New World Snooker Tour unveiled

Well, after months are waiting, here it is. Some changes have been made, we now seem to have a twelve-tournament Players Championship, which is a positive step in the right direction. Unfortunately, these events have not been given a reduced ranking status, and instead carry no points at all, which worries me slightly. However, if well organised, it's a fantastic oppurtunity for more playing oppurtunities. It will culminate in a finals series in March.

Unfortunately, what I have read is quite vague, and doesn't seem to explain the tournaments. There's a six-reds championship in Thailand that will take a 8-days to run-off, but I know little about the stature of player involved, and whther it's any different to the tournament that took place in Thailand last year.

The Grand Prix is renamed the World Open, which I think is a nice bit of re-jazzing. Again, I don't know if there are any other changes to the tournament, but judging by the fact that it is still over 9 days, I doubt it. That's a disappointment, as I felt it was a good oppurtunity for an FA Cup style event, much like the UK Open in Darts, and the renaming raised hopes for me. I also felt it should have been held in October, and not September, as we now have no ranking events in October or November. It will be held in the SECC, which is a far better venue than the Kelvin Hall, by what I've read.

The qualifiers will now be held at the Academy in Sheffield, rather than Prestatyn. It sounds a fairly positive move to be honest, although I don't know much about either venue.

I for one, am disappointed the UK Championship hasn't been changed. It's still going to be crammed into nine days, and held in Telford, which isn't good enough. If anything, this tournament needed extending. It also looks like we're going to have to put up with the ridiculous four-table format, which completely undermines the second biggest tournament.

We're going to have a Seniors World Championship... and idea I like a lot actually. For the nostalgics out there, it's a great blast from the past. It's only over three days, so it's a bit of harmless fun really.

A Sky Sports shoot-out over three days at the end of January. I love the idea. Sounds like a quick-fire one frame knockout, which is cut-throat and pretty good entertainment. Obviously one of these is enough, any more than that and it ruins the spectacle, but I think it's a good, positive, entertaining idea.

I have also read on Boards.ie, that Hearn plans on rewarding players for their current achievements rather than over the current two-year system. Great, that's all I can say. I don't know how reliable the source is, but if true, it's a fantastic change that's badly needed.

Also on a positive note: The Masters and World Championship are left untouched. I would have been in favour of some slight refurbishing of the former, but leaving the holy grail as it is, well that's just great news. It's snooker perfection.

Anyway, the full tour:

MAY
28-30 Seniors World Championship qualifiers (Cue Club, Bradford)

JUNE
2-6 Wuxi Classic (China)
18-20 Player Tour Championship 1 (PTC1) (Academy)

JULY
9-11 Player Tour Championship 2 (PTC2) (Academy)
18-25 6 Red Championship (Thailand)
30 – 1 Aug World Player Tour Championship (WPTC1) (tbc)

AUGUST
3-6 Shanghai Masters Qualifiers (Academy)
13-15 World Player Tour Championship (WPTC2) (tbc)
21-24 World Open Qualifiers (Academy)
26-29 Euro Players Tour Championship (EPTC 1) (Germany)

SEPTEMBER
2 Premier League
6-12 Shanghai Masters (Shanghai)
16 Premier League
18-26 World Open (formerly Grand Prix) (SECC, Glasgow)
30 Premier League

OCTOBER
1-3 Euro Players Tour Championship (EPTC 2) (Europe)
7 Premier League
8-10 Players Tour Championship 3 (PTC3) (Academy)
14 Premier League
15-17 World Player Tour Championship 3 (WPTC3) (tbc)
21 Premier League
22-24 Euro Players Tour Championship (EPTC 3) (Europe)
28 Premier League

NOVEMBER
4 Premier League
5-7 Seniors World Championship (Cedar Court Hotel, Bradford)
5-7 Player Tour Championship 4 (PTC4) (Academy)
11 Premier League
12-14 Euro Players Tour Championship 4 (EPTC 4) (Germany)
13-20 Asian Games (Guangzhou)
18 Premier League
19-21 World Player Tour Championship 4 (WPTC 4) (tbc)
23-30 UK Championship qualifiers (Academy)
27-28 Premier League Finals (Potters)

DECEMBER
4-12 UK Championship (Telford International Centre)

JANUARY
3-6 Championship League
9-16 The Masters (Wembley Arena)
18-21 European Masters qualifiers (Academy)
24-27 Championship League
28-30 Sky Shoot Out (tbc)

FEBRUARY
3-6 European Masters (Berlin, Germany)
8-11 Welsh Open quals (Academy)
14-20 Welsh Open (Wales)
22-25 China Open qualifiers (Academy)
28 – 3 Mar Championship League

MARCH
4-15 Betfred.com World Championship qualifiers (Academy)
17-20 Players Tour Championship Finals (tbc)
21-24 Championship League
28 March–3 Apr China Open (Beijing)

APRIL/MAY
16 April – 2 May Betfred.com World Snooker Championship Crucible Theatre, Sheffield

calling the Grand Prix World Open got to sugest that it is open for players thats not on the main tour otherwise it seems pointless calling it WORLD OPEN.

wildJONESEYE wrote:calling the Grand Prix World Open got to sugest that it is open for players thats not on the main tour otherwise it seems pointless calling it WORLD OPEN.

hum ... a certain tournament has been called "Welsh Open" for years yet ...

Monique wrote:

wildJONESEYE wrote:calling the Grand Prix World Open got to sugest that it is open for players thats not on the main tour otherwise it seems pointless calling it WORLD OPEN.

hum ... a certain tournament has been called "Welsh Open" for years yet ...

Welsh Open is called the Welsh open because its played in wales...

if thats all they doing with the WORLD OPEN they might as well call it the Scottish Open because its played in Scotland.

wildJONESEYE wrote:

Monique wrote:

wildJONESEYE wrote:calling the Grand Prix World Open got to sugest that it is open for players thats not on the main tour otherwise it seems pointless calling it WORLD OPEN.

hum ... a certain tournament has been called "Welsh Open" for years yet ...

Welsh Open is called the Welsh open because its played in wales...

if thats all they doing with the WORLD OPEN they might as well call it the Scottish Open because its played in Scotland.

Yes but wouldn' t "Open" also suggest the Welsh Open is open to non MT players? wasn't that your point about the name "Something Open"?

Monique wrote:

wildJONESEYE wrote:

Monique wrote:

wildJONESEYE wrote:calling the Grand Prix World Open got to sugest that it is open for players thats not on the main tour otherwise it seems pointless calling it WORLD OPEN.

hum ... a certain tournament has been called "Welsh Open" for years yet ...

Welsh Open is called the Welsh open because its played in wales...

if thats all they doing with the WORLD OPEN they might as well call it the Scottish Open because its played in Scotland.

Yes but wouldn' t "Open" also suggest the Welsh Open is open to non MT players? wasn't that your point about the name "Something Open"?

yes the Open bit means its open to non welsh players so in my opinion if its a WORLD Open its open to you and me in theory only lol

http://www.110sport.tv/news/600

what do people think about what mark king said there ?

regarding the top part of the post regarding give youth a chance i see his point....

theres no point hiding these players away in cubicles there was a chance to take them to glasgow and it did not happen we need to put these players out there they are the future not Steve,Stephen and jimmy they are the past like it or not.

however what is this rubbish about price money ?

ask Trump how much cash he got ....MARK the reason Trump,Pinches gets payed is they won matches and you not so get off your ass and win matches and get bloody payed SIMPLES . nobody owes you rubbish mate.

wildJONESEYE wrote:http://www.110sport.tv/news/600

what do people think about what mark king said there ?

regarding the top part of the post regarding give youth a chance i see his point....

theres no point hiding these players away in cubicles there was a chance to take them to glasgow and it did not happen we need to put these players out there they are the future not Steve,Stephen and jimmy they are the past like it or not.

however what is this rubbish about price money ?

ask Trump how much cash he got ....MARK the reason Trump,Pinches gets payed is they won matches and you not so get off your ass and win matches and get bloody payed SIMPLES . nobody owes you rubbish mate.

ive been reading some of the nonsense articles on the 110 sport website over the last few weeks and it seems to be one thinly veiled dig at Hearn after another. Sour grapes from them over the loss of power of the sport to Hearn.

The opportunities are the same for all, theres more prize money at stake this season and as Hearn said he wouldnt reward mediocrity, its time for King and all others to do their talking on the table. Kings just bitter cos he fears his top 16 place wont last all season like it would have done under the old fixed rankings.

absolutely ...

get winning what do they want a bloody nurse maid holding their hand ?

Not even going to read it. Mark King is always in a mood about something or other. Remember when he threatened to retire? I wish he had, nobody would've noticed he was gone.

Mark "I'm A Grade-A Moron" King.

I read it, he is right in some respects but agree he is an A grade moron, im not to keen on him.

He said this..“I have been a professional player 21 years and worked my socks off to get to where I am and I will continue to do so.”

Which makes me laugh thinking he started as a proffessional in 1989? would like to see some footage of him in 1989?

He had hair. The Boss had an avatar of him with hair.

Cant find any pics anywhere, shame, I think itd be funny.

Sonny wrote:He had hair. The Boss had an avatar of him with hair.

maybe he was standing on his hands upside down naked

A lot of MAK haters on the Island.......

StalinESQ wrote:A lot of MAK haters on the Island.......

yes it upsets me

Hate is a stong word smart

Oh I dont hate him, infact im pretty neutral on the man, and I do think he is worthy of his top 16 place but I think someone will be more worthy than him this season.

rocket_ron wrote:

StalinESQ wrote:A lot of MAK haters on the Island.......

yes it upsets me

Hate is a stong word smart

I hear a lot of negative vibes about MAK.......................he is actually very talented and can play the game.

Ask a certain Mark Selby about MAK and whether he is a decent player..............

Mark King is top 16 because he deserves it and he will probably still be top 16 at the first cut off point.

the goof he made of himself in the Barry Hearn take over meeting was a joke where he offered to take over the sport for £2 offering a £1 more than barry hearn what a idiot

Possibly, but at least he had the guts to speak up, which rightly or wrongly at the very least shows some passion for the game....... I do not think it is a total case of self preservation which is what I hear from some on the subject.

call it laziness call it self preservation call it what you want.

snooker this season is in a better state than it has been ever regarding earning opportunity for players down the rankings.

the top players has always made a few quid but at the tail end players before had at it peek the summer in Blackpool trying to qualify in 10 ranking tournaments maximum.

some players season started in june and was over by august.

now they got 12 minor tournaments plus 7 Rankers to play in over a season.

the 6 EPTC has real potential to grow in to full rankers snooker is on the up and some players almost stopped the dream happening for their own selfish needs and Mark King was 1 of those players.