Why don´t we accept the fact, the reality, that UK Championship is no longer 2nd...

[cesard]

...tournament in importance?

Years ago, money, frame format, prestige...make UK the 2nd most important tournament. Far from 1st (World Championship) but also far from remaining tournaments. Then, years later , even UK was 2nd tournament was losing his importance, and it was just slightly better tournament than other tournaments (China Open, Welsh Open, Grand Prix...)

But now; look at the formats and the money prize: (of the last played):

UK Championship

Winner: 170k
RU: 75k
SF: 35k

Format: All matches best-of-11 but the final, best-of-19

China Open

Winner: 225k
RU: 90k
SF: 45k

Format: All matches best-of-11; but the semi-finals best-of-19 and the final best-of-21

International Championship:

Winner: 175k
RU: 75k
SF:32 k

Format: All matches best-of-11; but the semi-finals best-of-17 and the final best-of-19

Shanghai Masters

Winners: 200k
RU: 100k
SF: 60k

Format: All matches best-of-11; but the semi-finals best-of-19 and the final best-of-21

If we compare:

-Prize for the winner is less than any other of that list; the runner-up is in the bottom also but ex-aequo, and for the semis only one of that list receive less money. Then UK is in the group, but being slighlty worse than others

-Format: All knockout matches are best-of-11 that means that are in same group, but meanwhile semis keeps in this one-session format, in all other 3 tournaments are 2 session format. The final is slightly longer in 2 of the other tournaments (best-of-21) than in UK (best-of-19). In fact, semi-finals in these tournaments are as long than UK final

Then we must accept the obvious, UK is no longer the 2nd tournament, because World Snooker is not treating it as the 2nd tournament

[DeanH]

because the BBC says it is as it is one of the three they still bother to show

[Mark187187]

I think it's partly because no one turns up to watch the Chinese tournaments, so there isn't much of an atmosphere. The venues look pretty souless too. Also, lots of part time snooker fans can't be bothered with Eurosport.

But sure, in terms of the prize money and format, the China Open or international could hold as much prestige in the future. The UK isn't what it was for the reasons you mention.

[cueman]

Prize money is one way of looking at it but you can't deny prestige and history. The UK championship has been going for decades and will always remain as one of the big tournaments that every professional wants to win.

These Chinese events are just soulless. The atmosphere is like an empty qualifying venue, the refs are forever having to tell them to turn their phones off and stop taking flash photos. Most the time the top players can't be bothered. I'm sure the money helps but these Chinese tournaments will never have the same prestige as the big UK events.

[Tim65]

Because it's part of Hazel's fabled "Triple Crown".It's pure coincidence that these are the three tournaments shown by the BBC.When the BBC used to screen the Grand Prix Hazel used to refer to "The Big Four" & this was just coincidence too.

[Csmith]

Majors are generally majors because of a mixture of prize money, tradition, format and competition level. They don’t need to have the most prize money though. In golf, the majors haven’t always had the biggest prize fund and they may not currently.

If the players view it as being important then you get a larger proportion of the top players which result in tougher fields. They put more time into preparing for the events and tend to try to peak at that time during the season. So, as long as UK championships is drawing all or the vast majority of the top 32 and the player see it as one of the big ones, it will continue to be so. It would be hard supplant an event with 42 years of history.

[the lone wolf]

People are slow on change.

[gavpowell]

Who's "We?" I accepted it a long time ago, prefer the Shanghai or even the Champ of Champs.

[cesard]

because the BBC says it is as it is one of the three they still bother to show

Interesting point. Maybe it is true that always talking about the Triple Crown (World Championship, UK & Masters) has something to see. By the way, this post I should include Masters too

I think it's partly because no one turns up to watch the Chinese tournaments, so there isn't much of an atmosphere. The venues look pretty souless too. Also, lots of part time snooker fans can't be bothered with Eurosport.

But sure, in terms of the prize money and format, the China Open or international could hold as much prestige in the future. The UK isn't what it was for the reasons you mention.

Maybe international fans of snookers, as I am , can´t not understand this philosophy behind the sport, and maybe CHinese or European just see the tournaments how they are, lacking the soul that are behind

Prize money is one way of looking at it but you can't deny prestige and history. The UK championship has been going for decades and will always remain as one of the big tournaments that every professional wants to win.

These Chinese events are just soulless. The atmosphere is like an empty qualifying venue, the refs are forever having to tell them to turn their phones off and stop taking flash photos. Most the time the top players can't be bothered. I'm sure the money helps but these Chinese tournaments will never have the same prestige as the big UK events.

Yes, you are right. But it is not just the facts, it is the sport authorities. If UK must keep as a second tournament, at least made format as long as the other (semi-finals best-of-19 and final best-of-21) or even slightly longer. The less prize for the champion can be justified because of there are more players than in other tournaments. But being shorter, sport authorities show that UK is not longer the 2nd tournament

Because it's part of Hazel's fabled "Triple Crown".It's pure coincidence that these are the three tournaments shown by the BBC.When the BBC used to screen the Grand Prix Hazel used to refer to "The Big Four" & this was just coincidence too.

Interesting, these things foreigners don´t get them

Majors are generally majors because of a mixture of prize money, tradition, format and competition level. They don’t need to have the most prize money though. In golf, the majors haven’t always had the biggest prize fund and they may not currently.

If the players view it as being important then you get a larger proportion of the top players which result in tougher fields. They put more time into preparing for the events and tend to try to peak at that time during the season. So, as long as UK championships is drawing all or the vast majority of the top 32 and the player see it as one of the big ones, it will continue to be so. It would be hard supplant an event with 42 years of history.

Yep, but the issue is that I explained in previous answer, if World Snooker are reducing the format comparing with the CHinese tournaments, it means that for authorities, UK is less already than these Chinese tournaments

People are slow on change.

This is a good reason

Who's "We?" I accepted it a long time ago, prefer the Shanghai or even the Champ of Champs.

I agree too; but in my mind now it is World Championship, and the other has less importance. No tournament has occupied the UK

[Cyril]

Very interesting topic. I've long had a gripe with the BBC over the "Triple Crown" nonsense. It was a term they only introduced to big up their events after they'd axed the old Grand Prix.

To my way of thinking, World Snooker in association with the BBC have completely destroyed the once great UK Championship. The prize money is lower than several other events as has already been noted but that isn't all. The whole event begins with 90-odd, maybe more, players at the same venue in York. The multi table set up is like a carnival and in no way befitting of such a prestigious event. Even the semi-finals are a mere 11 frames - last December we saw Ronnie wrap up his semi-final match in little over an hour! How on earth can that represent a semi-final of such importance?!

To make it the second biggest again they must reduce the number of players at the final venue to 32 or 64 (tops), and make it a "2 table" set up only. All matches must then be played over 2 sessions minimum. Lets say best of 17 frames throughout followed by a 2 day, 31-frame Grand Final.

[cesard]

Very interesting topic. I've long had a gripe with the BBC over the "Triple Crown" nonsense. It was a term they only introduced to big up their events after they'd axed the old Grand Prix.

To my way of thinking, World Snooker in association with the BBC have completely destroyed the once great UK Championship. The prize money is lower than several other events as has already been noted but that isn't all. The whole event begins with 90-odd, maybe more, players at the same venue in York. The multi table set up is like a carnival and in no way befitting of such a prestigious event. Even the semi-finals are a mere 11 frames - last December we saw Ronnie wrap up his semi-final match in little over an hour! How on earth can that represent a semi-final of such importance?!

To make it the second biggest again they must reduce the number of players at the final venue to 32 or 64 (tops), and make it a "2 table" set up only. All matches must then be played over 2 sessions minimum. Lets say best of 17 frames throughout followed by a 2 day, 31-frame Grand Final.

Yes, I agree, nonetheless I would like to share one thought:

-Even I agree with you, that UK would be great as this (best-of-17 matches with a best-of-31 final; as once it was -even when I´ve found it out snooker the final was already best-of-19, but keeping the 2-session for all knockout rounds). It will be perfect, I would like it too, but...

-...one different thing is that World Snooker wants to reduce the format of the tournament (even I don´t like, or we don´t like, they decide how tournaments must be), but another one very different is that they called UK as the second tournament when there is no objective reason to call it like this.

[neuronic]

It's the format, the shortness of matches.

In a way the Tour Championship 2019 felt like the "better" UK Championship...

[cesard]

https://www.thesnookerforum.co.uk/bo...arabia-masters

Half million to the Winner, same as World Championship winner

Not only UK & Masters are every time decreasing their importance, WC could be in mid-term

[vmax]

https://www.thesnookerforum.co.uk/bo...arabia-masters

Half million to the Winner, same as World Championship winner

Not only UK & Masters are every time decreasing their importance, WC could be in mid-term

Whose game is it anyway ?

IMO the major competition final of any sport should be held in it's country of origin at a venue that becomes the mecca of the game where all participants strive to reach and feel honoured when they do, otherwise it's meaningless.
You can't buy tradition but you can sell out and lose it, the FA cup now means nothing, should we allow the UK snooker to go the same way ?

And a winter game should remain a winter game, can you hear me FIFA

[Odrl]

Well, they can't even find a venue for the Indian Open, so I think hosting the World Championship in India would be a dreadful idea. :smile: