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Hearn threatens to destroy snooker

Postby Roland

I was deeply sceptical about this mans election to the chairmanship and now it's become apparent exactly why.

First of all though, I was reading soundbites such as these:

Hearn wrote:At this stage all I can promise the membership of the WPBSA is total transparency, coupled with a regular supply of truthful information.


Hearn wrote:I'm not going to say snooker is the next Premier League football, but it's a good game.


Hearn wrote:Most of my brief for the first part is listening. Then I go away, think about it, I take the good ideas as my own and drop the bad ideas.


Hearn wrote:I'm nostalgic, I remember good days at the Crucible.

I do see it as a UK event but that doesn't mean there can't be bigger events (overseas).



And up to that point I'm thinking hang on, Del-boy might not be so bad after all. And then this bombshell:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_s ... 391994.stm

Promoter Barry Hearn's "quick fix" for snooker could involve new faster versions of the sport being introduced.

"There'll be more formats," Hearn told BBC Sport. "I'll try to be innovative and creative. The patient is not dead - it just needs waking up," he added.

With the exception of events like the World Championship, one of Hearn's major concerns is the sport's tournaments go on for too long, dampening the interest of television, potential sponsors and snooker fans.


"We need quick results and quicker entertainment," said Hearn, who already runs snooker's Premier and Champions Leagues.



No no NO NO NO!!!!


You promised to listen Hearn. Well listen to this - every single poll that's ever asked the snooker fans if they prefer the longer format matches such as the UK or shorter format best of 9 has come out strongly in favour of longer matches.

Ranking tournaments have a status and you can't start turning them into sprint events willy nilly.

By all means play around and try different formats and get a couple of weekend events on Sky tv in your style but for gods sake do not tamper with the essence of the game and try to make it shorter for idiots of no attention span. Go back to your pool Mosconi Cup rubbish that clashes with the UK if you want to do that.

And you can stick your shot clocks where the sun don't shine.

Re: Hearn threatens to destroy snooker

Postby Seifer Almasy

But he is listening. The players voted him in and Robertson among others have stated that shot clock events are OK as far as they care.

Time for change. My way.

You can "no" all you like oneball

rofl

Hearn will find NEW fans, not the rotting ones on established forums.

Re: Hearn threatens to destroy snooker

Postby Wildey

Seifer island hatah wrote:But he is listening. The players voted him in and Robertson among others have stated that shot clock events are OK as far as they care.

Time for change. My way.

You can "no" all you like oneball

rofl

Hearn will find NEW fans, not the rotting ones on established forums.


how will shot clocks be used with 8 tables in operation ?
and
why didnt Hearn use a shot clock in a two table set up in the championship league as qualify to the 1 table set up of the Prem League whitch has a shot clock ?

Re: Hearn threatens to destroy snooker

Postby GrumpyMrDavros

I have to ask where's all the money coming from ?

Hearn has said he wants to increase the tour to 12 ranking tournaments . Seeing as snooker's been finding it very difficult to find sponsership since the tobacco advertising ban how will 12 ranking tournaments find money to pay the winner £30'000 ?

Re: Hearn threatens to destroy snooker

Postby Roland

Incidentally this article was written in a deliberately alarmist tone at the time to draw attention to this forum. :redneck:

After listening to Steve Davis I actually don't mind the idea of short format events (best of 3, best of 5) if there are about 20 events taking place throughout the season away from the current majors of the Worlds, UK and Masters and there should also be further long frame format event or events (in China for example - prime candidate the China Open, change that to UK format) to strike a nice balance.

If there are enough short format tournaments then the better players will shine over a number of events. OK they may get beat 2-0 and go home early one week, but they could win the next week if there are enough events. And as Davis eluded to, there would be pressure from ball one and when players are under the cosh, that's when snooker is best for viewing.

Re: Hearn threatens to destroy snooker

Postby Seifer Almasy

I have to disagree. When you reduce the number of frames, even Jimmy White could win a tournament. You would conpletely alter the landscape and it would be bad for snooker.

Re: Hearn threatens to destroy snooker

Postby Wildey

short format snooker is boring no getting away from the fact most excitement happens over long formats....comebacks etc

best of 5 hooooooooooo he won 3-2 from 2-0 down woopeeedooooo.

Re: Hearn threatens to destroy snooker

Postby Eirebilly

To be honest, i feel that Hearn will generate a lot of new interest in the game.

1st and formost i am a tradionalist who loves the longer format, the longer the better <ok> but i can also see the need for a shorter format to be introduced as a way of generating more fans. Its not my cup of tea but anything that can generate interest in snooker is ok for me.

I just hope (and am certain that he wont) touch the longer format tournements as they to me are the most challenging for a player. There can be so many twists and turns that it always keeps me interested.

Re: Hearn threatens to destroy snooker

Postby Wildey

eirebilly wrote:To be honest, i feel that Hearn will generate a lot of new interest in the game.

1st and formost i am a tradionalist who loves the longer format, the longer the better <ok> but i can also see the need for a shorter format to be introduced as a way of generating more fans. Its not my cup of tea but anything that can generate interest in snooker is ok for me.

I just hope (and am certain that he wont) touch the longer format tournements as they to me are the most challenging for a player. There can be so many twists and turns that it always keeps me interested.


i just don't get how will a short format get new fans interested in two men with sticks putting balls in holes....

firstly you got to advertise those formats to try and encourage people to go but then i think why wont they skip that and just advertise better the long formats of the game ie better venues for starters but then let people in and around the area know that its hosting world class snooker.

theres a hell of a lot that can be done in markating and promotion that more short formats would hinder the progress of getting the tour back on it feet.

Re: Hearn threatens to destroy snooker

Postby Seifer Almasy

The shot clock erradicates all need for shorter formats being compulsory across the board, but amazingly some of you would prefer best of 3 matches or a 10 red game to speed the players up instead of 25 sec a shot in a best of 9 with 15 reds (and no silly miss rule).

I don't see how. Anything that keeps the game to 15 reds and at least first to 5 should be welcomed.

Re: Hearn threatens to destroy snooker

Postby Lucky

I dont see how the shot clock alone would be able to guarantee that the matches are significantly short enough to achieve a tournament to be fitted into fewer days! More tables and the roll on- roll off format (which guarantees continuous snooker for the most part of the competition) seems an obvious answer. They have just fitted a tournament which is second only in length to the 17 day worlds into 8 days, so a standard ranker could be completed thursday - sunday. You could of course incorparate a shot clock, and jazz it up a bit in a few tournaments etc. And maybe a tornament with the same set up and fewer reds, try out all the permataions and see which are the most popular. At the end of the day the fans will vote with their feet <ok>

Re: Hearn threatens to destroy snooker

Postby Seifer Almasy

I agree lucky. I think it should be put to the test and if fans don't attend, fair enough I will conceed it is no good.

Re: Hearn threatens to destroy snooker

Postby Casey

The average match in the PL was taking between 80-100 mins with 6 frames. If Hearn wants to shorten the length of time it takes to complete a tournament then the shot clock would not be enough on its own. He would have to shorten the frames played, just like he shortened legs played in darts

Re: Hearn threatens to destroy snooker

Postby Seifer Almasy

The shot clock with 20 sec average time would. And what the shot clock definately does is stop frames that go on for much longer. Couple that with 4 tables at once and you are sorted.

Re: Hearn threatens to destroy snooker

Postby GJ

the shot clock is suited to one player and thats ronnie some players prefer a patient approach why should their game be changed just to suit ronnie

Re: Hearn threatens to destroy snooker

Postby Casey

Well lets go on the kind side of it and you managed to get the average frame down to 10minutes, that’s 90 minute matches plus 10 minute interval (cut down a bit) not event considering rime to rerack the balls, toilet breaks etc. Even with four tables that would equal 400 minutes for the first round, not taking into consideration time between matches, television adverts also the audience would need a break.

If Hearn wants to cut the running time in tournaments in terms of days played, he will cut the number of frames. That is what he did with darts, he cut the number of legs

Re: Hearn threatens to destroy snooker

Postby Seifer Almasy

GJtheaussiestud wrote:the shot clock is suited to one player and thats ronnie some players prefer a patient approach why should their game be changed just to suit ronnie


It i suited to players who have a quick snooker brain and that is 1 test of greatness.

Re: Hearn threatens to destroy snooker

Postby GJ

Seifer island hatah wrote:
GJtheaussiestud wrote:the shot clock is suited to one player and thats ronnie some players prefer a patient approach why should their game be changed just to suit ronnie


It i suited to players who have a quick snooker brain and that is 1 test of greatness.


since your looking it put in a ranking event have you evidence to suggest the players want this feature added

Re: Hearn threatens to destroy snooker

Postby Roland

Another test of greatness is ability to cope with players of a different pace to yourself and we all know Ronnie isn't the best at that particular aspect of the game.

Re: Hearn threatens to destroy snooker

Postby Wildey

Sonny wrote:Another test of greatness is ability to cope with players of a different pace to yourself and we all know Ronnie isn't the best at that particular aspect of the game.


Exactly.

snooker should be a test of mental strength about every aspect of the sport.

Re: Hearn threatens to destroy snooker

Postby Seifer Almasy

Sonny wrote:Another test of greatness is ability to cope with players of a different pace to yourself and we all know Ronnie isn't the best at that particular aspect of the game.


yes it is....that is why a real sport tests both.

Re: Hearn threatens to destroy snooker

Postby GJ

Seifer island hatah wrote:
Sonny wrote:Another test of greatness is ability to cope with players of a different pace to yourself and we all know Ronnie isn't the best at that particular aspect of the game.


yes it is....that is why a real sport tests both.


sir have you evidence to suggest that players want a shot clock ranking event

direct quotes would be good

Re: Hearn threatens to destroy snooker

Postby Wildey

Seifer island hatah wrote:
Sonny wrote:Another test of greatness is ability to cope with players of a different pace to yourself and we all know Ronnie isn't the best at that particular aspect of the game.


yes it is....that is why a real sport tests both.


thats right

and thats why in one round you play Mark Allen next match you play Tony Drago before meeting Dave Harold .

Re: Hearn threatens to destroy snooker

Postby SnookerFan

Lucky balls wrote:I dont see how the shot clock alone would be able to guarantee that the matches are significantly short enough to achieve a tournament to be fitted into fewer days! More tables and the roll on- roll off format (which guarantees continuous snooker for the most part of the competition) seems an obvious answer. They have just fitted a tournament which is second only in length to the 17 day worlds into 8 days, so a standard ranker could be completed thursday - sunday. You could of course incorparate a shot clock, and jazz it up a bit in a few tournaments etc. And maybe a tornament with the same set up and fewer reds, try out all the permataions and see which are the most popular. At the end of the day the fans will vote with their feet <ok>


You've actually hit on some pretty good ideas. It really struck me at Telford that they didn't start until 1pm, despite almost always going quite late into the night. What if they did like they do at The Crucible, start earlier? But also, stick to your roll on, roll off idea. Maybe create more tables. That way you could get the 'shorter format' idea, without coming up with barmy 6-reds, shot-clocks, best of three frame ideas that have been batted around on here.

Leave the majors as they are, but introduce Wednesday-Sunday events, maybe, as well. That way we can still watch the game we all love playing, but it can be marketed as more compact. The players would get more games, Barry Hearns could promote it as a quicker, more exciting form of snooker. We'd all get the big ones left as they are, and more areas get to host snooekr tournaments.

And Wild, you have struck on a point I have been making for ages. There isn't enough marketing for the sport already. Creating new events that aren't marketed isn't going to improve the fan-base. When I am in Telford, the people that I get talking to that aren't snooker fans have no idea the tournament is being held there. And I have even met people sat in a pub watching snooker on the telly that have no idea that the snooker was being played 10 minutes walk from where they were. (Which is absolutely unacceptable!) Obviously not hardcore fans, but people with an interest. Those are the people that should be marketed at. Not people that think snooker is rubbish, and won't watch it either way.

Televising the Pro Challenge events won't hurt either. May give them a more authentic feel, even if they are not ranking events. These cane be the ones also where you experiment with shitty Super Sixes and Shot Clocks as they aren't ranking events, so a massive change in format won't matter. Which it would in a ranking event.

As has been said, the only issue is money and sponsorship, but maybe with a better promoter - which Barry Hearn undoubtedly is - this could help the sport significantly.

There is much more then can be done then just going; "Oh lets have shot clocks. It's never been tried."

Re: Hearn threatens to destroy snooker

Postby Lucky

Well we will see sort of how the 6 red idea will take off as the World Championships is currently under way (our very own JohnfromlondontownMBE will be facing off against Ken Doherty in 5 minutes <ok> ) Which is being televised on Eurosport tomorrow and Thursday I believe. Nothing drastic will happen, come April the worlds aren't gonna be best of 5, shot clock, dancing girls and football match atmosphere......its going to be a case of trial and error to see which of the 'shorter' formats has the most appeall.

Re: Hearn threatens to destroy snooker

Postby Roland

Any results yet? It would be well amusing if our very own John LSD beat Doherty <laugh>

Do it John!