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Will we ever have the old UK Championship back?

Postby Pink Ball

It was by far the best tournament outside of the Workd Championship, and not even that far behind the Workd Championship IMO. Don't give me any crap about the wildly overrated Masters being the second best.

But the current UK Championship is a balls of a thing. I don't care that it's still longer than most tournaments, it's like comparing present Madonna to 1980s Madonna.

The competition is as long as it's ever been, but that's because it has far too many players now, another disrespectful punch to the balls of a once great tournament. If we can have a two week tournament why can't we have best of 17s with 32 players, as it bucking should be?

Can we have our old UK Championship back for buck's sake Hurn :irk:

Re: Will we ever have the old UK Championship back?

Postby Andre147

Cloud Strife wrote:If anything, the slide will only continue.


I agree, no way will Hearn make it Best of 17 again, unless and only unless they make it 32 players to the venue.

Play it Best of 11s last 128 and last 64 as qualifying matches, and then the Best of 17s would start at the venue.

I know it's not perfect because all players wouldn't start at the venue, but I dont think anyone disagrees thuis system wouldn't be better than the current we have now...

Re: Will we ever have the old UK Championship back?

Postby Cloud Strife

Andre147 wrote:
Cloud Strife wrote:If anything, the slide will only continue.


I agree, no way will Hearn make it Best of 17 again, unless and only unless they make it 32 players to the venue.

Play it Best of 11s last 128 and last 64 as qualifying matches, and then the Best of 17s would start at the venue.

I know it's not perfect because all players wouldn't start at the venue, but I dont think anyone disagrees thuis system wouldn't be better than the current we have now...


The thing about Hearn is he could turn something into a turd sandwich and still he would not accept any misjudgement on his own part.

Re: Will we ever have the old UK Championship back?

Postby SnookerFan

sundaygirl wrote:
SnookerFan wrote:If it changes back, it won't be whilst Hearn is in charge.


This is so true, he is psychologically incapable of doing a u-turn.


All you've got to do is look at his reaction on Twitter to people complaining about the Shootout. How many fans were complaining about that decision? How many players were? Very few said anything positive, but Hearn was adamant the critics were in a minority.

Just because sponsors and the television companies don't care whether it carries ranking points or not, doesn't mean the majority of people think it's a good idea.

Hearn took the stance that because a lot of people talked about it, that meant it was a success. By that logic, anything that gets remembered as a notoriously bad idea is an automatic success. I mean, they made movies about the Charge Of The Light Brigade, but it doesn't make it a brilliant military maneuver.

Hearn would shorten The Crucible if he thought he could get away with it, but he doesn't as it's such a loved tournament.

Re: Will we ever have the old UK Championship back?

Postby PLtheRef

As much as I'd love to see it happen - heck why not go further and make the final a distance which makes it stand out from the other events, it's not likely is it.

I've always maintained that the shortening of the UK Championship format is probably the one real mistake that Hearn has made during the past seven years. It does seem (and is probably) a harsh assessment that for the great deal of good that Hearn has done, it is something that he will be remembered for. Giving Hearn credit, he never shies away from what he said back in 2010 - there's no, 'just kidding', 'didn't really mean it'. He knows what he said, and always acknowledges that - even though he then gives the reasons why the changes were made.

World Snooker recognize that they probably misjudged the mood of the snooker public when the format went from Best of 17 frames to Best of 11. That much was recognisable from the changes to the Semi-Finals. From shouting it from the rooftops about this great new format for the UK Championships back in 2011, the changes of the Semi-Finals to Best of 11 in 2014 went through with no mention at all (other than a mention in the ticket flyer)

It's clear that 128 players at the venue is far too many. One, no matches should be played in the Sports Hall, and two - it undermines the reason why the UK Championship went to Best of 11 (to try and ensure all players competing got a chance to compete on the TV) - The concern is that the Barbican can more than comfortably handle a 64 man event, in the main arena (it could even have longer matches early doors - best of 17s from the last 32 - as that could be done in the four table set up) but it seems a necessity that other than invitational events (and thankfully the Crucible) that British venues need to be able to handle 128 players at the venue. - It would be a huge shame to lose York from the snooker calendar.

Re: Will we ever have the old UK Championship back?

Postby PLtheRef

kolompar wrote:Those who want less players at the venue, how would you do that? Qualifying at another time and venue?


For me I think that'd be the best way forward. You could do the Last 128 round as the qualifying competition a couple of weeks before the event. The draw's been known for a couple of weeks before play got underway.

You could hold over four matches to the venue - the defending UK Champion and World Champion's matches alongside the top two in the world rankings.

Taking 64 players to the venue means all the matches can take place in the Main Arena as it should be. No-one really wants to play in the Sports Hall. You can then play the second round before joining the TV stage at the Last 32 where you can either drop to two tables - or (heaven forbid) go back to best of 17 frames. - Alternatively after the qualifying you can have the main event of 64+4 played in the televised stages.

Re: Will we ever have the old UK Championship back?

Postby Pink Ball

SnookerFan wrote:
sundaygirl wrote:
SnookerFan wrote:If it changes back, it won't be whilst Hearn is in charge.


This is so true, he is psychologically incapable of doing a u-turn.


All you've got to do is look at his reaction on Twitter to people complaining about the Shootout. How many fans were complaining about that decision? How many players were? Very few said anything positive, but Hearn was adamant the critics were in a minority.

Just because sponsors and the television companies don't care whether it carries ranking points or not, doesn't mean the majority of people think it's a good idea.

Hearn took the stance that because a lot of people talked about it, that meant it was a success. By that logic, anything that gets remembered as a notoriously bad idea is an automatic success. I mean, they made movies about the Charge Of The Light Brigade, but it doesn't make it a brilliant military maneuver.

Hearn would shorten The Crucible if he thought he could get away with it, but he doesn't as it's such a loved tournament.

Yes, the idea that something's a success just because it's talked about is lunacy. By that idiotic token, the Holocaust could be called 'great'.

(It wasn't, in case anyone thinks I'm saying it was.)

Re: Will we ever have the old UK Championship back?

Postby PLtheRef

Pink Ball wrote:
kolompar wrote:Those who want less players at the venue, how would you do that? Qualifying at another time and venue?

Yes. Like they do with the World Championship.


Somewhere at home I've got a programme from the 2000 World Championship. In it I remember a feature (it might be about when Archer became chairman) - which describes the expanding fields in such a way that other than at the UK and World Championships (which would have fields of 32) 48 players would compete in the final stages of the British tournaments.

64 man fields were nothing new in snooker. Many of the British events in the 1980s and 1990s - other than the Crucible took 64 with the fields shrunk to 48 more or less to be able to fit the standard events i.e. Best of 9s into nine days.

Re: Will we ever have the old UK Championship back?

Postby Dan-cat

Pink Ball wrote:It was by far the best tournament outside of the Workd Championship, and not even that far behind the Workd Championship IMO. Don't give me any crap about the wildly overrated Masters being the second best.

But the current UK Championship is a balls of a thing. I don't care that it's still longer than most tournaments, it's like comparing present Madonna to 1980s Madonna.

The competition is as long as it's ever been, but that's because it has far too many players now, another disrespectful punch to the balls of a once great tournament. If we can have a two week tournament why can't we have best of 17s with 32 players, as it bucking should be?

Can we have our old UK Championship back for buck's sake Hurn :irk:


Bucks sake. Stop moaning. Snooker is in a fabulous state.

Re: Will we ever have the old UK Championship back?

Postby Pink Ball

Dan-cat wrote:
Pink Ball wrote:It was by far the best tournament outside of the Workd Championship, and not even that far behind the Workd Championship IMO. Don't give me any crap about the wildly overrated Masters being the second best.

But the current UK Championship is a balls of a thing. I don't care that it's still longer than most tournaments, it's like comparing present Madonna to 1980s Madonna.

The competition is as long as it's ever been, but that's because it has far too many players now, another disrespectful punch to the balls of a once great tournament. If we can have a two week tournament why can't we have best of 17s with 32 players, as it bucking should be?

Can we have our old UK Championship back for buck's sake Hurn :irk:


Bucks sake. Stop moaning. Snooker is in a fabulous state.

No I won't because he's made a buck of this tournament.

Re: Will we ever have the old UK Championship back?

Postby Andre147

The first of UK's 3 Big tournaments is about to have a proper start :-D not counting the pre-Tv stages...

always excited for this event, even if it's rubbish compared to the Best of 17s days...

Plus nothing better with all the rain and cold outside to sit at home watching some live Snooker <cool>

Re: Will we ever have the old UK Championship back?

Postby snucar

I miss Guild Hall, but...


Dan-cat wrote:I can't wait for it to start today. Irregardless of the changes (as Dubya would say) it's one of the best tournaments on the calendar and I intent to watch a sh*t-ton of it.


...buck yeah! Bring it on! Now!




:mosh2: :mosh2: :mosh2:

Re: Will we ever have the old UK Championship back?

Postby Pink Ball

Dan-cat wrote:Ha. Fair enough.

I can't wait for it to start today. Irregardless of the changes (as Dubya would say) it's one of the best tournaments on the calendar and I intent to watch a sh*t-ton of it.

I'll watch the whole thing, I still save my holidays for this and the World Championship, but this is a pale immitation of the old UK.

Pity, because York is definitely one of the top four snooker venues on earth alongside Crucible, Guil Hall and (apparently) the Tempodrom.

Re: Will we ever have the old UK Championship back?

Postby Andre147

Question...

For those of you who watched it back then, what was the explanation for the Final to be reduced from Best of 33 to Best of 19 starting in 93, the year Ronnie first won?

Was it a case that they couldn't broadcast it anymore over a period of 2 days and wanted it over and done in 1 day?

Re: Will we ever have the old UK Championship back?

Postby PLtheRef

Andre147 wrote:Question...

For those of you who watched it back then, what was the explanation for the Final to be reduced from Best of 33 to Best of 19 starting in 93, the year Ronnie first won?

Was it a case that they couldn't broadcast it anymore over a period of 2 days and wanted it over and done in 1 day?


I'm not sure on this - but I think it was something to do with moving the Semi-Finals to a one table set up. When the UK Championship had the Best of 31 Frame final - all of the matches until the Semi-Finals were played on two tables. Switching to playing one Semi-Final on the Friday and playing the second on the Saturday necessitated the switch to a Best of 19 final (why they couldn't be daring and extend TV coverage to a tenth day is a mystery to me :shrug: )

Originally the television stages of the UK Championships lasted nine days like they do now but were played from the Last 16 onwards.

An interesting point to note - looking through a lot of the formats for the events back in the 1980s - a lot of them had two day finals - British Open was best of 23 frames for the final, The Classic was Best of 25 frames at one point, the World Doubles had both 23 and 25 as well as the odd 19 frame final. Looking at them it would seem these were all finals to events broadcast on ITV with the final session being played in an afternoon slot with the BBC events all having finals over 17/19 or 31/35 (to ensure they finished in an evening slot)

Re: Will we ever have the old UK Championship back?

Postby mantorok

Some people are never happy, I don't think you'll hear the players complaining and in fact you probably wont hear 99% of the viewers complaining, and the reason Hearn won't do a u-turn is probably because they are making a boat-load more money for the sport this way and giving opportunities to 96 players that they would've never had previously.

You seriously need to see the bigger picture, and to be frank what's the problem? We get more matches, more opportunities to see upcoming talent, and top players now have to to earn the right to get the last 32, which means they have to be on form from the start.

Can't see the problem.

Re: Will we ever have the old UK Championship back?

Postby Dan-cat

SnookerFan wrote:
KrazeeEyezKilla wrote:Maybe in the future the World Championship will be cut to a best of 17 with best 31 final format so you'll have the old UK format back.


Can anybody ask Ronnie what he thinks?


I tried, but he he was talking to God.

#PostsFromUpRonniesTree

Re: Will we ever have the old UK Championship back?

Postby SnookerFan

Dan-cat wrote:
SnookerFan wrote:
KrazeeEyezKilla wrote:Maybe in the future the World Championship will be cut to a best of 17 with best 31 final format so you'll have the old UK format back.


Can anybody ask Ronnie what he thinks?


I tried, but he he was talking to God.



rofl