Hearny's press conference

http://www.worldsnooker.com/barry-hearn-announcements/

Couldn't see this posted anywhere and was surprised. Anyone still have any doubts that this is the man for our game? He even proved he listens a little with increase in prize money for early round losers, (not first) and the announcement of a secondary tour for Q school losers.
The stand outs for me are the sheer rise in prize money to 12m next year and the China tv deal. Hope the fellow doesn't feel like retiring anytime soon and Eddie Hearn is ready when he does.

I thought it was odd when I saw the calendar a few weeks ago and the International Championship is now held from 30 July-6 August. It's strange to see a so called major being moved to a quiet time of year in favour of the China Championship which has nothing unique about it, has a less important name and doesn't even have the few years history the IC has. Seeing that announcement I wonder if there's some big plan for that tournament.

Talk of winners prize being 250k

gallantrabbit wrote:http://www.worldsnooker.com/barry-hearn-announcements/

Couldn't see this posted anywhere and was surprised. Anyone still have any doubts that this is the man for our game? He even proved he listens a little with increase in prize money for early round losers, (not first) and the announcement of a secondary tour for Q school losers.
The stand outs for me are the sheer rise in prize money to 12m next year and the China tv deal. Hope the fellow doesn't feel like retiring anytime soon and Eddie Hearn is ready when he does.

Eddie won't have anything to do with it, he is too tied up with boxing

The IC is in October-November on the provisional calendar?!

One of the Chinese events needs to be really stepped up. Multi session matches all the way through to give it a prestigious feel. Make it big prize money to make it the definitive 2nd major. Grow the game even further and maybe help ensure the crucible keeps the world's.

He's scrapped entry fees saving players £5k a year. Ace move.

The money is snooker is going to be incredible!
Tour places are going to be at a premium, especially as the entry-fees are being waived - as noted by Dan-Cat.
Perhaps some lower-ranked players will still be out-of-pocket, but it's still a boost for the sport.

Here's how the make-up of next season's Tour is looking...with a few places still to be decided.
Not sure if Africa will have a representative yet, so it looks like there will be 131 or 132 players - but, even for flat-128 draws, there will likely still be the need for top-up amateurs.

Hopefully 'clickable'!:

This is awesome, thanks for the images. Perchance could make one non-alphabet sorted? Top 64 - 2nd Year - Q School - etc - etc?

Hopefully, clearer!

Excellent, thanks a bunch again. Nothing wrong with first set either, was clear enough, just like this type of sort as well.

Morinas77 wrote:The IC is in October-November on the provisional calendar?!

It was when they first did the calendar in February. I didn't know it had been changed a couple of weeks ago.

It's an excellent move to restrict China to only 5 events. By limiting the supply of events, demand for them amongst sponsors and whatnot will skyrocket, and the potential prize money could be exponential. This is even more so, given the growing popularity of snooker in China.

This also opens the possibility of a true 4th major, from amongst those 5 events, which seems to be Hearn's intention. Instead of letting new events pop up left-right-and-centre, it allows existing events to focus on gaining some history and ultimately competing for the right to be seen as a 'major' within the game. This competition between the events, in order to be recognised as the next major, will drive the prize money upwards. In theory, at least.

Wasn't there a PTC type of tournament series going on in China earlier this season, where also European players took part, because a tour card was at stake? I wonder if the China nomination have to do with this, or are they random wildcards for Chinese players.

Selby with a stony-faced reaction to that fluke lol.

Cloud Strife wrote:Selby with a stony-faced reaction to that fluke lol.

Wrong thread, mate!

In the first year, the China Championship will be £150,000 for the winner and £700,000 in prize money, with a full 128 player flat draw.

John Higgins took home £200,000 I believe for winning this season, but that was just an invitational event.

So virtually every player moan has been addressed. The only thing that they may still moan about is the £0 for the first round losers, which is right.

The only change I would make is to go back to a tiered "lite" system, with the top 32 players seeded through to the venue (L64), unless only 32 players travel. The next 32 would have to play in the L96 and the bottom 64 start out in R1. So even for them, just 2 wins from the venue. It then eliminates the 1 v 128 thrashing that you see at the UK.

10 Challenge Tour events, probably worth £200,000 a year.

£12m is a huge amount for snooker. I can see that number going up to £20m by the year 2025.

Morinas77 wrote:The IC is in October-November on the provisional calendar?!

Think that has only changed in the last few days.

The China Championship will be the tournament that is really "stepped up". The owner of the sponsor (Evergrande) is a multi billionaire. This is the tournament Hearn is referring to that'll be 'making history.'

Cheshire Cat wrote:It's an excellent move to restrict China to only 5 events. By limiting the supply of events, demand for them amongst sponsors and whatnot will skyrocket, and the potential prize money could be exponential. This is even more so, given the growing popularity of snooker in China.

I don't get that. Will they also limit the number of UK events then? The China events have proper sponsors, banks, car makers, it's the UK events that only get betting companies and there's too many of them.

But good to see more money and the entry fees abolished, and the Challenge Tour will be interesting.

The latest provisional calendar change was probably on April 11 (date on Mike Dunn's twitter).

kolompar wrote:

Cheshire Cat wrote:It's an excellent move to restrict China to only 5 events. By limiting the supply of events, demand for them amongst sponsors and whatnot will skyrocket, and the potential prize money could be exponential. This is even more so, given the growing popularity of snooker in China.

I don't get that. Will they also limit the number of UK events then? The China events have proper sponsors, banks, car makers, it's the UK events that only get betting companies and there's too many of them.

But good to see more money and the entry fees abolished, and the Challenge Tour will be interesting.

I would hate to see more events in China tbh

kolompar wrote:

Cheshire Cat wrote:It's an excellent move to restrict China to only 5 events. By limiting the supply of events, demand for them amongst sponsors and whatnot will skyrocket, and the potential prize money could be exponential. This is even more so, given the growing popularity of snooker in China.

I don't get that. Will they also limit the number of UK events then? The China events have proper sponsors, banks, car makers, it's the UK events that only get betting companies and there's too many of them.

But good to see more money and the entry fees abolished, and the Challenge Tour will be interesting.

Supply and demand. Cut off the supply and sponsors will queue up to bump up the existing events - i.e. creating history.

Like it or not, money = prestige these days. That's why, in previous years, despite its long history, the Welsh Open was the ugly sister event.

Dannyboy wrote:

kolompar wrote:

Cheshire Cat wrote:It's an excellent move to restrict China to only 5 events. By limiting the supply of events, demand for them amongst sponsors and whatnot will skyrocket, and the potential prize money could be exponential. This is even more so, given the growing popularity of snooker in China.

I don't get that. Will they also limit the number of UK events then? The China events have proper sponsors, banks, car makers, it's the UK events that only get betting companies and there's too many of them.

But good to see more money and the entry fees abolished, and the Challenge Tour will be interesting.

Supply and demand. Cut off the supply and sponsors will queue up to bump up the existing events - i.e. creating history.

Like it or not, money = prestige these days. That's why, in previous years, despite its long history, the Welsh Open was the ugly sister event.

i put the Paul Hunter Classic above farty rubbish out in terms of prestiege

Wildey wrote:

Dannyboy wrote:

kolompar wrote:

Cheshire Cat wrote:It's an excellent move to restrict China to only 5 events. By limiting the supply of events, demand for them amongst sponsors and whatnot will skyrocket, and the potential prize money could be exponential. This is even more so, given the growing popularity of snooker in China.

I don't get that. Will they also limit the number of UK events then? The China events have proper sponsors, banks, car makers, it's the UK events that only get betting companies and there's too many of them.

But good to see more money and the entry fees abolished, and the Challenge Tour will be interesting.

Supply and demand. Cut off the supply and sponsors will queue up to bump up the existing events - i.e. creating history.

Like it or not, money = prestige these days. That's why, in previous years, despite its long history, the Welsh Open was the ugly sister event.

i put the Paul Hunter Classic above farty rubbish out in terms of prestiege

Its 2017. Money = prestige in many cases. That's the way of the world.

The Paul Hunter Classic is a great event, but will it be on the calendar for much longer? A 25,000 EUR winners cheque v £150,000 winners cheque in Guangzhou?

Dannyboy wrote:

Wildey wrote:

Dannyboy wrote:

kolompar wrote:

Cheshire Cat wrote:It's an excellent move to restrict China to only 5 events. By limiting the supply of events, demand for them amongst sponsors and whatnot will skyrocket, and the potential prize money could be exponential. This is even more so, given the growing popularity of snooker in China.

I don't get that. Will they also limit the number of UK events then? The China events have proper sponsors, banks, car makers, it's the UK events that only get betting companies and there's too many of them.

But good to see more money and the entry fees abolished, and the Challenge Tour will be interesting.

Supply and demand. Cut off the supply and sponsors will queue up to bump up the existing events - i.e. creating history.

Like it or not, money = prestige these days. That's why, in previous years, despite its long history, the Welsh Open was the ugly sister event.

i put the Paul Hunter Classic above farty rubbish out in terms of prestiege

Its 2017. Money = prestige in many cases. That's the way of the world.

The Paul Hunter Classic is a great event, but will it be on the calendar for much longer? A 25,000 EUR winners cheque v £150,000 winners cheque in Guangzhou?

There are only 3 prestige events for me at the moment - the UK, Masters and Worlds. The China Open has been going 10 seasons consecutively now and has grown in importance. That could've been the Premier event in China but prize money has stagnated for that one. The Welsh Open has been played for 25(?) years, but again prize money has only recently been restored to late 90s levels.