2014 World Championship - Discussion

[DeanH]

oh yeah, on tv! but away from the silver screen snooker is dead in the uk

there are other threads about this and I replied there that recently about 6 youngsters have joined the club where I play, on top of that there have been more recent new members this years as well (not youngsters )
When I say recently I don't mean just the World Championships period but the first half of this year.

And I was speaking to one of the committee and he said the snooker tables have never taken as so much money for many, many years.

So I would disagree with your statement; at least in my area, there is a resurgence in interest

[j6uk]

I am more encouraged by the whole event figures also showing double figure percentage increases, not just the Final, this to me shows a more general increased interest in the game

oh yeah, on tv! but away from the silver screen snooker is dead in the uk

[DeanH]

I am more encouraged by the whole event figures also showing double figure percentage increases, not just the Final, this to me shows a more general increased interest in the game
So what do people think may be the reason behind the increase across the event?

[PatBlock]

I think there are more viewers when a match is close, than in tournaments like the last three years where one player has run away quite early. And as much as I like Ali Carter, a match between between him and O´Sullivan is some of the worst thing to happen as he´s beaten before the match even starts. This year had it all, two different styles, two of the best players during the last 5 years, a player O´Sullivan don´t like playing, lots of tensions already before the match is played, besides that the chance of O´Sullivan equalling Davis.

Exactly. Just the final we needed to re-engage the casual viewer. Also disproves the theory that two Ronnie type players hammering away at one another is all that people want to see.

-

[gem]

Indeed. Snooker is making a comeback.

Just a pity we are losing tables all over the place. Kind of dying in the U.K. compared to 20+ years ago.

[Rane]

Viewing figures - increase across the board, good news for the game


BBC Peak Close To Six Million
http://www.worldsnooker.com/page/New...812935,00.html

Snooker's Dafabet World Championship scored outstanding viewing figures on the BBC, with a peak audience of nearly six million for the final.

The tournament at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield ran from April 19 to May 5 and achieved a total viewership of 26.427 million, up 15 per cent on 2013's figures.

Mark Selby beat Ronnie O'Sullivan 18-14 in the final to win the title for the first time, and the three-minute peak for the concluding session was 5.951 million, which was 53 per cent up on last year. The average audience for the final session was 3.5 million, for a 15 per cent audience share.

The BBC televised a total of 153 hours of coverage throughout the event, compared to 144 hours in 2013, with an average live audience of 936,000, an increase of 11 per cent on last year.

World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn said: "We are thrilled with these excellent viewing figures. The audience share was the highest in six years and the peak figure was the highest since 2011.

"It was a wonderful tournament with exciting matches and close finishes, and of course the mesmerising final with Mark Selby winning in dramatic style. I'm delighted that so many millions of people in the UK tuned in to watch our biggest event.

"These figures - alongside our record ticket sales for the tournament - underline the fact that snooker remains one of the UK's most popular sports. There is so much support for snooker among the public and it's only going to get stronger."


Final Watched By 16m On Eurosport
http://www.worldsnooker.com/page/New...812841,00.html

The final held on 4-5 May reached a total of 16.1 million different viewers on Eurosport, a 50% increase compared to the 2013 final on the channel. The average live audience is also higher, 26% more than last year's final.

The whole tournament generated a positive reach with 54m different European viewers watching Eurosport and Eurosport 2's extensive coverage over the 17 days of competition, versus 52.6 m in 2013. The average live audience of the tournament is 22% higher than last year too. The World Championship performed strongly in all markets, especially Netherlands (+59%), Romania (+22%) and Poland (+23%).

Eurosport televises 19 tournaments live every season, including the World Championship and all other world ranking events. The channel also broadcasts the Ronnie O'Sullivan Show, looking at all aspects of the sport with the five-time World Champion.

I think there are more viewers when a match is close, than in tournaments like the last three years where one player has run away quite early. And as much as I like Ali Carter, a match between between him and O´Sullivan is some of the worst thing to happen as he´s beaten before the match even starts. This year had it all, two different styles, two of the best players during the last 5 years, a player O´Sullivan don´t like playing, lots of tensions already before the match is played, besides that the chance of O´Sullivan equalling Davis.

[cyberheater]

Good news indeed

Indeed. Snooker is making a comeback.

[jrc750]

Good news indeed

[DeanH]

Viewing figures - increase across the board, good news for the game


BBC Peak Close To Six Million
http://www.worldsnooker.com/page/New...812935,00.html

Snooker's Dafabet World Championship scored outstanding viewing figures on the BBC, with a peak audience of nearly six million for the final.

The tournament at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield ran from April 19 to May 5 and achieved a total viewership of 26.427 million, up 15 per cent on 2013's figures.

Mark Selby beat Ronnie O'Sullivan 18-14 in the final to win the title for the first time, and the three-minute peak for the concluding session was 5.951 million, which was 53 per cent up on last year. The average audience for the final session was 3.5 million, for a 15 per cent audience share.

The BBC televised a total of 153 hours of coverage throughout the event, compared to 144 hours in 2013, with an average live audience of 936,000, an increase of 11 per cent on last year.

World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn said: "We are thrilled with these excellent viewing figures. The audience share was the highest in six years and the peak figure was the highest since 2011.

"It was a wonderful tournament with exciting matches and close finishes, and of course the mesmerising final with Mark Selby winning in dramatic style. I'm delighted that so many millions of people in the UK tuned in to watch our biggest event.

"These figures - alongside our record ticket sales for the tournament - underline the fact that snooker remains one of the UK's most popular sports. There is so much support for snooker among the public and it's only going to get stronger."


Final Watched By 16m On Eurosport
http://www.worldsnooker.com/page/New...812841,00.html

The final held on 4-5 May reached a total of 16.1 million different viewers on Eurosport, a 50% increase compared to the 2013 final on the channel. The average live audience is also higher, 26% more than last year's final.

The whole tournament generated a positive reach with 54m different European viewers watching Eurosport and Eurosport 2's extensive coverage over the 17 days of competition, versus 52.6 m in 2013. The average live audience of the tournament is 22% higher than last year too. The World Championship performed strongly in all markets, especially Netherlands (+59%), Romania (+22%) and Poland (+23%).

Eurosport televises 19 tournaments live every season, including the World Championship and all other world ranking events. The channel also broadcasts the Ronnie O'Sullivan Show, looking at all aspects of the sport with the five-time World Champion.

[j6uk]

he smothered the black in every break off and ms loved it.. he could of moved the white nearer the yellow before hitting it

[trains]

Does anyone know how many times O'Sullivan limited the potting angle to the black or cut off a black pocket on his break off in the final?
He hindered the black on his break off's in frames 19 & 21 and the BBC commentators said something on the lines of 'It's remarkable how many times he's done this',I think O'Sullivan also pulled a face in frustration at this as well so any theme that Selby 'wore him down' is most likely just lazy journalism or straw clutching deflection I'm afraid.

[the montrealer]

At least Osullivan made it to the Final it would have been boring to watch Selby and Robertson in the
Final. On a good day Osullivan would have destroyed Selby but you have to give credit to Selby for not quitting

[jb134]

You don't half miss it when it's not on any more!

[crocodile]

Snooker for me should be a battle of the wills, a game of chess, not just one long pot followed by a clearance every time.

Dead right !!

[winphenom]

Think the Snooker Players awards speak for the players themselves. So we should just move on and accept the facts rather than nitpicking on it. The awards results are very true and a real yardstick of all the achievements that the winners have made this year. Congratulations to all the award winners and lets hope for a better next season.