World snooker Championship qualifiers

[Danger Steve]

It would be nice to see some serious money invested in academies scattered around the country, ‘pooling’ quality usually leads to sharpish improvement. One radical idea would be to make snooker part of the school curriculum or at least an option for those interested, but let’s face it, that’s never going to happen with football and the other big money sports taking priority. Snooker just isn’t as appealing to kids as other sports, nor the parents dragging them to training in the pissing down rain every weekend with hopes of little Jimmy making into the Big Time!! $$$

[Danger Steve]

I think the question should be how do we make the game more appealing to British kids? Get the numbers interested and the talent will start to come through eventually..

[PatBlock]

Personally I think you need all types of player to make the game interesting to watch . It has nothing to do with what era it is but comes down to conflicting styles of players. Slower players and faster along with those who play more defensively are all part of the game . I think there is too much emphasis on shot times , speed of players etc. If everybody played like the same I’d find it more boring to watch even if if everybody played like Ronnie . It’s getting to a point that wins are being devalued because the victors shot time is above a certain time which is ridiculous. The press and tv coverage are playing into this as well and I don't think it’s healthy for the game.

Correctamundo! Snooker's finest hour, popularity wise? Midnight-ish 29th April 1985, 18.5 Million viewers watched a robot and a journeyman battle it our over the final few colours. It became the stuff of legend, people still talk about it today.
Excitement and drama, the game needs both to survive.

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[Cue crafty]

It would be nice to see some serious money invested in academies scattered around the country, ‘pooling’ quality usually leads to sharpish improvement. One radical idea would be to make snooker part of the school curriculum or at least an option for those interested, but let’s face it, that’s never going to happen with football and the other big money sports taking priority. Snooker just isn’t as appealing to kids as other sports, nor the parents dragging them to training in the pissing down rain every weekend with hopes of little Jimmy making into the Big Time!! $$$

This was attempted some years back now and good old Steve Davis played his part in trying to give back to the game and improve the prospects of grass root level snooker. It is supported by the WPBSA and called Cue Zone into schools. Although it may have had some success its difficult to find news on it that suggests it is bringing the next generation of British players to the fore.

Some details. https://wpbsa.com/tag/cue-zone-into-schools/

[Danger Steve]

Thanks CC! I’ll take a look at that this evening when I’m back from work.

[Danger Steve]

Correctamundo! Snooker's finest hour, popularity wise? Midnight-ish 29th April 1985, 18.5 Million viewers watched a robot and a journeyman battle it our over the final few colours. It became the stuff of legend, people still talk about it today.
Excitement and drama, the game needs both to survive.

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Yes but to be fair... there was no internet and no Netflix back then! And if I remember probably only a few TV channels, hence the viewing figures??

Would a final these days get those numbers competing against Love Island!! LOL

[PatBlock]

Yes but to be fair... there was no internet and no Netflix back then! And if I remember probably only a few TV channels, hence the viewing figures??

Even so, 18.5 million people chose to stay up past midnight and watch them, rather than switching over or going to bed. Come on, you can't tell me they weren't totally engrossed.

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[Danger Steve]

No absolutely Pat they would have been well and truly sucked in.. I’m just saying these days there’s too much choice for people, and given the choice they watch all these other stupid ‘reality’ programs. Ok yes desperate housewives of Cheshire is bloody good for many, Many reasons! How many tuned into the Champ of Champs final 2019 I wonder? Not many... that was Epic! I know, I was there.. lol

[John Flaf]

Even Judd agrees with a few comments made

https://metro.co.uk/2021/04/09/judd-...x-it-14381242/

I Think he's got a point and he should know,

[Starsky]

I think you’ve only got to look at lasts years semi finals which is widely regarded as one of the most exciting days of snooker for many years . No mention of shot times or the like and played by three players who don’t fit into the current view of being exciting players to watch .
A Selby and Ronnie match up for me is far more entertaining to watch than say Ronnie and Trump.

[PatBlock]

No absolutely Pat they would have been well and truly sucked in.. I’m just saying these days there’s too much choice for people, and given the choice they watch all these other stupid ‘reality’ programs. Ok yes desperate housewives of Cheshire is bloody good for many, Many reasons! How many tuned into the Champ of Champs final 2019 I wonder? Not many... that was Epic! I know, I was there.. lol

What I'm saying Steve is, a LOT of people chose to stay up and watch two 'boring' snooker players, it wasn't Alex Higgins v Jimmy White. No, snookers most ever watched match was a nail biting grind between Taylor v Davis, not a bang bang potting fest, which some people seem to think is all the public want from the game, not so.

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[mikee]

but if you're posting about that you'll be posting about if forever , whats the point , this forum's on its arse enough without never ending whinges about something you can't do anything about , why don't you go the whole hog and start whining about neil robertson's dirty fingernails like the other poster Billy , that's as riveting a topic as you'll ever find , i don't know how he sleeps at night with all the excitement and intrigue

I really think you have a problem ,you come over all high and mighty and insulting to cover your own ignorance of the game and it’s history .How many pro events have you been to, how many pro tables have you looked over at an actual tournament .how many top players have you spoken to ,or watched first hand practicing .As for your drivel about these players having a right to be boring and slow as it’s their living and they need to make money .well forgive me if I don’t give a frack about that ,if their good enough they will earn a decent living if not they need to do something else ,enough people have lost jobs in this climate that are actually good at their work with out worrying about journey men pros in cue sports crying over losing that you seem to be bothered about .Steve is a decent hard working bloke from what I can tell about him ,he’s built his own room and worked on his own table and you insult the guy ,what can you do ? The forum being on arse as you say ,Is not being helped by your constant smarmy remarks at anyone that disagrees with you .

[Danger Steve]

What I'm saying Steve is, a LOT of people chose to stay up and watch two 'boring' snooker players, it wasn't Alex Higgins v Jimmy White. No, snookers most ever watched match was a nail biting grind between Taylor v Davis, not a bang bang potting fest, which some people seem to think is all the public want from the game, not so.

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Sadly Pat a potting fest is what the young kids want these days! Yes safety is important and necessary occasionally. But my 8 year old doesn’t come to me and say Dad let’s practice some safety play... he just wants to pot balls! It’s more exciting I suppose the youngsters... the technical side of the game I think grows on you as you get older.

Totally agree with you on the Davis Taylor final.. but really it wouldn’t have even attracted them from the start of the match to get engrossed to stay upto gone midnight these days..

[trains]

I really think you have a problem ,you come over all high and mighty and insulting to cover your own ignorance of the game and it’s history .How many pro events have you been to, how many pro tables have you looked over at an actual tournament .how many top players have you spoken to ,or watched first hand practicing .As for your drivel about these players having a right to be boring and slow as it’s their living and they need to make money .well forgive me if I don’t give a frack about that ,if their good enough they will earn a decent living if not they need to do something else ,enough people have lost jobs in this climate that are actually good at their work with out worrying about journey men pros in cue sports crying over losing that you seem to be bothered about .Steve is a decent hard working bloke from what I can tell about him ,he’s built his own room and worked on his own table and you insult the guy ,what can you do ? The forum being on arse as you say ,Is not being helped by your constant smarmy remarks at anyone that disagrees with you .

i was talking to you and Steve about the appreciation of defensive play in sports , not just snooker yet for some reason you've interpreted this as me insulting you , i also spoke to Steve last night again about the appreciation of defensive play yet he said i was getting on a high horse , if you were a young british lad lucky enough with access to the best facilities like jack lisowski and regularly played in pro tournaments and wanted to stay there you'd have no choice but to practice safety and improve this area , what on earth is smarmy about this , i also said to Steve he can watch other matches nowadays on various platforms like smartphones and the net and of course the betting sites are offering various matches , this is insulting him ?

[PatBlock]

Sadly Pat a potting fest is what the young kids want these days! Yes safety is important and necessary occasionally. But my 8 year old doesn’t come to me and say Dad let’s practice some safety play... he just wants to pot balls! It’s more exciting I suppose the youngsters... the technical side of the game I think grows on you as you get older.

Nothing wrong with that at all, we all grow and mature as do our tastes. Which is why we need to appeal to all aspects of the game and it's potential fans. Have you seen my sig? But snooker isn't pool or darts, which is why it gets better viewing figures than both.

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