Best route to Main Tour?

[Souwester]

There have been many comments on a myriad of different topics in recent weeks about the relative merits of PIOS and Q-School.

Which route do you consider the best for qualifying to Main Tour?

[Luke Hooper]

no idea for me, i wouldnt have the first clue about how to turn pro even if i could..

id just apply for every tournament on the EASB website lol

[Terry Davidson]

I just wish they would offer overseas players some better method than the world amateur championships or for those down under, the Oceanic Champs.

How about offering the national champions from each country the chance to play in the qualifiers if they wanted and could afford to? If they're not good enough then they're gone after one season.

For instance, if Alain Robidoux wins the Canadians this year I'm pretty sure he might give it a shot and he is playing fairly well but would need to hone his tournament skills again and they only way he can do that is to compete with other pros.

Look how difficult it was for Neil Robertson but he won through in the end. I'm sure there are talented players out there who need a chance but can't afford either the PIOS or Q School or PTC route as they are all very expensive unless they can get really cheap accommodation/food and practice facilities.

Terry

[StevieB13147]

Playing

Within your NGB is the best way to the Main Tour
Once you are king of your country - Then you MAY be ready to take on the seasoned Pro's!

[Souwester]

I would agree with you to some extent Stevie, but that only works for the traditional nations, which have regularly produced a string of professional players.

It's important that those main nations still get some automatic places to Main Tour, but there needs to be another route to enable players from new and minor nations to qualify too. It's just not possible to offer places to all NGBs around the world.

Besides the quality varies enormously from country to country and just because you're national champion in a minor country doesn't mean that you'd stand any kind of a chance against some much lower ranked players from the traditional countries. You've only got to look at the IBSF World Championships to see that.

[JanieWatkins]

I would agree with you to some extent Stevie, but that only works for the traditional nations, which have regularly produced a string of professional players.

It's important that those main nations still get some automatic places to Main Tour, but there needs to be another route to enable players from new and minor nations to qualify too. It's just not possible to offer places to all NGBs around the world.

Besides the quality varies enormously from country to country and just because you're national champion in a minor country doesn't mean that you'd stand any kind of a chance against some much lower ranked players from the traditional countries. You've only got to look at the IBSF World Championships to see that.

mmm! and just cos you're champion in a "traditional" country doesn't mean to say you're going to beat the alleged "minor" countries either!!

[Souwester]

mmm! and just cos you're champion in a "traditional" country doesn't mean to say you're going to beat the alleged "minor" countries either!!

Absolutely. There are some great new players emerging from new territories. However, the traditional routes for getting on to Main Tour, do not make it very easy for them to progress to professional status. The old system really needed to change.

Whether Hearn's plans are the answer is another matter!

[wildJONESEYE]

PIOS is a poor way to get people on Tour.

having 8 players from a Qualifying competition held in north Wales Holiday Camp is very ametarish and Barry was spot on getting Rid of that and nobody worth nothing will even entertain having that back.

[JanieWatkins]

Absolutely. There are some great new players emerging from new territories. However, the traditional routes for getting on to Main Tour, do not make it very easy for them to progress to professional status. The old system really needed to change.

Whether Hearn's plans are the answer is another matter!

Well here at the European Champs I'm delighted to say that we have a record 19 countries through to the Last 32 of the men's event. That says something for the improvement and participation now across Europe.

[Souwester]

Well here at the European Champs I'm delighted to say that we have a record 19 countries through to the Last 32 of the men's event. That says something for the improvement and participation now across Europe.

Yes, I saw that earlier. It's great that snooker is coming on so well in mainland Europe. Let's hope that the big new world can build on that growth and provide sufficient good opportunities for these players.

[goldengirl]

Surely now it's time for all the NGBs, EBSA, IBSF etc.etc. to offer something to the players which is accsessible and worthy of a MT place - and then lobby WSL for a spot - the same as the PIOS organisers must have had to do.

[Souwester]

Surely now it's time for all the NGBs, EBSA, IBSF etc.etc. to offer something to the players which is accsessible and worthy of a MT place - and then lobby WSL for a spot - the same as the PIOS organisers must have had to do.

From what I understand it was World Snooker who approached Pontins to provide PIOS.

I'm sure the NGBs etc will be lobbying for more guaranteed places, but unless more come off the tour each year, more guaranteed places will mean fewer for Q-School qualifiers. Given the financial contribution Q-School is likely to make to the coffers, I can't see Hearn conceding (m)any of those places any time soon. Q-School is likely to be too much of a cash cow to want to weaken its appeal.

[magicman]

I agree. The Q school is a complete money earner now they intend to do away with prize money. It's also fairer to overseas players as they only have to find one return flight and accommodation for two weeks.

[Souwester]

I suspect there will be rather more entrants than can be accommodated within the confines of the Academy within two weeks though.

[JanieWatkins]

From what I understand it was World Snooker who approached Pontins to provide PIOS.

I'm sure the NGBs etc will be lobbying for more guaranteed places, but unless more come off the tour each year, more guaranteed places will mean fewer for Q-School qualifiers. Given the financial contribution Q-School is likely to make to the coffers, I can't see Hearn conceding (m)any of those places any time soon. Q-School is likely to be too much of a cash cow to want to weaken its appeal.

No WSA didn't approach Pontins and Pontin's themselves never ran the PIOS (they took in the entries and the money (quickly) and paid out the prize money (slowly!).
WSA when they no longer wanted to run the Challenge Tour, put it out to tender and a "team" put a presentation in, using Pontin's as the venue and giving the structure, prize funds, etc. That broadly became the PIOS we've known in the past few years.