Will snooker address the gender gap?

OK - late post I know, but I have just received a reply from WBSA following my Freedom of Information request of October 2017. I had enquired as to the gender gap in pay which - as you may be aware - has been a hot topic in the mainstream media of late.

It seems there is a problem.

Whilst Mark Selby recently took home £225 000 from his successful China Open campaign, Ng On Yee won a paltry £5 000 for winning the women's World championship. So what accounts for this? Selby's prize (45 times larger than On Yee) surely illustrates the ongoing inherent sexism in the game. Is it me or is it high time this misogynistic bias were stopped once and for all.

I approached On Yee for comment, but she declined. The following is taken from the BBC report on her recent crowning as women's world no.1:

"I used to be quite down when I had a bad day in the training room or lost a game," Ng said.

"But now, since I started keeping my dog, even if I don't play well, I'd leave it all behind the moment I open the door and hug her."



Is it time the glass ceiling were smashed once and for all?

Cue discussion.

Neil Robertson won £250,000 in 2010 to be fair

I agree #timesup for sexism and misogyny in Snooker.

Neil Robertson has won 12 ranking titles

SnookerFan wrote:Why even have a separate women's tour? Women are allowed to compete against men?

Just have one tour, both genders can enter and if you're good enough, you're good enough.

Indeed.

SnookerFan wrote:Why even have a separate women's tour? Women are allowed to compete against men?

Just have one tour, both genders can enter and if you're good enough, you're good enough.

Those are my thoughts too.

There actually isn't a men's tour in snooker. Both genders are allowed to compete against each other.

SnookerFan wrote:Why even have a separate women's tour? Women are allowed to compete against men?

Just have one tour, both genders can enter and if you're good enough, you're good enough.

Neil Robertson did that

What about a Trans tour?

The Women's tour gives more women the chance to play in tournaments and get used to competition. Even if a woman was good enough to get on the main tour there would be a huge amount of pressure on them and being the only woman surrounded by men would make it hard in the same way that Chinese players would have struggled in the past. Look at how poor Ng On Yee has done in the world qualifiers compared to Reanne Evans. There can't be that much difference in their standard considering Ng has won three of the last four world titles but Reanne seems much more comfortable competing with men.

KrazeeEyezKilla wrote:The Women's tour gives more women the chance to play in tournaments and get used to competition. Even if a woman was good enough to get on the main tour there would be a huge amount of pressure on them and being the only woman surrounded by men would make it hard in the same way that Chinese players would have struggled in the past. Look at how poor Ng On Yee has done in the world qualifiers compared to Reanne Evans. There can't be that much difference in their standard considering Ng has won three of the last four world titles but Reanne seems much more comfortable competing with men.

Tournament prize money is tied directly to sponsorship and that's tied to viewership.

No one is interested in watching the women's tour so the money is dismal.

Want to make the same as as male pros? Play on the pro tour

Sickpotter wrote:Tournament prize money is tied directly to sponsorship and that's tied to viewership.

No one is interested in watching the women's tour so the money is dismal.

Want to make the same as as male pros? Play on the pro tour

I don't think Baddy was being remotely serious.