QSP Series @ South West Snooker Academy-£25,000 prize fund*

[Sarah Mount]

Hi Everyone!

We are running an amateur series called Q School Preparation (QSP) at the South West Snooker Academy which is open to all amateurs and is particularly aimed at those considering entering World Snooker's Q School in May.

The series consists of 4 events, each with it's own prize fund, and the top four players at the end of the series will win £1000 to cover their Q School entry costs as well as a scholarship at the South West Snooker Academy which includes free practice time at the Academy.

This series provides amateur players with the opportunity to get some match practice on World Snooker standard Star Gold Tournament tables. There is also prize money available per event with a possible +£25,000* in the total prize fund.

For more information and to enter or register interest, please visit our website.

Please feel free to ask any questions you may have.

Regards

Sarah

*Prize fund projections are based on 128 entries

[Terry Davidson]

Sarah:

Would you have any provisions for an overseas player to enter one or two events only?

I haven't finalized my plans as yet but I might be coming over after the new year for 2-3 weeks and would love to play in a tournament or two, depending on the timing.

Also, so I know what to bring, I'm assuming there is a dress code when playing. Would it be waistcoat/vest and tie? Dress pants and shoes too I guess?

In addition, would you have any arrangements for accommodations?

Thanks,
Terry

[Gargon]

Should be intresting to see if the players who did well in the PTC will do well in these events. Good luck with this, hope you get loads of entries

[Luke Hooper]

i would love to enter this but just cannot stretch to meet the £500 entry for the four events...

pretty gutting...maybe ill have to start winning some smaller events first and making some money!

[the legend]

Prize money is £25000 based on 128 entries at £500 each.If my maths is correct thats £64000 received.
With all due respect that just sounds wrong unless table charges are very high.I hope im just misunderstanding cos if not it sounds like a monumental rip off.

[Sarah Mount]

Sarah:

Would you have any provisions for an overseas player to enter one or two events only?

I haven't finalized my plans as yet but I might be coming over after the new year for 2-3 weeks and would love to play in a tournament or two, depending on the timing.

Also, so I know what to bring, I'm assuming there is a dress code when playing. Would it be waistcoat/vest and tie? Dress pants and shoes too I guess?

In addition, would you have any arrangements for accommodations?

Thanks,
Terry

Hi Terry,

I am afraid that at the moment we are looking for players to enter the series as a whole as opposed to just one or two of the events. If we do plan any other events for around the New Year I will be sure to let you know though. Sorry I couldn't be much more help on this occasion.

Should be intresting to see if the players who did well in the PTC will do well in these events. Good luck with this, hope you get loads of entries

Many thanks Gargon! We hope it will prove to be a good series with some fantastic snooker!

i would love to enter this but just cannot stretch to meet the £500 entry for the four events...

pretty gutting...maybe ill have to start winning some smaller events first and making some money!

Hi Luke!

I appreciate that £500 for the entry my price a few people out but hopefully you will make it to another one of our events in the future. We are busy planning Pink Ribbon 2011 so would be great to see you there

Prize money is £25000 based on 128 entries at £500 each.If my maths is correct thats £64000 received.
With all due respect that just sounds wrong unless table charges are very high.I hope im just misunderstanding cos if not it sounds like a monumental rip off.

Hello, The Legend!

Fair comment and something I am more than happy to provide more information on.

If we were to have 128 entries, the prize fund for each individual event would be £6400 so that would be £25,600 in total for the four events. On top of that would be £1000 to the top four players at the end of the series and the value of the scholarships that we are offering total to £7360 based on our daily rate for practice at the Academy. In total that would account for £36,960 of the entry fees leaving £27,040 which equates to £6760 per event. Out of that £6760 we have to fund wages (both during the event and for the planning leading up to it), lights, air con, rates etc etc. We are a large 20,000 purpose built academy and we provide a fully functioning kitchen as well which has to be paid for and staffed. There are also fees for tournament directors, referees etc.

Also, our Academy has been set up as a company limited by guarantee so any profit we make each year will be donated to our chosen charities which are breast cancer charities and the Lord Taverners. Therefore, we don't stand to benefit from the income personally, only in terms of reinvesting into future events and the game.

I hope this goes towards answering your concerns. Any other questions, please do feel free to ask.

Many thanks!

Sarah

[habika]

I appreciate the concern which is been rose. The things need to be sorted out because it is about the individual but it can be with everyone. I like this particular article It gives me an additional input on the information around the world Thanks a lot and keep going with posting such information.
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Interview Tips

[the legend]

Hi Sarah
Thanks for your reply,can i say first your honesty does you credit,its a rare thing over the years in snooker.
However i have to pull you up on a few things,firstly you include £7360 for the cost of scholarships when this prize is not exchangeable for cash,therefore if any or all of the winners cannot take advantage of these through work or other reasons the money is lost.Secondly although i understand you have to pay officials the other costs eg.lights aircon rates would be there wherther the tournaments were being held or not.The cost of the kitchen is also irrelevant as i presume you dont give the food away and your takings should cover your staff.
So on the whole it appears to me your asking amateur players mostly young to subsidise your business and although yes if you make a profit it goes to charity that doesnt make it right.Your establishment has like any other business got to pay its own way and asking snooker players to do it for you in entry fees doesnt seem the best way forward.

[Sarah Mount]

Hello!

I'm happy to provide more information as we have nothing to hide. There is no hidden agenda, we just want to provide a tournament for amateur players who are striving to achieve their goals of turning professional. This series is aimed at those players, like the PIOS was in previous seasons, and is not aimed at players who play in amateur competitions purely for fun with no desire to progress their enjoyment of snooker into a career. Of course, if such a player were interested then of course they are welcome to enter but we are aware that this group of events will mainly appeal to those who are seriously trying to further their snooker careers. We will be holding other amateur competitions with much lower entry fees in the future to cater for that market but the prize money available in those will be reflective of the entry fee, as is the case in all competitions.

I totally understand where you are coming from regarding your comment on the sponsorship not being exchangeable for cash and it is possible that one of the top four players will not be able to make the most of that part of their prize, but, as a business, we have to plan for the possibility that all players in the top four do make full use of their scholarship and the relevant reduction in tables for paying visitors this would cause. It would be foolish of us to offer scholarships and 'hope' that they would not be used so as to save a few quid. We would love nothing more than to see one or more of our scholarship members win a place on the tour and that is why we provide that opportunity as well as money prizes.

Regarding the lights and aircon rates, they would not actually be there if the tournament were not on for two of the three days as we are not open on weekends. Due to the size of our premises and the facilities we offer, you would be amazed at the costs involved. We recently staged the EPTC4 event and our electricity bill shows that the electric for that three day event alone cost just under £1800.

Our kitchen is none operational out of tournament times and therefore we have to hire in freelance staff and buy in food specifically for each event. We do of course charge for the food and try to run the kitchen so it funds itself but this is not always the case.

I'm confused by your comment regarding expecting players to fund our business. Any business provides a service at a level higher than cost in order to make a profit. No sensible business would continually incur the costs of that business without planning to eventually replace that investment with income made by the business. We do not and would not expect anyone to be unfairly funding the Academy but I think it is only fair that those who use the facilities pay for that use. If you want to play in the best conditions then that costs money and we work as hard as possible to provide the best facilities and services we can to those who wish to use them.

I hope that answers any further questions and explains where we are coming from a little more.

Regards

Sarah

[wildJONESEYE]

Sarah

over the years trying to run snooker as a profitable business has been a monumental cock up thats changing Barry Hearn has started that change some people including fans thinks everything for nothing in this world.. Bottom line is if you dont put money in you cant get nothing out Players has to start to Realize that.

its a potential career for people they should try and go to university to try and be a lawyer or accountant to see how much it costs.

[nrage]

If you want to play in the best conditions then that costs money and we work as hard as possible to provide the best facilities and services we can to those who wish to use them.

Yeah. Fancy that, expecting to be paid for you hard work.. the cheek!

Seriously, this tournament can't be anything but good news, keep up the good work!

[eminel]

Hi Sarah
Thanks for your reply,can i say first your honesty does you credit,its a rare thing over the years in snooker.
However i have to pull you up on a few things,firstly you include £7360 for the cost of scholarships when this prize is not exchangeable for cash,therefore if any or all of the winners cannot take advantage of these through work or other reasons the money is lost.Secondly although i understand you have to pay officials the other costs eg.lights aircon rates would be there wherther the tournaments were being held or not.The cost of the kitchen is also irrelevant as i presume you dont give the food away and your takings should cover your staff.
So on the whole it appears to me your asking amateur players mostly young to subsidise your business and although yes if you make a profit it goes to charity that doesnt make it right.Your establishment has like any other business got to pay its own way and asking snooker players to do it for you in entry fees doesnt seem the best way forward.

i do think that the player should have the option to take the scholership or take the £7360 if south west snooker are all about helping snooker players then this should NOT be any problem at all. ps you cant make £7360 as an expense if you are not willing to pay it out to any player that cant take the option to take the scholership thats just wrong.

[Sarah Mount]

i do think that the player should have the option to take the scholership or take the £7360 if south west snooker are all about helping snooker players then this should NOT be any problem at all. ps you cant make £7360 as an expense if you are not willing to pay it out to any player that cant take the option to take the scholership thats just wrong.

Giving money to people is not the only way to help them! We advertise the prize fund as being over £25,000 based on 128 entries and we have not included the value of the scholarships in that as we felt that would be misleading. However, we do have to make provisions for the costs we would incur in offering those scholarships within our calculations for expenses for running the event and the prizes. The player has the freedom to choose if they wish to accept the additional prize of the scholarship and are aware that it is not an option to exchange it for cash from the start. If a player who has won a scholarship is using a table at our Academy then that is one less table for that day that we are able to gain revenue from so that would cause an expense. Also, if a player can use our facilities for free then they are saving money by not having to pay to practice at their local club.

I disagree that it is wrong not to offer the monetary value of the scholarship to those who choose not to take up the option. That part of the prize is there to provide the winners with facilities that match the conditions they will be playing on during the Q School and access to high quality practice partners. Surely, that is more important for their long term careers than getting a financial reward? If a player feels that the cost of the series does not justify the rewards they stand to gain than they will not enter. All we can do is provide the full information in advance so they are able to make an informed decision.

Regarding the statement I have highlighted in bold, we are trying our best to provide opportunities for players and those looking to achieve their potential but this comment you have made suggests that perhaps we would have been better off not building an Academy and just handing out cash! It is our belief that players, whilst needing to earn enough money to fund their careers, must be provided with the tools to progress and high standard facilities must surely aid this?

[Sarah Mount]

Sarah

over the years trying to run snooker as a profitable business has been a monumental cock up thats changing Barry Hearn has started that change some people including fans thinks everything for nothing in this world.. Bottom line is if you dont put money in you cant get nothing out Players has to start to Realize that.

its a potential career for people they should try and go to university to try and be a lawyer or accountant to see how much it costs.

You're right, snooker clubs etc have struggled to bring in enough revenue to keep themselves going hence the closure of a vast number of them in recent years. Snooker is changing at a professional level and those changes are filtering down to the amateur game. We didn't get involved in snooker to make money, it was purely for a love of the game. That said, we are certainly not prepared to endlessly throw money at something that does not sustain itself. Ideally, we want to be in a position where the Academy funds itself and to do that, we need to generate income. The value of something is not the same to everyone and therefore, we realise, that not everyone is going to want to pay to enter this and would have no use for a scholarship as they are not wanting to progress within the sport and merely play for fun.

Your comparison to university is a great one and very appropriate. Most of the players who will be looking to compete in this will have sponsors and are being supported financially. They need the match practice and experience in these conditions more than the money, although we offer financial reward also as it is always nice

When I was at Uni, if someone had come to me and offered me the chance to live in a top of the range house at their expense as part of a competition I would have bitten their arms, and, possibly, a leg off! What would be the point in asking for the monetary value and risk wasting it on something that would not actually benefit me.

Yeah. Fancy that, expecting to be paid for you hard work.. the cheek!

Seriously, this tournament can't be anything but good news, keep up the good work!

It does take a lot of work to organise these type of events, more than anyone would realise until they do it. We do it because we enjoy it but we certainly don't enjoy it enough to pay for the privilege of doing it These events have to fund themselves.

Thanks nrage! We hope the tournament will prove to be of use to those who enter.

[eminel]

Your comparison to university is a great one and very appropriate. Most of the players who will be looking to compete in this will have sponsors and are being supported financially. They need the match practice and experience in these conditions more than the money, although we offer financial reward also as it is always nice

When I was at Uni, if someone had come to me and offered me the chance to live in a top of the range house at their expense as part of a competition I would have bitten their arms, and, possibly, a leg off! What would be the point in asking for the monetary value and risk wasting it on something that would not actually benefit me..........THE PRIZE IS ONLY FOR PLAYING SNOOKER....................WHAT ABOUT THE ACCOMODATION THAT THE YOUNG PLAYERS WILL HAVE TO FIND THOUSANDS OF POUNDS NOT TO MENTION FOOD AND TRAVEL. VERY MISLEADING NOT ALL PARENTS WILL NO ABOUT THE HIDDEN CHARGES THAT WILL COME WITH MOVING TO THIS VENUE.