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NOW There are Spectators at World Championship Qualifiers

Postby Wildey

:wave: :wave: :wave:

Smart/Stalin is one person that has been up to sheffield to the Qualifiers for the last 2 years but aparantly this year acording to Snooker Scene there will be no spectators at the World Qualifiers this year.

They will be playing in the Academy the same as all other Qualifiers and PTC Events.

But Apparently according to Snooker Scene there are TV Lighting being installed on 2 Tables at the Academy so it seems Live Streaming is on the way at some point.

This takes me back to another Thread That Surely for The World Championship Qualifiers at Least they should use the Brilliant Facilities Paul Mount has at The Academy in Gloucester.

Re: NO Spectators at World Championship Qualifiers !!!!

Postby Madz

Pity. I've been to 2 world championship qualifiers and UK champ qualifiers in Sheffield, and enjoyed it very much. I would have loved to go there this season too. Oh well. Hope I can get tickets to the Crucible and will be able to go to Sheffield next year to watch live snooker :)

Re: NO Spectators at World Championship Qualifiers !!!!

Postby Noel

Hearn has done a great job of getting the players playing and onside... but what about the fans?
Making the straight forward pot is only half the job. Blowing the essential Part "B" Shape means
making ever tougher recovery shots, which is what Mount's Academy would be. And a good one at that!


=o)

Noel

Re: NO Spectators at World Championship Qualifiers !!!!

Postby Smart

:grrr:

can you please cut and paste or scan something to prove this source..................... <ok>

This for me is a great day out and I have enjoyed my visits a heck of a lot. I am not sure what the hell is going on if this is the future of snooker. We the public have a right to access the game, and I do not mean 2 streams. Do you think that allowing 20 spectators per game is asking too much (on a first come first served basis). :grrr:

Bring it all to Gloucester, every qualifier. I will be up and down that M5 like EddieStobart. <ok>

Re: NO Spectators at World Championship Qualifiers !!!!

Postby Wildey

StalinESQ wrote::grrr:

can you please cut and paste or scan something to prove this source..................... <ok>

This for me is a great day out and I have enjoyed my visits a heck of a lot. I am not sure what the hell is going on if this is the future of snooker. We the public have a right to access the game, and I do not mean 2 streams. Do you think that allowing 20 spectators per game is asking too much (on a first come first served basis). :grrr:

Bring it all to Gloucester, every qualifier. I will be up and down that M5 like EddieStobart. <ok>


of course with a few months to go its possible things will change and also quite possible that Snooker scene taken for granted this because of other qualifiers played without spectators.

when i posted this this morning i felt slightly snake hissed off at the fact despite never been myself.

Re: NO Spectators at World Championship Qualifiers !!!!

Postby Witz78

i can see both sides of the story here.

From Hearns point of view, initially he wants the infrastrcuture of the tour in place, and these qualifiers fall into the same category as the UK based PTC events. Fans are the sacrificial lamb meantime.

The success of the European PTC events (with crowds) will allow these to hopefully expand in seasons to come.

With snooker increasing in media profile and public conscience again (slowly but surely) the time will be right when the UK PTC events can become small rankers at a venue themselves. As for the qualifiers themselves we are discussing in this topic, i feel the demand would be there for many fans to watch this in an arena given the magnitude of whats at stake, certainly the last 2 rounds (top64 v top48, top 48 v top32) and im sure this will come.

Hearn isnt daft, without fans a sport is nothing. Look at his PDC darts, it revolves around spectators and i see the decision not to take the qualifiers and the PTC events to the fans this season as a temporary measure.

WPSBA have the Snooker Academy readily available and with various cost cutting, not to mention mismanagment from the previous regime to be adressed, it made sense to utilise the facilties they had and expand the sport slowly rather than expect everything to fall into place too quick, thats when problems can start when the outlay far outweighs the turnover.

I feel next season, fans in the UK and abroad, especially in Europe will be spolit for choice in terms of events to go to, as i expect the PTC tour to expand with some of the events becoming fully blown rankers. The qualifiers will be similar i feel.

With regards to the Academy, im wondering whether there is room for expansion there to accomodate specatators? The last few years its been held at the EID in Sheffield, Perhaps some pressure from fans will sway Hearn to at least move some of the more glamorous games to a nearby venue where fans can view them. Hearn of course may look at it that the few fans he can get in the door paying a pittance dont justify the costs of hiring out another venue. The live stream from the Academy looks like the compromise the fans will have to accept this season.

As for the Mounts SW Academy, it looks a cracking venue and it would be good to see some form of snooker played there other than just occasional exhibitions. However i can understand the WPSBA reluctance to flash the cash when there no real return, albeit by totally shutting out fans they are to extent doing that, albeit not financially.

Perhaps ultimately if the sport grows, we will see a purpose built snooker venue but that is very unlikely. The South West Academy is the closest thing we have and i feel it could certainly be used for a PTC event in the future.

Re: NO Spectators at World Championship Qualifiers !!!!

Postby Wildey

i think it should be used for World Qualifiers this season.

you cant have world qualifiers played like that surely you got to make more of a effort for the biggie.

Re: NO Spectators at World Championship Qualifiers !!!!

Postby Casey

I don't see the harm in hosting the final round of qualifiers for the World to a venue which can accommodate a crowd. They could easily cover their cost on the door + merchandise, sponsors.

Re: NO Spectators at World Championship Qualifiers !!!!

Postby Smart

Having turned off, and thought and now turned on again....... I am more fuming than before afraid to say.

I have been 3 times. Every time I had a great time, every time I was literally buzzing. You see so much, as many as 3 matches (sitting down) at the EIS or there are guys who just walk up and down (on the top level) to view all 5 or 6 matches , stopping at matches at important junctures.

I dont mind the drive, I dont mind the early morning waking up, I dont mind coming home really late - totally knackered................its worth it.

wild - can you copy and paste the text or scan it..................was it said to be a rumour or a quote by someone.

The crowds every time I've been have been decent sized, because there are always "named" players that people are interested in watching.

I just feel fans are getting a bad deal again here if this comes to be true. :huh2:

Re: NO Spectators at World Championship Qualifiers !!!!

Postby Rocket_ron

StalinESQ wrote:Having turned off, and thought and now turned on again....... I am more fuming than before afraid to say.

I have been 3 times. Every time I had a great time, every time I was literally buzzing. You see so much, as many as 3 matches (sitting down) at the EIS or there are guys who just walk up and down (on the top level) to view all 5 or 6 matches , stopping at matches at important junctures.

I dont mind the drive, I dont mind the early morning waking up, I dont mind coming home really late - totally knackered................its worth it.

wild - can you copy and paste the text or scan it..................was it said to be a rumour or a quote by someone.

The crowds every time I've been have been decent sized, because there are always "named" players that people are interested in watching.

I just feel fans are getting a bad deal again here if this comes to be true. :huh2:

I went last year as you know, i really enjoyed it lots 5 matches to choose from or change your mind on. Autographs and Pic of pro's also chat with other like minded people (if you want to chat) go in and out as you please....all this for a reasonable price and i really wanted to go again but looks like thats it.

So Stalin i share your anger

Re: NO Spectators at World Championship Qualifiers !!!!

Postby Tubberlad

StalinESQ wrote:Having turned off, and thought and now turned on again....... I am more fuming than before afraid to say.

I have been 3 times. Every time I had a great time, every time I was literally buzzing. You see so much, as many as 3 matches (sitting down) at the EIS or there are guys who just walk up and down (on the top level) to view all 5 or 6 matches , stopping at matches at important junctures.

I dont mind the drive, I dont mind the early morning waking up, I dont mind coming home really late - totally knackered................its worth it.

wild - can you copy and paste the text or scan it..................was it said to be a rumour or a quote by someone.

The crowds every time I've been have been decent sized, because there are always "named" players that people are interested in watching.

I just feel fans are getting a bad deal again here if this comes to be true. :huh2:


The World Championship is different. I will have to agree with you on this one Smart <ok>

Re: NO Spectators at World Championship Qualifiers !!!!

Postby Wildey

im not a fan of the EPTC Switch to Gloucester however it could signal a advantage hopefully they can start switching other events there ie WORLD QUALIFIERS. ;)

Re: NO Spectators at World Championship Qualifiers !!!!

Postby Smart

wildJONESEYE wrote:im not a fan of the EPTC Switch to Gloucester however it could signal a advantage hopefully they can start switching other events there ie WORLD QUALIFIERS. ;)


If any qualifiers go to Gloucester then I'm happy - BUT if World Qualifiers go to Gloucester I'd be delighted (assuming public are allowed in). <ok>

Re: NO Spectators at World Championship Qualifiers !!!!

Postby Wildey

StalinESQ wrote:
wildJONESEYE wrote:christ i was hoping Gloucester is nearer to me than Sheffield its about 30 miles further <laugh>


just read the other thread :D


i know

you want to stuff europe :redneck:

seriously for me i am over the moon but it just feels the decision was made to accommodate power snooker players.

what would happen if every top player enterers EPTC in Gloucester and gives EPTC 5 in Hamm a miss would they also cancel that.

Re: NO Spectators at World Championship Qualifiers !!!!

Postby Smart

The thing is the cost of running Offenburg with no real big draw players is what is driving this (poor ticket sales). I said from the start that power snooker is a pile of horse rubbish, and yet some still said "there is a place for this, give it a chance". Well looky here, it has backfired in spectacular style. <ok>

Re: NO Spectators at World Championship Qualifiers !!!!

Postby Wildey

i dont believe it is down to poor sales i really dont.

last week in brugge they were caught on the hop when spectators came in with no chairs for them.

point of these PTC isn't to play big names all the time Ronnie not been once to a EPTC yet and both were success.

point is to play them in europe get the word of snooker in to europe i do agree to much is in germany but this stuff about poor ticket sales is a red herring they spinning out and i don't believe it for a second.

its purely to accommodate players that want to play in both and like you say they just say stuff europe.

Re: NO Spectators at World Championship Qualifiers !!!!

Postby Wildey

StalinESQ wrote:well I'm happy with big name players playing a bit of shitty power snooker then getting their baboons shiny behinds up to Gloucester to impress the StalinESQ and perhaps have their photo taken with the StalinESQ <ok>

<laugh>

their faces not their asses in the photo <ok> <laugh>

Re: NO Spectators at World Championship Qualifiers !!!!

Postby gallantrabbit

It isn`t down to poor sales for sure. It`s down to the fact that Hearn wants to turn Sheffield into a something useful and not just a huge cost for the association. Sheffield was a great idea if the game is buzzing and the WSA has money to burn. It doesn`t and the reality is that building it was a poor move by the responsibles. Now at least they are getting value out of it, and it`s just unfortunate there is no space for spectators. Hearn wants the association on a firm footing before splashing much cash, he`s an accountant and the bottom line is just that.
Gloucester and Mount`s wonderful initiative will get its chance and already is with the PTC event.

Re: NO Spectators at World Championship Qualifiers !!!!

Postby Wildey

i Do However Feel they should pay for The World Qualifiers even if they play the rest at the Academy.

This is the Big One the tension excitement of that Qualifiers is up there with any main venue tournament...ive never been but the buzz i get from it at home is electric and i know smart been 3 times and he loves it.

Re: NO Spectators at World Championship Qualifiers !!!!

Postby Smart

wildJONESEYE wrote:i Do However Feel they should pay for The World Qualifiers even if they play the rest at the Academy.

This is the Big One the tension excitement of that Qualifiers is up there with any main venue tournament...ive never been but the buzz i get from it at home is electric and i know smart been 3 times and he loves it.


Wild <cool>