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The Paul Hunter Classic Ranking Event ?

Postby Wildey

With the Crowds this Event has had over the Last 3 Days it could easily Develop in to a Full Professional Ranking Event in Germany But Would that be fair for the Pro Game to take it away from its Pro Am Roots ?

Amateur Players in their Hundreds have supported this event long before the PTC and people like Monique has enjoyed going to the Event for years and mingling with Pros and Amateurs alike.

Thoughts ?

Re: The Paul Hunter Classic Ranking Event ?

Postby Steve K

Think the World Open should go to Germany to be honest. They got the crowds there and China already has 4 pro tournaments already.

Having the PHC stay as a PTC would be a good idea, its nice to have the amateurs like Sean and Sanderson Lam get there TV debuts and to have a tournament where all those European players get a chance to play pros.

Re: The Paul Hunter Classic Ranking Event ?

Postby Witz78

Steve K wrote:Think the World Open should go to Germany to be honest. They got the crowds there and China already has 4 pro tournaments already.

Having the PHC stay as a PTC would be a good idea, its nice to have the amateurs like Sean and Sanderson Lam get there TV debuts and to have a tournament where all those European players get a chance to play pros.


yeh i totally agree with Germany for the World Open Steve, plus its open so the routes there for amateurs via it too.

It just makes you wonder what the potential is in Europe in other countries for more rankers in the future, given the fans in Germany. Quite impressive given theyve got no-one to support really. Could you imagine the UK embracing a German game and a lot of top German players coming over here?

Ideally next season there will be around 12 rankers and the 4 closed doors PTCs will be gone and the tour / calendar in general will be structured better. Sponsorship the key though and one thing that seems to be lacking still is any substantial financial backing despite all the massive interest in snooker.

Re: The Paul Hunter Classic Ranking Event ?

Postby KrazeeEyezKilla

I didn't see that much of it but what I did see was more enjoyable than a lot of big ranking events. There was a lot more going on. You could see Higgins against a tour rookie, Jimmy White coming close to hitting a 147, O'Sullivan hitting one for real, Suwannawat beating Williams and Doherty & O'Sullivan having to play the likes of Yu Delu and Li Yan in the closing stages of a tournament. You even got a Selby comeback against O'Sullivan. If they improve the money then I wouldn't mind seeing more events like this.

Re: The Paul Hunter Classic Ranking Event ?

Postby Witz78

KrazeeEyezKilla wrote:I didn't see that much of it but what I did see was more enjoyable than a lot of big ranking events. There was a lot more going on. You could see Higgins against a tour rookie, Jimmy White coming close to hitting a 147, O'Sullivan hitting one for real, Suwannawat beating Williams and Doherty & O'Sullivan having to play the likes of Yu Delu and Li Yan in the closing stages of a tournament. You even got a Selby comeback against O'Sullivan. If they improve the money then I wouldn't mind seeing more events like this.


the success of the PTC format almost makes me think that snooker should go the way of tennis, inparticular the Slams with the big guns entering at a far earlier stage than the last 32. Of course proper seedings would be used but invariably there would be shocks along the way but ultimately the players reaching the latter stages would deserve to, plus it would be a level playing field for all. The argument that the top 16 all have to be among the last 32 at a venue no longer washes with me.

Re: The Paul Hunter Classic Ranking Event ?

Postby Casey

Witz78 wrote:
KrazeeEyezKilla wrote:I didn't see that much of it but what I did see was more enjoyable than a lot of big ranking events. There was a lot more going on. You could see Higgins against a tour rookie, Jimmy White coming close to hitting a 147, O'Sullivan hitting one for real, Suwannawat beating Williams and Doherty & O'Sullivan having to play the likes of Yu Delu and Li Yan in the closing stages of a tournament. You even got a Selby comeback against O'Sullivan. If they improve the money then I wouldn't mind seeing more events like this.


the success of the PTC format almost makes me think that snooker should go the way of tennis, inparticular the Slams with the big guns entering at a far earlier stage than the last 32. Of course proper seedings would be used but invariably there would be shocks along the way but ultimately the players reaching the latter stages would deserve to, plus it would be a level playing field for all. The argument that the top 16 all have to be among the last 32 at a venue no longer washes with me.


Its down to the sponsors at the end of the day though. I think the top 16 entering at the last 64 stage of the World Open worked well. Maybe this could be repeated in a couple of the events.

Re: The Paul Hunter Classic Ranking Event ?

Postby Wildey

really it did not work well having some matches at the venue and others in boxes ...ranking events works ok as they are but id change the qualifying structure similar to germany.

The Rolling Rankings has to have some sort of incentives if top 16 enters at the Last 64 stage Less Top players will bother with the PTC Because they cant see themselves dropping from the top 32 ever during a season.....

Re: The Paul Hunter Classic Ranking Event ?

Postby roy142857

Sorry to be late 'chipping in' on this, but just wanted to say I'd like to see it stay as a PTC for the moment, but it and any other that start to be successful in drawing crowds should start to see an increase in their ranking points (a 'super-PTC' level?)

Re: The Paul Hunter Classic Ranking Event ?

Postby Wildey

roy142857 wrote:Sorry to be late 'chipping in' on this, but just wanted to say I'd like to see it stay as a PTC for the moment, but it and any other that start to be successful in drawing crowds should start to see an increase in their ranking points (a 'super-PTC' level?)

yes there is no doubt about it this is a major within the PTC Series so maybe leave the Order of Merit price money on equal footing but increase Ranking point tariff to differential from sheffield nobody there events.