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Re: What did Barry Hearn mean that we will see the best Worl

Postby PLtheRef

Certainly suggests to me that this is the last world championships under the current format (and I reckon that because its late certainly to change the format by much stretch this year).

If it is the case that the format changes then its a shame really as BH has done a lot of good for snooker, and the game now compared to the game in the late Autumn of 2009 is in much better shape, we've got new events which are eagerly looked forward to i.e. the German Masters and he thorougly deserves the plaudits he receives for helping snooker out but he'll always remain a figure that I won't particularly trust considering what's happened to the World and the UK

Re: What did Barry Hearn mean that we will see the best Worl

Postby Wildey

Changing the Format of the World Championship could bring down Barry Hearn if he will do that.

The World Championship Works it has Worked and would continue to Work so changing a winning formula would be the Beginning of the End for Barry Hearn if he would do that.

Personally i think it was a Promoter Promoting a Event and selling it with spin its what he does.

Del Boy trotter on Steroids if you like :redneck:

Re: What did Barry Hearn mean that we will see the best Worl

Postby PLtheRef

Wildey wrote:Changing the Format of the World Championship could bring down Barry Hearn if he will do that.

The World Championship Works it has Worked and would continue to Work so changing a winning formula would be the Beginning of the End for Barry Hearn if he would do that.

Personally i think it was a Promoter Promoting a Event and selling it with spin its what he does.

Del Boy trotter on Steroids if you like :redneck:


It could bring Ferguson down, but nothing will bring Hearn down now unless someone comes in to buy him out

Re: What did Barry Hearn mean that we will see the best Worl

Postby Wildey

OK What i mean is Sponsors would not want anything to do with a Sport that feels the need to change a winning formula and Barry knows that.

when hearn took over WSL there was massive problems with the Sport but the one constant thing was through everything how Successful year in year out the World Championship was.

Dont change whats not broken.

Re: What did Barry Hearn mean that we will see the best Worl

Postby Skullman

But no one had the attention span to watch best of 17 frames in the UK according to the prophet Hearn, despite none of my friends, who are very casual fans of snooker, thinking so.

Then he moves the UK to a good city like York instead of Telford and is claiming that his format change is the cause of the increased ticket sales.

Re: What did Barry Hearn mean that we will see the best Worl

Postby Cloud Strife

Skullman wrote:But no one had the attention span to watch best of 17 frames in the UK according to the prophet Hearn, despite none of my friends, who are very casual fans of snooker, thinking so.

Then he moves the UK to a good city like York instead of Telford and is claiming that his format change is the cause of the increased ticket sales.


Hearn has done a lot of good things, but his arrogance will be his undoing one of these days.

Re: What did Barry Hearn mean that we will see the best Worl

Postby Wildey

Skullman wrote:But no one had the attention span to watch best of 17 frames in the UK according to the prophet Hearn, despite none of my friends, who are very casual fans of snooker, thinking so.

Then he moves the UK to a good city like York instead of Telford and is claiming that his format change is the cause of the increased ticket sales.

But there was fundamental problems with the UK.

it had lost it focus its no longer the Major it once was and the tinkering just continues to try and make it stand out.

The problem with the UK was simple it has a Best of 19 frame final same as China, Shanghai, World Open and The Masters now add International Championship and Wuxi to the Mix. it needs it own identity to stand out with a Best of 31 Frame Final or compromise Best of 25 Frames.

im easy about best of 11s for earlier Rounds but i do feel from Last 16 to Semis it should be Best of 17 take the tournament back to a different format make it special once again.

Re: What did Barry Hearn mean that we will see the best Worl

Postby Andre147

Wildey wrote:
Skullman wrote:But no one had the attention span to watch best of 17 frames in the UK according to the prophet Hearn, despite none of my friends, who are very casual fans of snooker, thinking so.

Then he moves the UK to a good city like York instead of Telford and is claiming that his format change is the cause of the increased ticket sales.

But there was fundamental problems with the UK.

it had lost it focus its no longer the Major it once was and the tinkering just continues to try and make it stand out.

The problem with the UK was simple it has a Best of 19 frame final same as China, Shanghai, World Open and The Masters now add International Championship and Wuxi to the Mix. it needs it own identity to stand out with a Best of 31 Frame Final or compromise Best of 25 Frames.

im easy about best of 11s for earlier Rounds but i do feel from Last 16 to Semis it should be Best of 17 take the tournament back to a different format make it special once again.


Definately agree, the UK Champs should always be the 2nd biggest ranker but unfortunately is now level with the IC. I too would like them to increase the frames format, especially for the Final like the old days prior to 1993, but I don't think it will happen again because it would obviously have to be a 2 day Final and as much as I'd like that I don't think the broadcasters would be too keen on it.

A shame, the UK Champs has lost that identity it once had, but nevertheless it still is a tournament all the top players win and relish.

Re: What did Barry Hearn mean that we will see the best Worl

Postby Wildey

Andre147 PGC wrote:
Wildey wrote:
Skullman wrote:But no one had the attention span to watch best of 17 frames in the UK according to the prophet Hearn, despite none of my friends, who are very casual fans of snooker, thinking so.

Then he moves the UK to a good city like York instead of Telford and is claiming that his format change is the cause of the increased ticket sales.

But there was fundamental problems with the UK.

it had lost it focus its no longer the Major it once was and the tinkering just continues to try and make it stand out.

The problem with the UK was simple it has a Best of 19 frame final same as China, Shanghai, World Open and The Masters now add International Championship and Wuxi to the Mix. it needs it own identity to stand out with a Best of 31 Frame Final or compromise Best of 25 Frames.

im easy about best of 11s for earlier Rounds but i do feel from Last 16 to Semis it should be Best of 17 take the tournament back to a different format make it special once again.


Definately agree, the UK Champs should always be the 2nd biggest ranker but unfortunately is now level with the IC. I too would like them to increase the frames format, especially for the Final like the old days prior to 1993, but I don't think it will happen again because it would obviously have to be a 2 day Final and as much as I'd like that I don't think the broadcasters would be too keen on it.

A shame, the UK Champs has lost that identity it once had, but nevertheless it still is a tournament all the top players win and relish.


But why should the broadcasters have a problem with that is beyond me because the people that want to watch it would love it....and aren't they suppose to cater for the watching public.

it really is baffling what the BBC are thinking with some of their decisions.

Re: What did Barry Hearn mean that we will see the best Worl

Postby SnookerFan

The comments were odd, weren't they?

I think he was just promoting the event though. Barry doesn't strike me as somebody who would drastically change the format, and then not tell anybody. Whenever he changes anything, he makes it sound like the most exciting thing in history. He's a salesman in that regard.

Re: What did Barry Hearn mean that we will see the best Worl

Postby Lucky

He will shorten the format. I've said time and time again the battle isn't keeping the hardcore fans happy and watching. The battle is for the casual viewers and get those in. If shortening the format draws in a larger TV audience then that is what will attract sponsors. For all the gum smacking on here about changing the UK everyone on here still watched a vast majority of it so theres no danger of losing viewers.

Re: What did Barry Hearn mean that we will see the best Worl

Postby SnookerFan

Lucky wrote:He will shorten the format. I've said time and time again the battle isn't keeping the hardcore fans happy and watching. The battle is for the casual viewers and get those in. If shortening the format draws in a larger TV audience then that is what will attract sponsors. For all the gum smacking on here about changing the UK everyone on here still watched a vast majority of it so theres no danger of losing viewers.


Sadly, I see what you're saying.

The same problem happens in boxing that the casual fans are catered to more than the hardcore fans, because the hardcore fans will watch even if they don't like the marmite matches that are served up.

If Hearn thinks he can bring in a lot of new fans with a change to the Worlds, that's what he'll do. I think the only reason he has hesitated so far is that this is the only tournament that does well, and gets a lot of media attention. Him calling it an 'eccentric sporting event', or whatever it was he said the other year, I think gives an indication that he doesn't much like the format, but recognises that plenty of other people do.

That may be the one thing that saves it, it's popularity compared to other tournaments. The UK only had a fraction of the interest, so from a business standpoint it was less of a risk to gamble with it.

Re: What did Barry Hearn mean that we will see the best Worl

Postby SnookerFan

Going back to Wild's earlier point as well; "OK What i mean is Sponsors would not want anything to do with a Sport that feels the need to change a winning formula and Barry knows that."

Problem with that is, sponsors for the most part only care about one thing. How many potential customers are going to see their product's name? They aren't going to have an ethical problem with Hearn changing the format of the tournament as long as he keeps it succesful and keeps people turning up, looking at the sponsorship and generating revenue for the sponsor's company.

The issue, once again, is how would a change to the World Championship affect it's popularity? If it decreases it, Hearn is unhappy and so are sponsors. If it increases it, and makes Hearn and the sponsors more money, they are happy. As Lucky said, neither care what a few fans on an internet forum think.

Re: What did Barry Hearn mean that we will see the best Worl

Postby Lucky

He will shorten the format. I've said time and time again the battle isn't keeping the hardcore fans happy and watching. The battle is for the casual viewers and get those in. If shortening the format draws in a larger TV audience then that is what will attract sponsors. For all the gum smacking on here about changing the UK everyone on here still watched a vast majority of it so theres no danger of losing viewers.

Re: What did Barry Hearn mean that we will see the best Worl

Postby Wildey

SnookerFan wrote:Going back to Wild's earlier point as well; "OK What i mean is Sponsors would not want anything to do with a Sport that feels the need to change a winning formula and Barry knows that."

Problem with that is, sponsors for the most part only care about one thing. How many potential customers are going to see their product's name? They aren't going to have an ethical problem with Hearn changing the format of the tournament as long as he keeps it succesful and keeps people turning up, looking at the sponsorship and generating revenue for the sponsor's company.

The issue, once again, is how would a change to the World Championship affect it's popularity? If it decreases it, Hearn is unhappy and so are sponsors. If it increases it, and makes Hearn and the sponsors more money, they are happy. As Lucky said, neither care what a few fans on an internet forum think.

The Problem is the BBC


BBC want to instigate change then a 2 week event is reduced to 1 week and instantly sponsors product name wont be seen for 17 days but only 9.

They did not go mad with promotion or selling Williamhill.com instead they had Ding Junhui play a Morning match while Camera men was still in Bed.

So if Barry wants to please sponsors he has to sort out the BBC not changing Tournament formats.

and on the subject of casual viewer well they are hooked on 17 days at the crucible already its as if some think the snooker season is 17 days long so they wont get any more casual viewers to watch because they are already watching.

Re: What did Barry Hearn mean that we will see the best Worl

Postby Skullman

They could try expanding its audience and marketing the sport better.

I know many who won't even give snooker a chance because of all those pieces in papers by journos who only cover/know about the Worlds saying it's a glorified pub game, no characters etc.

Re: What did Barry Hearn mean that we will see the best Worl

Postby Wildey

Skullman wrote:They could try expanding its audience and marketing the sport better.

I know many who won't even give snooker a chance because of all those pieces in papers by journos who only cover/know about the Worlds saying it's a glorified pub game, no characters etc.

Reduction in formats will just enhance that sort of publicity it gets.

When it comes to the World Championship reduction will be catastrophic for snooker's growth.

i like to think Barry Hearn is smart enough to work that out.

Re: What did Barry Hearn mean that we will see the best Worl

Postby SnookerFan

Cloud Strife wrote:
Witz78 wrote:Talking of sponsors, still no word on a sponsor for this years Worlds ?


Doesn't look like it. It's the same as last year.

Probably, they'll end up with another one year stop-gap sponsor.


Yeah, I agree.

I wouldn't be surprised if it's another betting company though, if that's what you're worried about Witz.

Re: What did Barry Hearn mean that we will see the best Worl

Postby Cloud Strife

SnookerFan wrote:
Cloud Strife wrote:
Witz78 wrote:Talking of sponsors, still no word on a sponsor for this years Worlds ?


Doesn't look like it. It's the same as last year.

Probably, they'll end up with another one year stop-gap sponsor.


Yeah, I agree.

I wouldn't be surprised if it's another betting company though, if that's what you're worried about Witz.


I'd be shocked if it was anything other than a betting company.

Re: What did Barry Hearn mean that we will see the best Worl

Postby SnookerFan

edwards2000 wrote:Could be worse... could be Pukka Pies.


Muppet is going to come on here and accuse me of being a fat git, but I had nothing against Pukka Pies being sponsor. At least they were something different to a betting agency being sponsor.

Also, when you had Dafabet doing The Masters, their presence at the tournament was pathetic. You had a bloke with a whiteboard with odds written on. Some don't have any betting stand at all. At least Pukka Pies made an effort. They had their divvy band there at Telford playing songs as people queued up to get in, and donated Ding's bodyweight in pies.

A bit naff as sponsor to the secondary tournament, perhaps. But at least it felt like they wanted to be there.

Re: What did Barry Hearn mean that we will see the best Worl

Postby Muppet147

SnookerFan wrote:
edwards2000 wrote:Could be worse... could be Pukka Pies.


Muppet is going to come on here and accuse me of being a fat git, but I had nothing against Pukka Pies being sponsor. At least they were something different to a betting agency being sponsor.

Also, when you had Dafabet doing The Masters, their presence at the tournament was pathetic. You had a bloke with a whiteboard with odds written on. Some don't have any betting stand at all. At least Pukka Pies made an effort. They had their divvy band there at Telford playing songs as people queued up to get in, and donated Ding's bodyweight in pies.

A bit naff as sponsor to the secondary tournament, perhaps. But at least it felt like they wanted to be there.


I don't need to accuse you. You have admitted to it many times. How many of those pies did you eat?

Re: What did Barry Hearn mean that we will see the best Worl

Postby PLtheRef

Wildey wrote:
Skullman wrote:But no one had the attention span to watch best of 17 frames in the UK according to the prophet Hearn, despite none of my friends, who are very casual fans of snooker, thinking so.

Then he moves the UK to a good city like York instead of Telford and is claiming that his format change is the cause of the increased ticket sales.

But there was fundamental problems with the UK.

it had lost it focus its no longer the Major it once was and the tinkering just continues to try and make it stand out.

The problem with the UK was simple it has a Best of 19 frame final same as China, Shanghai, World Open and The Masters now add International Championship and Wuxi to the Mix. it needs it own identity to stand out with a Best of 31 Frame Final or compromise Best of 25 Frames.

im easy about best of 11s for earlier Rounds but i do feel from Last 16 to Semis it should be Best of 17 take the tournament back to a different format make it special once again.


This. Though a change from a Best of 31 Frame Final to a Best of 19 Frame Final is very disappointing in retrospect (I didn't start following snooker until the late 90s) you still had some sort of identity that it was a major showpiece occasion when you consider that after the axing of two day finals, most became Best of 17 Frames. Nowadays you have Germany, Australia and the Welsh played over Best of 17 Frames, and just seven matches in the whole season are now played over the old UK Distance. Compare that to best part of 100 Best of 19s, and 12 Best of 25 Matches (as it stands)

Best of 11 Frames means the tournament has lost what made it special. You watched the UK as one of the few tournaments which actually had the long distance matches and its clear that it was not the reason as Hearn has tried to justify the good sales at York in 2011. If so play Best of 11 in Telford.

Saying its lost viewers I don't think is too valid a point. We follow Snooker tournaments because we are Snooker fans. I'm not particularly keen on the PTCs but I'll keep an eye on what's going on and if I find somewhere with eurosport (as I did in France last year) I'll watch.