Ssb - exclusive: Hearn bids for wpbsa chairmanship

[steedee]

hearn is no better than rod walker

To be fair to hearn everything he touches turns to gold. it takes a quite brilliant mind to be able to take a handful of washed up boxers and a couple of unknown boxers and turn them into a success story like the prizefighter series.

my only fear is we end up with the majority of tournaments in a 10 or 6 red format with a shot clock.

[superaussie]

as i said on another forum if you want gimmicks like the ones used in the snooker premier league in all snooker tournaments then hearn is your man

[spike]

Sounds promising, but what happens if the players vote NO to Walker and then Hearn changes his mind?

It's always a possibility Hearn may change his mind but i cant see it myself..

[decwes]

Two questions that I would be interested to hear your point of view on if possible:

1. Do you think the recent spate of news coming out of the WPBSA (UK sponsor, Essentials, possible 7th tournament) is a last ditch attempt to gain support amongst the players before the AGM?

2. Do you think Barry Hearn would lead the sport down the path of Sky, therefore limiting exposure to the UK fanbase/youngsters to carry the game forward.

Whilst it is clear something needs to be done I think perhaps the Hearn route may not be best for the sport unless everyone is clear about the route he wants to take the sport before any potential takeover. Speaking as a snooker and Newcastle fan (Mike Ashley), I think people need to see cards on the table before any overhaul of the current ruling body.

What does anyone else think?

[noel]

Sounds promising, but what happens if the players vote NO to Walker and then Hearn changes his mind?

To the Castle Hearnstein Men!






=o(

Noel

[JanieWatkins]

But thinking about it - surely the players will have to have some idea of his proposals to improve snooker.
It is a shame the SPA is not open to Amateur players - and I do hope if there is any sort of a new Board they consider the lower ranked players and the Amateurs and do not just concentrate on Top 16.

SPA is open to every player on the planet Val. Currently it's the pro circuit getting the headlines and for long term change and progress right through the game it needs the initial concepts to be met and that requires either the wpbsa to sit round the table and work with SPA on the rankings and the calendar, or the players to call an EGM to effect that change within the wpbsa.

But SPA is for all.

As I understand it, from reading the SPA literature, their intention with the rankings is to open up more events to be given ranking status. They would have a criteria that had to be met to be given ranking status and then there would be a sliding scale of events and the points allocated to them.

So for instance the big events like the World Champs, UK, China, Welsh or whatever would be the A Grade Ranking events, carrying the most points.
Then you might see events like the PIOS given a tariff of points. Events like German Open given B C D or E status. Basically it will be down to the players to decide that through SPA.

If I've got any of this wrong, I apologise and stand to be corrected.

I'm currently in India for the IBSF World Championships and I've heard quite a bit of discussion going on about SPA and how it might crack the whole game open if the players sign up for it en bloc and start to effect change.

[wildJONESEYE]

what is a concern is Barry Hearn wants the coast clear to get involved...

if i was in Barry's shoes id tell walker to **** off im after youre job so get lost.

Barry Hearn instead of fighting the WSA with passion all thoes years ago when the going got tough he gave up ...i want someone with back bone running the WSA is hearn that man im not so sure.

[Deiseboy]

A thing to remember is the poor turn out at the AGM's, a lot of the players do not turn up and simply post in their votes. Speaking to two of the them today they have already posted in thier votes without knowing about Hearn's interest.
Lower ranked players are probably not going to go to the cost of traveling to it to change their votes so the SPA now have a job on their hands to get as many as possible to attend to change their votes if they have cast them and wish to change.
I wouldn't be surprised if Walker was voted back in beacuse of inaction by the players even if they wanted Hearn.

[Forman]

A thing to remember is the poor turn out at the AGM's, a lot of the players do not turn up and simply post in their votes. Speaking to two of the them today they have already posted in thier votes without knowing about Hearn's interest.
Lower ranked players are probably not going to go to the cost of traveling to it to change their votes so the SPA now have a job on their hands to get as many as possible to attend to change their votes if they have cast them and wish to change.
I wouldn't be surprised if Walker was voted back in beacuse of inaction by the players even if they wanted Hearn.

i really hope this doesnt happen, if the players arent going to put in the effort to bring about change then they only have themselves to blame if they cant make a decent living from the sport.

[footygirl]

Hi Guys - can you PM me with any comments or points you would like to discuss

[miscuehamburg]

Barry Hearn instead of Sir Rodney Walker, what a boost for the game that would be

As we see under the recent reign the SPA is not even considered as an equal partner, leave out the very necessary reform of the pro-circuit as a whole, as the SPA suggest.

With due respect to Sir W such change is just what the game needs right now.

[Forman]

to the people claiming barry hearn would turn the ranking circuit into a sideshow of gimmicks and exibition style events i would like to think the heavy involvement of Steve Davis and John Higgins in the SPA would prevent ranking events ever being altered from the traditionl form of the game, i may be wrong but just my opinion

[RocketRoy1983]

Ive mixed feelings here I really do. I for one am a traditionalist and the way I see it more ranking events is the answer I personally want to see and I dont care if Walker, Hearn or Mickey flaming mouse runs it. However, Im a stong believer that Walker is a negative to snooker and Hearn is an astute businessman so it could be a shrewd move for snooker.

[wildJONESEYE]

to the people claiming barry hearn would turn the ranking circuit into a sideshow of gimmicks and exibition style events i would like to think the heavy involvement of Steve Davis and John Higgins in the SPA would prevent ranking events ever being altered from the traditionl form of the game, i may be wrong but just my opinion

yes i think people assume he will take over like some dictator that wont happen the sport wont change. what hearn brings with him is contacts good contacts and he might apeal more than fuddy duddy walker however as ive pointed out is he a stayer or if the going gets tough he walks AGAIN.

[Mignon]

A thing to remember is the poor turn out at the AGM's, a lot of the players do not turn up and simply post in their votes. Speaking to two of the them today they have already posted in thier votes without knowing about Hearn's interest.
Lower ranked players are probably not going to go to the cost of traveling to it to change their votes so the SPA now have a job on their hands to get as many as possible to attend to change their votes if they have cast them and wish to change.
I wouldn't be surprised if Walker was voted back in beacuse of inaction by the players even if they wanted Hearn.

Besides, if I'm not wrong, it was Stalin who said something like this: 'what matters is not who votes but who counts the votes'....