[church66]

Well shiver me timbers but what are your views of the man who has shook the world of Snooker ?

Players points of view.
I can see why some players don't like the new formats especially the married with children players.Seems like a young free and single mans game nowadays.The practise table is defunct and swapped for passport books.The players wanted some cake and now they have to eat it.

Fans point of view.
Bring it on Barry Hearn.Give us more action.This is what we want to see.
More tournaments,new venues,new places ,new faces.Yeah give us more.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/snooker/16194585.stm

What do you think about Barry Hearn?Is he good for the game in your opinion ?

[pt109]

I feel Barry Hearn is the best thing that has happened to snooker
since Mike Watterson.
The players need to be able to imput...but snooker doesn't need them
in management..they tend to have private and petty agendas.

..and good luck to anybody who thinks they can 'muscle' Barry Hearn.

[gromulan]

Aside from the PTC events what has he accomplished? Power Snooker is a joke, and ratings aren't any higher than they were before he was brought back. It's not like he added a bunch of new ranking events.

Snooker needs someone with more of an international focus. The game's future is the Asian market, the management needs to recognize that and act accordingly.

[TheThaiger]

Originally Posted by gromulan

Aside from the PTC events what has he accomplished? Power Snooker is a joke, and ratings aren't any higher than they were before he was brought back. It's not like he added a bunch of new ranking events.

Snooker needs someone with more of an international focus. The game's future is the Asian market, the management needs to recognize that and act accordingly.

I think he/they are well aware of where the future of the game is. I was rather alarmed to hear talk of the World Championships leaving the Crucible and going to China or the rest of the world within 5 years. That would be a mistake.

The downside with the Hearn era is I suspect there'll be a split, with snooker effectively franchised to Asia and the emerging markets.

[TheThaiger]

Originally Posted by church66

Well shiver me timbers but what are your views of the man who has shook the world of Snooker ?

Players points of view.
I can see why some players don't like the new formats especially the married with children players.Seems like a young free and single mans game nowadays.The practise table is defunct and swapped for passport books.The players wanted some cake and now they have to eat it.

Fans point of view.
Bring it on Barry Hearn.Give us more action.This is what we want to see.
More tournaments,new venues,new places ,new faces.Yeah give us more.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/snooker/16194585.stm

What do you think about Barry Hearn?Is he good for the game in your opinion ?

I'd like him to alter the format for some events, like Power Snooker, but less lame;

1. Introduce the measles CB.
2. Eliminate slow play through a stop clock
3. Do something with the miss rule (not sure what, however)
4. Make hitting a cushion a rule to eliminate roll-ups.
5. Doubles (banks) count double.
6. Shots taken from certain points on the table count double, encouraging players to leave more difficult shots for greater reward.
7. Long shots count double.

[Scaramouche]

Deleted Deleted

[Slasher]

Originally Posted by gromulan

Aside from the PTC events what has he accomplished? Power Snooker is a joke, and ratings aren't any higher than they were before he was brought back. It's not like he added a bunch of new ranking events.

Snooker needs someone with more of an international focus. The game's future is the Asian market, the management needs to recognize that and act accordingly.

Not much I suppose.

The German Masters is a brand new ranking event, established for the 2010/11 season.

Australian Goldfields Open

The Hainan World Open is provisionally due to take place from February 27 to March 3, 2012, in Hainan, China .

The Bank of Communication is the new title sponsor of the Shanghai Masters.

the Wuxi City Sports Park Stadium in China

2011 Brazilian Masters.

Snooker's World Seniors Championship returns this November, and the whole event will be televised live by Sky Sports.

[gromulan]

Originally Posted by Slasher

Not much I suppose.

The German Masters is a brand new ranking event, established for the 2010/11 season.

Australian Goldfields Open

The Hainan World Open is provisionally due to take place from February 27 to March 3, 2012, in Hainan, China .

The Bank of Communication is the new title sponsor of the Shanghai Masters.

the Wuxi City Sports Park Stadium in China

2011 Brazilian Masters.

Snooker's World Seniors Championship returns this November, and the whole event will be televised live by Sky Sports.

I would submit that a lot of these things would have happened regardless of who was at the helm. They should have hired someone from the world of tennis or golf.

[gromulan]

Originally Posted by TheThaiger

I'd like him to alter the format for some events, like Power Snooker, but less lame;

A change in color scheme might be interesting. Like saying playing an event or two on sky blue cloth instead of the green. One of the problems with snooker is that all the events look the same. Why not change one or two up?

1. Introduce the measles CB.

Well sort of agree. Funny, because I remember when they first brought the spotted cueball into pool I hated it, but then when I started to play with it I really liked it. However, I don't think it really adds all that much to the broadcasts. If you have good commentators they can explain what the players are doing without the spots.

2. Eliminate slow play through a stop clock

I agree slow play is bad, but some people are really good players because they play slow. Thorburn is an example. Should the guy's career be ruined just because he takes his time? He was the second-best player in the world in his day, after all. It would be a shame if he never left Canada because of a shot clock rule.

Overall the average shot time of most snooker players is pretty quick, I don't think there's a big need to alter that. Some situations just require you to take more time than others, it's the nature of the game.

3. Do something with the miss rule (not sure what, however)

Meh, it seems to work okay. The only thing I think they should change is the rule where if you miss an open ball three times you forfeit the game. The opponent getting ball in hand would be better.

4. Make hitting a cushion a rule to eliminate roll-ups.

Agree 100%

5. Doubles (banks) count double.
6. Shots taken from certain points on the table count double, encouraging players to leave more difficult shots for greater reward.
7. Long shots count double.

Don't agree with any of these.

[Slasher]

Originally Posted by gromulan

I would submit that a lot of these things would have happened regardless of who was at the helm. They should have hired someone from the world of tennis or golf.

That we will never know but I do know that snooker was in a very sorry state when he took over and now there are many many sold out sessions, more events than ever and in this current economic climate Barry has done amazing to secure sponsorship money. Before Barry there were ranking events that World Snooker had to underwrite themselves because there were no sponsors.
Say what you like but he has had much success with other sports such as darts and boxing and is not one to go at something to lose money, so long as he has that focus it has to be good for the players, I mean money is everything isn't it? thats the glue that keeps any sport alive.

[church66]

The B.D.O darts lost tobacco and alcohol sponsership,early 1990's.The top players wanted more tournaments and better prize money but the B.D.O couldn't deliver.The top darts players went to Barry Hearn and the formed the PDC tour.20 years or so later it's bigger and better than ever.

At the Alexandra Palace,Adrian Lewis defended his title 200k cheque in his pocket.Andy Hamilton 100k cheque for runner up.3,500 darts fans packed out the arena from day one to the final.Barry Hearn knows how to run a show.Sky TV plays it's part I suppose.

Same story really with the Snooker the players wanted more tournaments,more prize money and given time Barry Hearn will provide.

I really enjoyed the darts but now the cleaners have got 2 weeks to clear up the mess for the UK Masters Snooker and then there is the faulty air conditioning to be fixed so that the breeze don't cause problems.

[daniel]

Originally Posted by TheThaiger

I'd like him to alter the format for some events, like Power Snooker, but less lame;

1. Introduce the measles CB.
2. Eliminate slow play through a stop clock
3. Do something with the miss rule (not sure what, however)
4. Make hitting a cushion a rule to eliminate roll-ups.
5. Doubles (banks) count double.
6. Shots taken from certain points on the table count double, encouraging players to leave more difficult shots for greater reward.
7. Long shots count double.

some excellent ideas. just rolling up to a snooker doesn't suit the present game. ball & a rail should be implemented. cool idea with the 3 pt. shot in basketball as a stimulus for new rules. shot clock a must. watching paint dry is not a spectator sport. lol

[predator]

I read some interview where Barry stated that the ultimate goal is to have a pro event somewhere in the world almost every week throughout the year, like ATP tennis. Sounds improbable. If that is achieved in 15 years or so, I'll bow down.

All time low was 2006. I think they had only 4 ranking events that year.

He had done good for pool also with various Matchroom events.

Positive vote from me.

[church66]

http://www.sportinglife.com/snooker/...n.html&BID=663

So what do you all think ? Is this a good idea , or a bad idea ?

The players might not like the idea but I'm sure the fans would .

I have to agree when Barry said if the players play 2 extra rounds and can't beat somebody outside the top 64 over the best of 19 frames that they don't deserve to be there.

[Cameron Smith]

Nothing wrong with making the World Championship a longer event. IMO that's what sets the tournament apart, the players need to win over a long tournament and increasingly longer matches.