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Originally Posted by JasonFrancis
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Dear All,
I wanted to get a few things straight about Jimmys match scheduling in PTC 2 next week. As many forum members know I am the guy who created Snookerlegends some 18 months ago when the organization was not only doing bugger all for the current players but absolutely nothing for the senior legends who made snooker what is was in the 70's and 80's.
Many of you have been supportive of my efforts to get these events off the ground and many of you have attended a legends event and emailed or told me in person how much you have enjoyed our format. Jimmy White signed a contract with me 12 months ago, 12 months ago there were I think 6 ranking events (correct me if I am wrong) and there were no tournaments in May or July 2010.
By the time the PTC was created over 600 snooker fans had already parted with their hard earned money to get the chance to see the whirlwind and the other legends play in their home town of Plymouth, however first and foremost Jimmy is a professional snooker player contracted to World Snooker and wants to play in every ranking event he can - its a shame a few more of the top 16 don't share his passion for the rejuvination of the game.
So it wasn't Jimmy who asked Barry Hearn or World Snooker to accomodate him, or do him any favours, it was me who spoke with Barry to try to accomodate a situation where he could still compete in Sheffiled but also fulfill his commitment to his fans in Plymouth.
Barry Hearn doesn't earn a penny from snookerlegends, in fact you could argue he could lose money at premier league events if people have chosen ours to attend instead but what he realzies, like I do, is that we have a commitment to snooker fans all over the world to deliver on our promises. We promised Jimmy to Plymouth and plymouth will get him!
12 months ago I wouldn't have even bothered to lift the phone, and indeed near on 1000 fans would have left plymouth dissapointed that Jimmy didn't play for them.
The 8 players affected by the rescheduling have all received a letter from World Snooker and myself explaining the situation.
I am entirely independent of any organization or promoter, but I can only praise Barry and Freya at World Snooker for actually realizing that those snooker fans in plymouth are just as important to the game of snooker as every other fan who comes along to support the game across any format, be it world snooker, legends, matchroom, world series or one four seven. Its at exhibitions and events like ours that a young child may first get the bug for snooker, pick up a cue and 15 years down the line become a professional player.
The final point I make is that it is in fact myself who is paying for the private plane and pilot to make sure Jimmy arrives for the event, the cost of that will seriously compromise any profit I make from that event but I want those fans to come to many more legends events. I couldn't do anything about Alex Higgins appearing but I could with Jimmy... do you really blame me for trying?
I wanted to get a few things straight about Jimmys match scheduling in PTC 2 next week. As many forum members know I am the guy who created Snookerlegends some 18 months ago when the organization was not only doing bugger all for the current players but absolutely nothing for the senior legends who made snooker what is was in the 70's and 80's.
Many of you have been supportive of my efforts to get these events off the ground and many of you have attended a legends event and emailed or told me in person how much you have enjoyed our format. Jimmy White signed a contract with me 12 months ago, 12 months ago there were I think 6 ranking events (correct me if I am wrong) and there were no tournaments in May or July 2010.
By the time the PTC was created over 600 snooker fans had already parted with their hard earned money to get the chance to see the whirlwind and the other legends play in their home town of Plymouth, however first and foremost Jimmy is a professional snooker player contracted to World Snooker and wants to play in every ranking event he can - its a shame a few more of the top 16 don't share his passion for the rejuvination of the game.
So it wasn't Jimmy who asked Barry Hearn or World Snooker to accomodate him, or do him any favours, it was me who spoke with Barry to try to accomodate a situation where he could still compete in Sheffiled but also fulfill his commitment to his fans in Plymouth.
Barry Hearn doesn't earn a penny from snookerlegends, in fact you could argue he could lose money at premier league events if people have chosen ours to attend instead but what he realzies, like I do, is that we have a commitment to snooker fans all over the world to deliver on our promises. We promised Jimmy to Plymouth and plymouth will get him!
12 months ago I wouldn't have even bothered to lift the phone, and indeed near on 1000 fans would have left plymouth dissapointed that Jimmy didn't play for them.
The 8 players affected by the rescheduling have all received a letter from World Snooker and myself explaining the situation.
I am entirely independent of any organization or promoter, but I can only praise Barry and Freya at World Snooker for actually realizing that those snooker fans in plymouth are just as important to the game of snooker as every other fan who comes along to support the game across any format, be it world snooker, legends, matchroom, world series or one four seven. Its at exhibitions and events like ours that a young child may first get the bug for snooker, pick up a cue and 15 years down the line become a professional player.
The final point I make is that it is in fact myself who is paying for the private plane and pilot to make sure Jimmy arrives for the event, the cost of that will seriously compromise any profit I make from that event but I want those fans to come to many more legends events. I couldn't do anything about Alex Higgins appearing but I could with Jimmy... do you really blame me for trying?
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