John Higgins criticises new format

[Rane]

I agree 100% with Higgins on this one. It takes all the special touch away from the UK Championship.

[gavpowell]

I'd like to see the proof of this constantly repeated statement that "people don't want longer matches"

I used to go to the UK when it was in York, go to the Worlds in Sheffield, went from Hull to London to see White v Hunter in a 4-frame exhibition, go to the Masters every year. I didn;'t go to the UK when it was in Telford because it was too hard to get there, ditto the other tournaments(except PReston for the GP, but I wouldn't have wanted to see round-robins) I was delighted when the UK was announced returning to York, and now the lustre has been taken off it by a broken promise and the number of frames being not cust cut but halved.

If the crowds don';t want to see multi-session matches, why are the Worlds consistently sold out, even with increased capacity? Why was this year's final one of the most successful of recent years? If people don't want to watch multi-session matches, they can watch the other tournaments. If they don't have the patience to sit through more than 5 frames, they should find another sport.

[circle]

John Higgins moaning - how rare! He should be glad that hes still got a professional snooker career!

[the montrealer]

HI Snooker fans around the World Barry Hearn did a lot for snooker without him snooker would be dead

[beechy1212]

I'd like to see the proof of this constantly repeated statement that "people don't want longer matches"

I used to go to the UK when it was in York, go to the Worlds in Sheffield, went from Hull to London to see White v Hunter in a 4-frame exhibition, go to the Masters every year. I didn;'t go to the UK when it was in Telford because it was too hard to get there, ditto the other tournaments(except PReston for the GP, but I wouldn't have wanted to see round-robins) I was delighted when the UK was announced returning to York, and now the lustre has been taken off it by a broken promise and the number of frames being not cust cut but halved.

If the crowds don';t want to see multi-session matches, why are the Worlds consistently sold out, even with increased capacity? Why was this year's final one of the most successful of recent years? If people don't want to watch multi-session matches, they can watch the other tournaments. If they don't have the patience to sit through more than 5 frames, they should find another sport.

The Worlds will always sell out because the tournament is huge. The next most popular event is actually the Masters, judging by the crowds. The other tournaments have a depressing amount of empty seats. At least lets try a different format to see if we can get full arena's for all tournaments.

[Dannyboy]

Yeah i agree Higgins is lucky to be still in the game, and i still think he paid his then manager thousands to take the hit for him. Higgins should of been made am example of, and banned for life.

[Looki]

John Higgins moaning - how rare! He should be glad that hes still got a professional snooker career!

Yeah i agree Higgins is lucky to be still in the game, and i still think he paid his then manager thousands to take the hit for him. Higgins should of been made am example of, and banned for life.

I'm delighted to see there are intellectuals among us who are able to catch the most substancial point of the whole thread. How could we survive without you?

[Dannyboy]

lol love it when i go fishing and get a few bite's hehe

[SnookerFan]

If Ronnie had said this, people would be queuing up to agree with him.

[DWOT]

If Ronnie had said this, people would be queuing up to agree with him.

Why would Ronnie say it when Mr Hearn is bending over backwards to change the game to suit Ronnie????????

[Dannyboy]

On a serious note though you will never be able to please everyone and we all have our own opinion's. I also hope they dont reduce the frame number's in the world's as it's hard enough for player's to get there in the first place, just think how many frames they had to win in the old day's to become world champion. I love watching the world's and watch every minute of it

[SnookerFan]

Why would Ronnie say it when Mr Hearn is bending over backwards to change the game to suit Ronnie????????

I'm not saying he would say it. You're talking about the guy who once said Power Snooker was the future of snooker, and that The Crucible was boring. I was just making a point...

[gavpowell]

The Worlds will always sell out because the tournament is huge. The next most popular event is actually the Masters, judging by the crowds. The other tournaments have a depressing amount of empty seats. At least lets try a different format to see if we can get full arena's for all tournaments.

For anytthing other than the UK and the World I'd agree - I don't like premier league snooker so I don't watch it, but am happy for it to xo-exist, ditto the PTCs.

I just think given it's the UK's first year back in a major city and a popular venue(loads of people didn;t go cos it was in Telford), give it a chance before you tinker with the format.

[SnookerFan]

For anytthing other than the UK and the World I'd agree - I don't like premier league snooker so I don't watch it, but am happy for it to xo-exist, ditto the PTCs.

I just think given it's the UK's first year back in a major city and a popular venue(loads of people didn;t go cos it was in Telford), give it a chance before you tinker with the format.

This is a very good point. A lot of people were really excited to see it in a big city again. You wonder if the location makes any increase on the numbers, they'll say it's because of their new format.

[the nugget]

Yeah it was so much better when there was six competitions in the entire calendar year! I think your comment does tell me a lot, but more about the people you associate with than Barry Hearn.

No player or fan worth his salt, could possibly be happy about a reduction in televised snooker. The fact that the shorter matches undermines the UK title itself is inarguable. Anyone who knows anything about snooker knows that the longer the match goes on, the classier player goes through. Not dissing Nigel Bond, who's a great pro, but would he really have won an event if the matches were all first to ten? At his peak - possibly, right now - no chance. Yet he won the shoot-out. So by reducing the frames played, you automatically increase the amount of players capable of winning the event. We don't really want this. We don't want just anyone to be able to win it, we want one of the best to win it.

I'm so anti this decision that I'm hoping the semi-finalists end up being Joe Jogia, Li Yan, Tom Ford and Rory McLeod. See how happy the TV companies and World Snooker will be then!

Well said magicman couldnt agree more!