I think there are a lot of people on here who vastly overestimate snookers ability to draw sponsors
Snooker as a sport has less equipment which removes a huge revenue stream that's available to other sports. No snooker jerseys, no weather dependent outfits, limited cue, cloth and table makers. Snooker has 1/50th of the paraphenalia found in other sports.
High end stuff like watches, cars, etc. Yes there is some revenue drawn from there but not as much as there used to be. IMO this is partially driven by the economic downturn and partly due to what I call classing down the game. I may sound like
but I honestly believe that actions like weakening the dress code, having mickey mouse events that are little more than a piss-up for "fans", classless interviews given by top players and charges of match fixing have really destroyed the high class image the game carried with it in the 80's and 90's.
Booze and smokes have been targeted by the sin police and removed sponsors that had a really good audience with snooker fans. We have to admit, we're not the healthiest lot
Venues....seating capacity will always limit venue revenue. This is not a limitation that affects golf, football, etc. In those sports the venues provide huge revenues paying for the huge salaries and prize pools.
Finally I have to question what effect having bookmakers as your primary sponsors has. I would imagine it might be somewhat off-putting to some sponsors. Although widely accepted as an unavoidable vice, gambling isn't generally seen as a positive thing.
I think Barry is doing the best he can during a trying time with a game that's a tough sell. That snooker is a tough sell is a hard fact to swallow for us snooker fans.