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Should the format for the World Championships be reduced?

Yes
2
6%
No
27
87%
Maybe
2
6%
 
Total votes : 31

Should the World Championship Format be Reduced?

Postby Roland

Ronnie O'Sullivan and Steve Davis were making comments to the effect that the World Championships in Sheffield should be reduced from the current 17 day run over 3 weekends which has been in operation for the last 30 years.

The mere suggestion by two legends of the game took me by surprise. We all know Ronnie hasn't got the attention span to remain comfortable in Sheffield for 17 days (well, that's the excuse given by his fans when explaining why he hasn't won more World Championships) but the World Championships is all about stamina, staying the course. It's a marathon and may the best man at the end of it win and be totally exhausted and spent mentally when they lift the trophy.

Steve Davis took me by surprise and his comment about maybe having the final over a single day had me shaking my fist at the television in anger. He has dropped right down in my estimations. He is meant to be a die hard snooker fan who wants the best for the game and the fans. How dare he suggest shortening the format when there is no call to do so? How dare he publically mention shortening the World Championships and the exposure our game gets during the the main snooker festival season of the year?

So let's have the debate :santa:

Re: Should the World Championship Format be Reduced?

Postby Casey

I am trying to think of what his exact words were. Did he say he would want it shortened, or that its inevitable?

I voted no but I fear that it is inevitable, although not for some years to come :sad:

Re: Should the World Championship Format be Reduced?

Postby Casey

Thompson Lykes wrote:Davis works for the BBC and is Hearn's biggest supporter. Is he repeating what he's heard somewhere else. I think he is starting the debate and making the first few taps of the thin end of the wedge.


That is what I was thinking, are they putting it out there for public opinion? I don't think the current format is a problem whilst the tournament is in the UK (when does the Crucible deal run out) . If it moved to China it would be a different story and I don't think it would be anywhere near the length it is.

Re: Should the World Championship Format be Reduced?

Postby GJ

davis didnt even know the proper cut off point for seedings for the worlds and gotit worng all week so is he really up to being hearns right hand man

the worlds have to stay as they are


alex made a greatpoint the lack of events in recent season have made the finals in the worlds as they are as players havnt been match sharp due to lack of events

Re: Should the World Championship Format be Reduced?

Postby Wildey

its a VERY STUPID QUESTION .

however when Stupid idiotic twerps open their stupid fat gobs on TV sometime these questions need asking.

Re: Should the World Championship Format be Reduced?

Postby Casey

The world championship is the single greatest test of a players greatness, to shorten it would make a mockery of the championships. If it means giving the players a day off before the final so be it, but don't shorten it.

Re: Should the World Championship Format be Reduced?

Postby Wildey

if i remember right this very question was asked in the Pulse during the World Championship and i think the % was well over 90% of NEVER reducing it.

Re: Should the World Championship Format be Reduced?

Postby randam05

NO COMMENT...the votes say it all.

Just a slight schedule change? and what makes me laugh is you only need to win one more frame in the final than the semi finals, so maybe shorten the semis slightly by say 5 frames or so or lengthen the final, but I think changing semis would be better.

Re: Should the World Championship Format be Reduced?

Postby GJ

how about

best of 19 - round 1 and 2

best of 25 - quarters

best of 29 - semi's

best of 35 - final

Re: Should the World Championship Format be Reduced?

Postby Wildey

what i like about the World Championship as it is 33 frame semi and 35 frame final is when you reach the semi you only half way to the title and the stamina needed Days between finals and reducing it will not make it better for me it will damage it.

to reach the Semi final you need 36 frames to win the Semi and Final you need another 35 Frames that's perfect and only players with guts and balls can survive that Gruelling Schedule.

so i will never agree with day rest or reducing a single thing.....

they should do what Hendry Ronnie,Higgins had to do without this namby pamby winging.

Re: Should the World Championship Format be Reduced?

Postby Tubberlad

I voted no, but unfortunately I think it's going to happen. It's my favourite tournament, and to see it changed would make me sick. So what if the last few finals haven't been great? What about 82, 84, 85, 92, 94, 00, 01, 02, 03, 05? It was the same format back then, we had a run of poor finals between 95 and 99, and followed it up with four classics on the spin.

No, no, no, no. And a one day final? snake hiss off.

Re: Should the World Championship Format be Reduced?

Postby Wildey

that's the point

i enjoyed last years final and to appreciate snooker you got to take the brilliance with the poor but last years final was not poor yes it was over shadowed by other events but it was not poor.

it what a World Final should be about where you'r body doesn't seem like yourself.

we been spoiled a bit with Hendry winning year after year then Ronnie but you cant expect players making their debut in the biggest match of their career to date playing with freedom of someone that's been there done that bought the T Shirt on many many occasions.

it should mean so much that your form goes out of the window.

what i will do though with a possible 11 frames played in the evening session of the final is move the Start Date of the final day to 1.30pm and 6.30pm

Re: Should the World Championship Format be Reduced?

Postby Wildey

something that just occurred to me regarding some of Davis comments...with the contract for this event expired after this week on the BBC Possibly Steve was trying to sell the World Open for a contract renewal on the BBC to such a extent he started to go WAYYYYYY OVER THE TOP.

Re: Should the World Championship Format be Reduced?

Postby Mal

Certainly not! Having said that Parrott made a suggestion about making the 2nd round first to ten - I don't agree with it, but would mean that each round lengthen as you go through.

I think the way it was for many years was fine - It changed relatively recently to being a semi first to 17 and i felt that this wasn't enough variation from the final, so would have preferred first to 16 (only one frame I know!) As Wild says, an earlier start in the final would also help - starting at 3pm just means that quite often the final won't get all afternoon frames played and then the night is a late night which loses some younger or less dedicated viewers.

Re: Should the World Championship Format be Reduced?

Postby randam05

Mal wrote:Certainly not! Having said that Parrott made a suggestion about making the 2nd round first to ten - I don't agree with it, but would mean that each round lengthen as you go through.

I think the way it was for many years was fine - It changed relatively recently to being a semi first to 17 and i felt that this wasn't enough variation from the final, so would have preferred first to 16 (only one frame I know!) As Wild says, an earlier start in the final would also help - starting at 3pm just means that quite often the final won't get all afternoon frames played and then the night is a late night which loses some younger or less dedicated viewers.



yes cant see the sense in it starting so late in the day and evening! no point at all. 1.00pm and then 7.00pm for me

Re: Should the World Championship Format be Reduced?

Postby PLtheRef

There was a whisper in Sheffield that Bazza was going to be reducing the format somewhat - it would mean a 14 day tournament with the matches getting more and more condensed towards the end, which leaves us with a problem of the the exhausted finalists again

The rumour wagon suggested we'd get a format of this

First and Second Rounds - best of 15 frames 7/8


Quarter-Finals - best of 17 frames 8/9

Semi-Finals best of 19 frames 8/11

Final - best of 21 frames. 10/11

A format which reflects the blackball format in Pool's world championship

Now that would mean winning 46 frames compared to 71 so it would take some effort to win the World Championship with each match being over two sessions. Not warranted IMO but I think that there's an inevitability that the length of the matches are going to shorten at somestage as we've seen several 'poorer' finals in recent years its been ages since we had a really close final. Not that I think the format needs tinkering with but I reckon that if its going to be the 1 day finals then it will most likely be that.

If they do alter it, and I think they'll wind up considering it, they need to remember how much revenue that they will concede from it.

If they have to change things I'd go for this

Rd1 17 (8/9 or 7/10) or 19

Rd2 21 (10/11 or 7/7/7)

QF 23 (7/8/8 or 7/7/9)

SF 29 (7/7/7/8)

F 33 7/9/7/10.

That way they retain a shorter format but some way of retaining the championship as the ultimate challenge. Look at the Weber Cup (10 pin bowling Ryder Cup) they shaved it to a best of 33 enocounter and thus have retained the challenge that it is.

Re: Should the World Championship Format be Reduced?

Postby Wildey

PLtheRef wrote:There was a whisper in Sheffield that Bazza was going to be reducing the format somewhat - it would mean a 14 day tournament with the matches getting more and more condensed towards the end, which leaves us with a problem of the the exhausted finalists again

The rumour wagon suggested we'd get a format of this

First and Second Rounds - best of 15 frames 7/8


Quarter-Finals - best of 17 frames 8/9

Semi-Finals best of 19 frames 8/11

Final - best of 21 frames. 10/11

A format which reflects the blackball format in Pool's world championship

Now that would mean winning 46 frames compared to 71 so it would take some effort to win the World Championship with each match being over two sessions. Not warranted IMO but I think that there's an inevitability that the length of the matches are going to shorten at somestage as we've seen several 'poorer' finals in recent years its been ages since we had a really close final. Not that I think the format needs tinkering with but I reckon that if its going to be the 1 day finals then it will most likely be that.

If they do alter it, and I think they'll wind up considering it, they need to remember how much revenue that they will concede from it.

If they have to change things I'd go for this

Rd1 17 (8/9 or 7/10) or 19

Rd2 21 (10/11 or 7/7/7)

QF 23 (7/8/8 or 7/7/9)

SF 29 (7/7/7/8)

F 33 7/9/7/10.

That way they retain a shorter format but some way of retaining the championship as the ultimate challenge. Look at the Weber Cup (10 pin bowling Ryder Cup) they shaved it to a best of 33 enocounter and thus have retained the challenge that it is.


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Last edited by Wildey on 27 Sep 2010, edited 1 time in total.

Re: Should the World Championship Format be Reduced?

Postby Wildey

Bourne wrote:NO but I am expecting changes to be made in the next few years.

there will not be changes while theres breath in my body i give you that promise <ok>

Re: Should the World Championship Format be Reduced?

Postby Wildey

Bourne wrote:What sort of changes though ?

they just clueless idiots if they change that tournament format.
Last edited by Wildey on 27 Sep 2010, edited 1 time in total.

Re: Should the World Championship Format be Reduced?

Postby Bourne

wildJONESEYE wrote:
Bourne wrote:What sort of changes though ?

if they change anything ill re arange his intercoursing face.

Do you mean format/schedule wise, because they've already introduced music to the venue and that might just be the start ...

Re: Should the World Championship Format be Reduced?

Postby Wildey

The rumour wagon suggested we'd get a format of this

First and Second Rounds - best of 15 frames 7/8


Quarter-Finals - best of 17 frames 8/9

Semi-Finals best of 19 frames 8/11

Final - best of 21 frames. 10/11


from paddy

Re: Should the World Championship Format be Reduced?

Postby Wildey

sent this e mail to World Snooker

Yesterday Steve "i got a big gob but no brain" Davis hinted about the possibility of reducing the World Championship.

No Snooker Fan that cares 1 ounce about this sport want EVER to see that happen.

Any Player that wins a Dumbed Down tripe will never deserve to be called World Champion.

Being World Champion is a test the ultimate Test and reducing that Like Steve Brain Dead Davis Hinted would not be that test therefore nobody in Snooker could ever again be called World Champion.