandinavian qualification event
Top 2 players from Canadian qualification event
Top 2 players from Philippines qualification event
Top player from Brazil qualification event
Top player from USA qualification event

Naturally these figures have been made up on the spot but they are not to be taken literally, I am merely suggesting a concept which I think will help to globalise snooker and gain interest from television companies of those involved.

One thing to be taken into account is that Chinese players such as Ding Junhui and Liang Wenbo have demonstrated that there are more ways to play snooker than we in the UK used to think. Ding Junhui has a mastery of cannon play never seen before, and Liang Wenbo has a do or die attitude that is very refreshing to the snooker world.

My point is that there are many different ways to play snooker, and by forcing players from far flung countries to play the Prestatyn way before they can play the best players, you are in part taking away the natural game and stopping the armchair viewer from appreciating different interpretations of how to play snooker.

It may well be the case that the UK player who draws the player from Brazil will dish out a tonking, but that is not the point here. If a Brazilian were to feature in a televised event, he would gain national notoriety and introduce snooker to a whole new audience.

In addition to the above, it would be good to have certain events open to all comers such as top players from the various leagues around the UK. The UK Open darts event every year throws up new names of top county players who get the chance to take on the likes of Phil Taylor on television. One event per season along these lines wouldn’t hurt snooker, would it?

http://www.snookerfanatic.com/articles/ ... sation-23/

i like most of your idea and totally agree that the whole Pontins set up is amatuerish and a farce for a supposed world sport.

The only issue is your suggestion for so many qualifiers from each country / continent. This is disciminatory to an extent. Its a bit like the police force having to have 1 in 10 from an ethnic minority background. There may be a better white candidate who is refused a job simply because they have to give the black candidate to up their numbers and quota.

Just like there might be a good couple of UK players who are definetly top 64 but cannot make it because so many lower quality players from weaker parts of the world get a place at their expense.

I do agree with regionalising the tour and having foreign feeder tours or even a few main tours like their is in golf, the 2 main ones being the UK and Asia tours and smaller ones in Europe, US/Canada, Australia and South America with all the best players coming together for the Majors.

i like oneball idea however if a Brit happened to be on holiday in say the Philippines he should be aloud to enter. the same if a Chinese was living in the states.

never make the tournaments exclusive to natives....we want best players on tour and not by their passports or nationality.

wildJONESEYE wrote:i like oneball idea however if a Brit happened to be on holiday in say the Philippines he should be aloud to enter. the same if a Chinese was living in the states.

never make the tournaments exclusive to natives....we want best players on tour and not by their passports or nationality.

we finally agree on something Wild !!!

Witz78 wrote:

wildJONESEYE wrote:i like oneball idea however if a Brit happened to be on holiday in say the Philippines he should be aloud to enter. the same if a Chinese was living in the states.

never make the tournaments exclusive to natives....we want best players on tour and not by their passports or nationality.

we finally agree on something Wild !!!

you want to dance to celebrate

wildJONESEYE wrote:

Witz78 wrote:

wildJONESEYE wrote:i like oneball idea however if a Brit happened to be on holiday in say the Philippines he should be aloud to enter. the same if a Chinese was living in the states.

never make the tournaments exclusive to natives....we want best players on tour and not by their passports or nationality.

we finally agree on something Wild !!!

you want to dance to celebrate

NO............